We'd heard many a thing about how unsafe Mexico City is, one that stuck in my head was the taxi drivers. The scam goes that if you get in a dodgy taxi they take you round the corner where a friend gets in, with a gun. They then drive you to an ATM and force you to take all your cash out for that day. Then they hold you over night and do the same the following day. Then shoot you. Nice. Apparently, most of the dodgy taxis are the green and white VW Beetles that are all over the place. The truth is that these incidents probably do happen. But I saw no evidence of anything near it in the week I was there. Besides, if there was a chance that this would happen to us it would've surely been the ideal opportunity when we both fell asleep in the taxi on the way to the hostel.
Mexico City is the biggest city in the world. Things of the underhand nature clearly must happen here but I didn't see a jot. The outskirts are supposed to be sketchy but of all the areas that tourists go nothing untoward happens too often......probably. I wasn't entirely looking forward to visiting Mexico City due to how big it was and how supposedly dangerous it is. Huge sprawling cities aren't always the best places to be.
Our hostel was located on an upmarket neighbourhood street. This is one of the best hostels we've stayed in on the trip. Not because of the room or location, it took a fair while to get into the centre, but because of the general relaxed nature of the place and incredibly friendly owners.
We slept most of the day due to the all night travelling. We thought we'd check out a traditional Cantina that evening. A Cantina is basically a bar where mainly men go and drink and eat tacos and watch sport on TV and the such.
It was pretty good, although it did seem full of Mexican guys trying to chat up the ageing short skirted waitress. Great tacos though.At breakfast we got chatting to a New Zealand couple who we end up spending the next couple of days with. Right, let's go and see some pyramids. Like ya do.
Not only is Mexico City the biggest city in the world but it also has a fair amount of history going on all over the shop. Just out of town, an hour or so, is a collection of large pyramids in an ancient city. It takes a couple of trips on the extensive metro system(the cheapest in the world I'll have you know) and a bus ride to get there and it's definitely worth it.
These pyramids are huge and in the middle of a dusky landscape surrounded by far off mountains. It's also full of salesman trying to hawk you polished Aztec masks and jewellery. I've never said, 'No, gracias' so much in my life.Unlike the Incas these guys, the Teotihuacanos civilisation, sacrificed people from other tribes and enemies. This city dates back to 500AD and is pretty big still to this day, granted one of the pyramids is thought to have been reconstructed too high. But still, it's all very impressive.
The bus ride back isn't. Traffic in Mexico City is some of the worst I've seen. 1 hour on the bus to get there, 2 and a half to get back. All this with a constant repeat of Shrek at Christmas, or similar, on TV screens. It's slow and painful.
The main touristy area is the Zona Rosa, the Pink Zone. It's fairly crappy and full of dire bars and crummy shops. But at least there's a better Cantina, that serves up the largest tequilas I've ever seen! Loud music beer and more excellent Mexican food. Cracking.
Walking through on of the cities large parks the next day we stop to watch a bunch of guys dressed like Morris dancers climb a very high pole, tie rope around their legs and dangle themselves head first whilst swinging round back towards the ground. I have no idea what's going on.
We visit Frida Kahlo's house in another flash district. Frida is one of Mexico's most famous artists and a film was made of her lfe fairly recently starring Salma Hiyak. Not bad as it goes. A sprawling house in a cool area of town that has a great market nearby. This now feels like the real Mexico to me. The Mexico I'd seen on TV. Vibrant, colourful, music everywhere and people dressed like Aztecs wafting smoke over people. Okay I hadn't seen that before but it was an interesting sight. A large church had projections of religious scenes on it whilst loud music played, not my thing but it all adds to the flavour of things. More great food helps too. I've gone taco mental. Taco stands are everywhere and people from all walks of life eat at them. One stand near our hostel is a bit more upmarket and is constantly rammed with suited individuals. They all look like they should be fine dining rather than stood on street corners trying to ram quality meat-based tacos into their cake holes while not trying to spill hot hot chilli sauce all over their fine tailoring. Unbelievable good.
Walking around at night feels safe and a far cry from the things we'd heard. The metro is notorious but the only pest we encountered were the hawkers. People get on the train with a portable dvd player showing movies, copied obviously, for sale. There's also guys who have speakers in their bags playing copied Mexican cds very loudly, all also for sale. The woman playing guitar and singing at full pelt whilst a baby slept on her back was the best.
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