Blogs :: Ciudad de México

Ciudad de México

So here we sit atop a five story colonial style hostel in the oldest part of Mexico City. For three days now, I have been pondering the church next door and wondering if I just drank too much last night or if it really is leaning to the right!?

I vote for the latter. So, after twenty hours of bus rides and bartering, sleeping in bus stations and being completely, utterly, and hopelessly lost, we arrived in the fifth largest city of the world. I have to say that it was not something I was terribly excited about, but after you spend an entire day sitting on a bus, even the prospect of getting beaten, robbed, and killed in what might be the most dangerous place in Central America (this according to the taco guy down the street that swears South Chicago is far safer than Mexico City) doesn't seem so bad. Really, I couldn't have been more wrong. Everybody I have met so far has been more than helpful (even with my HORRIBLE grasp of the Spanish language). the sights have been amazing, and the travel partners have been more than entertaining.

OK. so enough with talking up the city, and let's get on to the more important things like what we have been doing... Yesterday was touring day for us. Starting off at eight in the morning (nobody in their right mind wakes up early enough to be at a tour by eight when you are traveling) we decided to go and visit some pyramids. Cool? Yes! Worth eight hours??? Not necessarily. But we powered through it. At a elevation of 7400ft, Mexico City is not your average hiking. Needless to say, Jason about fell over dead after climbing the 1000 steps to the top of Aztec culture. I think I need to run or something. Or just maybe not visit the tequila factory until AFTER I sacrifice my heart to the sun god. But it was cool to see for a while at least.

So when we actually returned to the hostel and I was nursing my sore legs, heart palpitations, and third degree sunburn, the Brit (Dave) in our room came up with the best idea I had heard all day: MEXICAN WRESTLING!!!! I know you just cringed a little bit, but bear with me for a few seconds... Think Olympic gymnastics meets Nacho Libre (in fact I think I might have seen the midget from that movie wrestling). AWESOME! And the hostel's tour guide was completely out of control...How many times do you get to see your tour guide standing on the bar with a bottle of tequila pouring it directly into your mouth before the event even starts??? I mean come on. I should have known right then and there that there was no good ending to this night.... The event lasted four hours and many beers, but apparently, that was just the beginning of the tour. Our entrance fee included an after party at one of the hostels associated with our place. I can't turn down an offer like that, so of course we attended.

And so starts my personal battle with the god of tequila. Needless to say the shots of free tequila ran like a river from the heavens (really just a river from the guide standing on the bar). It wasn't all bad though... We did meet about a hundred different travelers from all over the world in just a few short hours. I can honestly say that I don't remember the names of any, but I did meet them nonetheless. Interesting factoid: I don't think I have met a single American since arriving to Mexico City. I find that weird, but I digress. So here I am, the morning after Mexican wrestling, the proud owner of my very own tequila hangover (why I fight that battle over and over again still eludes me), a pink wrestling mask, and at least one extremely entertaining story. It is a good day!

tequila, drinks, tours, party, lodging, Mexico City, Mexico, ruins