I.I.I.II – Mexico City: Day Two & Three
MEXICO CITY
I.I.I.II – DAY TWO & THREE
05/08/22 & 06/08/22
There is much to say about the capital of Mexico. Of the six days I’d have going around, I decided to spend the first three exploring the heart of the city. I got to appreciate CDMX more than I ever could by reading about it or by looking at photos.
The city itself never left me want for anything, be it food, art or culture. I got to appreciate chili, lime and salt with anything and everything, from fruit to meat. I got to try tacos of all kinds – from ribeye and chicken to goat and pork. Although I have the palate of a garbage truck, I do have to admit there was something off about Mexican food. Everything tasted… different. And not in a good way – especially the tacos. The difference, I got to learn, was that Mexican tortillas are corn-based, unlike the flour-based ones I was so accustomed to back in Europe.
Here, it seemed, everyone was simply obsessed with corn. In fact, a common saying is “Sin mais no hay pais” which translates to “Without corn there is no country”. But taco after taco, I quickly learned to appreciate the original version. It didn’t take much for me to fall in love with Mexican cuisine. From snacks like chicharron and plantain crisps to molcajete and carne asada, I started to rethink my notion of going back home looking like a skeleton. Oh and the nopal! Back home, we eat prickly pear like there’s no tomorrow (you wouldn’t guess how many patients I’d seen at hospital presenting with constipation because of them) but I had never thought the leaves could be eaten too. So sour and acidic!
And let’s not forget the bebidas! From day-drinking Corona and Tecate beer to multiple mezcal and tequila tours around the city, let’s just say my sobriety was in question at one point. Especially after learning a couple of drinking salutes such as:
“¡Afloja el codo,
Encoge el codo,
Y chingatelo todo!”
&
“¡Arriba, abajo, al centro, pa’ dentro!”
These translate to:
“Loosen the elbow,
Tighten the elbow,
And bottoms up!”
&
“Up, down, in the centre, drink up!”
There’s also the traditional michelada; a drink made from beer, spices, chili and lime. I can imagine a chicken breast marinated in that stuff would taste great, but when it comes to drinking it, it’s a very hard pass for me. Much more to my liking were the aguas frescas; fruit-flavoured water that you’re bound to find in most street stalls on every single road, with tamarind and hibiscus flavoured water quickly becoming my new addiction.
Arts & Culture
It wasn’t just the food and drinks that made me enjoy the city. It was certainly a jam-packed schedule but I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way!
From laying my eyes on some of the best works of art I had ever seen at the Palacio de Bellas Artes and the Museo Nacional de Arte, to fawning at beautiful monuments such as the Angel of Independence and the Monument to the Revolution. From ogling at the most beautiful vistas from atop the Torre Latinamericana (which gives a full, unobstructed view of the city) to those at the park of Chapultepec (whose castle made me feel like I stepped back in time). From learning more about the Aztec and Mayan legacy at the Museum of Anthropology and from the natives alike to getting to understand more about the workings of the Mexican’s way of life at the Postal Palace and the National Bank.
Apart from that, I also got a first-hand taste of Mexican culture at its best when I randomly stumbled upon a traditional dance concert held at the Zocaló; the dancers’ costumes and moves leaving me awestruck to say the least. Okay, one last thing – I promise. I also got to go to a Lucha Libres fight – one of the most awesome things I’ve ever been to (and I rarely use the word ‘awesome’ so that’s gotta count for something. ¡Muy, muy padre!
The Real CDMX
It wasn’t all fun and games though. Throughout my stay in CDMX, I also got to learn about some of the hardships Mexicans deal with. Like those living in Monterrey. Water scarcity is such a problem there that more often than not, most people can’t even shower. And that’s the middle- and high-class individuals – imagine what it’d be like to be part of the lower class and not being able to get your hands on potable water! Or the fact that healthcare is mostly privatised. That the best education has to be paid for. Or the fact that around one third of the population cannot afford sustainable housing or any housing at all.
I started off giving a few Pesos here and there to street beggars, and then, after being stopped so many times, I decided I had to actually start saying no if I were to have enough money to do what I had planned. It only took a day for me to become almost indifferent, saying no or turning my head away from them the second I’d see them coming my way.
But every time, I’d feel this pang of guilt. Here I am, a white privileged male, once again on the road. Traveling is nothing but a luxury. Especially the kind of traveling I was doing. Hotels, tours, restaurants, taxis. The money I’d be spending on those things could potentially give roof over the heads of hundreds of people – if only for a short while. And then I’d feel ashamed. Ashamed because despite knowing all of that, I’d turn a blind eye. I never really believed in charity. Treat the cause not the symptom. Give someone a fish and you feed them for a day, teach someone to fish and you feed them for the rest of their lives. I never had much of a Messiah complex, but I do feel responsible for these people, to a certain extent at least.
I figured that the next time I’d be travelling, I’d save up some money just to hand out. Still not a solution, but at least that certain someone might be able to quell their hunger for a while, Plus, I’d be able to sleep at night knowing I didn’t say no.
Stay wild,
Marius
Post-Scriptum
During my first week, I was still a bit overwhelmed by everything going on and I hadn’t quite fallen in the routine of writing. For this reason, some of these descriptions might seem a bit too dry and superficial. It took a few more days for me to start pulling up my sleeves and start dedicating more time to journalling so you can expect better entries from now on, I promise!