Long long ago, in a land far away … Yes, I have finally got around to writing about Mexico, more than half a year after I returned.
Flying into Benito Juárez International Airport (MEX) in January this year reminded me of the stories I’ve heard of flying into the old Hong Kong airport. As the plane got lower and lower I could see apartment blocks, cars and people. Everything except an airport. Finally, just as I was sure we were going to land on an apartment block roof, the ground opened up, and seconds later we were on the runway.
Oziel and I stayed in his family home, just outside Mexico City. Mexico City has a population of over 20 million and now extends over the borders of the state in which it is situated. This makes Greater Mexico City the second biggest urban area, behind Greater Tokyo.
Of course there was some initial confusion as when we started driving from Oziel’s home as we were following signs to Mexico. Oziel assured me that he was Mexican and we weren’t in Guatamala – Mexico is just the accepted abbreviation for La Ciudad de Mexico.
I think it is easiest to describe Mexico City as (huge) a set of suburbs (colonias) – each with shops, restaurants and houses – joined by huge arterial roads (some suffering from cholesterol). Some areas ooze with affluence – mansions protected with swimming pools, tennis courts, fences, cameras, and beefy personnel. Others put together with raw concrete and corrugated iron.
Mexico City is the centre of Mexican distribution. So while it is common for prices to be higher in a big city, the opposite is true in Mexico. So this was of course the first place we looked for a piñata, but more about that later.
The metro in Mexico City costs a mere 2 MXN (0.19 AUD or 1.12 SEK). My comparison point is the local bus in Blekinge, which covers a much smaller areas and costs 20 SEK (36 MXN or 3.34 AUD). On the metro you can buy anything – from cold drinks and lollies, to CD, games and DVDs. Everything from the latest hits to golden oldies is 10 MXN (0.94 AUD or 5.60 SEK). But at least some of Oziel’s friends do not buy these goods on the trains, as they believe them to be run by less than scrupulous cartels, that treat competition less than fairly.
Mexico City is also home to the original Volkswagen Beetle. Here it has reincarnated itself in the form of a taxi, and can be found everywhere. It seems that Mexico City is where all Beatles go to retire.
But one of my favourite discoveries was the mariarchi. These musicians congregate in one area of Mexico City, standing on street corners and places where cars can easily pull over. If you want a mariarchi for your party, you drive to this area, select one you like, negotiate a deal, and drive off with someone to perform for your guests.
Mexico City is a very diverse city, and I won’t try to do it justice in this post. Below are my pictures around Oziel’s house – Mexico City, Huitzilac, Cuernavaca and Tepoztlan.
