Travel. I can’t find my car. A man is cleaning the garage. I ask him where the car rental office is. He stops, puts both hands on the top of his mop, one over the other like a hockey goalie. He can’t understand me. I don’t know the word for rental. I wanna say autobus, but it’s not the right word.

What an excellent first trip to Mexico City.  A very late arrival – 12:30am. I have worries. New City. Language. Late at night (darkness is not my old friend). However, so easy peasy. Off the plane with only carry-on (the only way to go) and through customs in 20 minutes max. Took longer to figure out the passport machine.

I read online to use the taxi stands inside the terminal. More expensive than Uber, but I have no idea where we are going and I am not an Uber expert (yet). And there they are in gleaming taxi pink. You pay up front. 700 pesos later and we are in a taxi. I also google mapped the accommodation, so I knew what it looked like from the street. Thirty minutes later, we are in our La Condesa condo (late at night and no traffic). Easy, peasy, nice and easy. Total time – less than an hour after exiting the plane. Whooohooo.

With the late arrival, we just stuck to the hood for our first day. I feel very safe in Mexico City. I don’t know what I was thinking. Just keep your head up and don’t be stupid.  Our location is great. Quiet. Many restaurants, trees, coffee shops and an expensive organic food mart right around the corner (best pineapple ever – no Walmart, ever).  Found some wine and tacos (separate – dude in the cart had no wine – WTF?). We saw a giant madre statue and walked down endless streets. Many holes in the sidewalks. Careful where you walks.

The next day, we walked over to Chapultepec Park (about 2 clicks from the condo). Once we got there, our intention was the Museum of Anthropology, but we arrived late. I don’t do line-ups. Tomorrow, we will go early (hopefully no line up). We walked across the street and went to the zoo instead – Lobo Canadien, Bison, snow leopards and many other critters. The zoo is free, but you pay for all extras – 6 pesos for the toilet (remember – carry toilet pesos) and 200 for other specialty exhibitions.

On the way home, we stopped for an excellent lunch where I had a tortas – a traditional Mexican sandwich with telera (baguette like bread) filled with arrachera (beef flank steak), chorizo, mayo, cheese and chimichurri. Sandwich dreams made.

The next day, off to the Museum of Anthropology – amazing. I can’t believe the number of artifacts they have and some massive pieces. Pictures and bones and a replica of a burial site. I love the way it’s regionally organized – Maya, the Negra house, Mexica, Gulf coast, Oaxaca, Teotihuacan and the Baja. Each area has its own art and traditions.  We stayed for about three hours until my stomach started dreaming of another tortas.

The next day off to Centro Historical to see Polanco and the Catholic Basilia.  Uber – the only way to local travel. The Metropolitan Church was amazing like walking into a religious work of art, which it is. We strolled around the area – holy shit I have never seen so many people in one place with so many hands reaching out asking for a purchase (lo siento works very well). Very busy spot.

Then lunch at Azul a restaurant sitting in a gorgeous indoor garden. I ordered a Colimita – a Mexican lager from Guadalajara.  My travel companion had a lime mezcal-rita rimmed with salt and smoky paprika.  Then we had guacamole with hand made tortilla chips – dip nothing new, but the chips, holy Hanna. For my main, I had Pescado Tikin Xic – snooker fish with avocado and plantain and a beautiful sauce. So deee-lish.  My travel mate had the chicken enchilada with mole – and man the flavour layers in the sauce were heavenly.

I can’t believe how amazing Mexico  City is. People have said, but you never know until you get here – the food, the sites and the people. No more Arizona for these travellers. We’ve found our new winter vacation spot. How amazing are the people? They just laughed at my horrible Spanish, but as one dude said, at least you’re trying. Try that in France. Or Arizona.