Roads well travelled

Pollution a la Mexicana

The three and a half hour double decker tourist bus around Mexico City was sedate, but did the trick of letting us relax into the high altitude and get a picture of at least some of the city. There are some really beautiful sections, architecture, gardens, lakes, parks, cultural centres stc. The public sculpture is fantastic and Mexican art continues to impress us. It was good to see the highlights of the city. It really is an exciting place and all of us are happy to be here. The bus trip did not explore the underbelly, no surprises there. It took a well travelled path and we are determined that having done that, we need to at make an effort to follow roads less travelled, or at least routes less frequently followed in the next few days. So it is down into the underground Metro, where for 20 cents we can emerge at the other end in the city without having seen the light of day.

There is just so much to see and we have promised ourselves that in the next couple of days we will try to do some major excursions on public transport, without the aid of a tour bus or guide. We are also trying to get just enough sleep and rest to allow us to approach the next thing with enthusiasm, but not so much that we lose momentum.

Today we just gave up trying to sort out lunch, went into Mexico City's only vegetarian cafe and ordered cauliflower soup because we recognised those words, then reverted to our trick of ordering the first four things on the menu because there were four of us. We got a really earthy mushroom soup, three apple dumplings (gordita manzana), some enchiladas and a big tortilla stuffed with what might have been spinach (huanzontle). We were also brought three plates of what can only be described as tamarillo soup for desert, even though we did not think that we ordered it. We had coffee, paid our four dollars each and have vowed to try to remember some of the Spanish names of the foods that we like.

Tony and I had spent the night before in the company of Horaldo the bartender at the Hostel Amigo (you might remember him from such blog entries as Luche Libre Wrestling January 2007). He recognised me from last year and for him that meant we should be given free drinks. Actually, I think the giving away of free drinks by this man is not so special an occasion but who am I to look a gift bar-tender in the mouth.

For the evening, I found a yearning for some quiet time and a copy of the New York Times to enjoy. The muchachos have gone off to the wrestling and will return to the company of Horaldo. Josh and Charles have shifted from Hostel Moneda to Hostel Amigo which is right next door to Hostel Isabel where Tony and I are holed up.

The pollution is getting to me and to make matters worse, our whole street is being dug up. This means that it is a real dust bowl and it is hard to get the smells of Mexico City out of the nostrils and believe me not all the smells are good. Still we have promises to keep, and miles to go before we sleep.