mexico city!

We arrived in DF, which is how the city is referred by the spanish itnitials (districto federal.) We took a 5 hour bus ride from Xalapa, a city we LOVED but did not have enough time to fully explore. We will go back there one day and spend the weeks necessary to explore the hilly sanfranciscoesque city, outlying towns and the diverse natural landscape. Xalapa has very little tourism but has the State University, so the scene is hip and cultural and the main plaza overlooks mountains and a volcano. It was so nice to be back in a city where we felt like the lone tourists. After hoards of tourists in Oaxaca, I needed to feel that we are not doing the same thing that EVERYONE is doing! This is the first place we really felt we got a great dinner and it was cheap! Zarha did lose a precious $20 dollars worth of pesos in xalapa so maybe we are destined to come back and find it!

I have not fallen in love with the gulf coast. I don't feel a need to go back Veracruz (however I heard that is the town to be for Carnival in Mexico!) Most other cities don't celebrate Mardigras festivities in Mexico but apparently its happening there. It was as disaponting as my arrival to New Orleans Many many years ago when i walked to the Mississippi River to find polluted waters and ugly barges. Veracruz is the main export port and has barges and cranes and all kinds of metal nasty contraptions just past the shoreline. There is mostly a lot of Mexican tourism and it was only Mexicans i saw swimming in the water. I heard that Mexico city dumps waste into the Gulf and it didnt seem inviting for me to swim in. The Gulf coast has nothing on the pacific where i would spend my last days on earth if i knew they were coming.

Mexico city is beautiful! The altitude is a bit much for me! Mexico city is about 7400 feet above sea level and i can feel the lack of oxygen but its not nearly as polluted as i thought it would be. It has many wide cobble stone streets and old amazinly huge Spanish architure government buildings and cathedals circling the Zocolo.
We arrived last night to some Aztec drumming and dance in the Zocolo. These plazas are always so surreal to stumble upon around dusk when we are still trying to orient ourselves to a new place. This city is more like an European city, reminds me of Madrid, than I realized it would be. Its less draining and flashy than NYC and it has a grounding feeling. Unlike that Constant billboard flash and glitz of NY that sucks energy this city, (Despite the most populated in the world!) is amazingly composed.

Well for the next 2 days we are exploring all the ruins and museums we possibly can. I plan to hike up to the pyramid of the sun! Andy is remembering and telling us more stories of time here as a boy. It is amazing how little he actually saw of this city when he was here! He lived with an overprotective rich family that often did not let them out of the family compound. I guess the Mexico of the 80s was scary, like NY, but still I can't believe they wouldn't have shown him the pyramids! Its cool that Andy came back with Zarha right around the same age.

I cant believe these are our last few days in Mexico!
I guess will be joining the cold team soon!
hugs to all
d