What I Learned About Mexico City

Cars are tiny: You really start to realize that we are obsessed with gas-guzzling machines in the states. Most cars are quite small in Mexico City (think Mini Coopers) and all Ubers are small. Our trip from the airport was comical. We had so much shit and so little car to stuff it in. So we squeezed our luggage into the front seat and our booties in the back seat. 

Driving is kinda wild: I think that’s easy to imagine given the size of the city (something like 20 million people), but you don’t have a true understanding for it until you see it in real life. People drive very fast and there isn't a lane structure so cars are kinda all over the place. With that said, if you use extra caution as a pedestrian, you’ll live. People honk like crazy there too!

People are kinda stone-faced , but they are actually quite friendly: Like so many large cities people are on the go and on their guard, which can be a little intimidating when you don’t know the language. However, I’ve found locals to be quite willing to give you directions (not always the right ones, but they try) and will engage in general conversation. They are usually quite eager to please as well. I think this is because Mexico City is a tourist city and one for which residents have a lot of pride in. They know that you’re not from there and they want to show off that they have a fun, cool, (insert adjective), city. 

What do you like, what are you into: It’s going to sound cliche but this is real. Mexico City is a cavernous city with a little something for everyone. If you are into super good (expensive or cheap) food, it’s there. If you want to party like a rockstar, it’s there. If you want outdoor stuff, touristy stuff, it’s there. If you want to find your LGBTQ+ niche, got it. That doesn’t even include the arts, the culture, the sports. I feel like we barely scratched the surface of what this city has to offer, not to mention really attractive women from all over the world. I look forward to diving in more next time. 

Brah, the bathrooms: Ok, so the big, dirty secret (there’s actually two of them, hell, three of them) that you don’t learn about Mexico City until you research a trip there or if you are actually on the ground is that:

1. You don’t flush toilet paper at all. It messes up their centuries old plumbing. You instead put it in a waste paper basket next to the commode. Yeah, it’s not crazy gross, but it’s not great. 
2. Some places, especially as you get to the less affluent areas of town, require you to pay to use the bathroom. Typically 5 pesos (.28 USD). So always have a little bit of dough on you. 
3. Some places have communal bathrooms that are only separated by the fact that the boys stalls are on one side of the room and the girls are on the other side. 

Bonus fact, some bathrooms don’t have the toilet seat. 

Mexicans are dedicated to providing great service: We ate out a ton when we’re in Mexico City and there was always an intense focus on making us happy. A lot of times if a waiter sensed that we were struggling to order something, they would bring in someone that spoke a little better English to figure out what we were talking about. In many places, we were served by multiple servers, almost like you’d see in a fine dining place. I assure you, we only ate semi high end once while in Mexico City. Of course, servers are eager to make recommendations and my favorite neighborhood bar, while there, gave us shot sized samples of high end mezcals. 

My favorite neighborhoods: Mexico City has an overwhelming amount of neighborhoods and we didn’t go to a ton of them, but we went to a few. Here’s the ones I enjoyed most along with a short note about them:

• Condesa: Super high-end and quiet. Tree-lined and elegant. I really enjoyed my time there. Super walkable. It’s got enough eateries that you can find food easily but not so much that it’s a scene. 
• Coyocan: This is the home of the Frida Kahlo Museum. It’s a colorful, artsy, walkable neighborhood. There was a cute beer bar there.It felt like a more normal neighborhood than say, Condesa or Roma Norte. 
• Roma Norte: The entertainment district in Mexico City. At least in my opinion. CDMX is a huge city and there are clusters of bars everywhere, but Roma Norte has more of the popping, young, energetic vibe. It can get quite loud there so be aware. It’s a fun place to be, but it’s also to “break of dawn” there. 
• Centro: The primary tourist area. This is where all of your museums, attractions, vendors (lots of vendors), and a lot of restaurants are located. We had a really good meal there and we had some good popsicles there. It’s very crowded and active. You will be hit up to buy stuff often. There’s this weird hawk shriek horn that some people do that’s quite unsettling, but it’s an iconic place to visit when in Mexico City

Learn a little Spanish before you go: One regret that I have was not focusing more on learning Spanish prior to my trip. Many people will tell you that the majority of Mexicans speak English there or that the apps can carry you while there. Both are true to a degree, but we didn’t find very many English-speaking servers and it's quite awkward to use Google translate app while in the flow of a conversation. So do yourself a favor, learn a little Spanish. 

Be scared, do it anyway: This one was more of a life thing than a Mexico City thing, but it does apply to this trip in a few ways. The whole concept of this trip provided some intrepidation for me. We all know that Mexico doesn’t have a great reputation in the U.S. and I knew I wasn’t going to get very many “attaboys” about going, especially from my mom. I waited a really long time before I told her that I was going, then I had to verify later on that I was, in fact, going to Mexico City. As a matter of fact, that was probably my first “be scared, do it anyway” moment. It seems silly, but I was really worried about telling her. The only ways I could combat that fear was just booking it (having friends to go there with helped) and then just telling her. I’m so glad I did. 

Then, on the second to last day of the trip, I had a transformative moment. We went on a tour, which took some bravery, to the Waters of Tolantongo. There was a portion of the trip where you have to swim in a cave. I’m embarrassed to say this, but I can’t swim. Not “can’t really swim” or “I’m a bad swimmer”, I literally can’t swim. I told my guide this (more bravery) and he said he would help me out. Smart or no, I had to trust that I wasn’t going to die in a cave that day. And while the method of getting through the cave was slightly humbling (story for another day), I’m clearly still alive. 

Then there’s zipline. Now, I’ve done this once and it was amazing and transformative, but this was in a foreign country and across mountains. I honestly almost didn’t do it, but I just rested on the fact that while I was scared to do it, that I was going to do it anyway and it was going to be ok. It was more than ok, it was amazing, energizing, and life affirming. I know that I can do a lot of things because I took that step (a step of faith). 

And that’s kinda what it’s all about, right? If you can step out on faith and do something that scares you a little, you can do a lot of things and experience a lot of things. Talking to that person you like, telling her how you feel,  starting that business, asking for that raise or that sale, just requires a little courage and a little faith. So just step out there and do it.

The dogs of Mexico City: OMG, the dogs! So many dogs, mostly with their people. They're everywhere and they’re beautiful. Mexico City is such a walkable city in parts and thus you see a lot of dogs. It’s just a fun, little piece of a fun place.