Mexico City 2018

It's been two months and I'm still thinking about my trip to Mexico. It was full of surprises and adventures, and I took so many photos that I need to split them into two posts.

I spent my first week in Mexico City; I could have honestly stayed another week because there was so much to see, do and eat. I coincided my trip with Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) and the festivities were underway. Marigolds were sold everywhere, especially at the markets, because they are believed to guide the souls of the dead to the ofrendas (altars) lovingly decorated by family members.

Did you know that Mexico City has more than 150 museums? I visited two during my stay, barely put a dent in it. I missed some must-sees due to ill-timing on my part, but my favourite way to explore the city was to wander.

And wander you must - each neighbourhood has a distinctive feel with discoveries waiting to happen. I stumbled upon the feast day of San Judas Tadeo, where thousands of people were on the street in front of the Iglesia de San Hipolito, carrying statues of the saint and getting spiritually cleansed. I also took the bus out to visit the Teotihuacan pyramids. They were crazy impressive though fair warning, because there was no shade, it was hot as hell. Hat and sunscreen are a must.

I'm a huge fan of visiting local markets when I travel because I like to see how the locals shop and eat. I went to a few in Mexico City, but Mercado de la Merced is on a whole other level. The indoor market is like a maze and you will inevitably get lost, but there's a street outside of the market that is just utter chaos, in the best possible way. It was like being back in Southeast Asia: a jumble of produce, people and traffic. La Merced is not for the faint-hearted but if you are up for an adventure, this place is for you. I read online that some have run into pickpocketers and aggressive theft, but I never felt unsafe. Be aware of your surroundings (constant vigilance!) and keep your valuables hidden.

I was at the market on November 1 and strangely enough, kids were dressed up in costumes during the day, visiting vendors for treats. It seems like in Mexico City, Halloween stretches past October 31.

There is a surprising amount of green space in Mexico City. Neighbourhoods have pedestrian pathways that are lined with trees, a respite from the major roads filled with cars and traffic. I think my favourite thing was that each neighbourhood had its own tortilleria, kind of like what boulangeries are to Paris. Tortillas (and masa) are a staple to the Mexican diet and fresh tortillas are readily available. I would love to have that in Canada!

Can I talk about the food? Specifically, the street food. It's everywhere (everywhere!), all of it delicious. Not only did I need a second stomach, but a third and perhaps a fourth to help me eat everything that I wanted.

My absolute favourite street food, and the one meal that I repeated, was the tlacoyo. It's made with blue masa, stuffed with beans, then topped with cactus, cheese, and whatever salsa you can handle, spice-wise. It was SO good, freshly made and hot off the comal.

Other street food eats: a friend recommended Taqueria los Cocuyos for its tripe tacos and they were as delicious. There were at least ten street food stands during the walk home from the metro station and I was only able to try one during my stay. The fried quesadilla stand was hopping, which helped me make the decision to pull up a chair to join the locals.

Everyone in Mexico was so kind to me even though my Spanish was almost non-existent. Not many people knew English, but all were willing to help.

I was trying to find a taqueria stand at La Merced but kept getting lost (see above), walking in circles that the vendors at a nopales stand recognized me and teased me a bit. I gave up and settled on this busy carne asada stand and did not regret my decision. I also made sure to stop by a birria stand because I'm a fan of lamb/goat meat.

I was ecstatic when I came across this plantain vendor because I freaking love plantains. Freshly fried, it was one of the best things that I ate, in my bias opinion.

I also ate at real restaurants. Pujol is probably the hottest restaurant in Mexico City at the moment, but I decided against it because I didn't want to do a four-hour tasting menu. Instead, I headed to its sister restaurant, Molino el Pujol, for a more casual meal... and then proceeded to spend two hours there. I was there for so long that the menu changed from breakfast to lunch, and yes, I ordered off of both menus. Gouzalo, who worked the cash register, was super chatty, willing to explain all the things I was eating, and even connected me with a friend in Oaxaca. Kindness was everywhere.

I had my first mole in Mexico City and it blew my mind, the complexities of flavour in the sauce. I also hit up some local restaurants: there was a pozole restaurant just below where I was staying, and it was such a comforting meal. I also ate at a restaurant where there was always a line, waiting for it to open (I joined the line the next night) and their atole was as good as the fellow diners said it would be.

It's obvious that I have a sweet tooth, as half of the recipes on this blog are desserts, so here are my top three sweet eats: churros from Churreria el Moro (join the line, it's worth it), the pan de muertos con nata from Pasteleria Suiza (not sure if they have it off-season), and the guava and cheese danish from Panaderia Rosetta. Excuse the squashed danish, I brought it with me to my Teotihuacan excursion and ate it among the ruins.

If you ever thought about visiting Mexico City and hesitated, this is me urging you to go. It's perfectly safe, the food is amazing, the people are generous, and you will have the best time of your life. Just go - you will not regret it.