We decided to give it a try and went for the adventure; Javier lived for many years in the big city so he would be able to show us around and, to be honest that made me feel safer since we have heard so many negative comments about Mexico City.
We left on that Friday night, we took an ETN bus which is a very comfortable way of traveling in Mexico; these buses have seats that recline almost like a bed, they have WiFi, personal screens to watch movies, there's a free coffee/tea bar and they even give you a light meal... no, it's not a chicken bus at all.
We arrived the next morning and checked in at Javier friend's house. Before starting exploring the city, they took us to have a very typical Mexico City breakfast at a small restaurant only a block away from the house; we had "gorditas" which are thick handmade tortillas topped either with beans and cheese, potatoes, cactus and many other delicious stuff. We also had "cafe de olla" this is a special coffee mixed with cinnamon and it's prepared in a clay pot... we had a party!
The first place we visited was Basilica of our lady of Guadalupe, this is a must to visit while in Mexico City; the old basilica building, the gardens, the small temples and the views from the Tepeyac Hill are just amazing; plus all the fascinating history.
Then we made our way to downtown where we were able to appreciate the huge zocalo (main square) that is surrounded by beautiful colonial buildings. We didn't have much time to explore this area, we missed visiting the museums and other places of interest but we had a little taste of it and, now we can always go back... by ourselves.
Xochimilco is a beautiful lake surrounded by artificial islands and amazing vegetation; here you can take a gondola ride in what they call ¨Trajineras" throughout the canals, this is the perfect place to relax and enjoy nature. You can rent a gondola with your family or group of friends and bring your own food and drinks; it's like having a picnic on the water... we had a great time!
It was a long Saturday, specially in a city where traffic is very hectic; we took public transportation and, if you think California traffic is bad, Mexico City's is a challenge. We finally made it home and all we wanted was to relax and take a siesta.
The following day, Javier planned a trip to the magic town of Huasca; this quaint place is in the mountains of the state of Hidalgo, half and hour from its capital city of Pachuca and about two hours from Mexico City.
At first we hesitated about visiting this place because all we wanted was to explore the big city but, we're always open to go to new places; specially if they're magic towns.
Arriving in Huasca was like going back to the old Mexico, where you can breath fresh mountain air and enjoy the calmness of a small town. It was a rainy day which was perfect to sit down to enjoy a cup of coffee with a delicious breakfast... what a life!
In our last day we visited the archaeological city of Teotihuacan; this was a bit of a sweet and sour experience. We really wanted to visit Coyoacan which is a beautiful artsy neighborhood where Frida Kahlo's museum is located but, Javier had a different plan... Patience, Ivan! :0)
It was a long rough ride to get to Teotihuacan because we took a chicken bus that made stops in every little town, by the time we arrived to the pyramids JJ wasn't feeling good and I had a headache; the truth is that we were trying to do so much in just a weekend. We still enjoyed the beauty of this amazing place but, we both agreed that we have to go back, hike the pyramids and explore this place to the fullest.
We left Mexico City without visiting many places we have on our list but, we had a little taste of it. Next time we're planing to rent an apartment for at least a week so we would be able to explore this metropolis without having to rush. I have read so many good things about Mexico City so one weekend wasn't enough to have the full experience...
Safe travels my friends!
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