From the air, Mexico City (or the City as locals refer to it) goes on for ever. It’s quite something.
Here are two things I remembered from school: it’s a metropolis and it’s 80 kms long. Chatting to our guide Miguel today, we learnt new crazy facts: over 25 million people live here, it’s more like 100 kms these days, the city is sinking. And life here can only described as chaotic.
Back to last night. We landed with some delay due to turbulence but after that, things happened quickly. From immigration, to collecting our bags, clearing customs (Andy was feeling lucky so he pushed the button and got green so we went through; you get red, your bags get searched) and sorting out an authorised taxi to the hotel took less than an hour. Not bad hey? I declared this the second most efficient airport I have used (with Helsinki claiming top spot).
The drive to the Hotel Metropol, our base for the next few nights, took just over 30 minutes. The streets were teaming with life – street food stalls, bars and restaurants with small doors offering the briefest glimpse of what was inside.
We got the key to our room, dumped our bags and with a full day sightseeing ahead of us did what any sensible person would do and headed to the bar.
Welcome to Mexico!