Mexico City, 2023
I’ve been traveling a lot lately, and I absolutely love it but definitely feeling a little overwhelmed. My second international trip in a month, Mexico City was a vacation I spontaneously booked for Simon and me to enjoy after his licensure exam. Visiting CDMX on Dia de Los Muertos has been a dream of mine, and when the opportunity arose, we said YOLO. There’s nothing I love more than visiting a place so full of life, celebration, and holiday festiveness. (But not the Christmas kind this time around.)
Dia de los Muertos
Day of the Dead is a holiday unique to Mexico that combines ancient Aztec traditions with Hispanic Catholic dates. The holiday honors those who have passed, but instead of framing it as dark and somber, it’s a bright and cheerful festival that celebrates lost loved ones in a positive way.
In CDMX, there are marigolds literally everywhere, alebrije statues on Paseo de la Reforma, giant statues in Zócalo, catrina skeletons outside storefronts, and beautiful exquisite ofrendas everywhere. The city comes alive with color and everyone is in a festive mood. Since the week overlaps with Halloween, there are people out and about in costumes and makeup at all times of the day, which just makes walking around all the more fun. Here are some of the ofrendas we saw around the city, at hotels, parks, church plazas, and even pharmacies:
Good urbanity
The largest city in North America, Mexico City is an example of urban design done right. From civic main squares to small walkable neighborhoods, the city is dense with spaces designed for pedestrians. Even the large boulevards that serve automobile traffic get closed off for things like parades. There are plenty of parks, plazas, and “third places” that promote community engagement and good old-fashioned hanging out in the neighborhood, a concept America has failed to grasp.
Throughout our 4 days exploring different neighborhoods in both day and night, we never felt unsafe. Instead of panhandling, people on the streets were actively trying to make a living, selling candy or cleaning your windshield. They never felt overly aggressive or pushy either.
Zócalo is the main square in CDMX, having been a gathering place for Mexicans since Aztec times. Nowadays, it’s a bit touristy, but continues to serve as a central gathering spot for tourists and locals alike, especially nearing the weekend. Locals were shopping for pan de muerto at the local bakeries, and spending their holiday off admiring the giant ofrenda of Pancho Villa, just like we were.
My favorite neighborhoods in the city were Roma Norte and Coyoacán. Roma Norte is one of the more hip and gentrified areas, full of brunch cafes and digital nomads. Simon loved walking over to their bakeries in the morning and discovering eclectic eateries. Coyoacán is a bohemian suburb that has kept its local charm. With cobblestone streets, colonial architecture, artisan markets, cultural performances, and museums like Frida Kahlo’s house, the place had such an amazing local vibe. I loved sitting in Jardín Centenario and just people watching.
There is also so much beautiful, surprising architecture everywhere. There are styles from every historic period, interspersed with incredibly contemporary structures. There is so much to study!
Museo Nacional de Antropología
The largest museum in Mexico, the National Museum of Anthropology tells the comprehensive history of pre-Columbian Mexico through artifacts, including ones from Aztec, Mayan, and other ancient civilizations. However, my favorite parts were the outdoor sections of each exhibit, designed to offer a relaxing walk through nature. The outdoor Mayan exhibit was such a treasure, complete with a replica of a temple that had serious tomb raider / Indiana Jones vibes. Now where is that secret latch?
The most insane thing we saw after exiting the museum was these death defying pole flyers demonstrating an ancient Mesoamerican ceremony/ritual called Danza de los Voladores. The ritual consists of dance and the climbing of a 30 meter pole from which four of the five participants in native garb then launch themselves tied with ropes to swing around upside down until they finally descend to the ground. The fifth remains on top of the pole, dancing and playing a flute and drum.
Xochimilco
Xochimilco was a day trip we knew we wanted to experience, so we took an Airbnb experience, where the local guides showed us the town of Xochimilco and its local markets before taking us aboard a trajinera on a boat ride around the chinampas. I was expecting a peaceful boat ride, but instead it was party town. Every trajinera is playing music, people are eating and dancing, and vendors float by selling foods and decor and live music! We enjoyed tacos, elote, micheladas, pulque and plenty of Mexican beers. What a fun activity to do for a birthday or bachelorette celebration.
Also, axolotls are cute af.
Comida
Taqueria Orinoco: The best tacos I’ve ever tasted. The menu doesn’t have much, but every taco combination is perfected to perfection. A long wait (we lined up for an hour) but a must-visit.
Churrería El Moro: A churro chain. Although I still prefer Costco’s churros. No dip needed.
Pastelería Ideal: Iconic pastry shop founded a century ago with very traditional bread and lots of Pan de Muerto for Dia de Los Muertos.
Mi Compa Chava: A swanky seafood place in Coyoacán with tostadas, ceviches, oysters, sashimi, and more.
Panadería Rosetta: Super popular bakery in Roma Norte known for guava rolls. Everything else is pretty darn good too.
Taqueria Orinoco, the In-N-Out of Mexico.
Shake Shack, for a break from tacos, lol.
The language
The locals in Mexico didn’t know as much English as I expected (as compared to Europe, for example) but at every moment I was grateful to have a rough understanding what people were saying. And be able to communicate something back, albeit in broken Spanish. The biggest gracias to Sr. Avendaño, Sra. Donnelly, Sra. Mormont for four years of high school Spanish classes that whipped me into shape, and allow me to travel to Spanish-speaking countries. And for teaching more than just a language, but fostering a deep appreciation and curiosity for Latin culture and traditions.
“No sé bailar,” I replied
“Está bien. Puedes aprender. ¡Es una maestra!”
Travel Tips
Don’t drink sink water or consume foods that contain or could be washed by sink water, like salad greens. Waters, beers, and drinks are bottled for a reason. On day 3, I stupidly ordered a horchata at a restaurant, which give me food poisoning for a day and caused me to miss out on a day trip out of the city.
Having 5 peso coins on hand to use public restrooms.
Ubers are reasonably priced and convenient. Apparently taxis scam tourists.
Book your Frida Kahlo museum tickets way in advance. That’s the only attraction you’ll have to pre-plan for.
There are numerous museums, and many are free. Follow your curiosity and walk on in.
We had a short 4 days (cut even shorter by the food poisoning fiasco), but nevertheless, had an amazing time experiencing Mexico for the first time during this magical time of year. Next visit I’d love to visit Teotihuacan, the Frida Kahlo Museum, and see more ancient ruins in other parts of Mexico like Chichen Itza.
Waiting for James Bond to show up in a crowd somewhere…
On an unrelated but important note: I’d like to point out that I rented all the outfits you see me wearing here. A week prior to the trip, upon realizing I hadn’t gotten anything colorful to wear, I decided to try Rent the Runway for the first time, which was perfect for vacation-wear. A 5-item shipment served me well for a 4-day trip, and best of all, I could wear the clothes that fit the occasion without buying fast fashion. Although I have my gripes about Rent the Runway’s selection, I absolutely love the sharing economy.
(RTR, sponsor me?)
Standing amidst the ancient ruins, surrounded by the majestic peaks of the Andes, and feeling one with mother earth.