There’s something very exciting, but unpredictable about arriving in a new destination. And when that destination is one of the biggest cities in Latin America, predictions have to be made with caution. In this case, the city destination was Mexico City, a city known for tacos, lively streets and exotic architecture, but at the same time associated in the minds of many travelers with safety issues.
The first flight led to Mexico City, and the transportation was provided by AeroMexico Company. It was my first visit to Mexico and the plan was to travel for a few weeks. Hence, it did not make sense to focus too much effort on seeing all the most important attractions on the first day.
The first hours had lots of impressions ranging from the airport to street food experience to walking around historic areas and meeting local residents.
Flying from Los Angeles to Mexico City
The trip began at Los Angeles International Airport. Although the passenger thought he would have to go through an exit immigration process prior to leaving the USA, this was not the case since the airport did not have the usual immigration counters. The departure process seemed relatively simple as the travelers moved to the gate without being stamped out of the country.
The use of facial scanners during boarding was one more interesting fact one might notice during the journey. It was a well-known technology from previous visits to China, though it was worth noting during this trip.
The flight was operated by AeroMexico, one of the largest airlines in Mexico. The seat was very comfortable and had plenty of legroom, belonging clearly to an economy-plus type of seat that made this four-hour flight relaxing.
In the end, the actual flight was even shorter than expected. The plane landed in Mexico City in slightly more than three hours.
Getting to Mexico City for the First Time
The arrival process took place in Mexico City International Airport and was completely hassle-free. It took only a few minutes for the passengers.
Nonetheless, the airport experience included a strange thing. The filming was banned in some of the areas of the arrival hall and some of the footage made after disembarking did not make it to the record as airport employees insisted on deleting it. This was called a curious case because the traveler claimed to have never experienced such strict filming rules in the other countries.
After passing the immigration control, a new worry emerged: how long one could stay in the country without a visa. The traveler had expected to get a long period without a visa according to the previous study, but the immigration officer put a 20-day stamp into the passport. Although shorter visa period did not affect the trip, it had been quite a surprise for the traveler for sure.
After the immigration was over, the traveler was occupied with the next problem: how to get the Mexican pesos and how to get to the hotel.
Getting pesos in the Airport
The first thing which the traveler did was to look for an ATM in the airport, since it was always important for arriving in a new destination.
At first glance, the ATM interface seemed daunting as it did not have an option for the English language right away. The currency symbol also created some confusion. However, after figuring out the different options, cash withdrawals were executed.
The tourist was left with 2000 Mexican pesos in cash. When traveling, calculating cash value required just a mental conversion using the estimation rate of about 20 pesos equal to 1 dollar.
Having cash in hands was a benefit despite the fact that cards and digital payment methods were largely accepted. Having cash gives the choice of either paying with a card or relying on cash in case the card doesn’t work or can’t be used where someone needs to pay.
Taking an Uber to the Historical Center
There were several different transport options available outside of the airport, including metro transport, buses, taxis, and Uber, and Uber was selected as the commuter option after looking for various activities beforehand.
The app directed where to wait, and the waiting time was minimal. The total cost of the trip, however, was about 200 pesos which is about 10 dollars converted into US dollars.
The trip to the historic center became the first chance to view Mexico City from the inside of a car. The traveler used this opportunity as a chance to practice some Spanish after living in Spain for six months during a university internship a number of years earlier.
Despite not using Spanish for about ten years, some basic words and phrases from the past started coming back into the traveler’s mind when talking to the driver.
When asked about the security situation in downtown, the driver said that the historic center was not particularly dangerous, which put the traveler at ease in regard to the travel alerts and negative comments made about the trip.
Staying at Mexico City’s Historic Center
The hotel was Hampton by Hilton in the historic center of the town. The price for the room was about US$150 per night, and the breakfast was included in the price.
The room was a suite with two separated areas, so there was enough space. The design of the accommodation was somewhat vintage, however, it looked reasonable, given the historic surroundings.
After checking in, the traveler went to the outside to explore Mexico City on foot.
A Fresh Mexican Coconut With Lime and Chili
One of the first things that made an impression was the fact that the traveler found a street vendor selling fresh coconuts. The price of one coconut was 60 pesos, but the vendor suggested something rather unusual besides drinking the coconut water.
Gingerly, the vendor poured some chili, salt, and lime into the coconut.
This combination was completely new to the traveler who associated coconuts with Southeastern Asian countries. Even the taste of the coconut was strong and very similar to the coconuts tasted in Asia.
The addition of chili, salt, and lime made an entirely different experience. To the surprise of the traveler, chili was not very hot and the taste of lime was very pronounced.
It turned out to be a delightful first snack in Mexico City and a good clue that Mexican street food has much more to offer than anything else encountered before.
Street Markets and Massages on the Streets
As the traveler continued walking around the city, a colorful market appeared filled with a variety of sellers and their goods. It looked like there were tons of food items, drinks, toys, sunglasses, headphones, and many other things for
The travelers in the scene were reminded of cities in Southeast Asia like Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, and Vietnam where street vendors are abundant.
However, the one thing that was different was that this area was rather organized and neat.
Mexico City has a large population of around 20 million people, but this particular area did not seem to be chaotic as anticipated.
Another surprising thing in this area was the presence of many street booths providing massages. Instead of going to a spa, people can just sit next to the road in a massage chair and get a massage.
Being curious about the massage, the traveler paid about 100 pesos for a brief neck massage, where strong pressure was applied to the neck using the device that produced cracking sounds.
Although the movements looked rather scary in the beginning, the experience itself was surprisingly nice, as the traveler felt good and actually thought of doing this again.
The traveler noticed a retail outlet within the sanctum and speculated whether it is either for procuring earnings for the place of worship or its community.
Continuing outside, street vendors were still ruling the footpaths. An elderly vendor sold a variety of snacks which initially seemed to be made from peanuts. After tasting one snack, the traveler noticed that it was something between Kellogg’s cereals crushed into a candy bar.
The encounter made it apparent how difficult it is to perceive foreign food when one is not proficient in the language.
Luckily, the level of language fluency was enough to conduct simple purchases and give short answers.
Is Mexico City as dangerous as people say?
Safety was one of the primary themes surrounding the journey.
Before going to Mexico, the traveler came across many negative comments claiming that Mexico is too dangerous. Some of the remarks indicated the presence of drug cartels and other type of crime and disorder.
On the other hand, the situation observed during the first day was much more complex.
In the historical area, there were police officers standing all around. Staff from the hotel also mentioned that, usually, it is safe to go out
The specific location of tourism during this exploration felt relatively safe, with the only thing seen being some homeless people, and on the whole, it seemed that they did not interfere with tourists.
However, that does not mean that all of Mexico City is equally safe. This experience simply shows that major cities can be trickier than it is mentioned in broad statements that basically imply that the entire city is dangerous.
As the search for food continued, the traveler found himself on some busy street corner with plenty of taco sellers.
In such a situation, the choice was simple, since tacos were listed among the must-try foods by the Uber driver.
One taco seller appeared to be popular with locals, which was seen as a positive sign. The traveler ordered two tacos with meat and asked to avoid spicy food.
The process of making the tacos was simple. The tortillas were thin and were combined with meat and some green food.
The adventure began with the meal’s first bite, and the reaction was overwhelmingly positive. The meat was tender and delicious, and the fresh lime, cilantro, onions, and tortilla were complimentary in terms of flavor.
Nevertheless, the tacos were slightly messy as the oil was dripping onto the traveler’s hands. Still, it did not affect the enjoyment of this meal.
The experience brought the traveler high hopes for the upcoming meals. If the first meal is indicative of things to come, there was a lot to look forward to during the following weeks.
Fresh Orange and Pineapple Juice With Honey
After tacos, refreshment feels necessary. Another street vendor was serving fresh fruit juice.
The traveler ordered a mixture of orange and pineapple. Honey was added to the beverage, making it extra sweet and flavorful.
Fruits were freshly prepared and squeezed in front of the customer. Although there was some uncertainty regarding the ice used by various street vendors in other countries, in this case, food stalls looked quite hygienic.
This drink was delicious, especially due to honey.
Visiting the Plaza de la Constitución
The main destination was the Plaza de la Constitución, which happens to be one of the most famous public areas located in Central Mexico City.
Finding the plaza was not as straightforward as one would think. Google Maps was not used as the traveler preferred to ask locals for directions instead of using the internet.
This trail of thought did lead to losing one’s way but also enabled some exploration of the city.
Finally, the plaza was found, but it looked completely different from what was expected.
The plaza was filled with a big number of tents.
After having a talk with a local resident who spoke English, the traveler learned that tents were put there because of the protest involving teachers who were protesting because of the issues concerning retirement and who were staying in the plaza for quite some time.
So, instead of people who lost their homes, the tents were another way of organizing a protest.
The Enormous Mexican Flag and the Old Town
What is more, despite the protest, the Plaza de la Constitución still remains an impressive place.
Mexico City serves as a perfect showcase of a city full of contrasts between historic and contemporary design. Traditional structures mingle with contemporary designs making the city a one-of-a-kind experience. One can also notice how lively the streets of Mexico City were. While walking around the center, the feeling of being surrounded by street vendors (especially in the areas with tourists) becomes unavoidable.
The first exploration of Mexico City takes not a lot of time to change all the previously formed opinion. The traveler does not have the impression that the city is too chaotic in spite of the crowded streets and numerous people around. The central part of the city is clean, and people behave with kindness and friendliness.
Food also plays a huge role in making positive first impressions. Having a coconut with lime and chili, tasting authentic tacos, and drinking fresh juices make the traveler feel good about their experience.
Moreover, it was possible to notice some similarities between Mexico City and some Asian cities where a lot of street vendors can be seen everywhere. Nevertheless, rich heritage and distinct architecture let people see the specific Mexican character of the local population.
The experience on the first day of the trip emphasized the point that assessing Mexico City in terms of safety and danger might be misleading since one can never predict what awaits travelers there in advance.
As for the first day, it happened to be rather enjoyable and much less chaotic than expected.
The Exploration of Mexico Has Started
Mexico City was literally the starting point of a longer journey.
There was still plenty to see after the first day: regional dishes, neighborhoods, culture, history, and attractions outside of Mexico City.
During the first few hours of the trip, travelers encountered a number of new experiences, including going through immigration and exchanging dollars for pesos, as well as eating street tacos, and speaking to some locals.
Instead of reinforcing the concerns visitors had prior to the trip, the experience obtained during the first day proved to be stimulating.
In general, Mexico City promised an exciting combination of the past and the present, gastronomy and multicultural influences. It had lots of questions to answer, but the first impression about it was that.
