And I mean that pretty much literally.

Especially after the relative calm of San Carlos, Mexico City is explosive. Everything is a study of extremes: noise, traffic, crowds, poverty, opulence, culture, smells … There are also crazy juxtapositions everywhere: the magnificence of the post office against the shabbiness of its and its neighbors’ facades, the dirt of downtown amidst a plethora of fancy perfumeries (no less than three on each side of each street), a stunning upscale rooftop restaurant across the street from a drug addict vomiting fluorescent orange onto the sidewalk, colorful settlements glimpsed from the highway that at first glance look like charming little neighborhoods and upon closer inspection reveal themselves to be slums. 

We were only in Mexico City for a week, so we crammed: the requisite stunning museums (Museo Nacionale de Arte, National Museum of Anthropology, Museo de Arte Moderno, Museo Soumaya), a visit to the Museo del Palacio des Belles Artes (beautiful venue and an operatic program with a duet — bless their hearts —whose talent was a distant match to their enthusiasm, a trip to the Teotihuacan Pyramids (awe-inspiring), indulgence at El Moro Churreria (excellent artisanal churros accompanied by a slew of international hot chocolates), lots of walking and people watching and bookstores and eating and drinking and open-mouthed gaping at the sheer industry of the city and its inhabitants. To say there was a dearth of slackers would be a profound understatement. We wondered initially why we were so exhausted after every foray, but it quickly became clear: every outing was a sensory overloaded onslaught. We were also staying in the historical downtown area, so within walking distance to mucho and also right in the thick of both the exciting and less savory of it all. And there’s always at least one bizarre (to me) aspect to every city. Speaking of unsavory, in Mexico City is was the plethora of perfumeries. Seriously, like several on each side of every block.

Would I go back to Mexico City? Probably, after seeing other large Mexican cities first. (Guadalajara, for one, is highly recommended.) For round two I’d at minimum stay in a different area, check out the Frida Kahlo Museum, and attend a Las luchas event. I’m not mad at the way we popped our Mexico City cherry — something we’d always wanted to do — and I’m stoked that we took the time to experience it.