Side trip: Mexico I

I forgot to mention my hostel in Victoria, more particularly a very uncomfortable incident one night. Over the winter, they let people live there, rather than have just have short term guests like myself. Two of these people seem to have tired of each other - I will call them Geoff and Mavis, as that won’t identify them. Geoff is obviously over Mavis, and does not want to engage with her, says he wants to be left alone. She obviously does not take kindly to this, and keeps throwing accusations at him, and at one point actually throws herself at him, sliding along the table in the common room towards him. This does not make for a comfortable environment for any of us - one guy tries to have us intervene, but how? Someone - possibly the hostel staff who are blandly folding sheets in the next room - calls the cops, and they are only interested in talking to Geoff. This, by the way, is at 2 in the morning.

Anyway, in Vancouver, I stay with my nephew, Sam, in a real house. He’s working, so I hang out in the library until it’s time to catch up with him. We go to a nice bar near his house, where they have a good selection of beers and the staff are nice, but don’t know how to say gyoza. The chicken is surprisingly spicy. After walking around the neighbourhood, it’s time for ice cream - there’s apparently a very good place, but at 10 to closing time, there’s a big queue and we already have perfectly good ice cream from around the corner. I wave mine at them as I walk past.

My day in Vancouver is really about getting ready for the two trips coming up - Mexico and trans-Canada. Somehow it takes most of the day, although I stop in at the excellent 49th Parallel for coffee and donuts - they are much more substantial than I expect, and I start to regret my choices! It also leads to me walking 17 km, so starting the day with two donuts isn’t so bad. I find myself towards the end of the day at the Fifth Avenue cinema, not long before Celine Song’s Materialists starts, which is really about not being materialist or listy in picking your life partner.

In the evening, I have dinner at the very lively Sing Sing, which combines craft beer with Vietnamese street food. The pieces of beef are rather large and very good. I am, by about 35 years, the oldest there.

I have acquired a map of most of Canada during the day: in the evening, Sam provides useful guidance for places I might want to see west of the Rockies - east of them, it is just plains for days!

Because I have to wait for 10 days before I collect the vehicle, and to save some money, I have booked flights to Mexico city and back from Puerto Vallarta. This is my third attempt at going to Mexico - I left home many years ago, with the plan of crossing the border at Tijuana, but got scared and went in the opposite direction, to Seattle. I thought seriously about crossing the border when in Texas more recently, but that’s the last place to cross. Mind you, the Canadian travel advisories have me convinced I’ll be pickpotted, kidnapped and murdered - they are very down about travel to Mexico. Spoiler: I’m still alive, but I will provide bank account details for the ransom shortly.

Checking in at the airport is painless - no-one else is there. This gives me plenty of time to check out the food offerings at Vancouver airport - they are pretty poor, just a few fast food outlets and one bar. Church’s Texas Chicken is probably the best there is.

I rejected Air Canada’s kind offer of reserving seats (it would cost something like $180!) so am prepared for a middle seat, which is what I get, kind of. I actually get an entire emergency row to myself. Service consists of soft drink and pretzels, twice (they do have stuff I could pay for but nah). We leave a little late but still arrive early, then have to wait for a gate. Entry into Mexico is equally painless - no questions, and no-one in the queue, but I do have to wait an age for my bag. I fret, because the hotel says it closes at midnight and they don’t respond to any messages. I’m out of the airport by about 20 to, don’t understand google map directions, so cross the very busy road beside the airport and find a foot path behind some hoardings which takes me straight round the corner to the hotel.

I consider going to a nearby craft beer bar, but find the hotel sells beer: its one selling point. It’s not glamourous, in fact its shit - mosquitoes attack my nose so vigorously I feel like Pinocchio and my lip is still swollen the next day. I only escape them by leaving the light on. The shower just spits cold water at me and is very unpleasant. Breakfast is two slices of dehydrated toast and a small bowl of watermelon.

In the morning (19 June), I find the proper way between the hotel and airport, then catch the metro into the city. I can’t use a card to pay, but when I try to get a travel card, the guard kindly lets me through (saving 5 pesos, or 45 cents). Unlike most trains, this one runs on tyres on rails. It’s quite full, but the people seem very glum.

I’m staying in a hostel in the historic centre of the city - it is probably a safe bet for a first time traveller to the city. Apart from the constant 65 decibel fans in the room, it’s really nice - no bunks, more like cubicles with queen size beds for $20 a night.

My first visit is to Estanquillo Museum - the private collection of a local writer (Carlos Monsivais) accumulated over 30 years, and mainly Mexican folk art. It’s certainly colourful, and I enjoy my visit even if I don’t know anything about the tradition.

I maybe should have said, a couple are a bit freaky - the first and last in particular. One theme was Persian twins, which is where the cat picture fits in. Not far away is the huge central square (Plaza de la Constitution) and stunning Metropolitan Cathedral of the City of Mexico.

The Plaza is mainly fenced off, with thousands of chairs set out - I have no idea why, but think it is a bit of a risk, as it is the rainy season.

Buildings like these line the sides of the Plaza not occupied by the Cathedral. One of them is the Presidential Palace, but I neglect to find out which one.

A day in Mexico and i haven’t been rained on yet: doing well.

Cheers!