Side Trip: Mexico II

Mainly food, and a failed visit to the giant Mexico City Market, Mercado de la Merced

My first dinner in Mexico City is a bit tragic: pizza. In my defence, I was looking for craft beer and end up at Cervecería Xolotl, upstairs in a small hotel. I ask about food and he says sausages, which doesn’t sound great. He has a wee bar and then a room next to it with uncomfortable tables and chairs. Next door is a much nicer looking space, and they do pizzas - I can take my beer and eat there.

I hurriedly snap these photos just after the tables are cleared and before a group of people come in, and there’s a couple in the corner to the left of the photo, so it is busier than the photos make it look. The pizza is not great but the woman making it is so kind, I don’t say anything. Beer’s not 100% either, but it doesn’t stop me having two.

Two things really stand out about Mexico City. First, there’s a huge Police presence - I don’t know if it’s always like this, or because there’s a special event on in the Plaza, but I see Police or their cars in almost every street in the historical centre. On one street, I see four Police buses all lined up. It allays any fears I have of being kidnapped, or worse, except that the Canadian travel advisory warns about the Police as well! I’m not sure I feel more secure when I find two police people, in full uniform, asleep on the floor in the TV room in the hostel. I retreat there because the common space is way up on the fourth floor and has a very noisy group.

The second is the shopping - the streets are lined with shops - mainly clothing, shoes and food around where I am staying, but I find a couple of streets where every shop is selling brightly coloured paper, colouring pencils, crayons and other stationery. The footpaths are, in turn, thronged with shoppers and blokes with trolleys and barrows moving stuff about. It doesn’t look like online shopping is a big thing here. Just along the street is this amazing place, Pastelería Ideal. There are racks of product around the walls waiting to go out, and another area devoted to biscuits.

I do go to the huge central market - essentially a big shed like structure covering four blocks. I have seen videos on Youtube showing some great food options, but I get hopelessly lost and just need to get out. Instead, I find a restaurant familiar - they do meals of the day, a couple of choices in each course, for not much money.

I am quite proud of myself: I have retained enough Spanish (I did study it at University) to mostly read the menu and make a fine choice - the roast chicken is particularly good.

My three courses are 85 pesos, or a bit under $8, and they include tortillas and a bowl of rum and raisin ice cream. I’m not feeling great, thanks to the noisy fan keeping me awake, so retire to the hostel until dinner.

Relying on Google maps, I go to a place called Roldan 37 - I am dismayed to find it empty and the kitchen being cleaned, but they say it closes in 20 minutes. I quickly order - Filete Don Toňo - which is a rather tasty fish with chipotle and coriander creams.

I’m not sure what’s going on in this room - whether these items are for sale or are just decoration. It’s very busy! On the way back, I admire the City of Mexico museum, but never make it there when it’s open.

Although I’m not really feeling it for Mexico, things improve the next day (June 21st). I visit the Roma area - which is probably a good choice for someone coming for a second visit to Mexico. It’s more of a social scene rather than shopping. I’ll say more in my next post, but will finish this one with a few buildings that catch my eye on the way there.

Cheers!