Ciudad de México: One Week In

Ciudad de México is a big, old, grand, hotbed of food, fiestas, and fun. I am trying to keep my food photos to a minimum, but I cannot go past the vegan ceviche or the breakfast omelettes of pork belly or zucchini flower in cream — hibiscus mimosa optional.

Zucchini flower and pork belly omelettes.

I’ve also been working on my Spanish; milestones have been reached, and I’m stoked with how things have progressed over the years. This trip is the first time that I have communicated entirely in Spanish with the hotel staff, bus drivers, wait staff, etc. I’m alright 1-on-1, but still can’t keep up when other people are having a convo.

I figured out why some people have a slightly sympathetic smile when I speak. Apparently my accent borrows a bit from Madrid (where I began lessons), a bit from Buenos Aires (my second set of lessons), and a lot from North America. To put it into perspective, it is like hearing a non-native English speaker with a 20% Scottish accent, 10% Jamaican, and the rest, Canadian. Fun. Fun.

Not quite dreaming in Spanish yet, but as I lay my head down to sleep and process the day, all my thoughts are in Spanish.

I am struck most by how little interest there is in the US around here. Having come from the other side of the border a week ago, you’d think that all of Mexico (and beyond) is clamouring to cross the US southern border. Yet here, in Roma Norte, Roma Sur, and La Condesa at least, I get the sense that the locals would be much happier if the Americans retreated back to their side of the border and leave these rapidly gentrifying, stunningly tree-lined, neighbourhoods to the locals.

Heading South this week to the mountain town of Oaxaca. Until then, will leave with a dose of Norbie.