Mexico City: Lost My Drumsticks (and Maybe My Mind)
okay, so mexico city. it’s…a lot. i’m liam, by the way, touring drummer. usually i’m chasing the next gig, the next beat, but this trip was supposed to be a little different. a little chill. ha.
let’s just say “chill” didn’t really happen. i landed with my kit (thank god for surprisingly efficient baggage handling) and immediately felt like i’d stepped into a technicolor dream. or maybe a really intense music video. the *streets are buzzing, the food smells incredible, and the buildings…well, they’re just covered in stories. i swear every wall has a secret.
i just checked and it’s…a bit damp, with a breeze that feels like it’s trying to steal your hat. the temperature’s hovering around seven point eight eight celsius, but it feels like five point four four, which, honestly, is perfect drumming weather. keeps the sweat from flying everywhere. the air pressure is kinda weird though, 1021, makes my ears pop sometimes. humidity’s at sixty-four percent, which explains the slightly fuzzy feeling in my brain.
my airbnb is in colonia roma norte, and it’s…interesting. the walls are thin. really thin. i can hear señora elena next door practicing her opera at six in the morning. it’s…a commitment. she’s got pipes, that woman. if you get restless, puebla and tlaxcala are just a quick bus ride away, i overheard someone mentioning on a local forum (https://www.lonelyplanet.com/mexico/mexico-city).
so, the gig. it fell through. the club owner, a guy named raul who smelled perpetually of tequila and regret, said something about “unforeseen circumstances” and “a sudden aversion to drum solos.” i suspect it had something to do with me accidentally setting off the fire alarm during soundcheck. details are fuzzy.
raul, slurring slightly: “look, man, your energy is…a lot. maybe too much for a tuesday.”
now i’m wandering around, trying to find a decent cafe and, more importantly, my left drumstick. i swear i had it five minutes ago. it’s a custom maple, signed by carmine appice. irreplaceable. i’ve checked every park, every street corner, every taco stand. nothing.
someone told me that the mercado de la ciudadela is a good place to find…well, anything, really. apparently, you can get everything from vintage sombreros to stolen car parts. i’m hoping for a drumstick. i also heard that the pulqueria las duelistas is a must-visit, but maybe after i find my stick. i need to be able to hold a glass, you know? https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Pulquerias&find_loc=Mexico%20City
*Essential Gear (for a lost drummer):
Earplugs (señora elena is serious)
A very strong lock (for your luggage, obviously)
Spanish phrasebook (my attempts at spanish are…embarrassing)
A backup pair of drumsticks (lesson learned)
A healthy dose of optimism (currently dwindling)
I overheard a couple of tourists complaining about the traffic on Avenida Paseo de la Reforma. Apparently, it’s a nightmare. Someone else warned me about pickpockets in the metro, so i’m sticking to walking (and desperately searching for my drumstick). https://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g150800-Mexico_City-Vacations.html
this city is exhausting, exhilarating, and utterly chaotic. i’m pretty sure i’m losing my mind, but honestly? i wouldn’t have it any other way. now, if you’ll excuse me, i have a drumstick to find. and maybe a pulqueria to conquer. oh, and the ground level is 752, just in case anyone was wondering. it's a detail.
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