mexico city on a whim: tacos, altitude, and altitude sickness
okay so mexico city-holy crap, what a place. i landed at like 2am, totally unprepared, and the altitude hit me like a truck. it's sitting at 2,240m above sea level, so if you're coming from sea level, maybe bring some altitude sickness pills or just chug water like it's your job. i just checked and it's 19.72°c there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. mild, sunny, perfect for walking until you realize you're panting after three blocks.
anyway, first stop: street tacos. i found this tiny stand near zócalo where the guy was frying pastor on a spit and yelling at his kid to grab more onions. best decision ever. someone told me that la casa de los tacos is overrated, but this random corner spot? chef's kiss.
i wandered into the historic center and holy moly, the architecture is wild. baroque churches next to brutalist concrete, all smushed together like a messy collage. overheard some tourists saying the palacio de bellas artes is a must-see, and yeah, it's stunning, but honestly i was more into the street art in colonia roma. bold murals everywhere, like the city's screaming its history at you.
"if you think you've seen enough churches, you're lying to yourself. there's one on every corner here."
speaking of corners, the mercados are insane. i got lost in la merced for an hour, surrounded by piles of chiles, fresh cheese, and people yelling prices in rapid spanish. someone warned me not to buy anything from the first stall i saw, said it's a tourist trap. good call, because the next stall had triple the amount of chiles for half the price.
if you get bored, puebla and toluca are just a short drive away. i didn't make it this time, but i heard the mole in puebla will change your life. also, oaxaca is a bus ride away if you're into mezcal and textiles.
random tip: uber works great here, and it's cheap. i took one from the centro to condesa and it cost like 80 pesos. also, don't drink the tap water. just don't. buy a big bottle and refill your own.
and the people? so warm. i asked a woman in a bakery for directions and she walked me three blocks out of her way to make sure i found the right place. another time, a guy selling elotes taught me how to say "mas limón, por favor" without sounding like a gringo.
one last thing: the metro is an experience. it's 5 pesos a ride, but it's packed and kinda chaotic. i heard from a local that line 2 is the sketchiest, so maybe avoid that if you're traveling solo at night.
mexico city doesn't hold your hand. it throws you in and says, "deal with it." and honestly? i loved every overwhelming second of it.
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