Yeah, yeah, we were only there two weeks and we will definitely be going back, but you just know we have thoughts.

Mexico City can be done very cheaply. You can get amazing street tacos for a mere seven pesos each (currently about 34 American cents) and two or three would easily make a filling and delicious meal. But, you can also easily spend $150 dollars (or more) on a meal for two. A very vivid demonstration of income disparity.

We were told that the residents of Mexico City (Mexico Citians?) love their starch, which is my kind of city. Sadly, I never got a chance to try the traditional Mexico City breakfast of a tamal stuffed in a bun, but it is on the list for my next visit. But, I did try the atole, which is a hot drink made of masa and other flavorings (cinnamon and chocolate is popular). I thought it was delicious (it was kind of like drinking Coco Wheats); Robert not so much.

We were also told that the average resident of Mexico City commutes two to four hours a day for work. I can’t even imagine a four hour daily commute. Buses and trains were packed, so it wouldn’t even be a comfortable commute.

There are so many cops with so many machine guns in Mexico City. Day after day, we saw pick-up trucks with 5-6 cops in the back, each and every one of them carrying a machine gun. All those machine guns sure would be helpful when the zombie apocalypse finally arrives . . . Well, assuming, of course, that they have enough ammunition too.

Grasshoppers are a popular snack. Apparently, grasshoppers themselves don’t have much of a taste so there is always some sort of flavored salt added. My favorites (yes, I tried several different types of grasshoppers) tasted like pumpkin seeds. My least favorite had an overwhelming taste of lime.

We visited a bar (of course we did) that served Fruity Pebbles popcorn as a bar snack. It sounds disgusting right? Well, let me tell you, it is disgusting. But so oddly good that I finished every bite. And nearly asked for more.

Mexican churros and chocolate are not nearly as good as Spanish churros and chocolate. But, any churros and chocolate are better than no churros and chocolate.

The limes in Mexico City are amazing. Why can’t we get limes like that in the US?

Robert wants everyone to know that mezcal is far superior to tequila. And, yes, he has tried enough of both to have a strong opinion on this matter.

New Orleans and Mexico City have something very important in common. Both were built on swamp land and both are sinking. According to the good old internet, parts of New Orleans are sinking at a rate of two inches per year. Parts of Mexico City are sinking at a shocking 20 inches per year. You know what that means? Crooked, leaning buildings everywhere (in both places).

There were bookstores and newsstands everywhere. Gotta love a place where people still read hard copy.

We actually saw women (both young and old) in nylons. Nylons!

Don’t confuse “sope” with “sopa.” Nothing quite like getting over a bout of very severe food poisoning, ordering “sope” for lunch thinking you are getting chicken soup and ending up with a tortilla full of refried beans and chicken. Robert wants you to know he would have never made this mistake if he wasn’t recovering. He also wants you to know to avoid arugula in Mexico unless you want to be tethered to a bathroom for days on end.

The tour guides in Mexico City are very good about standing in whatever small patch of shade is around while guests are stuck in the full sun.

You know how everyone in the US talks about how Mexico is unsafe? Well, let me give you an example of how that is so untrue. Nearly every restaurant we visited had a purse stand next to each table, where diners could hang their purses, backpacks, man bags, etc. Nearly every table (us included) used their purse stand. Not once did we see a bag get stolen. And, we ate the vast majority of our meals on outdoor patios so anyone on the street could have grabbed and dashed.

There are so many cute dogs in Mexico City.  And, so many have brilliant blue eyes. But so many of the male dogs are very visibly “intact.” 

The pollution in Mexico City is out of control. Most days, there was a haze about the city.

There was virtually no litter in Mexico City. That said, there were also almost no trash bins — we sometimes had to carry our trash back to the hotel. We don’t understand how both of those things can be true.

Mexico City may be a big, congested, polluted city, but it has some amazing parks.

We were the oldest people on all of the the tours we took.  Is that a Mexico City thing, a choice of booking platforms (we largely used AirBnB), or do we finally have to admit that we are old?

Mexico City is one of the most underrated capitals ever.