The City
Day: 13
Entering Mexico city from the northwest suburbs I was already in awe at the size of this megaopolis. Including the surrounding suburbs Mexico City has a population of near 33 million people, making it the largest city in the world. 600 new people move here everyday in search of jobs and hopefully a better life.
As our bus came into the valley where Mexico City lies we passed by high rises shrouded in smog, which were surrounded by grey concrete dwellings which seemed to forever climb the mountain sides at impossible angles. It seems like every available inch of land has been covered. Even the grassy areas beside the highway have been transformed into shanty towns.
We arrived at the cities vast western bus terminal, one of 4. Quickly we hailed a taxi and then were introduced to Mexico city traffic. About 40 minutes later we were at the Hotel Rioja in the historic centre.
It was already evening so we went out to explore the historic area of the city. Surprisingly the area is very liveable and beautiful, reminiscent of a European city. We found yet another all veggie place to eat and then walked around the Plaza de Constitution. One of the largest city squares in the world, it’s surrounded by a huge cathedral, hotels, government buildings and the office of the president.
After walking around both Jordana and I were pretty wiped out and headed back to the hotel. We were staying at a great place, well within our budget this time. We had a balcony with a view and a tv. We spent the night searching for english shows and watching Mexican soccer, excited about exploring this huge city in the morning.
Tags: Mexico, mexico city, smog, soccer
Michael Coroneos
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