Despite what you hear or see on television these days, Mexico is a place you must visit. Whether you prefer the beach life of Tulum or Cabo San Lucas or a hidden gem like Guadalajara, Mexico has something for everyone.
My first trip to Mexico was in Mexico City. I flew from New York into Benito Juarez International Airport. (MEX) There are many options for transportation to the city. I chose a private car out of convenience.
I stayed a the Hotel Ritz due to its central location to the city. Once checked in, it was time to explore. First stop was the Zocalo. The Zocalo is the main square in Mexico City. It also has one of the many CDMX signs in the city.
That night I toured the city and saw places such as Bellas Artes and Hemiciclo a Juarez. I then walked to Mariachi Square where I had a drinking lesson at the Museo del Tequilla and Mezcal. Then sat down and listened to live mariachi bands and ate street food.
The next day I had a packed schedule. I started the day at Torre Latinoamericana. Perhaps the tallest building in the city, it gives impressive views of the surrounding areas. I then went across the street to Palacio de Bellas Artes. I then saw a movie in the park at Alameda Central. I ended up spending the day at the park. (completely threw off my schedule) They had everything from live performances, to street food, to music. Perhaps the calmest day I had in the city.
Day three brought breakfast at the Casa De Los Azulejos. (The house of tiles) Breakfast here was on my Mexican bucket list. The entrance has a little gift shop. It's perfect since you have to wait a few minutes for a table. It's better to sit on the lower level, to get a clear view of the roof and the architecture throughout the building. With walls littered with impressive murals, it's a dream to sit there, not to mention the freshly squeezed juice.
From there it was over to the Metropolitan Cathedral. The cathedral is on top of the former Aztec percent, so the glass in the ground lets you look down on old burial sights, similar to what you would get at the nearby Templo Mayor. Next was the National Palace. Identification is required to enter so have one handy. The stairways are full of murals made by Diego Rivera.
Craving for more art led me on a 2..5 hour walking graffiti tour with Stylewalk Mexico. Afterward, I bought some tacos off a street card and sat on the sidewalk with a few new friends from the city detailing their dreams of one day visiting New York.
The Hotel Ritz has standard taxi rates to places throughout Mexico. I spent my fourth day renting a driver for the day to take me to places like Coyoacan, home of the Frida Khalo museum and to the town of Xochimilco. For 1200 pesos (USD 63), I had a driver for an entire day. He took me to an from each place I wanted to see in both Coyoacan and Xochimilco and even bought me lunch in Xochimilco. Riding around with him was great. I also got to practice my Spanish.
My fifth and final day in Mexico was an adventure. I rented another private taxi. I attended 6:00 am mass at Nueva Basilica de Guadalupe. After service, I got a tour of the grounds and the significance of the many surrounding buildings. We then had breakfast at this local diner of my drivers choosing and then hit the road for Teotihuacan.
From there he took me back to my hotel and waited while I gathered my bags, then took me to the airport. Once checked in, I spent my final 2 hours in Mexico in the American Express lounge in Terminal 2.
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