6-11-2024: In Mexico City
====

So, I am in Mexico City. Yo soy en Ciudad de Mexico?

Yeah... that's about as good as my Spanish is -- mui mal, no?

But navigating CDMX as a stereotypically ignorant Gringo Americano
has not been as challenging as one might expect.  First of all, we
have found the Mexican people to be very friendly and welcoming, in
spite of our illiteracy.  In fact, in one slightly nerve-wracking
episode in which we got lost in a questionably-unsafe neighborhood
of CDMX while searching for a small (nearly hidden/threatened?) 
archeaological site, a kind, older woman very warmly directed us to
the museo entrance using gestures, chasing us down at one point when
we took a wrong turn.  We have been truly grateful for the kindness
of strangers as we have attempted to take in as much of Mexico City
as we can, through our typical travel lenses of local history,
archaeology and food.

I'm traveling with my wife and son, fulfilling a promise to him to
take an international trip after completing 8th grade.  As a student
of language and anthropology, he was keen to visit either Egypt or
Mexico and we decided the latter was currently the safer (and more
affordable) option.  We're staying in a lovely AirBNB in the Condesa
neighborhood, which has been a central point for exploring the museums
and historic sites in the city.  (Condesa is one of several gentrified
neighborhoods of CDMX that make touristas like us feel safer in a
city whose disparities are apparent.)

.... cont'd 6-13-2024 on the return flight ...

It's been a real privilege to introduce our son to international travel
through our usual lenses of local history, culture and food.  For this
trip, we explored Mexican history by visiting (in order) the museum of
anthropology, the museum of objects, Chapultepec castle, Teneyuca,
Acatitlan, Templo Mayor, Teotihuacan and the canals of Xochimilco.  
This tour turned out to be perfecto for peeling back the layers of the
complex history of our southern neighbor.  Our son was already well acquainted
with the more ancient history, and served as our own guide through many
of the exhibits -- absolutely lighting up as history became manifest in
the artifacts before us.

When it came to more modern history, of course, we became the guides --
helping to provide what context we could as we all learned more about the
more recent political history of Mexico through the exhibition at the
museum of objects -- an extensive collection of political campaign
buttons, stickers, propaganda and assorted paraphenalia.  We came to a
much greater appreciation of the long process for Mexican independence
and democratic representation and it was especially timely that our visit
came immediately following the historic election of Mexico's first woman
president.  (All of this also felt especially relevant given the election
taking place at home and we took the opportunity to emphasize to our son
the importance of remaining engaged in the political process by staying
informed, exercising the right to vote and never placing too much trust
in any politician or political party.)

An aside on Ms. Sheinbaum:  I made a habit of asking our Uber drivers
their opinion of el nueva presidente, and was impressed with the general
optimism -- or if not optimism -- their general willingness to give her a
chance and hopefulness for her success, regardless of whether they'd cast
a vote for her.  I found this refreshing for reasons probably obvious to 
any U.S. citizen.

The Templo Mayor site and museum were especially excellent and it was
especially striking to see first-hand how the Spanish literally built
their cathedral from the stones of Tenochitlan.  The museum housed some
of the most impressive artifacts we saw in Mexico and was well worth the
visit.

The other archaeological sites were each impressive on their own, but
our visit to Teotihuacan was truly transcendent -- due in no small part
to touring it first by hot-air balloon, a bucket-list-level splurge for
which I have my wife to thank.  :)

After that climax, the remaining days were spent closer to our AirBnB,
having developed some travel exhaustion and a touch of the famed "revenge"
of Montezuma's.  :}  This gave me an opportunity to do some more real-world
test-driving of my deck at the local bookstore/cafe.  (I plan to write up
more of my cyberdeck travel experience in a follow-up post) (I am authoring
this on the deck on the plane currently)  Our last day's adventure was a
trip to Xochimilco, which was a charming and laid-back float through the
remnants of the ancient canal system built by the Aztec/Mexica people that
settled Tenochitlan.  This trip also allowed us to check off the remaining
boxes on the public transit system and we leave CDMX having used nearly
every form of transportation available -- Metro train, bus (two types),
cable car, bicycle, Uber, boat, and balloon! ;)

.... cont'd at home, 6/15 ...

Our Mexican vacation was life-changing in several predictable (or not so
predictable) ways.  Mostly, it did what international travel always does:
(if done 'right' ;)) it brought us (just a little bit) closer to our
brothers and sisters in another country, with a greater appreciation of
their culture, their history and our shared history.  I will continue to
take a greater interest in their politics, rooting for their success in
new ways.