Mexico - fun facts

- The entire city area of CDMX was wetlands only 300 years ago. Water was slowly drained and the area became inhabitable. But until today parts of the city sink 30-50cm per year, including the histioric center of the town. Buildings are unstable, tilt in all directions and there are places in the city in which you cannot get a building insurance on the construction. The impressive Palacio de Bellas Artes is sinking rapidly, also because it's veyr heavy, made of Italian and Mexican marble.
- Getting around with subway trolleybus and metrobus is easy. However when it comes to small buses you need to actually know what you're doing. Google maps is not really helpful, it happened multiple times that the bus stop the map indicated just didn't exist. When the bus comes it's not sure that its number is stated anywhere. So it needs some communication.
- Mexican politics is a mess. Democracy is very young only since 2014. The world record of the shortest ruling president goes to Pedro Lascuráin, who ruled 45 minutes in 1913.
- Even though democracy is quite new to the country, people are extremly diverse, tolerant and accepting. Two men holding hands or even making out in public is normal, no-one raises an eyebrow.
- Pigeons are much smaller than in Europe.
- Money takes you farther than in the EU or US. Apartments are nice and spacious, food is incredible and cheap, public transporation is cheap, and Uber/Didi is very affordable.
- Even the best apartments have some weird stuff going on. Hot water that stops in the middle of the shower, doors that don't close properly, water boiler missing from kitchens, unstable or wrongly sized toilet seats.
- Food is incredible. Quesadillas, tacos, enchilladas, all the good stuff. But also the fruits are amazing: mango, papaya, mamey, etc.
- I'm still here and I don't want to jynx it, but it feels safe here everywhere I went. People using their phones on the street, people even put down their bags while sitting on the streets in cafes, phones are often on the table. I don't risk putting my phone on the table, but people do it all the time.
- Mexico City came on the touristic map only in 2015. The trigger was funny: James Bond in Spectre fights his way through the parade of Día de Muertos (day of the dead). The first wave of toursists arrived in CDMX and were looking for the festival. This festival never existed before. After the high "demand" for the festival the city created it and now it's running on an annual basis (aka. Festival Hollywood).
- Avocados are always good in Mexico. While in Europe it's a hit-or-a-miss 50-50, In Mexico every single avocado is just perfect.
- While sitting in a restaurant on the street, there are different vendors approaching all the time. Some relevant ones are those who sell desserts. At any moment a large tray of dessers can appear right at your table and you can buy any of these from the diligent vendor. But there are also quite irrelevant stuff that are being sold to people sitting on the sreet side of a cafe or restaurant. Like carpets. Two people standing right in front of a restaurant and show their beautiful tapestry to the audience. And then sometimes it's a toothpaste. A dream can come true buying a delighful toothpaste while consuming a delicious chicken mole taco or enchiladas. Others offer shoe-cleaning services while you calmly slurp your wine.
- This is just a feeling, but I think Americans living here like to differentiate themselves from people who just visit. The way they do it is that they have a dog. There are a LOT of dogs here, and a lot of gringos walk their dogs.