We’ve officially left Canada and landed in Mexico City. Even though we’ve been away for over a month and a half and have had a lot of fun so far, this feels like the moment the real adventure begins. We won’t be back in Canada for about nine months—plenty of time to forget how to shovel a driveway.
Day 1: Tacos and Churros (Not Necessarily in That Order)
Our flight arrived late the night before, so we decided to take it easy. We spent the day exploring Roma Norte, the neighbourhood where our hotel is located. One of the first things we did was eat churros. Then, naturally, we followed that up with tacos. Priorities. The neighbourhood seems nice but most things seem to be closer until like 1pm, so it wasn't quite as vibrant as expected.
Day 2: Crooked Buildings and Lucha Libre Chaos
We hired a tour guide to take us around the historic centre of Mexico City, and we learned quite a bit. The most mind-blowing fact? The entire city is sinking—up to 50 cm a year in some places. And in others, not at all. So buildings are all wonky and as crooked as a dog's hind leg.
That evening, we went to see Lucha Libre—Mexican wrestling. Yes, it’s every bit as over-the-top as American wrestling, but with more masks. It was a blast, and Teddy especially loved it. That is, until a real fight broke out in the crowd right next to us. Needless to say, we exited with the speed of a luchador leaping off the top rope. The kids did not enjoy that part.
Day 3: Pyramids and Surprise Guests
We hired a driver to take us to Teotihuacan, a site of ancient pyramids. The driver had been recommended by our tour guide from the day before—and surprise! She showed up too. Mylène and I were a bit confused at first (was this a package deal we didn’t know about?), but it turned out she was just tagging along. I think she liked us. We gave her a tip at the end of the day, so everybody left happy.
The pyramids were very cool. We climbed to the top of the Pyramid of the Moon, which was a great view and a good workout. The Pyramid of the Sun was closed to foot traffic, which, honestly, makes for a better photo—no tourists cluttering up the top.
Lunch was at La Gruta, a restaurant inside a cave. Pretty cool experience, and thankfully no bats.
Day 4: Who the hell is Frida Kahlo?
We visited the Coyoacán neighbourhood, home of the Frida Kahlo Museum. I didn’t go in—I don’t know anything about her, other than she’s a big deal here. The neighbourhood itself was quite charming, though, with colourful streets and lots of character.
Day 5: Cable Cars and Ice Cream Therapy
We had booked a free walking tour that included a ride on one of the city’s public transit cable cars. These aren’t touristy—they’re actual public transport and give amazing views for just 7 pesos (about 50 cents Canadian).
Unfortunately, our tour was cancelled last-minute because the cable car line we were supposed to ride (Line 2) closed for maintenance. After some quick research, I discovered Line 1 had just reopened two days earlier. So off we went in an Uber—only to find out that one was also closed. Classic. Reminded me of OC Transpo. No cable cars for us.
To console ourselves, we got ice cream from Amorino, a shop we first discovered in Portugal. Still the best ice cream I’ve ever had. If you happen to be near an Amorino location, just go. (There's one in Toronto)
Some Random Notes About CDMX and Mexico:
The city has an impressive number of playgrounds, many of which feature outdoor gyms.
We averaged about 12,500 steps a day. Not a ton, but still enough for the kids to dramatically complain about the walking (cough Teddy cough). That said, every time we passed an outdoor gym, both kids wanted to stop and “work out.” Teddy even used the treadmill back at the hotel. What the actual fuck?
The overhead wiring situation here is... a mystery. A tangled, chaotic mystery. I don't know what the hell is going on.
We ate a lot of Mexican food (obviously). But—and I realize this might be a crime in some circles—I discovered that I actually prefer Tex-Mex over authentic Mexican food. Please don’t deport me.
One last thing—and I don’t mean to sound like an entitled tourist—but hardly anyone speaks English here, even in the most touristy spots. On the bright side, my Spanish has definitely improved this week. I now know how to ask for churros, tacos, and the bill… in that order.
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