The Travel Insider team checking in from Mexico City: from ballet to wrestling; rooftop cocktails to sidewalk vendors.
Loved: The lean on many of the city’s sinking buildings; Ballet Folklorico de Mexico (Wednesdays and Sundays, tickets at the Palacio de Bellas Artes); two-tone VW Beetle taxis; the excellent (and free) guided tour of the National Palace (The Zócalo/the city’s main square); any dish at Rexo restaurant (Saltillo 1, Condesa, +52 55 5553 5337); walking the forest-lined path that divides traffic on Amsterdam Avenue (Condesa); The Modern Art Museum (Chapultepec Park); the Antony Gormley exhibition at Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso (until January 31 2010, Justo Sierra 16, Centro, + 52 55 5702 6378); the shock of seeing the Spaniard’s pilfering of the stones used to build Aztec temples at Tlatelolco (Plaza de las Tres Culturas).
Not so much: Palacio de Bellas Artes (Diego Riviera’s masterpiece is visible, but much of the place is currently under construction); walking alone in the Zócalo after 7pm (grab a beer at the Best Western’s Majestic Hotel rooftop bar for a hassle-free view instead, +52 55 5521 8600); the Guadalupe Basilica – four conveyor belts shunting people in front of the shrine makes the wonder wear off.
Advice we're glad we listened to: Watching the tag-team wrestling at Lucha Libre... The flashy Aztec face masks, artful acting and acrobatic body slams entertained us for hours. Flickr photo page
: In more than one neighbourhood. Start in the busy Historic Centre, ideally overlooking the Zócalo, and blitz the museums, galleries, churches and crumbling ancient streets. Then ship out to Condesa – a leafy labyrinth of hip cafes, bars and restaurants with charming additions like woodworkers using the sidewalk as their workshop.
Leave room in the suitcase for: The wares at La Ciudadela Artisan Market (near the Balderas metro station) – a huge collection of embroidered throws, painted ceramic tiles and bowls, decorated mirrors, embellished bags, silver jewellery, and tin skeletons. All handmade and all at bargain basement prices.
One piece of advice we’re glad we listened to: Don’t miss the tag-team wrestling at Lucha Libre, Mexico’s gregarious equivalent of the WWF. We thought we’d hate it but the flashy Aztec face masks, artful acting and acrobatic body slams entertained us for hours. Really!
One piece of advice we’re glad we didn’t listen to: Not eating at the street food stands – you’ll miss some of Mexico’s freshest, most authentic flavours, cooked right in front of you, for less than $2. Where to go? If the locals are lining up, it’s a winner.
Next time: We’ll conserve our energy for more bar hopping in Condesa – too many gems were missed!
Safety conscious folk will: Rate the woman-only cars in the metro during rush hour. Just look for the ‘mujeres’ sign at the start of the platform. Hate the extraordinary amount of deep holes in the sidewalk. Watch where you walk.
Good websites: Solutions Abroad on bars in the city; Frommer's Mexico City guide
Your tweets
@marcehh #Mexico musts IMO Oaxaca! Sn Miguel de Allende! Playa del Carmen! Zacatecas! All very different, charming & special!
@chriscunard Mexico City - v. unique historical city & Cancun is awesome for relaxation. Visit Chichen Itza if you can.
Next stops...
Tokyo, Tasmania and a little pre-Winter Olympics Canada tour.
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