5 Ways Mexico City beats the U.S.A.

How I got charmed in Mexico City...

In LA, people rave about Mexico City. Tell anyone you’ll be traveling there and a flood of recommendations and superlatives will ensue. It’s a short, direct flight over the most beautiful desert landscape.

I had no idea what to expect because I’d never been to the capital city, nor even the country that borders the Southern US and contributes greatly to American cuisine and culture.

I got charmed in Mexico City, and while my stay was relatively short (five days), the experience presented me with a whole new paradigm about life and living well that I’d forgotten, living in one of America’s most expensive, competitive, and stratified cities.

Allow me to elaborate.

A Latin-European capital

Mexico’s history is colorful and predates that of the United States, something that I think many Americans conveniently forget or never learn. Modern Mexico City was settled in the 14th century, having been a population center since the time of the Aztecs. It was subsequently colonized by Spain, whose influence is apparent in much of its current architecture and urban planning.

There are grand boulevards studded with monuments, fountains, and public squares. Many roads are made of cobblestone and have central median paths. Neighborhoods are hemmed in by major thoroughfares, but traversing the city on foot is as natural as walking across Paris. Sidewalks aren’t consistent, but crosswalks are well marked and signaled.

Quite a statue of David, at Plaza Río de Janiero

---

Most of the city consists of low and medium-height buildings, perhaps due to the city’s age as well as its inherent earthquake risk, though newer areas are quite vertical. I found the mix of architecture to be on par with the best cities in the world—New York and London included.

Every street held bustling cafes, taquerias, street vendors, and at night came alive with elegant wine bars and some of the best food I’ve ever tasted. Not only is there excellent Mexican food—tacos are ubiquitous—but we feasted on incredible Italian, Mediterranean, and Japanese.

OH! And the pastries. Man…the pastries made our trip. Panaderia Rosetta was my favorite spot for early morning carbs. Skip to the end for all my favorite food spots.

One of several CDMX-inspired collages

---

An urban rainforest

Perhaps the most shocking aspect of CDMX (the city’s officially-accepted acronym) is its incredible foliage. We visited during the rainy season, so I imagine the greenery was “extra,” but I was totally charmed by the variety and lushness of every planter, of every pocket park.

We visited the city’s incredible central park—Bosque Chapultepec—specifically to walk through the botanical garden within it. There we found neat art installations (massive bronze mosquitoes), butterflies whispering about, and a fantastic mix of flora from native cacti to fruit-bearing trees. I wish we’d had more time to explore the park itself, which houses several museums, one of the city’s zoos, and a tangle of bike paths and peaceful spots for respite.

One night after a gentle sprinkle, I was walking home along one of the aforementioned median paths, hugged by massive trees and thickets of greenery. I followed a man in a sportcoat carrying a briefcase for a while, struck by his late evening stroll home through the wet city.

Late night strolling along Calle de Durango

---

I think the greenery was my favorite part of CDMX. I could spend hours roaming its squares and parks, marveling at all the organic material.

Endless attractions

As you’d expect, given the other cities I’ve compared to Mexico City, there are a million things to do as a tourist. Far more than we could cover in five days.

There are…museums. National Geographic estimates there are 150 museums and galleries in the city. We enjoyed the Museo de Arte Moderno more than the Museo Soumaya, but both are worth visiting.

There are…markets. Called “mercados públicos” or simply “mercados,” they’re permanent, multi-vendor markets fixed to a location. Most sell traditional crafts, textiles, ceramics, souvenirs, jewelry, apparel, hats, and the like. I purchased a set of wood picture frames inlaid with lapis lazuli and malachite to put on my desk.

My travel companions, Jeremiah and Trey

---

We didn’t even broach the city’s many markets geared to its residents, for things like gourmet food, plants, cut flowers, candy, etc.

There are…neighborhoods. The city has 16 boroughs that are divided into two thousand smaller neighborhoods or “colonias.” The center of the city’s most tourist-friendly areas are within the Cuauhtémoc and Miguel Hidalgo boroughs. We explored the neighborhoods of Roma, Roma Norte, Juárez, Polanco, and Del Carmen.

Getting around is easy too.

The underground metro goes everywhere, although Uber is very inexpensive. There’s a local Uber facsimile called Didi but we didn’t try it. I was advised not to hail a regular taxicab in CDMX, as the pricing tends to be higher for foreigners and I imagine they only accept cash.

A Frida Kahlo-inspired collage

---

But what about the vibes?

Because of its density, walking around, getting around, and eating in Mexico City felt a lot like New York, London, or Paris. There are people everywhere—on par for a city of 9.2 million, the most populous in North America—but many streets were quiet too, and after about 10pm, the city’s residential neighborhoods can feel positively deserted. I found this aspect endearing. The city comes alive with great fervor during the day, and then feels focused on R&R in the evenings.

A curious finding: we never had to wait for a table, even without a reservation, at any of the places we chose to eat. It was incredible.

However, we visited during the week rather than over a weekend, so I imagine there are plenty of districts in which to find raucous Friday and Saturday night fun, and the city’s top spots for Michelin-star dining (we never made it to Pujol) are booked months in advance.

Chetito, a cute lunch taco spot, in Colonia Cuauhtémoc

---

In general people are very polite, courteous, and generally unaggressive. There was a palpable vibe difference in CDMX, vs. LA, of general cheerfulness, even joy. I encountered an abundance of smiles, even though none of us spoke Spanish, and noticed the dearth of anger, aggression, and irritability that is totally normal and routine in LA.

Sure, Mexican drivers love to honk their horns, but I never saw anyone enraged while driving. What a concept.

The vibes were so on point throughout our trip, that I was legitimately sad to leave when we did.

CDMX, el romance

I got charmed in Mexico City. In a way I’ve not experienced in some time.

I was well fed. I had a brief but spectacular romance. I felt inspired and safe walking alone at night. The gay life is out and proud, and we noticed rainbow flags everywhere.

I’m cautious to generalize, because my lens onto the city and the culture was appreciably narrow. However, it struck me that the average person seemed happier there than the average person here, in America’s second largest city.

A collage inspired by the Museo de Arte Moderno

---

Perhaps the social and economic stratification is even more pronounced there, with many living in the kind of poverty that we simply did not see during our trip, and that we do not see much of in the US. CDMX is the country’s largest city, capital, and cultural crown jewel, so it’s probably not representative of the country as a whole.

Nevertheless, the basic quality of life seemed to be much higher there. Most regular people appeared to be perfectly happy to be employed, eat well, and go home to their families, dogs, and friends at night.

Oh, and before I forget, the best part of Mexico as a foreigner: it’s ridiculously affordable. The exchange rate is about 17 pesos to 1 dollar. Our Uber rides to and from the airport (about half an hour) were less than $25, and our hotel stay for four nights, per person total, was $120. I probably spent less than $800 for the entire trip.

Good reminder

---

A week after returning to LA, irony struck. The numbers of both my debit and credit cards had been compromised and mysterious charges were appearing from Mexico—though they were instantly detected by my banks’ anti-fraud monitors. Both cards had to be reissued.

Rather than being upset or feeling cheated, I thought only that it was a small price to pay for such a charming and inexpensive vacation!

---

My quick reference guide for Mexico City is below, but only for subscribers!