Indefinite Walkabouts: Don't Believe the Hype

When telling friends and family I would be spending a few days in Guadalajara and Mexico City, most replied with a warning about a lack of safety or something about how dirty and overcrowded the cities would be. Even Kerry who would be flying in to Mexico City to meet me for another portion of the road trip would later tell me how nervous she was to simply make her way from the airport to a hotel. I, in fact, never even considered a stop in either of these major metropolitan cities, especially the megopolis of what Mexicans typically refer to as D.F. (Mexico City). Luckily, I was spurred off my loosely planned route of staying on coastal highways by time as it's the quickest way to get to Central America, and by the urging of a couple friends who told me how amazing both Guadalajara and especially D.F. really are.

I tell you now: If you have a negative image of either Mexico City or Guadalajara based on the warnings of others, DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE!

I left Los Mochis after the ferry ride from Baja early on the morning of December 12th. It would be a drive of about 560 miles, the heaviest day of driving yet and would require some driving at night which I was trying to avoid. I also would unfortunately be missing a lot of Mexico, but for one of the few instances I would have on this adventure, I was on a tight schedule. The drive was uneventful though the price of the toll roads in Mexico is remarkable. I hit my first shortly after I was underway and it was about $6. I thought, small price to pay for smooth, straight, safe roads. After about 20 minutes I hit the second toll booth, 30 minutes later another. This would go on for the entirety of the drive, sometimes they would be as little as $2 or $3, sometimes as much as $10 or $11. All in all I spent at least $200 on Mexican toll roads. Also worth mentioning is the cool shift from the dry desert of Baja that I'd gotten used to, to the tropical forest climates of Sinaloa and Nayarit states.

I arrived in Guadalajara at around 7:30 and checked into the hotel I had booked online. It was in a cool old building and the business was actually an art gallery and hotel. After settling quickly I took a walk to find dinner. I was surprised to find that Guadalajara reminded me a bit of Portland. This was likely partially due to the heavy rain and mild temperature, but it also had that large city with a small town vibe thing going on, was full of hipsters, and had a thriving foodie and live music scene. I decided on Karne Garibaldi for dinner which bills itself as the world's fastest restuarant. They specialize in a dish called carne in su jugo, which translates to meat in it's juices. I don't know if Karne Garibaldi is actually the fastest restaurant in the world but it was damn quick and the soup like dish was perfect for a cool rainy night. I walked around a bit and there were plenty of nightlife options that looked like a good time but I was tired from a very long day of driving so I called it in early.

The following morning I went for coffee and breakfast and did a little sight seeing. There was a massive Catholic Basilica and some super cool art galleries and shops. Sadly, I would need to leave soon as I had a reservation in Mexico City where Kerry would be meeting me the following day. I would have loved some more time in the hip, safe, and beautiful city but I'll have to leave that for another trip.

The ride from Guadalajara to D.F. would be another big day on the road, about 335 miles. Again, aside from the tolls this ride was mostly uneventful. After battling some of the worst traffic I've ever experienced within the city, and the most cutthroat drivers on the planet I made it to my hotel near Alameda Park. By this point I had gotten used to the idea that Mexico City is not some dirty dangerous shit hole, as I had heard more and more good things about it, but I was still surprised when I parked and walked to the hotel. In truth, Mexico City has almost completely avoided the cartel problem, has a long history of art and music, and is home to some the world's best up and coming chefs, and it is mostly clean and safe. That's not to say that it's perfect. There are parts of the city that are best avoided at any time day due to safety, there are severely impoverished areas, and as mentioned the traffic is wretched. I actually find it ironic when an American talks about the safety of another international city. We have this idea that the US is some sort of utopia, when in truth there are plenty of areas in the US where I would contend that civilians have a similar chance of being a victim of crime.

The medium sized city park near the hotel was clean and full of young couples holding hands and strolling at the end of their Sunday evening. It had beautiful fountains and statues watching as the young and in love cuddled and cupcaked on the benches. The hotel itself was on the rooftop level of an old colonial building. There were only 12 rooms or so, done in a basic style with lots of concrete and soft, white flowing linens. Outside the room hammocks were strung for relaxing and there was a small communal dining area where guests enjoyed the included breakfast (no waffle maker). It was perfect, and although it was somewhat expensive for Mexico, the location was unbeatable, it was stylish and comfortable, and you'd have a hard time finding anything better than a Holiday Inn for the same price in the US. The employees were very friendly and I absolutely recommend Chaya B&B for anyone who has some time in D.F.

Mexico City was home to both Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, among many other talented artists. There are museums displaying their works, including the Frida Kahlo Blue House, a gallery inside a home that she resided in with Diego Rivera, and the Museo Mural where the Sueño de una tarde dominical en la Alameda Central (Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in the Alameda Central), one of Rivera's most famous works, is displayed. There is also a huge anthropology museum packed with information and items from the history of Mexico.

The food in D.F., as it is pretty much everywhere in Mexico, is amazing. From the cheapest street stalls to the fanciest world renowned restaurants (which you will pay about 1/3 of what you would pay in the US), you would need to work hard to be disappointed. The first night in town I was in need of a quick bite as it was pretty late after I settled. Around the corner there is a small market area with a few food options. After I saw some fantastic looking tacos of which the proprietor of a certain fine establishment was piling fresh cut french fries onto I looked no further. More taquerias should put french fries on tacos. They were dream about later good. Kerry and I also really enjoyed Azul Historica, and an interesting French meal with a bit of a Mexican twist at the highly acclaimed Maximo Bistro.

Kerry and I spent four night in Mexico City, which was one more than originally planned. We liked it just too much to leave. We really just explored, walked around (yes, even after dark) and ate our way through the city. The people were friendly and we were both pleasantly surprised and happy we decided to include the city in our trip.

The day before we left, after being lost for a couple hours, we found our way to Reserva Mariposa Monarca (Monarch Butterfly Reserve), which if you don't get lost is only a couple hours away from the hotel. Every year tens of millions of monarch butterflies migrate south from the US and Canada to avoid the freezing temperatures and feed. They make it to this small area of Mexico and it was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. The forest and air is thick with them. They weigh down the trees which sway under the weight of the beautiful insects. Hold still and they'll land on you as well. Kerry and I just sat on the ground and stared up for over an hour. We would have stayed longer but our guide told us we had to go. I've attached a picture to this post of it really doesn't do justice. It was a beautiful experience that was once again a pleasant surprise.

After four nights, it was time to make our way to Central America and my second border crossing for the journey. Mexico was amazing and remains one of my favorite countries that I've spent time. I had nearly a month there, which was nowhere near enough. A person could spend a year in this large country and barely scratch the surface of its diversity, history, and beauty.

Mexico City was a fantastic way to end my time there and I fully endorse it for anyone, no matter what interests you. It really is sad that it has such a bad rap. It really has so much to offer.

Route from Los Mochis to Guadalajara and Mexico City