Hello again, Mexico! I flew back in January and spent a week in Mexico City at this amazing hotel from the early 1920s, in a bustling, upscale area of the city. Not fancy, not luxury, not expensive, but very nice and well-maintained. A tiny apartment with a tiny kitchen on the 9th floor. Most importantly, within my budget, as I'm a careful and frugal traveler.
I spend hours searching and researching locales, hotels, Airbnbs, and neighborhoods to make sure of what I'm getting. Especially since my stays are often a month or longer. I don't want to get stuck, and so far my research has paid off, with only a couple lemons out of twelve years of traveling around Central and South America. And even then, I didn't die. Just chalked it up to Adventure and an Interesting Story. This is not bragging. Simply reassuring people (especially friends and family) that the expat life is working out well. So far so good.
As much as I've been in Mexico, I had not spent any time in the City, layovers notwithstanding. I had resisted it; too expensive, too big, how will I know what areas are safe and interesting?
But this year, I overcame the hurdles, mostly mental, and went for it. I kept the stay short just in case, but despite the cold, unheated room, it was fine. There were plenty of blankets on the bed, I had brought layers, and during the day when the sun came out, I went out to explore the neighborhood and keep warm in the high 60, low 70s weather.
Below are a few pictures from the area. The first one is the roof of my building, the "laundry room." They allow guests to use the washer and dryer for free laundry services, a nice bonus.
So finally, I broke the wall of resistance that was big, scary Mexico City. Like many others who have discovered this amazing city, I look forward to returning. In fact, I've already got my next stay booked!
