Brown Pepper Talks

During the labour day weekend, I made a trip to Mexico city with one of my best friends. It was my first time visiting Mexico and I wanted start in Mexico city. If you did not know, Mexico City is considered the oldest capital in North America and the oldest continuing habited city since founded by the Aztec in Tenochtitlan. I had a fantastic time exploring and learning about the city’s deep history. If you are someone who wants to be in a fun place and dive deep into culture, Mexico City is the place to start in Mexico in my opinion! I will share some of my favorite places I explored, tips, and break some myths when it comes to traveling in Mexico City.

Before I share my itinerary and tips, I want to share two books that I found. I did not have much time to read before traveling (maybe two weeks). I wanted to grasp the history and understand how traditions developed, revolutions and what people enjoy locally. In my local library I found these two books. I HIGHLY recommend both, shared below:

The first book, ‘Hidden World of the Aztec’ dives into the ruins of the city found by world renowned archaeologist, Leonardo Lopez Lujan and team. It shows plenty of pictures and dives into the Aztec and Toltec history in an easy, readable manner and explains the different concepts into how life was in pre to modern day- Mexico City.

The second book ‘Down & Delirious in Mexico City – The Aztec Metropolis in the twenty-first century’ is written by LA/Mexico City based journalist Daniel Hernandez. He takes us through his own personal story as an American-Mexican who moves to Mexico City discovering the city and people. He showcases cultural and political development through the years. If you want a book that will help you understand fashion, culture, people and food this book is it! It helped me understand a lot while I was traveling and witnessing the local culture and people of Mexico City. He has a great Instagram page @longdrivesouth and continues to write and share about different topics on his own personal page.

Now to the start of my trip to Mexico City!…

Upon landing, I smoothly got through customs and immigration. Navigating the airport was a bit confusing but I figured out where to go. I scanned my passport to receive a slip that I was entering the city. You are required to carry this slip back to the airport when leaving the country. The airport staff were pretty friendly and I was able to get my bag and head towards the kiosk to get a taxi. There are multiple pre-paid taxi’s available in the airport ($35-45USD). If you are traveling with family, there are bigger shuttles available for around the same price point. My ride was around one hour since I landed at peak traffic time at 5:30pm. Roads were smooth and the driver I had was nice and loved that I had come from Canada. It does help to know basic Spanish to speak and understand. I am weak in speaking but understand quite a bit so that came in handy when interacting with the driver and taxi staff.

I stayed in the area of La Condesa. It is close to Roma Norte, another popular tourist area. The streets and neighbourhoods are walking friendly and close to many restaurants, shops, cute cafes, art and parks. There are also soooo many cute dogs in the area. I noticed that dogs in this particular area are very well groomed and I encountered many beautiful breeds. I loved the pedesterian-friendly median surrounded by beautiful trees. One main thing I noticed also were all the flower shops! I love flowers, so seeing many shops were beautiful. Buying flowers is a must if you enjoy them! If you are traveling as a couple buy your man or girl some flowers!

The airbnb that my friend found was in a great location. My friend had been in the city before so this was helpful, as she picked a location that was accessible walking wise to the many locations we wanted to see. It was close to a small variety store where we could get water. It is safe to drink bottled water and avoid tap water, even at restaurants. It was also a quiet street that was pleasant each morning to go for a stroll or in the night time as well. We walked a lot during the night to get cardio in and to relax.

The airbnb was equipped with all the amenities we needed and had a great view of the city from the balcony. I have to thank my brother who paid for my location stay as an early birthday gift (my birthday is in 7 days!). If you need the link to the Airbnb, feel free to send me a message and I will send the link!

One of the main questions people ask is “how is the weather? Will it be super hot?” This deters some people who do not like hot weather (I love warm weather!). August and September are rainy months. The temperatures were actually cooler than my own province in Canada!

The average temperatures during my stay was around 18-22 during the day and in the night between 8-12 degrees Celsius. It was pleasant, not humid which was pleasant to explore. It did not rain continuously or heavy on days while I was there. It tended to rain for around 30-40 min during the day and passed. Locals told me that it is the normal pattern of rain in the area.

I stayed in Mexico city for 5 nights. I found that this was the perfect amount of time to see the main attractions I had of interest. I will share some places I explored during my 5 day trip. Maybe it can give you idea to plan your trip?

Lets get to it, shall we?

Day 1

I landed in Mexico city during the evening on a Thursday. I settled into my airbnb and my friend took me to a birthday dinner at a restaurant called La Capital, a 12 min walk from our location. Are you into chic and fancy dining? La Capital gives a modern twist to Mexican cuisine. The ambience of the restaurant was nice, wide open dining and the staff were very kind. Here are some pictures of the dishes we tried. I loved the fresh mocktails that they served here! The appetizers were also good. The main dish was a hit or miss for me, so I would want to try something different next time. There were vegetarian options for me to pick without pork and beef. Lots of seafood and chicken dishes as well. The servers were knowledgeable and will guide you accordingly!

The meal was a ($80-90USD) full course meal which was great for two people, with leftovers as well. After returning, we went to a convenience store 2-3 min from our location to get water, eggs, bread and things to have for breakfast.

Day 2

The next morning, my friend treated me to a reformer pilates class! There are no reformer pilates in my hometown and something I have always wanted to try. There are different pilates, yoga and meditation places in Condesa. Classes range from $15-22USD. We went to a place called Cult Pilates. The class was great and the teacher was flexible to non-Spanish speakers making sure people were doing steps correctly. My first class in full Spanish! I was happy I could understand and also complete my first time in a great location. If you want to book a class, click here.

After class, we went to a cute vegan location to have brunch called Alguito Vegano. We had fresh juice and items that were made fresh on the spot. The tofu eggs I had were flavourful and I loved the fresh juice here as well! I loved this picture of my friend (doesn’t she look so cute?! – such a great photo of her) at the location where we sat outside. The temperature was perfect as well, not humid and plenty of trees around.

I would have come more to this location for their fresh juices. After brunch we headed to see some of the historic museums and art galleries. Our first stop was at the Chapultepec Castle and the Museo de Arte Moderno.

The path leading to the Chapultepec Castle was beautiful. It look us around an hour to walk around. The view from the exit in the main courtyard was breath taking! They don’t allow food or water in the location. You are allowed to use cameras to take photos. There was so much to see, read and understand about the journey of Mexico’s history and how the castle came to be.

After finishing from the castle, we went to the Museo de Art Moderno. There were different sections in this museum, quiet and lots of space to absorb the art as well. The artists featured and their work had a lot of deep meaning in the transformation history and current era of Mexico city. Here are pictures from the museum. The fee to get in most places were around $4-5 USD. You do not need to reserve a spot, walk-ins are accepted. There are many artists in the city and I could feel the energy of their work through their art.

After taking time exploring art, we took a break to freshen up and rest at our airbnb. My friend wanted to explore a cultural event called Lucha Libre. She booked a tour that included all you can eat tacos, touring the history of German, Spain and British homes in the neighbourhoods along with the main event in the central part of the city. It happened that we got to see a world competition that weekend with our tour! The tour of the neighbourhoods was great. I do not eat much pork or beef so there were no tacos I could try unfortunately. The vegetarian option offered to me was also subpar. However, my friend said the tacos were really good! So maybe a good tour if you eat beef and pork.

Our guide continued to take us to a fantastic churro stand. It was my first time trying a churro and it was AMAZING here! I highly recommend finding this stand to try your first churro if you can! The stand is called Churros don Fede. My whole night was worth it in discovering this churro location. Do note, that it is not open on Saturdays. I went back to check it out on a Saturday and a woman from another stand told us this information.

After having churros, we were guided down towards the stadium for Lucha Libre, a cultural wrestling event. For me personally this was not something I was keen to do. I accompanied my friend though to get a taste of it. If you’re not into wrestling, probably not an event you would like. The event did not have clear speakers we found, so it was hard to understand what was going on. If I had knowledge of the different athletes who were competing, maybe my experience would have been different. Since we were at a world competition, we stayed to see who the players were. We left an hour into it though, as we felt we were not enjoying as we thought we could.

Since we had an early finish around 9pm, we decided to walk back 35-40min back to our location. The roads were safe and we passed by some stores where I purchased a family member earrings. We passed by a few parks where we saw people strolling and enjoying their night.

Day 3

I woke up and got workout in from the place we were staying at (there was a small gym) and freshened up for the day. This was day was dedicated to see the Templo Mayor and the museum together. This was one of the main attractions I wanted to see during my travel to Mexico City. The Tempo Mayor is located in the city square called El Zócalo.

If you did not know, you will come to know that Mexico City is built on a lake. Yes a LAKE! When Spain came and invaded, the lake was drained and the city that you see today is built on it. You will notice upon walking, in and out of the city, that sidewalks are not straight. They can be in all different levels, even buildings, especially in this area due to it collapsing (from what I read in a book and online – correct me if I am wrong). That is why it is advised that people wear sneakers, crocs, something comfortable to walk local streets in. Many major events, music and festivals that are conducted in Zócalo (in the pic above we happened to see local performers depicting how people used to pray to Tlaloc, the Aztec deity of rain, storms, and fertility).

The streets in the city center are busy with people, vibrant and there is a lot to see in every corner. There are lots of stores, bakeries and places to sit and enjoy the bustling streets. There can be a lot of traffic at high peak time, so its important to try to find a time that suits well for you.

Into pastries? While walking in the city center, we passed by a really cute bakery called El Molino. There were a variety of pastries, fresh bread and drinks to choose from. If you go to this place in the morning hours, I am sure things would be extra tasty! The items I selected were really good. I carried it to have as a morning snack before my next adventure. I wish I had time to have had a coffee or tea from this location, but I was headed towards the ruins of the temple and museum before closing time.

The Templo Mayor along with the museum is intricate and well documented history and artifacts that I have come across so far in travelling. The temple ruins are located in the city center. So for many locals who live in the area, this is something they may pass by everyday! The temple was started in 1300 CE and destroyed in the 1521 CE. Archeologist till today are digging and researching different pieces.

This a UNESCO site that is kept is well and it is quite amazing how it has remained till this century. I felt many emotions as I walked through this. The museum is located close by to the location attached. It is around $5 USD to enter inside.

From inside the museum, you can see many artifacts that have been found since 1987. There are multiple levels from the different decades show casing how the temples were built, the history into the beliefs, systems and how people were back in that era. It is quite an exquisite place and I felt so blessed that I had the opportunity to see it in my lifetime honestly. Across from the partial ruins sits the Metropolitan Cathedral of Mexico City on top of the previous former Aztec sacred precinct. Built by the Spanish soon after the conquest of the Tenochtitlan. This church is still being used today. I happened to go inside during a service and came to know that the church itself is still sinking due to the locality of it sitting on the remnants of the lake. The architecture is intrinsic and did you know, it is the first church built in all of the Americas?!

You can take plenty of pictures inside and can carry your bags along. They do scan bags and inspect bigger camera items. The staff are friendly and it is good to say “beunas dias” or “beunas tarde” (meaning “good morning” and “good afternoon”) as most of the staff are sitting long hours. It is also a culture norm to great people here this way upon interaction. For more information about this location click here.

After having a great afternoon we stopped for a meal at Swagat. This restaurant was amazing! If you like Indian food this place is it! There was a mix of both North and South Indian dishes. This was probably one of the best places I have had in a long time! Lots of flavours, plenty of sitting space, quiet and the staff were really nice. The masala chai was made to perfection as well if you are a chai lover. Great appetizers, and the curries were made so well. I had ordered a shrimp curry and my friend ordered a chicken dish. It did not disappoint. Shoutout to my friend, as initially I did not want to explore Indian food in the city but she had this on a list to try. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that there are quite a bit of Indian food places and community in the city.

Following learning that fact (from the book I recommended), I learned that there are also a generation of Chinese and other Asians in the city. I did not expect that shortly after my meal, my friend and I would pass by China Town also known as Barrino Chino. I came to learn that this street was been here for over 100 years! There were lots of little shops, dessert items (lots of bao buns, trinkets sold both Chinese and Indian) and restaurants. I did not see many Mexican Asian people selling things and more of native Mexican people itself selling items. If I were to ever return, I would want to explore the food and items here. You will need 1 hour or so to enjoy the area. A fun unexpected detour. My friend who is half Chinese herself did not know about this place. I came to tell her what I had learnt of Chinese history in Mexico and she was quite excited to explore the area along with me.

After exploring and having great food we decided to get some dessert. My friend had been wanting to go to a chain called El Moro, a churro place she liked upon her last visit. We tried to go to the location downtown itself, the original location of the city. However, it started to rain and the street was crowded with a line up. If you decide to check out that location in Centro, I would suggest going during non-busy hours or during the day if your place of stay is not nearby. We ended up going to another location in Condesa area itself.

There was also a huge line at this location! Luckily for us, we got in time before a huge rush had come in. The staff were busy but receptive. If you are someone who likes to enjoy desserts in a quieter environment, I suggest ordering and eating outside, or going to the park that is next door to it. For me sitting inside was not that comfortable. The churros at this enterprise were okay. I found them to have too much sugar coating around it which I found hard to eat. For my friend though, she enjoys that a lot, so for her she was digging in! The dips were great and we had hot chocolate. The hot chocolate was good! I do recommend checking this place out and giving it a go!

After having dessert, we walked around the streets of Condesa, got to our airbnb and called called it a day!

Day 4

I got up around 3:30am that morning to do an activity I have wanted to do my whole life – get on a hot air balloon ride! What was so unique about doing it in Mexico city, was that I was able to see views of Teotihuacan grounds along with the temple. I opted out of touring the grounds since I had done quite a bit of reading and wanted to get back before noon. I packed some of the treats I had from the pastry shop I visited the other day and got on my shuttle to get to the air balloon location. I was greeted by staff and told instructions on how to get into the balloon etc.

This was quite a different experience for me as I went completely solo. I think coming alone made me experience all different types of ways (not going to get too deep on that but life be life’in and the world is in chaos – it made me truly reflect everything!).

The views were surreal. Even as I type this, I cannot believe I was viewing this. When I was in the balloon itself, it did not feel so high up in the air, but when I look back at the pictures, I realize that I was quite high and viewing quite a bit! I was trying to imagine how it might have been back then in that century.

I loved how we were also able to see the modern-day era of the area and I learned by the driver and the balloon company that this area holds 22-28 million people! When we got back from the air, we were able to view photos and videos if we wanted to purchase. The driver I had was really nice. I happened to be the only one on the shuttle too and he told me about how people live in the area, accessibility to things, and learned about the park flyover of Chapultepec. A way of transport locals use to get up and down the mountain areas outside of the city – this helps people to get into the city. I had photos but they did not turn out clear at all! It was neat to see the aerial gondala ride, as they call it. I recommend to check this out if you have a chance. Maybe something you’d like to explore if you ever visit the city and decide to go out and explore more?!

The shuttle took me back safely to my location. They usually drop you off to a common location (they pick up at your location) to end, however since I was the only person and close to my location, the driver dropped me off. Shoutout to this company for treating me so well and making this adventure a very memorable one for life. You can use Viator to make reservations, click here.

Since it was mid-morning upon returning, I decided to check out a local Iskcon temple that I discovered randomly upon searching for any Hindu temples! This temple was close walking distance wise in San Miguel Chapultepec. The staff were very friendly and I saw that there was a small boutique and a vegan cafe which seems to be very popular in the area (still being discovered by many I think!). They conduct programs, yoga and meditation in this temple. They get visitors from all over.

After, I had brunch (at a place called Origenes – where it got interesting. Will say more later!), I worked out and my friend and I went out explore a local market called Mercado de Artesanias La Ciudadela in the afternoon.

I had the assumption that the markets would be super crowded and I would have to be careful. However my experience was quite pleasant! The weather was perfect and the markets are very organized and no rush when we visited. A market to check out if you’re into handcrafts and folk art.

You can find all sort of artisans and buy local food, different artwork, jewellery, houseware items, clothing, etc. There is plenty of space to walk around and search for anything you need. I was not able able to find a bathroom, so make sure to use it before you go! A neat place to check out. After finishing from here we walked across to a small park and watched locals dancing on a Sunday afternoon! They city promotes elderly people to dance and that was really neat to check out! Another discovery walking around. As you can see, I am learning quite a bit eh?

After the markets, we shortly got ready to go out for a night out. We thought to check out a really posh restaurant called Ling Ling. However, you need to have reservations! So we ended up getting an Uber back to a local pizza joint called Pizza Nosferatu. It was quite a funny evening, as I was super dressed up and ended eating pizza!!! BUT the pizza was really good!!! They had vegetarian options since there was mostly beef and pork items. The place does get busy but you will eventually get a spot (worth the wait). Even though I wanted to enjoy indoor dining, I am glad we ended up here.

After finishing dinner, we walked a bit, stopped by at a Walmart nearby and got rest for the next day.

Day 5

This was mostly a day of rest and exploration for myself. My stomach was starting to hurt slightly from the brunch I had the day before. My meal had a TON of salsa and the drink I had was made extremely fresh but the hot peppers maybe from both combined did not sit well with my stomach. In Canada, and even in US, when we use salsa we tend to use a lot more compared to what they do locally in Mexico City. It was told to us at the Lucha Libre tour via the guide to use salsa sparingly and now I know why! I underestimated its power (I eat spicy and hot food in general and thought I could tolerate it – my item also had pork so I am not sure if that small bit I tried was the culprit we shall never know).

However, at this time I was feeling okay and slept in. My girlfriend went for a Pujol tasting menu near by (which she highly recommends!). After I got up, I had a small breakfast at home and went walking towards Parque Mexico. On the way I stopped at a cute little cafe called Consuelo. The owners were super nice and helpful with items. It was a quiet and nice location to relax at. I enjoyed a coffee along with a chocolate covered croissant.

After I finished my coffee, I got to Parque Mexico and continued to read ‘Down and Delirious in Mexico City’ in the park. The park was maintained really well, patrol was nearby and lots of places to sit. There are egg rocking chairs in a designated quiet area which was really nice. A lot of different birds and ducks as well in a nearby water section in the middle of the park. This park is located very close to the El Moro churro location.

After returning from the park, I packed as I was leaving the next day. At this point my stomach was feeling off and I was extremely fatigued. I could sense I got a bit of food sickness from the day before. I rested before going to get dinner for myself. My friend went back to Cult Pilates for a night workout. I wanted to go for the class with my friend but was too tired to go in and not feeling well.

My last stop for the night before my flight the next morning was at a place called Ferdaous. It was so close to my airbnb, 5-8 min walk. This place is highly underrated I feel in the area! Very quiet and extremely friendly staff. You can also watch the cooks prepare your food as you wait. The place inside was chic and had a wonderful ambience. Very authentic and healthy made (not overly doused in oil) Lebanese food if you enjoy that cuisine. I could not eat a lot since I was not well, but wanted to make sure my stomach was not empty.

After dinner, I settled in for the night after finalizing packing. We got an Uber that following morning to the airport. Getting through customs was good, smooth and no issues before heading off for our flights. We ended up getting onto the same flight towards Houston (which was by coincidence!). I was not well at this point, fatigued and was having diarrhea, which was not pleasant towards my whole trip back to Canada! I had not experienced that before traveling so it was a new experience for me. I made sure to keep drinking water, took pain and anti-diarrheal medication on the way. It settled as I landed in Canada and got over a few days after I arrived back home. Not pleasant but I wrote about this to show the reality of traveling sometimes! It can happen anywhere but in Mexico City it is due to the infrastructure of pipelines and the water system (which is why the recommend to drink only tap water).

Overall my trip to Mexico City was fantastic! Great vibes, people and overall you can find anything you’d like to do in this city. I can see why it is quite a popular place to visit. You can find all sorts of people from all different regions of Mexico and the world here if you explore enough. I am sure if I had more time I would have found much more. And imagine, I explored all of this in 5 days?! So a lot to see and experience.

Travel tips for Mexico city:

• carry warm clothing – light coats, sweat shirts, cardigans (rainy season) as temperatures range from 7-9 celsius in the night and 18-22 in the day.
• umbrella for rain! the rain is usually in a 40-45 min spell and not too heavy
• wear comfortable shoes – as I mentioned sidewalks may not be leveled so having running shoes, crocs something to protect toes. You can wear sandals and slippers but be careful to watch the sidewalks.
• use pesos! I paid in pesos with my cards and cash during my whole trip (I had around $125CDN worth of cash which was enough for myself – I did not shop around much, just food and entry fees at places). ATMs are around (use pesos when taking out cash) but I avoided it personally.
• light bag to carry around items like your wallet, water, etc
• wear what you want! the city is full of fashion, you can wear whatever you want if you’re staying in the Condesa area. You can wear shorts with t-shirts, skirts etc.
• be respectful – greet people in restaurants and staff. They are interested in sharing their culture and ways.
• there are different types of cuisines around if you do not eat beef or pork. I found it hard to find chicken tacos which was sad but there are many vegetarian and other items you can find to have!
• there are many modes of transport, Uber, local taxi’s and buses. Uber was easy to get around throughout the city and the shuttle from the airport was smooth, no issues. It is a walking friendly area.
• if you have a sensitive stomach prepare before hand, take probiotics or plain yogurt to prepare you stomach a few weeks before traveling. Helps if one does get sick to recover quicker in my opinion.
• drink bottled water! I was okay to use tap water for brushing my teeth but if you have a sensitive stomach, use bottled water only for drinking and brushing your teeth.
• pharmacies and local hospitals are everywhere – so you can pop in if you feel unwell or need to grab any sort of medication in Condesa.
• you can use Viator to make bookings for places to go to (most include transportation or give you options elsewise)
• go out and enjoy!

My friend and I had a great time in Mexico City. This was my first time in Mexico and I am happy I decided to explore the cultural and history hub first! It is a safe and budget friendly city to explore. Is Mexico City in your travel list of places to go? If anyone of you visit, let me know if you end up going to any of the places I went to! If you have any questions, feel free to comment and subscribe! If you have ever been to Mexico City before, what are some places you recommend for my readers? Share your stories!

HAPPY OCTOBER and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!