Mexico City: Days 5 to 10

I stayed another six nights in Hostel Mundo Joven Catedral. By my good luck, my room, 407, is the best room in the hostel. It’s on the fourth floor, spacious, has windows facing Zócalo, and there’s a table where I can working on my laptop. By my bad luck, the guy who slept on the top bunk snored so loud that it sounded like thunder for two straight nights. I couldn’t even sleep during my second night. Good thing he checked out of the hostel soon after.

I met Philip in room 407. He’s a 71 years old American Canadian who went on the walking tour with me during the first day I was at the hostel. We had a great time chatting during a buffet dinner. He’s also a minimalist and practices Vipassana meditation. We think alike on many things, such as anti-consumerism and American politics. Philip is also very soft spoken and kind. I felt he’s what I will be when I turn 71.

I also met a 47 years old Chinese woman named Dou Dou who also stayed in room 407. She’s been traveling long term and is very enthusiastic and energetic. I was impressed by the amount of sightseeing that she did.

I hung out with the 29 years old Dutch girl, Tanja, a couple of times. We strolled around in Roma Sur and La Condesa. They are neighborhoods that has a lot of expats living there. At night, I went with her, Mio, and Solal to a couple of bars in Zona Rosa. Mio is a 30 years old Japanese girl who traveled in Africa for over a year. And Solal is 29 years old and is from France.

I went to several places on my own during the day. They include Biblioteca de México “Jose Vasconcelos”, Post Palace Museum, Plaza Garibaldi, La Merced Market, Mercado Sonora, Biblioteca Vasconcelos, and Tlalpexco via the cablebus. They call it cablebus in Mexico City, but they are gondolas.

And last night was the museum night in Mexico City where many museums were free. Dou Dou, Philip, and I went to the Museum of Caricature and the Museum of the Constitutions.

I like the weather in Mexico City during this time of the year. The temperature is in the 60s and 70s F during the day, which is ideal. The metro is only MX$5, or about 25 cents USD. The cablebus is MX$7 and it’s worth it to go on for the views. However, you have to buy a MX$15 metro card to use public transit.

When I was on the cablebus to Tlalpexco I thought about how lucky I am to be traveling and to be in Mexico City. Most people are living under tin roofs or simple houses on this side of the city. For some reason, I connect with the poor more than the rich. I think I will be happier living within my means in a simple apartment than in a mansion full of stuff. There’s just something nostalgic about these simple houses. Then I remembered my childhood in Beijing, China. Even though we lived in an apartment on the third floor of an apartment building, there were some people who lived in shacks close by us. But there was always a sense of community and people helping each other. It’s nothing like the individualism in the US.

I will be checking out of Hostel Mundo Joven Catedral today because the hostel is fully booked for the upcoming Day of the Dead festival. I will be staying at Viajero CDMX Centro Hostel for the next five nights.

One of many statues in Alameda Central