Adios Mexico City

Inside the Post Office 

More of the Post Office

Bellas Artes

Motorcycle Cops riding double

Luchadore Mural

Our final day in Mexico City was a short one. We packed, had breakfast at the hotel and then met Guillermo. He took us to the magnificent old post office building. It is a must see if you are in Mexico City. Ornate brass works are everywhere in the building from the doors and windows to the beautiful old elevators. We then went to the Bellas Artes – the Opera House. This ornate art deco building is famous for its Tiffany Curtain.

On a separate note, I want to mention both Cathy and I could feel the altitude. Mexico City is 7382 feet above sea level. We weren’t incapacitated at all by it, but could notice it, especially when climbing stairs.

We returned to the hotel and checked out. We said a fond farewell to Guillermo who made this quick trip such a pleasure. Guide, translator and most of all friend.

The Mexico City airport was a breeze to navigate and we quickly got through security. The Lounge was quite nice and we look forward to an uneventful flight home.

Tequila Day

Breakfast Hot Chocolates 

Frittata

Flea Market

Street Food

Aztec Design on Building 

Street Food: Corn 

Margarita Time

There was an extremely loud party across the street from our room that made it very difficult to fall asleep. I eventually to a sleeping pill.

When we awoke, we got a text from Robert that they were going to breakfast around the corner at El Cardenal. In our groggy state we trucked on over - never one to miss a meal. This is one of those restaurants that is a not to be missed. Located on 3 floors of a beautifully restored mansion, it is open for breakfast and lunch. I am glad we joined them. I had wanted to have a Mexican Hot Chocolate, and they prepare it in the authentic way. They pour the milk and chocolate and spices into a pitcher and then twirled a molinillo which is a wooden device that is specific to mixing hot chocolate. The hot chocolate was frothy and delicious.

We returned to the hotel, to wish Claudia, Robert and Darryl safe travels as they returned to their homes in the states. We were staying for another day. Guillermo joined us and we decided to go to the flea market. It was very hot and crowded but we persevered and actually found a gift for a friend. After the flea-market we to the Zona Rosa, and shopped for more gifts.

We returned to the hotel exhausted from the heat, walking and lack of sleep. There was only one solution: drink Margaritas! We went to the terrace and they were preparing for an event. The bar there was closed. We then went to another bar in the hotel. It was 6pm on a Sunday night, they had just closed. We were desperate. Well, let say we were interested in finding a bar. We went to the hotel desk which had a bottle of tequila sitting on it and we requested that since the bars were closed in the hotel, they give us each a shot of tequila. They were happy to oblige and we stood at the desk and drank our tequila. They then announced they would serve us drinks at a different location. We went there and had a couple of margaritas each.

It was time to think about dinner which in Mexico City on a Sunday night is a bit of a problem. Almost all restaurants close on Sunday night. From a tourist perspective that is ridiculous. From a family perspective, it is nice. The hotel suggested if we went to the Contessa area, we would find some open restaurants. We Ubered to Condessa and walked around. It is a beautiful quiet, upscale area of Mexico City. It is filled with young people, great bars and restaurants. It feels like a very welcoming area. We eventually found an open Italian restaurant. We spent a leisurely dinner talking about everything but politics. It was very enjoyable. It was then an Uber ride back to the hotel. A note about Uber, it is ridiculously cheap. You immediately know what the trip cost was. Most of our rides were less than $ 4.00. Tomorrow we pack and return later in the day to Los Angeles. 

The Day of the Pigs

Pet Pig

Fountain in Roma Area

Rompope tastes like Eggnog

The Seven of us

Grilled Octopus

Suckling Pig with Mole

Birthday Candle

After last night’s excesses at Pujol, a late start was in order. And we are on a vacation, why rush? We decided to visit the Roma and Contessa areas of Mexico City. We took an Uber. Uber in Mexico City is extremely easy to use. We use it all of the time. It is far better than taxis. The traffic here is very congested, but the drivers are very polite. There is very little honking of horns.

Roma is a wonderful area. It is filled with trendy bars, cafes, restaurants and galleries. The streets are tree-lined and the area has many parks and fountains. We walked quite a bit, stopping occasionally to checkout a gallery or café. In one café they served me a sample of Rompope a la Canela. It is 8% alcohol so it can’t be all bad. Guillermo told us it is a common drink in Mexico, but I have never had it. It tasted like eggnog. I bought a bottle and hopefully can get it home in one piece. We purchased the Rompope at Delirio. 

In a weird encounter, we saw a man with a pet pig. The pig was untethered and just was following him down the street. Apparently the pig is well known and has a quite a social media following. You can follow him at: lachatapig of Facebook, Twitter or Snapchat!

We purchased a Shepard Ferry like poster of Trump as a Pig. Will be framed when we return. Actually, as I write this I realize this is a day devoted to pigs. We had dinner at a restaurant noted for its suckling pig! I like days with themes. Sometimes they are only realized in retrospect.

After exploring the Roma and Contessa areas of Mexico City we returned to our hotel. We all gathered and Ubered to an area of Mexico City quite far out. We had never been there before: Pedregal to a restaurant called Sud 777. There are famous for the Suckling Pig. The restaurant is a huge complex. It is off the beaten path, so I assume it caters mostly to affluent Mexicans. It is quite large, multilevel and modern. We had the obligatory margaritas, then I of course ordered the suckling pig. The food was good but not exceptional. Bobby ordered 3 bottles of French wine which were excellent. The Uber driver chose to remain at our location so he could take us back. He probably figured he would never get a ride from there anyway.

We returned to the hotel, the ride was very fast. There was a wedding on the roof top, we went up and sat by the pool and had shots of Tequila. We returned to our very noisy room. There was a dance party across the street which was extremely loud. Eventually I took a sleeping pill, and fell asleep. When I awoke the party had ended.