Sometimes You Just Want Tequila

Grilled Squash with Rice

Kale Salad

Flowers for Sale along the Canal

How did the Motorcycle get to the other side of a canal?

The Canal is beautiful

Freeway Pillars covered in Vines

Can we start with a little geography and history? Mexico altitude is over 7300 feet. The air is much thinner, and it takes some getting used to. I wondered if my CPAP machine would work (I brought it with me). Luckily it somehow knows the altitude and automatically adjusts.

 

The land of Mexico City was once 5 lakes with no irrigatable land. The ancient Aztecs created islands floating on rafts in the lake and farmed them supplying food for the community. Over time the rafts were filled with mud and aquatic plants and became very fertile. Long story short - the Spanish eventually started to drain the lakes by sucking out a lot of the ground water, although there still is an area of floating islands and canals. We had always wanted to visit them but on our previous trips we never had time.   This area named Xochimilco is about an hour drive from the Casa Polanco. The islands still grow both vegetables and flowers. The canals between the islands are sort of like Venice if the opera singling gondoliers were replaced by Mariachi musicians.

 

The biggest surprise to me was the boats are powered not by engines or paddles but men pushing long poles into the mud. The water isn’t that deep. Like the canals of Bangkok, there are all kinds of commercial boats selling many treats to eat, Margaritas, beer, etc. to guests on the boats. There are many boats with parties, singing, dancing, eating and enjoying the very slow trip down the canals. It sounds hokey but we found it fun and relaxing. 

 

What is nicer than being on the still waters of the canals looking at the birds, trees and flowers and separated from the bustle of Mexico City? It made for a peaceful outing as we savored the political victories back in the States.

Driving there we observed an interesting eco friendly gesture. Many of the pillars supporting the freeways are planted with vines which help clean the atmosphere and dampen the sound. It is a clever idea, I hope it works.

 

We returned to the hotel. I went for an excellent shave at a barber while Cathy stayed at the hotel. The concierge recommended a wonderful restaurant to us: Malix. This is a must next time you are in Mexico City. It is very small and uses just local ingredients reinterpreting traditional Mexican food. If we were going to spend another night in Mexico City we would return and try other items on the menu.

I'm still obsessed by the Tequila I have been drinking. I walked to a major liquor store to buy a couple of bottles but they were sold out. I will get find it, I am sure! I like to drink Scotch neat and this is the first Tequila I have ever tasted that gives my favorite Scotch a run for its money.

Late tomorrow we return to LA, and the reality of continuing to resist Trump. I know having been rejuvenated by our trip and the election results will energize us.