1) Befriend your 7th grade classmate and stay friends for more than three decades

2) Visit her in various world capitals over the years taking advantage of her fine taste in restaurants, fun sense of adventure and helpful language skills

My short but sweet trip to CDMX was superfun. I learned a lot in the epic and world class Anthropology Museum - it was wild that so many of the Mexica artifacts from the Aztec empire came from Templo Mayor right there in Mexico City. Casa Azul, Frida Kahlo’s house in Coyoacan, was a very intimate house museum experience - especially the exhibit of her dresses and corsets and braces. We bumped into this Carnaval parade along the Reforma that was both insane and amazing. First I was confused (what is happening?) then I was fascinated (wow this is wild!) and then a kid marching band with a very tight drum line and horn section started playing Cielito Lindo (the ay-ay-ay-aye song). I put my sunglasses on to hide the fact that I was crying - later my friend revealed that she was also moved to tears. Especially after the pandemic, it is magic to see people coming together like this. And apparently I am a real sucker for kid marching bands.

My friends here told me it’s impossible to have a bad meal in Mexico City – they were not wrong. Also we did a great job ordering. The mariscos at Don Vergas were absolutely delicious, so fresh todo con limon.

Entremar was a fancier dining experience (read: no TVs with World Cup soccer on full blast) and they had a very nice wine list. We sat on the terrace there for dinner and could see private security guards standing on the street out front protecting their employers.

Later in the trip, we enjoyed another delicious lunch of Sinaloan style mariscos including aguachile negro at Mi Compa Chava (all the servers wear t-shirts that read “Es Pesca no Pisca”= It’s fishing not harvesting.)

I’ve got a lot to learn about the zillion different words for beef or pork tacos … Trompo, Lechon, Guisado, Suadero, Campechano… I feel like there are hundreds more. Luckily everybody was super friendly and patient with my questions in baby talk Spanish. I didn’t get the chance to try a chicharron taco this trip. Next time!

We did have roasted carrot in black mole and a starter of the most delicious guacamole at Enrique Olvera’s beautifully lit Ticuchi. I want to find some of the music they were playing - very fun Spanish language covers of 70s easy listening.

Mainly we walked around the fancy neighborhoods of Polanco and Roma Norte - taking ubers to check out San Angel and Coyoacan. The morning of my flight out, I walked into the Centro Historico to see some of architecture around the Zocalo. What a great city. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historic_center_of_Mexico_City

Carmen Sandiego in CDMX

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