Mexico City - Part 1

It was the usual sort of grueling many hour, many airport flight to Mexico City on New Years Eve.  I arrived dead tired at my Airbnb shortly before midnight and was greeted by a mariachi band playing in the common area of this modern building.  Uh oh, looks like a long night.  My host(ess) was not there as I was advised would be the case and I immediately discerned that this accommodation was not going to work.  My bathroom in the tiny apartment was indeed all mine, as advertised, but I had to go through the living room to get to it.  And there wasn't a stick of comfortable furniture in the place except the bed. The kitchen would have been crowded for one person. At least things quieted down shortly after midnight.  I don't know what I was thinking booking this accommodation in the first place.  It clearly wasn't right.  And I have a perfectly good place where I've stayed many times and become friends with the owner, Alfonso.  I guess I just wanted to try something different.  Alfonso's place, Any's Hostal, is more than I can afford for a month but, as it turns out, when I told him that, he asked, "well, what can you afford?  You're family, pay what you can".  So, first thing in the morning I cycled over (at least I had a card for the bike share) to Any's and had a nice reunion with Alfonso and we worked things out for me to stay there for January.  Yesterday I cycled into the Centro to check out the holiday festivities there.  There were new decorations this year and the usual skating rink and inner tube rides installed in the zocalo and the usual throngs of people.  

If you don't remember from last year's blog, an ice skating rink and various winter activites are set up in the famous zocalo in the centre of the old part of the city, free for all comers including skates.  Literally millions of people take part over the holidays.  Last night was the end of it so I'm glad I had a chance to witness it again.  

Today I spent moving to Any's, getting myself set up with my own short-term bike card, buying groceries and settling in.  Tomorrow being Sunday I'll go and take part again in Muévete en bici, bike free Sunday.