The first visit which I had to Mexico City was to see my good friend Rose Burillo, who had just opened up a restaurant down here. At first I was slightly unsure about what kind of city I was heading to, it seemed to me to be something a little edgy, and a far cry from the swirling metropolis that it now is. Nonetheless I wanted to support my friend and so I headed straight down there to see what it was all about, and it wasn’t long before I was completely enamoured with this incredible city, and here is why.
Welcome
There were certainly some tough areas around the city, some areas of poverty and some which just didn’t feel incredibly safe, and this initially put me on the back foot. What quickly changed this for me however was the people, so welcoming and so happy to host their country to me. This lead to some thought moments where you are mistrusting of someone who actually does have great intentions, and it took me a while to let my guard down, when I did however, I discovered just how amazing these people are.
Food Options
Those used to cook some Mexican dishes for me during our time at uni but beyond that my experience was really Tex-Mex style food. The wealth of options in Mexico City, on the street alone, was incredible and I spent my two weeks being introduced to just about everything that I could possibly get my hands on. The Mexican kitchen is more vast than I ever realised and that is yet another reason why I fell in love with the country.
Embracing The Past
Mots countries around the world fail to embrace their past properly, in terms of celebrating it at least. In Australia and the US, the indigenous histories aren’t spoken about too often, yet here in Mexico the influences of past civilisations are worn like badges of honour. Even in Mexico City you can find ruins throughout the neighbourhoods, relics from ancient civilisations which went before. There is also of course the stunning city of Teotihuacan, a city occupied by both the Mayans and the Aztecs, which has been very well preserved indeed.
Range of Landscapes
Having travelled trough the country a bit during that trip, I was blown away by the sheer range of landscapes which can be found throughout this diverse nation. Here you can find desert, jungle, rainforest and rolling plains, there is something to discover in every state. I already knew that there were some incredible beaches, yet now I am even more aware of all of what this country has to offer in terms of nature. In the years that have passed since that first trip, I have been fortunate enough to travel throughout the country and explore even more of what this amazing place has to offer.
These are just some of the reasons why I fell in love with Mexico.
