First evening in Mexico City with tour guide Luis!

Airport de la Ciudad de Mexico. It's always great that someone can come get you. In this case, it's my friend's little brother: Jorge. L'artista ;) So already we are speaking only in Spanish and we go into what I figure will be rush-hour traffic, because its 5pm. But no, rush hour, Luis explains later, is heavier around 7pm when ppl finish working. More about that later...

This is near Luis' place

So after I get settled into Luis's place (I have his sister's bedroom), log onto the internet for a bit and then Luis calls. We have a meeting spot. I am to go into the metro and wait for him 3 stations further, under the clock. This I do. And this is my first real taste of urban, working class Mexico. This is the rush hour. This is the tiempo when people push and shove and step on each other's feet. Waiting under a clock for 30mins, I get to do some people watching. Not only that, I get watched. There is this unexplainable attraction of the eyes to that which stands out: me. I wonder what is on their minds. It's not like I didn't expect the stares. I knew it would be thus. People in Montreal who I said I might dye my hair black looked at me as if that was a dumb idea. But they've no idea. I'm sorry for the guys who'll always nay-say this type of thing, but it's really something different to be looked at like a piece of meat. From everyone. The 12-yr old son, his father with his wife and even the grandfather. They say "I love you", and one guy came was walking in my direction with his friend and he said to me Vente en mis brazos! (Come into my arms)... They don't really expect me to hear, notice or understand, I imagine. But that is the nature, and Im not going to be angry about it, it's the way it is. They will stare me up and down. I feel bad for their women who are also beautiful, they look at me like I was more worthy than them, some. I dislike that.



So 30 minutes later, Luis shows up! Yay! Luis works at the World Bank, so he is wearing a suit. He is very distinguished compared to most Mexicans in the Metro. He did not take the metro, he took the metrobus which is a little bit more expensive and efficient. So here we are. Back in the metro push push! shove shove!

Then outside. But it is different from the outside at Luis' palce, it is architecture and grandeur and a big city street. It's nice. Luis takes me to the beautiful parts of Mexico. Bellas Artes and the Zocalo (centre of a city). Buildings of centuries past, the glory of ancient aristocracy. Beautiful, dense, detailed. An aboriginal dance danced by any mexican. There are people EVERYWHERE.

We go to have supper and split 2 platos tipicos, it is around 10pm. By the time we get home, it is 12:30....

Buenas noches!