This was probably the most tiring week of my trip so far. In this week I visited two microfinance institutions and interviewed the director of communications at the headquarters of CAME (an organization that runs microfinance institutions all over Mexico). It has been really interesting for me to see all the different levels of the field. What’s even more amazing is that all the way from DC we are able to make an impact…even if the people on the ground don’t know where it’s coming from.
Ironically, not only was this the most tiring week, but the first weekend of real partying for me. Friday night I went out with my co-worker Samuel to a “Antro-bar” and then an Antro so I could see the DF nightlife. The first place we visited was called Ocean Drive; it’s set up to be a large restaurant during the day and then at night if enough people start dancing they move the tables out of the way and it becomes a dance floor. After hanging out for about an hour there we went to a club called Cantina where they played a mixture of house, reggaeton, and Mexican genres. What was most entertaining was watching them dance to the Mexican songs b/c there was one particular kind of music where they sort of hop from side to side and at one point it looked like the entire room was hopping together. So cute!
Saturday during the day I walked along Paseo de la Reforma. There wasn’t a whole lot to see there, but a few monuments and modern art in the form of weird benches. It was nice to walk around though. I also was surprised by a group of naked bike riders “protesting” down the street. I was waiting for them to get arrested, but it seems that this is freedom of expression….I thought St. Mary’s was the only place where this kind of behavior could be tolerated =) I never knew what they were protesting about though. Later in the evening Claudia picked me up to take me to Xochimilco and ride the trajineras. 
Xochimilco means “place where the flowers grow” in Nahuatl. This network of canals and islands is south of Central Mexico city and is said to be one of the only places left where you can envisage the ancient Mexico city as it was before the Spaniards came. Unfortunately, we went at night…so I didn’t really get to see much…and it was raining. From what I gathered from my companions, it’s very popular to rent a trajinera (a long boat with chairs and a table and someone with an oar) for a couple hours, bring your stereo and some liquor, and party on the water. We only rode along for an hour or so, but we did pass about 5 trajineras doing just that. I would like to go during the day so I can really see what it looks like, but I don’t know if I’ll have time. While we were riding along we passed a tree with dolls hanging from it. Apparently if you ride for 5 hours you can go to the Isla de la muñecas (island of the dolls) where some crazy man hangs dolls from all the trees…I didn’t catch the whole story of why he does this so I’m going to have to ask.
After a cold wet trip in the trajinera, Claudia, Valeriano, Maribel and I went to Mama Rumba for live salsa and dancing. I had a great time, but didn’t get to dance enough =( There were definitely some great dancers there, but Mexicans seem to dance salsa a little different than how I’ve seen it before. Most people sort of do a Cumbia step and their turns are in reverse. I had a good time though and did get to dance with some really skilled people.
Sunday I woke up at 1 pm in the afternoon and decided to walk through Coyoacan and get lost in my hood =) which I did—twice. The highlight was finding the center of Coyoacan and the open market that was taking place. I must have done at least 5 circles around all the booths and kiosks. What of my strategies is listening to the natives bargain with the seller—I listen to the prices their given that way I don’t get ripped off when I want to buy something. However, some of the booths do put prices on their merchandise and those are the ones I feel more comfortable buying things from. I almost bought a puppy off the street; there was a family selling 3 puppies for $150 a piece. They were soooooo cute! Unfortunately, my new place doesn’t allow pets and I really don’t know how that would fly with customs =(
While I was walking around the market there was a band playing music and protesting against the “capitalist government.” I found it very funny that they chose to hold their protest in an open market with people buying and selling goods…seems like maybe they were preaching to the wrong crowd.
Anyway, after that I actually got really lost. I probably walked around for an hour with no idea where I was, but got directions it stopped looking like Coyoacan. During my journey I walked along streets named America, California, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Canada and felt a little homesick. So I broke down, decided to feed the evil capitalist market, and went to Burger King in the mall…I’m ashamed, very ashamed. What was even worse was that it really didn’t do it for me; it was just a waste of money and calories. Now I’m at home watching the Gypsy Kings live at Wolf Trap…hmmmm…weird, right?
That’s the end of my weekend. I did want to mention a couple of random but strange/interesting things:
1. I had the most amazing food on Thursday—it's called elote, and it definitely made me sick afterwards, but it tasted amazing! It’s corn on the cob on a stick, rubbed with mayonnaise and sprinkled with cheese, and chili powder on it. It may sound kind of gross to you, but it’s probably one of the best tasting things I’ve ever had. Plus, the corn here has bigger cornels so it was juicy.
2. Hall cough drops are like candy or mints here. I don’t know why cause their kind of gross, but whatever.
3. You know how in the US you have cities and states that are known for having certain kinds of women? You know California has all the beautiful people…blah blah blah. Well it’s the same in Mexico. Samuel was filling me in as to how all the girls from the DF are snobby and that all the beautiful girls are from Cuernavaca or Guadalajara…one of the other states. Anyway, I just thought it was interesting that in a city with over 100 million people that you would dare say you couldn’t find a nice, beautiful, Mexican girl. No manches!
for more pics from this weekend, click here.
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