México Magnífico
Mark Mexico City On Your Vacation Calendar

by Margaret Myers

What began as a modest island village in the central valley of Mexico over 600 years ago, Mexico City has flourished into the enormous expanse of which we see today. Rising 2,300 metres above sea level and surrounded by mountain scenery, this capital city should be your first stop on any Latin American itinerary.

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Ripe with the sights and sounds of just under 20 million people, it is the world's third most populated metropolitan area. While this may seem overwhelming to some, when planned properly, a trip to Mexico City can be extremely stimulating.
Like any major metropolis, Mexico City has its fair share of crime, poverty and pollution, but this should not be its only identity. There is apparent beauty everywhere you want to look. From the exquisite examples of colonial architecture in the centre of town to the colourful scenes that play out in the many markets to the sweet smells and sizzling sounds of the woman frying platanos on the corner.
Forget Cancun. Forget Puerto Vallarta. (Forgive me if when reading this the thermostat refuses to even consider positive integers.) Mexico City has got it all: beauty, history, tacos, tequila and of course the requisite fiesta.
Having lived in Mexico City for almost four years, I had the pleasure of being an insider while never shedding my tourist status. Everyday I learned a new word or phrase, discovered a new use for the common corn tortilla (it's the Mexican spoon) or found a new neighbourhood cantina in which to revel.
Every other day took me to a new spot in the city, and with over tens of thousands of streets to explore, it's not hard to do.
Although there are the obvious destinations you shouldn't miss when travelling to Mexico City -- the renowned Museum of Anthropology, the soaring pyramids at Teotihuacán, the floating gardens in Xochimilco -- there are those that first-time tourists might miss if only passing through on their way to the beach or jungle.
If you find yourself south of the other border for any length of time, there are definitely places for the intrepid traveller who would rather bypass lusty spring breakers in Cancun.
Here is a brief list of my favourite sites in Mexico City, in no particular order.

LA MERCED AND SONOROA MARKETS
It will take you at least a day to appreciate Mexico City's largest market, La Merced (metro La Merced), where aisles of dried chiles and stacks of fresh nopal, or cactus, guide you through this never-ending maze. Everything can be found here from volcanic stone-made mortars called molcajetes to clothes, music and kitchen appliances. When shopping for a blender, a bikini and AA batteries in one outing, forget Wal-Mart and come here for a better bargain.
Adjacent to La Merced is the infamous Mercado de Sonora where one can find a variety of exotic fruits, plants and, sadly, animals -- no doubt captured from the tropical rain forests of Brazil. But that is another article.
Illegally trafficked animals aside, the Sonora Market comes alive with mystical vibrations and spiritual scents. Located in the corner of this market are rows of stalls dedicated to the use of witchcraft and medicinal herbs.
Looking for the cure to a broken heart? Special brews and concoctions of powders and oils can help you find everlasting love. There are also magic potions to help you find money and happiness and hexes you can carefully put on your boss.
Baskets of dried hibiscus flowers for weight loss and teas to help cleanse your digestive track line the stalls. There are also cats' claws, uña de gato, for your immune system and horsetails, cola de caballo, for your kidneys.
When browsing in the Mercado de Sonora, one of the most useful Spanish phrases that I encouragingly pass on to you you is qué es eso? Translation: what is that?

PLAZA GARIBALDI
If there were an anthem for Mexico City, it would be heard emanating from the roving musicians in Plaza Garibaldi (metro Bellas Artes and Garibaldi).
A trip to Mexico City would not be complete with without a visit to this raucous square on a Friday night. Bring friends.
Lined with dance halls and cantinas, Plaza Garibaldi is famous for its melodious mariachi music. Spilling from the square and out onto the streets, these mariachis will sing for their supper. On any given night, you can spot lovers sipping tequila -- which can be purchased from one of the many roaming liquor vendors -- and swaying arm in arm to the music from their very own mariachi band. You can hire a trio to sing your favourite folk song or an entire band of mariachis in their full-out silver-spangled attire and oversized sombreros to serenade your sweetie with a Mexican love song.
If you love to dance, try any of the dance halls on the square for your salsa and merengue fix. Alternatively, there are a number of bars and cantinas that offer their own brand of traditional live music.

STREET FOOD
My favourite aspect of living in Mexico City was quite simply the food. Because the capital boasts an eclectic mix of people from all across the republic, there is no true Mexico City style of food, but a mix of all things Mexican.
Don't expect burrito supremes and hard taco shells full of ground beef, cheese and lettuce. Real Mexican tacos are small portions of cooked meats placed on a palm-sized soft corn tortilla and topped with onions, cilantro, lime and your favourite salsa. You can have nopal fried up and served in your favourite taco. If you don't fancy meat, you can often find stands that sell tacos stuffed with beans or fried potatoes. Be sure to season it with plenty of salsa verde.
Taco stands line the city streets and are popular throughout the day. Starting at around breakfast time you can find tacos filled with rice and hard-boiled eggs. By noon it's usually time for a snack or almuerzo. By 2 p.m. Mexico City residents, or chilangos, are ready for lunch and you can tell by the throngs of patrons in work attire swarming outdoor food stalls. Try to reach someone in their office between the hours of 2 and 4 and you may be out of luck. In Mexico City lunch is the biggest meal of the day.
If you don't feel comfortable eating on the street, head to the nearest taqueria for your taco fix. The best ones stay open late and are shining beacons inviting restless souls on their way home from the club to have a few steak tacos and perhaps one more beer. Try a michelada, or a glass of beer served with limejuice and a salted rim.
As I have already mentioned, uses for the corn tortilla are endless. Scoop everything with it from salsa to rice and beans and you have a spoon. Fill it with slow-cooked pork and habanero pepper sauce and you have a classic cochinita pibil taco. Set two fried eggs topped with red or green sauce on it and you have the perfect huevos rancheros for breakfast.

CENTRO HISTORICO
The zocalo, located in the beautiful Centro Historico, or historic centre, is an obvious destination in Mexico City, and one of my favourites. The former site of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan today is the bustling central square of the city.
Go during the day and wander through the corridors of the National Palace where Diego Rivera painted his homage to mother Mexico. Or explore the sidewalks just behind the Palace along the Calle de Moneda where street vendors hawk everything from children's clothes to pirated CDs and DVDs.
You can catch a tour bus called the Touribus at a number of stops in neighbourhoods around the centre of town. A good spot to catch it is on the Avenida Reforma -- a main boulevard that dissects the city east to west -- just beneath the monument of the Angel of Independence. This will take you straight through the Centro Historico and all it's magnificent wonder. Sitting on the second level of the bus you catch a distinct view of fabulous colonial-era Spanish architecture. As the bus circles its way through the zocalo you will be sure to notice the awesome national cathedral, the oldest and largest in Latin America. Built on the site of ancient Aztec temples, the cathedral was commissioned in 1573 by Hernan Cortes and not completed until 1813, which explains its many different artistic styles.
For a better view, get off at the zocalo stop and head to the northwest corner of the square to the Hotel Majestic for drinks on the rooftop. This is also a good spot for Sunday brunch, serving typical Mexico City fare.
If a view is less important and a sip of local culture is more what you're looking for, head to the other side of the cathedral and enjoy a tequila or Victoria michelada at El Nivel, Mexico City's oldest cantina which opened in 1855. Be prepared to weather stares from the men that line the bar as you push through the saloon-style swinging doors, but don't worry, they'll gradually turn back to their respective beers.

This brief tour of my favourite places is Mexico City will take you about a week to appreciate, including a day at the pyramids just outside of town and a tour of the Museum of Anthropology. But this is by no means a comprehensive study of all there is to offer. For me, four years wasn't enough to scratch the surface. Looking back at my time spent there I recall most frequently, not the midday traffic and impatient taxi drivers, nor the smog that settles in the valley, but the people whose pride in their history and culture makes Mexico City what it is today.