055 Cycle Touring Mexico

(^76) Acapulco – Mexico City - (by bus)

I woke early to pack and re-organise my belongings. The friendly owners
of the hotel in Acapulco allowed me to store the bicycle and bags until my
return. Not wanting to miss out, Ernest decided to join me on the ride to
the capital.
At 9h30 we boarded a comfortable bus for the long ride to Mexico City. The
bus ride was approximately five hours and took us from sea level to almost
2,400m.
The capital felt like a whole new country. The city is vast, featuring a
population of nearly 20 million. It was vibrant and cosmopolitan, full of life
and colour with weird and wonderful people. Interestingly, the city ranks as
the eighth most prosperous city globally. Sitting at more than 2,000
metres altitude, it was considerably cooler than Acapulco.
We made our way straight to the historic centre known as The Zocalo. The
main square is not only the heart of the city, but also the largest square in
Latin America, and the third largest in the world after Moscow’s Red
Square and Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. To me, it was one of the most
beautiful, as a plethora of magnificent old buildings, including the main
cathedral and the Palacio Nacional, surround it.
Amidst people and traffic chaos, one can find old ruins right in the city
centre, participate in a purification ceremony, eat tacos, and watch street
artists and dancers.
During our visit the city was preparing for two major festivals. The Festival
of Mime ensured the streets were filled with silent shows performed by
mime artists. The second festival was the Day of the Dead/Skulls Festival.
Almost all shops were decorated, and kids ran around in scary costumes.