Mexico City

[ReptilianKittenEater]

Headed there in Jan to bag a couple of the surrounding volcanos. Any flaggers bin there? Recs on bedbug free lodging, food and booze? Is it a fucked up place?

Thanks.

[db36046]

I haven't been there for a while but it's a great place. I love Mexico City.. If you have some basic street sense and keep your nose clean, the danger is manageable.
It's also a huge place; like NYC on steroids. Look for a decent hotel for a good price downtown. The outlying areas are less safe than downtown, in my experience. You can usually find a good place within about five blocks of Bellas Artes.
The people are great, friendly, and always ready to give you directions. The subways are very navegable., but watch for pickpockets. (They usually work in teams.)
To survive in Mexico City people learn to hustle. They are aggressive and pushy, wary and on guard, but most are essentially good people. Try not to look like you have a lot of money (difficult for most Americans), and be nice to people. Treat them with respect and they will reciprocate.
Stay away from anything even remotely tied to the drug trade, and you should be all right if you keep your eyes open.
The Museo de Antropología is fascinating, and could easily take a week to go through quickly.
If you can afford it, find a taxi driver that you like and hire him to be your personal transportation a day at a time. It's less expensive than you think and it saves you the problem of not being able to find your way around during the busiest time of the day. Buy his lunch, and give him a good tip at the end of the day, besides whatever you contracted him for.

[ReptilianKittenEater]

Thanks. looking forward to it.

[executiveout]

Ok, I am jealous... Thailand doesn't come close to Mexico as a "great life venue"
Disfruta!

[ROB]

Thanks. looking forward to it.

Hope you can share some photos with us.

[friendlyskies]

Mexico City is amazing. Like db said, it's not especially dangerous as long as you use basic travel security steps. Don't get money out of the ATM at night, wear a fancy watch, that sort of things. The airport is a hive of scum and villainy, make ABSOLUTELY SURE you use the official taxis, and if anyone offers you a better deal, ignore them.

Polanco is the ritzy section of town and great for a drink and just to walk around at night, enjoying life. If you can afford to stay in the area, it's probably super nice. I like to stay in Condesa, it's not the cheapest but it's super safe and fun - the upscale hipster neighborhood, lots of restaurants and cool bars and art galleries, plus you're close to Chapultepec Park, where most of the cool museums are. The Anthropology Museum is an absolute must. Roma is supposed to be the up-and-coming hipster neighborhood, I guess? Check it out. Anyway, if you're on a budget, the Metro is great and super easy to use. Also, most restaurants have an executive lunch that has like four or five courses for 50-100 pesos, it's a deal. Then you can just get street food for dinner, which is the thing to do anyway.

Have fun! Mexico City is great!

[ReptilianKittenEater]

Thanks guys! Friendly, where in Condensa do you usually stay?

[friendlyskies]

Hey - I had to stay at two pricey hotels for work: Hotel Maria Condesa http://www.mariacondesa.com/index.html and Hotel Villa Condesa http://www.villacondesa.com.mx/villacon ... e_eng.html which were both excellent if not outstanding. If you've got the cash, Hotel Maria Condesa was my preference. I went back on my own and stayed at Hostal Condesa, which was clean and acceptable. I stayed in a private room and thought it was a little bit overpriced, but only a little: http://www.hostalcondesa.com/en/index.html

None of those places was super awesome, though. The area was, but I'm still looking for the perfect hotel in the area. If you find it, let me know!

[friendlyskies]

Since you're looking to bag a couple of volcanoes, this might be worth a read vis-a-vis crime: http://www.insightcrime.org/news-analys ... 6-000-feet

[ReptilianKittenEater]

Since you're looking to bag a couple of volcanoes, this might be worth a read vis-a-vis crime: http://www.insightcrime.org/news-analys ... 6-000-feet

Thanks for the link. Ixta is one of the volcanoes I am looking to bag, and I have heard of a couple of robberies on it, the other two I am looking to climb (Toluca and Orizaba) I have not heard much of any problems. Ixta borders on Morelas State which has crime problems. I am going with a guide, not that it will deter an armed gang, but my experience is that guides are good at self preservation and have better instincts at putting themselves in harms way.

[ReptilianKittenEater]

Pretty good. Got up Orizaba and a couple of other peaks. Will post some pics when I am finished mopping up a basement flood from a hot water tank.