Why don't more people go to Mexico City?

Old Mar 8th, 2018, 10:21 AM
  #41  
 
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Now you've all got me thinking - if I solve the house-sitter issue and am able to stay away more than a month next winter, I'd like to do some reconnaissance for the future. Getting off in MC, instead of just changing planes, might be an interesting experiment.
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Old Mar 8th, 2018, 10:25 AM
  #42  
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Not sure where people get the idea that if you don't see thick clouds of yellow smog, that there must not be any air pollution. People with COPD, asthma etc can't just rely on "it looks like a nice day out" when assessing risks to their health. Clear, sunny days don't mean the air is clean.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry...b074ce7a07be81

Last year, there were 24 days with clean air in the capital, according to Mexico City’s System of Atmospheric Monitoring. In other words, the larger capital area had more than 240 days during which the pollution index was more than 50 points over recommended levels, which may not sound like a great record. Still, that’s an improvement over the year before when there were only 17 days with clean air in the capital.
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Old Mar 8th, 2018, 10:52 AM
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Someone else may have posted this already (I haven't gone through all the posts) but this is a handy step-by-step guide on how to get yourself to Teotihuacan using public transport. I used this and did it and it worked: How to Get to Teotihuacan From Mexico City - Points Summary
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Old Mar 8th, 2018, 11:10 AM
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I just returned yesterday from my first trip to MC and am asking the same question! I went with a friend and we had a ball! Museums, walks, markets, watching folks salsa dance in the park, boat rides and THE FOOD!!
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Old Mar 8th, 2018, 12:33 PM
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If one does get to Teotihuacan, the nearby La Gruta restaurant is a fun experience, though the food is mostly average and kinda pricey for Mexico.
If you had the time (an extra hour and a half or so by taxi round trip, I'd guess), the Padre Tembleque acueducto is nearby and cool as well. It's the longest aqueduct in Mexico (48 KM, but much is underground) and built by some 40 or so indigenous peoples, each branding their work on the stones with glifs (you can see on in the pics) representing their respective tribes. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ODG1giUXjUFTY2Ij1
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Old Mar 8th, 2018, 01:17 PM
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“looks like a nice day out" when assessing risks to their health. Clear, sunny days don't mean the air is clean.”
Oh dear, my health must be ruined after 4 days in MC .LOL

I intended to go to Teotihuacán by public transit, but I had a bad cold when I left for the trip and was feeing less than great,
The hotel arranged for a driver who took me there ,waited for a few hours ,and took me back for about $85 dollars. Worked for me.
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Old Mar 8th, 2018, 01:39 PM
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Originally Posted by danon
“looks like a nice day out" when assessing risks to their health. Clear, sunny days don't mean the air is clean.”
Oh dear, my health must be ruined after 4 days in MC .LOL
.
You obviously don't know what it's like, but rest assured I wasn't "LOL"ing when I had to take a hit off my rescue inhaler because the air during a layover at MEX was so bad (smelled like a garbage fire) that it triggered my asthma. You'll have to forgive those who rely upon scientific data and stuff like that rather than "the sky was blue" anecdotes from those who think the place is the Garden of Eden.
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Old Mar 8th, 2018, 03:05 PM
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“You obviously don't know what it's like, but rest assured I wasn't "LOL"ing when I had to take a hit off my rescue inhaler because the air during a layover at MEX was so bad (smelled like a garbage fire) that it triggered my asthma. “


Perhaps people with serious health issues should follow the science and stay away from certain places.
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Old Mar 8th, 2018, 03:26 PM
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Originally Posted by danon
“You obviously don't know what it's like, but rest assured I wasn't "LOL"ing when I had to take a hit off my rescue inhaler because the air during a layover at MEX was so bad (smelled like a garbage fire) that it triggered my asthma. “


Perhaps people with serious health issues should follow the science and stay away from certain places.
Amazingly enough, upthread some of us have cited poor air quality as a reason why some avoid Mexico City, only to be told "but blue sky!"
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Old Mar 8th, 2018, 08:41 PM
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Mexico is such a sophisticated city. Do people also not go to Hong Kong, Shanghai, Bangkok, Rome...etc because they think they are too crowded?
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Old Mar 9th, 2018, 06:05 AM
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Yes, some of us. I've been to Hong Kong (years ago), but have no interest whatsoever in Bangkok, Rome or Shanghai. Big, crowded (and in the case of Bangkok, hot and humid) cities just don't appeal to me. Different strokes for different folks, why is that so hard to understand?

I've been to many big cities in my lifetime, which is how I discovered they're not for me.

The main focus of my holidays is peace, quiet and the great outdoors. A beautiful landscape, a bottle of wine, hiking boots and I'm happy as a clam.

What a dull place the world would be if we all liked the same things.
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Old Mar 9th, 2018, 06:40 AM
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Originally Posted by cabovacation
Mexico is such a sophisticated city. Do people also not go to Hong Kong, Shanghai, Bangkok, Rome...etc because they think they are too crowded?
Is that a serious question? If so, yes of course some people avoid all those cities you listed. Some people don't like to vacation in big crowded cities. It's really not that hard to understand.
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Old Mar 9th, 2018, 08:25 AM
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Originally Posted by tom42
Is that a serious question? If so, yes of course some people avoid all those cities you listed. Some people don't like to vacation in big crowded cities. It's really not that hard to understand.
Nothing wrong with this question/comment, there are all kinds of destinations for all kinds of people... It happens that we are discussing the city of Mexico and it’s fine attributes compared to other worldly cities...
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Old Mar 9th, 2018, 08:54 AM
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In addition to people who as a rule avoid big cities, there are those who are willing to tolerate them if (and only if) the attractions are sufficiently compelling. Rome's a good example of that--people go for St. Peter's, Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museum, other museums (Capitoline, Borghese, etc), Roman and Trajan's forum, Coliseum, Trevi fountain etc.

Buenos Aires gets called the Paris of the Western hemisphere. Why doesn't it get that kind of tourist traffic? No Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Versailles, etc.
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Old Mar 9th, 2018, 09:59 AM
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Rome is about as un-chaotic as a city can get so I doubt the aptness of the comparison in the ways we, who avoid chaos, would appreciate. It's not about "attractions".
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Old Mar 9th, 2018, 10:24 AM
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“The main focus of my holidays is peace, quiet and the great outdoors. A beautiful landscape, a bottle of wine, hiking boots and I'm happy as a clam.
What a dull place the world would be if we all liked the same things.”

Exactly. Hiking boots are the last thing I would like to wear on my holidays the same way many travellers prefer to stay away
from crowded streets, busy restaurants , the night life, museums .. etc of New York,
London, Madrid, Moscow , Rome, Berlin etc
Not at all hard to understand.
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Old Mar 9th, 2018, 10:28 AM
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Thanks very much for the info.
I am intrigued by your comment in terms of dress; I am so looking forward to going out reasonably dressed up without beach attire.
Can you tell me if the gentlemen wear long pants generally speaking when going out for dinner? Dress shoes I presume?
We have been to Buenos Aires and found people were always so stylish.
I do sincerely appreciated your thoughts.
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Old Mar 9th, 2018, 10:44 AM
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like in other cities, the dress “ code “ depend on the restaurant and the area of the city.

( it seems locals dress more formally than tourists almost everywhere )
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Old Mar 9th, 2018, 11:38 AM
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“Thanks for the post. We are heading to Mexico City in May and cannot wait.
We are well travelled but not big Mexico fans, but have agreed to give Mexico City a try as it seems to have it all.
Any recommendations re where to stay, private tours that were good value, etc.”
We have yet to book anything other than flights.


ps. May is the hottest month in MC . .90+
Many visitors stay in the historic centre because it is easy to walk to a number of attraction (, but certainly not all.)
I found the area too crowded ,too much traffic, and a bit dull.

Many big hotels are on/ near beautiful main av. Reforma ...some in the business part of the av. some nesran upscale
area called Polanco...If you are looking for tours, the buses probably leave near big hotels.
I follow the advice of several posters and stayed in a residential area (Condesa) with leafy streets, numerous restaurants,
cafes, bars etc. There are not many hotels in Condesa ..I stayed at Maria Condesa which I liked very much.
I speak Spanish, so moving around the city was comfortable without joining a tour.
The attractions are numerous and spread around. - usually hotelas can arrange for transportation or private tours.
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Old Mar 9th, 2018, 04:21 PM
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Originally Posted by tom42
Thanks for the link. It seems that it is starting to be 'discovered'.
I understand that Mexico City was at/near the top of a few "cities you must see" lists over the past couple of years (NYT was one). Presumably that is driving some tourism growth.
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