We leave today for a bit more than a week in Mexico City and Oaxaca, in what has become an almost annual pilgrimage. We’re joining our trusty Mexico companions, Patti and David B., and new recruits Connie, Sasha, and Vladimir B.
The New Jersey contingent shared a car to the airport, flew through security, and had a nibble at a dumpling shop in the concourse. Like everything else at Newark, you order with your cell phone. A server came over to me and said “Are you really Michael Jennings?” Turned out an off-duty server and I shared a name. So I asked if dinner were on the house, and he roared. Really nice guy originally from Haiti who has been here for 16 years; added bonus: huge football fan.
The flight felt long at 5 hours; we were routed over land the whole way, perhaps because of storms in the gulf. The rest of the flight rose to United’s high standards: more than five hours on an international flight without so much as a pretzel or a peanut, and lousy movie service (Direct TV).
Immigration in Mexico City was fairly slow, but we were soon in a cab on our way to our hotel. We were a bit worried because we had read reviews that mentioned a dance club with blaring music clearly audible from the rooms. But the Casa de la Luz is a dream: I would recommend it to anyone! Housed in a colonial mansion built in 1578 the hotel has soaring, beautiful public areas, a great rooftop bar and restaurant, and spacious, extremely comfortable rooms.
Like many of the oldest colonial mansions–i.e. those built by the original conquistadores–the walls are made from volcanic rock taken from the Aztec temples.
Good start!