Back in Mexico City

I didn't think I would be so thrilled to be back in Mexico City, but I really am. Oaxaca and Puebla were really nice diversions - I enjoyed both places for different reasons, but the energy of Mexico City is really something else. It's kind of like New York (much as I hate it).

Yesterday I didn't do much. I watched some TV, Rachel Ray, Dr. Phil, Jersey Shore, real high brow entertainment. Every now and then I'd go out for a walk or to get something to eat. I felt like I was coming down with something, felt a little achy and cold, but apparently it was a false alarm.

This morning after breakfast I headed to the bus station and boarded my bus to Mexico City. If I had not been able to understand Spanish, the bus station would have been pretty challenging. First, it was not clear where I had to go. I asked at the ticket counter and was sent to the end of the terminal and to the right, gate 1. I followed those directions and it turned out I was at the wrong gate 1, I had to go to ADO, which was the bus company I was taking. So I went to the next gate 1 and sat and listened to announcements calling for passengers for each bus. The announcements went something like this, "Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, ADO, always first class welcomes you to board the bus leaving at 10 and 45 minutes bound for the city of Veracruz, please board at gate one, your bus is parked in space number 38, thank you for choosing ADO". Or something like that. The announcements were very long and the crucial information, the time, city, and bus location all went very fast. I was a little nervous but after listening to about 20 announcements like this, I realized there was a bus about every 5-10 minutes, and after they called for the 11:05 bus, I knew mine was next. The only thing was when they called my bus information, another announcement started at the same time so I could not hear where the bus was parked. Fortunately a lot of other people were also boarding and I just followed them.

The ride was pretty smooth, smoother than from Oaxaca (the highway was better) and we watched the same movie, "The Namesake", and I still didn't get the end - I'll have to watch it in English.

From the bus terminal I hopped in a cab to my hotel. I have a very nice room on the 10th floor with a view (sort of).

I dropped my stuff off in my room and set out on some errands. First I bought some lavendar spray because someone had been smoking in my room (even though it's non-smoking). I wanted to try to cover up the smell rather than change rooms, since I like where I am located. It's fun being up so high.

Then I went to change money and right next to the money changer was a hair salon, so I stopped there to get my hair cut.

They took me in the back to shampoo my hair, but the girl felt my hair was clean and asked if I just wanted her to wet it. Amazing that I got all of that. Then she brought be out to a stylist - a very attractive older woman who had a young boy in her chair. When we went up, the boy got out of the chair and went over to the other side of the salon. He was with a young girl. They were apparently brother and sister. I figured out later that they were probably the kids of my stylist. I loved the boy's haircut and told her I wanted something like that (turned out he was about to get his hair cut when we walked up because after I left he got back in the chair).

I gave the same instructions I always give - short on the sides and long on top. She cut the sides really short and did all sorts of fancy cutting on top. I was very impressed with her technique and I loved the energy in the salon. There were so many people buzzing around, everyone with really interesting hair cuts - Lady Gaga was blaring on the sound system and there was a lot of chatter, but my stylist was focused on me. My hair was already short, but she cut a lot. I really love what she did.

When she finished, she blew it dry, using a round brush to straighten it. Then she used a straightening iron. She cleaned it up some more and then she put something on her hands, rubbed them together and released her hands over my head, sending a shower or white stuff on my head. I had no idea what she was doing. She then played with my hair getting it to stand up straight in just the right way. It is super funky and fun and it was only $20. Why can't I find a stylist like this in SF? I've had great haircuts here, in Spain and in Argentina, but in SF, my hair always ends up being too round and bowl like.

After that I went and had some tacos and then I went for a walk. It was a beautiful day, warm but not hot, with a really nice breeze blowing.

There are so many cute young gay couples walking around hand in hand, it's amazing. I even saw two young lesbians kissing in the middle of a shopping center. No one batted an eye, except me. I mean, this is conservative, Catholic Mexico! It is amazing how open it has become.

The only thing I don't like is when I walk around these guys are always trying to hand me business cards for something - I think they are for lap dances or something like that, and not from men either. I guess they see a single, older male walking around and think I'm desperate to pay some woman to shake her booty in my face. As if!

Tomorrow I am going to try to rent a bike. Hopefully I will be successful. If not, I'm going to check out these two neighborhoods nearby, Roma and Condessa.

I am ready to go home but will do my best to enjoy the few days I have left here - I see spa treatments and perhaps some shopping in my future...