Mexico City is big, very big. It’s also polluted and busy and crowded and, at times, dangerous. That’s not to say it should be overlooked though. With your wits about you and some care you can still see some of the wonderful sites and museums that this megalopolis has to offer.

First let’s discuss safety. All of the common precautions should be adhered to and they include:

• Lock your valuables in the hotel or hostel safe. Only take what you need. Put a few dollars in your front pocket and leave the rest of it behind.
• Avoid walking the streets at night. Take taxis if you’re in unfamiliar areas. Even the area surrounding the zocalo can be dangerous.
• Travel with others. There will be plenty of people at the hostel who may also want to share the same sight seeing tour as you. Ask around and get a group together.
• Keep your valuables secure in your pack until you need them.
• If using an ATM try to use one that’s located in a public place like a mall. Put your money away immediately.
• Make sure you have scans of all your personal documents, credit cards and ATM cards. Email them to yourself.
• If you’re in a bar or at the hotel and you require a taxi ask that they call one for you. Try to avoid hailing a taxi in the street.
• Be cautious when taking public transportation, especially the subway. Numerous people had been pick pocketed on the subway when I was there. Put your pack in front of you and keep an eye on everyone. If you’re uncomfortable and think someone is watching you, step off the subway and get on the next car. If they follow you then find a security guard.

Now that the fear mongering is over you can have yourself a pleasant time in Mexico City. When I arrived in Mexico City I made my way to the Hostel Cathedral located right in the center of the city overlooking the zocalo. It was comfortable and clean and most importantly, a great place to meet other travelers. I found the staff to be somewhat rude and after 2 days I changed locations to a small hotel on a side street a few minutes from the zocalo. The cost was $10 per night with shared bathrooms and although it was somewhat run down it was clean. If hostels aren’t your thing then just take a look around. Finally, after falling very ill, I moved to another hotel about 30 minutes from the zocalo. It had a private bathroom, TV and was the same as any motel room you might find in Canada or the U.S. That was $12 a night but was located in a rougher neighborhood. The options are available you just have to look around a bit.

The area immediately surrounding the zocalo is full of activity with street markets, canteens and shops. You can spend a day wandering around the crowded markets just looking at is mostly junk in my opinion. On the zocalo itself you will find plenty of arts and crafts being sold but if you need a toothbrush or a day pack then head off down the side streets. There are also plenty of food stalls on the zocalo where you can try some of the local cuisine on the cheap. Look for ones that are frequented by locals, make sure the food is well cooked and try to avoid the sauces as everyone has their mitts in them. I’m pretty sure this is where I caught my bug but when I return I will also dig right back into the eats. They’re great.

There are a lot of different tours that you can take in the city and the only real issue is in getting around but with a good map you shouldn’t have too much trouble. If you don’t mind rushing through a day then you could probably take in the home of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera as well as a world wind tour through the Museum of Anthropology. My traveling friends and I pulled this off and while it made for a bus day it was still worthwhile.

The Museo Frida Kahlo is located in Coyoacan, a suburb of Mexico City and is within easy walking distance of the bus routes. If you’re a fan of the artist then her home where she was born and lived should not be missed. There are high cobalt blue walls surrounding a lovely court yard and a walking tour you can take through her home. Another fascinating visit in the same vein are the two houses that Frida and Diego shared at the Estudio de Diego y Frida Kahlo. This is the home featured prominently in the film Frida starring Salma Hayek. The architecture is fascinating and you can walk across the bridge that separated the two homes where they both lived and worked separately.

The National Museum of Anthropology is located on Avenida Paseo de la Reforma and is also worth taking the time to visit, especially if your travels are taking you to Mayan ruins in the south. There are plenty of beautiful exhibits starting in chronological order on the right and on the left are rooms dedicated to the Mayans as well as peoples from other regions of Mexico. If museums are your thing then try to plan to spend a day here as there is a lot to see and do. Entrance is $5 and is worth every penny.

Another excursion in Mexico City was to the bull fights. Understandably this is a controversial sport and as a staunch vegetarian I personally don’t approve of animals being treated in this manner. On the other hand I don’t feel that it is my place to question another countries culture, especially if I haven’t experienced it for myself. Fortunately bull fighting is fading out and Mexico City is one of the few places left that actually kill the bull. Public distaste for the spectacle as well as the cost of continually killing healthy bulls is leading to its demise.

That being said I would be lying if I didn’t say that prior to the first bull there wasn’t a sense of gladiatorial excitement amongst those of us who went. The concrete seats led steeply down to a circular pit where the action would take place and while our tickets were in the nosebleeds the lower seats were empty and we all moved closer to the action. We were there on amateur night and the thrill for us was to watch an inexperienced matador up against an enraged animal that weighed over a tonne. We received a lot of dirty looks as we cheered on the bulls and our cheers were answered when one matador took a good trouncing from his nemesis.

The highlight for us was the second matador. After the pomp and circumstance was over he took one knee in the middle of the ring with his cape held out. The door was opened and the bull, looking like something out of a Bugs Bunny cartoon, came stampeding at full throttle towards him. The matador didn’t flinch and only stood after the bull had stampeded through his cape to the boisterous sounds of “Ole!” from the crowd.

The final highlight of my visit to Mexico City was being there for Independence Day. If you have the opportunity to be in Mexico City on September 15th then I highly recommend that you participate. The zocalo was filled with hundreds of thousands of happy revelers shouting “Viva Mexico” along with President Vincente Fox who was perched in a balcony from the governmental palace overlooking the zocalo. It’s the one day when everyone puts their differences aside and celebrates this unique and wonderful country. We were all caught up in the excitement and the party lasted until the wee hours.

The following day a parade was held and I was fortunate to have a balcony overlooking the parade route. It was mainly a military parade but there were the occasional breaks from military fatigues and camouflage. Still nursing a hangover I opted to remain in my hotel room and shoot photos from the window.

I know that Mexico City is not on the top of everyone’s list as a place to visit but if you do have the time there are some wonderful things to see and do here. Make sure you plan your activities before arriving so that you can get in and out as as it’s not really a place to relax unless you’re in one of the quieter suburbs. With the right precautions Mexico City can be a great stopover.

Galleries associated with Mexico City are located below: