Despite our GPS directing us down a laneway into a garbage dump, we eventually found our way out on to the expressway and out to the international airport this morning, where we reluctantly farewelled Brendan and Rachel, who have a couple of extra days rafting in Costa Rica before heading back to work in Buffalo.
You can never be sure of timings at airports. We allowed 2.5 hours to get through all the formalities at the San Jose airport, after all it is the capital city, but there were few flights and no queues anywhere. We actually had to ask security whether they were open before we put our bags through. We were though and at the gate in less than 30 minutes.
The only hiccup was that we needed to pay departure tax. Yes you do said the airline before checking us in. No you don't said the tax people, it's in your ticket. No it isn't said the airline. Well, it turns out that everybody was right. Yes, it is in your ticket - if you've bought your ticket since December when the tax was introduced. Of course, I'm one of those rare people on the planet who buy airline tickets eleven months out when the tax wasn't required. Luckily they took credit cards, and luckily there were no queues, so the check in lady waited patiently while I went to another part of the terminal, stood in the queue, and came all the way back with the correct paperwork.
However, that was the only issue for the day. The little AeroMexico 737 trundled into the sky on time, and duly deposited us in Mexico City when expected, although it was one of the hardest landings I've experienced. They then told us that our bags would take about an hour to arrive due to the mandatory drug screening and sniffing, and that's what happened. We could see the outline of the dogs as they did their thing. When we finally got our bags, we were sniffed again, then x-rayed again, before being let loose on the unsuspecting population of Mexico City.
Like San Jose, the airport at Mexico City had hardly any queues, and we seemed to be about the only flight claiming baggage. No taxi touts. Our tour guide was at the door all by her lonesome, and went and got her car which we drove to the door and helped us in. For a city with as many people as the whole of Australia, it was a very quick and smooth operation. I was very impressed.
And that set the tone for the rest of the day. Very impressed with everything so far. We are staying in a 'comfort level' hotel, but the room is lovely, the staff helpful, and the bellboy uttered those immortal words guaranteed to put a smile on my face - "and here is your free wifi password".
We are one block from the centre of town. There are both small eateries and larger restaurants all around us, as well as a smattering of fast food places. I guess that I shouldn't be surprised, after all it's a major capital city, but all the same I have to re-adjust after the small cities of Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
I know that they call Paris the 'city of love', and you wouldn't expect it when somebody says Mexico City, but I don't think I've seen a more loved up city. People wherever you look are in pairs, which isn't unusual, but the amount of physical affection and the number of smiles is very in your face. As Mandy said, there are 'cuddle seats' everywhere. Couples don't just stand or sit near each other. They sit on each other. When they chat, they face each other and hold both hands, often swinging in the breeze. We saw roses being presented, and being amorously accepted. And it's not just young people. The oldies don't miss out either. We noticed it both in the city and at the airport. It's lovely to see, nothing is unseemly, but I can think of a few ex-girlfriend's mothers who would have conniptions if they saw such displays.
After checking in, we walked around a few blocks of the city's cultural district before settling on a noodle place for tea. Very reasonable prices, though ordering from a long list of 'choose your own' ingredients was a challenge in Spanish. Sunset is back to being quite late, which meant we were able to walk around after tea in the balmy evening, and tomorrow we won't be woken by the sun at 5:30am any more. Yay. So far, Mexico City is getting a big thumbs up.
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