After two days in this city, this immense and dazzling capital of Mexico, I keep expecting to wake up in a tiny little Brooklyn hole at a frosty four in the morning at the end of December. Yet, today I woke up again in the semi-bright haze of a Mexican morning to the sound of tamales vendors and Spanish dee-jays doling American pop songs. Indeed, I will enjoy this dream as long as it lasts. Seriously though, la ciudad is really something special, especially for an American. The sensuous vibe is most certainly exotic, and yet it still feels like America, like reading in a dream. There is something immeniently familiar about the place yet overlayed with something which cannot be grasped, something magic and wonderful, even if a little elusive.
It must be confessed, however, I haven't had much chance to see the greater metropolis: for me, so far, the city is about 9 square blocks of tr
ee lined streets and art deco architecture known locally as La Condesa (built out from a former horse racing track, the two concerntric ring streets surrounding the beautiful Parque Mexico has the added charm of intersecting twice with all its cross streets disorienting the visitor with an unverifiable sense of deja vu). Yes, this vast metropolis is, so far as I am concerned, just a few streets with all the tacos nopales I could every hope for. There is a much greater city beyond, of course, (just take a look at the skyline of Benito Juarez)and I will get out to it soon.
It must be confessed, however, I haven't had much chance to see the greater metropolis: for me, so far, the city is about 9 square blocks of tr
ee lined streets and art deco architecture known locally as La Condesa (built out from a former horse racing track, the two concerntric ring streets surrounding the beautiful Parque Mexico has the added charm of intersecting twice with all its cross streets disorienting the visitor with an unverifiable sense of deja vu). Yes, this vast metropolis is, so far as I am concerned, just a few streets with all the tacos nopales I could every hope for. There is a much greater city beyond, of course, (just take a look at the skyline of Benito Juarez)and I will get out to it soon. Until the weekend comes, however, it's life as usual with 12 hour work days and strained eyes at the end of mostly productive days. The similarities run short there however: this office is really something else, more in common with what I hear of Santa Monica than what I know of my old New York. What is lacking in spatial clarity is balanced with a social ease hardly known in the reserved, focused northern branch. I can project a truly great office when considering what I know so well of the one and what I like so much about my first impressions of the other.
For those of you who are worried about my physical well being here, don't fret. Just look what's for dinner. If anyone can tell me what that cactus is or how to eat it, I'm all ears.
For those of you who are worried about my physical well being here, don't fret. Just look what's for dinner. If anyone can tell me what that cactus is or how to eat it, I'm all ears.
Hasta luego mis amigos.
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