Alan Cordle

I could make all kinds of excuses about why I’ve already fallen behind with the travel blogging: Popo is erupting, earthquakes continue to shake the country, and I fell asleep listening to the new Madonna album, hearing the words to “I’m a sinner” as “Armadillo.”

Instead, I should simply fill you in on where I am and what I’m doing. I’m sitting in Crisanta, a great cervezera, which has Rogue, among others, ready to serve to beautiful, mostly young Chilangos. Tonight an experimental father-son jazz band is performing on instruments they’ve apparently created themselves. I discovered Crisanta when I arrives on Monday, and though it’s more expensive than other meals I’ve eaten, it’s also a perfect place, two minutes from where I’m staying.

Casa de los Amigos is another story. From house volunteers, to refugees, to random guests, like me and Paul, a British journalist working on an El Paso/Juarez border story, there’s a lot of social opportunity. I found out a friend stayed here ten years ago. From his description, the cast of characters is essentially the same. I didn’t know until today, when I learned from Dan, the retired school librarian volunteering for the house library, that the house was the studio of Orozco. I had a self-satisfying cultural moment because I’d seen his murals on previous trips and could add an intelligent comment or two.

I’ve met some great locals too, like Merari, a Chilango friend of a friend and Ricardo, who dropped a bigger bomb than Shakira’s free concert I attended in Merida last summer: Lila Downs is performing for free a week from today. Ricardo grew up on a ranch which grows maize. He showed me photos of the families blue corn harvest on his iPhone. He juggles between that and his iPad.

Merari, her children, and her mother are piling into a car and taking me to Teotihuacan tomorrow. I’m interested to see how it differs from the Maya sites I visited last summer. But I’m equally interested in trying to see Popo erupt.

Crisanta has amazing food, but I’ve had plenty of great meals at about $3 US apiece. I never tire of mushrooms, cheese, and tortillas. When I see guests at the Casa cooking in the shared kitchen, I wonder how it could possibly be cost effective. I’d rather spend my time hunting down the next comida.

Upon my arrival at the airport, which I’d been to once before on a layover, I took the Metro to the Casa. A pair of drunk homeless men guided me from the station. With all of the crime warnings I’ve received from well-meaning friends, I was expecting them to turn me around a corner and into the path of a knife-wielding narco-wannabe. Instead, they explained their situation: living in the park by the train stop. I gave them 5o pesos and said goodbye.

From mezcal to music to an eye-opening look into Mexico City’s goth culture, I feel like I’ve been here for years. I’m lucky to have more than six weeks left.

Dear Infrequent Readers Accustomed to Infrequent Posts,

I’m leaving tomorrow for Mexico City and return to Portland on June 1st. What will I be doing? I’m not really sure. Other than last year’s two weeks in Oaxaca state and 2007′s week on safari, I’ve always been a travel planner. I’ve known where I’d go, where I’d stay, and most of what I’d be doing.

This time I have the luxury of traveling alone and making plans as I go, the way I prefer to travel. I’ll be in México Distrito Federal for at least one week. As I’ve never spent any time in a city that large, I don’t know if I’ll hate it or love it. Thankfully, I can choose to stay or move on.

My only other definite plan is to visit Puebla, where I spent a night last summer without seeing much of anything. Puebla is where Mexicans successfully battled French occupiers on the 5th of May, 1862. In the United States, Cinco de Mayo is often mistaken for Mexican Independence Day, but I know better. That’s why it’s important to me to be there for the 150th anniversary.

Wherever I end up, I’ll be taking Spanish classes and posting updates here as often as possible. Please check back frequently and post any tips you have.

Adiós!