Day 3 in Mexico - Lucha Libra here we come

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So started off well as did not wake up until a godly hour so I think the jet lag is beaten. Today I have planned for us to go to the Cathedral Metropolitana which is one of Mexico city’s most iconic structures. One of the iconic features is supposed to be the Altar de Los Reyes. It is gilded with gold and is very opulent to say the least. Sometimes it does make you wonder how the world is when you see things like this in churches/cathedrals with so much poverty around and many people sleeping on the streets - is this really right?!



So in my guide book another must see in Mexico City is Plaza Garibaldi so I plot how to get there. Once again due to the traffic it appears to be quicker to walk so google maps it is. We seem to be taken outside the main historical centre along some bit dodgy feeling streets and if I am totally honest I would not like to be walking these streets in the dark even if it was quicker than getting transport. So the Plaza is supposed to be famous for Mariachi bands belting out ballads. The Mariachi gentlemen wear silver studded outfits which makes them look a lot like a matador. Well we eventually get to the Plaza taking our lives in our hands (bit dramatic but you have to be dramatic sometimes) and what a let down it was. A big square made up of a slab of concrete and not clean at all. It did have a couple of Mariachi men and one did come over to us but how disappointing. Maybe it would be best to be there during the early evening but that was not going to happen it my birthday tomorrow and I would like to be here for this!



So we walk back to the Zocalo district which is the historical part and had a spot of lunch in a lovely taverna - if honest this was the best food I have had since being here. After lunch we walk back to the hotel to get ready for Lucha Libra, which is Mexican wrestling. I had booked this excursion through Airbnb experiences with a great guy called Javier. Well we did not know what a treat we were going to be in for.



We took an Uber to the Roma district and met up with Javier and 2 couples and 2 ladies. They all came from USA which I thought was a bit surprising. I expected some others from other countries but if you think about it USA is not that far from Mexico (that is what all the palaver was about with Trump and his wanting to build a wall - I don’t think he is being indicted on this one yet!) as one couple pointed out they were here just for a couple of nights.



Anyway I am digressing. Javier explained the menu and said for anyone a bit more adventurous you can have tacos with all the parts of a cow, ie brain, eyes, tongue etc - well this was a challenge I had to take up so I asked Javier which is the nicest and he said tongue (phew I thought he might say eyes - then I would have had to have a rethink). So tongue tacos it was and they tasted okay but a bit bland if totally honest. Javier then proceeded to get a miniature wrestling ring out of his bag with miniature wrestlers and gave us an in depth demonstration of what we will be seeing and the chants we need to do when the wrestlers give us a signal. Javier informed us that we were really lucky as Místico, who is the god among wrestlers, would be fighting. Javier then proceeded to give us a wrestler mask each to wear and keep - nice touch.



We make our way to the Arena Mexico and the crowds waiting to get in were amazing - I thought we were going to a small event. The Arena is the size of Manchester Arena which holds around 17,000 people and this Arena was full - they take this wrestling thing seriously.



It was brilliant and these wrestlers are really athletic - I know it is rehearsed but oh my god it was fun to watch. They even had lady wrestlers who if totally honest were not as good but the crowd loved them.



Once the fights were over we took an Uber back to the hotel. Ubers in Mexico are really cheap and supposedly much safer than using a regular taxi - so it looks like when we move to the hotel where we meet up with our tour we will be taking an Uber.



It will be a shame to be moving from this luxurious hotel but hey ho we are officially backpackers from tomorrow onwards.



Oh by the way did you know Mexico has a number of earthquakes!! I know this as when in the room I was sure I could feel the hotel shaking. Mike does not believe me but this feels like shades of when we were in Japan. Mike was in the shower and I was sat on the bed reading the hotel blurb and the hotel definitely swayed but Mike did not believe me until another tourist said, so you were here in the mini earthquake - so watch this space!



Another fun fact for you is that there are roads and places named after places around the world such as Paris, London (Londres), Liverpool, Versailles - it looks really weird when you see these place names.

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Photos

Mike in his mask
Wrestler name Ultimo, ha ha