5th largest metro area in the world at 22 million; 9 million in city proper
they sweep the sidewalks by hand
no bugs anywhere (how can that be?)
no garbage pails
we saw trash on the street which was subsequently raked up and removed
indigenous names and monuments everywhere
cheap transit e.g. 35 cents for subway ride
crowded subways with lack of clear signage
Uber works great here
great bus network, 50,000 buses!
street food everywhere
restaurants everywhere
shady streets, beautiful trees
streets run at all angles with hundreds of roundabouts
very noisy usually
you can get by in english usually
bicycle lanes everywhere
no one bugs you
vendors lay out their items and patiently wait a sale
police presence everywhere often with machine guns in the Centro area
people eat standing up outside a lot
two can eat dinner for $10
traffic is heavy; you have to really pay attention
our best hotel room ever (a large suite with a kitchenette at $110/night taxes in)
loved the neighborhood
excellent service everywhere
felt safe
would come back again and learn Spanish
we had a tremendous experience of teeming humanity here
Last thoughts: Mexico seems more like an indigenous based society with major European (Spanish) influence; Canada seems more like a European (and now multicultural) based society with less visible indigenous influence
Dave we lived there a year on an assignment and earlier two years in Venezuela when it was a democracy.
Some parts of MC are NOT safe at night e.g. Zona Rosa. Ditto Vancouver or TO.
Learn Spanish BEFORE you go back. I took a 6 week course pre Venezuela, but then I was teaching young Venezuelan engineers how to run a refinery and many spoke little English.
I had forgotten you guys were living there. We actually loved it but it was exhausting at times as we walked a lot and took transit. Zona Rosa has gone downhill for sure. Beautiful place none the less. Nice to hear from you.
mattersofthemoment 
Dave we lived there a year on an assignment and earlier two years in Venezuela when it was a democracy.
Some parts of MC are NOT safe at night e.g. Zona Rosa. Ditto Vancouver or TO.
Learn Spanish BEFORE you go back. I took a 6 week course pre Venezuela, but then I was teaching young Venezuelan engineers how to run a refinery and many spoke little English.
Cheers
John and Monica Hunter
North Vancouver, BC
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I had forgotten you guys were living there. We actually loved it but it was exhausting at times as we walked a lot and took transit. Zona Rosa has gone downhill for sure. Beautiful place none the less. Nice to hear from you.
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