Ciudad de Mexico...

Holy sh*t! This place is enormous! So I get off the plane. I get through customs just fine. I go to the baggage claim and they can't find my bag....no wait, it's just sitting over there. Then I get it and walk out to find the taxi stand and am accosted by seven, yes seven men all talking very loudly y mui mui rapido to me in Spanish. "Taxi, senora?" I said yes and then they grabbed my bag and were off. I was supposed to call my hosts to tell them I was comingso that someone would be at the apartment. OK, none of the taxi men spoke English. I called my host and he spoke to them in Spanish. However, the man with my bag knew the word, "tip." I didn't have any pesos yet so he was very happy to get "dollores." My driver was very nice and spoke English a little. He had me speak what little Spanish I know to him and then he would correct me. I didn't burst into tears once, but I wanted to.

My hosts are lovely. They made me dinner. They get home from work about 8:30 or 9p. My host calls taxis for me so that he can chat with them about where he lives. I couldn't do it.

Today I went to the Centero Nacional de las Artes and met with the director (nice man and very handsome) and a woman who wrote a book on carpas. The carpas in Mexico are very different from the carpas in Texas. She did not know much about the Texas carpas and nothing about Toby shows (big surprise). They were very nice. I will go back tomorrow to look at pictures. They are producing a CD with information about carpas, as well as the book the woman wrote. I will get one when it is finished. My cab driver got lost on the way home and I had to call my host and have him explain how to get to his apartment. My Mexican phone bill is going to be big... I didn't burst into tears today either, but I sort of wanted to, but less.

After 104 degrees in Texas, the weather here is lovely! Mid to upper 70s. I have to wear a jacket. I see now why there is no air conditioning. They don't need it. It rains every afternoon and that's OK. Mexico City is very high in altitude. I have had a sort of small nagging headache and my throat is very dry. No, it's not the swine flu. One of my hosts said that is from the smog and altitude. It isn't so bad and I'm sure I'll be better in a day or two.

I will move couchsurfing locations July 2 because that host lives closer to the attractions that I want to see. I can take the subway from his house (God help me) to several things. Then I've decided that I will stay in a hotel in the historic district my last two days here because I can walk to several museums from there. Hotel catedral. $40 per night with breakfast (it's so cheap here).

I can't even think about the bus ride from Chetumal to Belize City because I WILL burst into tears... If I get through this, Burningman will be a breeze... At least I speak "art language." Hasta luego, for now...