 Set
over 2400m up in its shallow mountain bowl and crammed
with over 20 million people (from fewer than five million
in 1960), MEXICO CITY is one of the world's most densely
populated urban areas, said to receive a thousand immigrants
each day from the rest of the country. At times frustrating,
the longer you spend there the more rewarding it can
become, with unstructured wandering throwing up all
sorts of surprises, and in a few days you can get around
the main sights and soak up a good deal of the vibrant
atmosphere. Despite a certain seediness found amidst
the elegance of the new quarters and the genteel decay
of the older parts of the city, the capital is nowhere
near as intimidating as you might expect. Nonetheless,
you may still prefer to take in the city a couple of
days at a time, taking off in between to the smaller
neighbouring colonial cities to recharge. You'll also
find the city easier still if you acclimatize to the
country first - if at all possible try not to spend
too long here when you first arrive.
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