Embarcaderos

So last post i forgot to write about the Embarcaderos in Xochimilco.  I had no idea what it was, but Sophia said she was going out to this floating garden thing with canoes and mariachi.  I think she was thinking the same thing.  But when we got there we found out it was more like venice-style pole-driven boats, not little canoes and there were hundreds of them going up and down this canal system which was apparently a series of old moats built by the Aztecs.

So Sophia and I got a boat, by ourselves, these things are made to fit 20, and headed off down the river.  It was really nice and relaxing cruising down the river, but we realised we came under-prepared when we started passing the other boats.  Each one was like it's own little party on the river.  They all had food and music and drinks.  Some had portable cd players playing everything from local mexican music to western pop to metallica and some boats even had their own mariachi bands!  There were also small boats of people selling stuff and small Mariachi bands pulling up beside the other boats if needed.

It was all pretty cool, however half the adventure was getting there and back.  Sophia had the instructions, catch a train to the end of the line, then there should be signs showing the way and a short walk.

So it began.  A train ride to the end of the line, then a tram to the end of the line.  Then we walk out and see the signs 'Embarcaderos' and an arrow.  We follow the signs until we come to a T intersection and there are no signs, and very few people.  And this part of town is looking a little more like what you expect from Mexico, dusty roads, squat square buildings, cracked pavements, random dogs running about and bad street lighting.

Sophia, however speaks a little Spanish, so asked a guy for directions.  He told us it was about a 40 min walk!  I was more than a little reluctant to be walking 40 min in downtown Mexico in any direction. Then the guy said that the bus could take us there.  So this little old bus pulls up and we get on. 

This bus was would take off like a bat out of hell, then slam on the brakes at a stop, however it didn't quite stop and people were just jumping on and off as it rolled past.  But we got there in one piece.  The trip home on the bus was similar,  except this time the bus didn't take the little back roads, but the main highway. Remember the night bus in Harry Potter?  Besides the screeching halts and  take offs similar to Nicole in the Micra, there was the swerving from lane to lane, overtaking and squeezing between cars, running red lights and everyone in the crowded bus just swinging from the rails.  So a little adventure in the real world Mexico.