El Metro

Mexico has one of the largest, most complex, all-encompassing metro routes of any country in the world. A little known fact I was told was that it was a gift from France. One can go anywhere in the city as long as one knows where, and when, to transfer, if needed, to another line. Did I mention it only costs us 5 pesos, per person, each way? That comes out to about $.25 one way. When I get my residency squared away, we will both apply for AARP-type memberships, which will allow us to ride the Metro for free. Bonus!!

Depending on the day, and, just as important, the time of day, the Metro is either empty, or everyone is packed in like living, breathing sardines. (You can actually tell long-time riders because they either sleep the entire way, or, those that stay awake hardly even move with all of the abrupt stops and starts.)

While riding the Metro, one cannot even consider germs and/or bacteria- not if you want, or need, to use public transportation. You just get in, and hold on, because your life my depend on it. All said, we always use gel hand disinfectant when we get where we are going!

Some of the cars are ornately decorated, like the one below, but most are a simple reddish orange. Here is a photo of the most colorful set of cars I was able to photograph recently. There are approximately 20 cars that travel together. A new set arrives every 30 seconds, or so. They stay only 15 seconds at each station, then, away they go. After 5 seconds of arriving, an alarm sounds letting passengers know the doors are closing. The alarm sounds for 10 seconds, the doors close, and the train takes off. Amazing!!!

Mind you, these cars travel anywhere from 40-70 MPH, which takes about 3-5 minutes between stops. Each time they stop at another station, someone gets on, selling all kinds of different “necessities”, usually asking for 10 pesos, ($.50). And every once in a while someone actually buys that something-that-they-did-not-realize-they-had-to-have-until-that-very-moment thing. And, occasionally, there is someone that will entertain all of us by singing, or praying, or, even, telling a story, in hopes that someone will be touched by their need, and donate money. When the Metro comes to the next stop, the above is repeated, at each station- all the way down the line. Enterprising, to be sure.

Then, last week, when we were changing lines to go a different direction, I turned around to look up the stairs, and saw this. Granted, they are “just steps”, but what an imagination it took to plan this. (I was just told today, Sept. 8, 2019, that they actually play notes as you step on them!!! Incredible!!) It is the only one like it that we have seen thus far. I do so admire people with imagination. They make these otherwise ordinary, and mundane, spaces so much fun to witness. And, no, we do not, at present, use the stairs. In fact, we have only used the steps a few times. It is a goal, however, to ride the rails, and climb the steps at each station. We hope to start said goal once we are settled in the apartment. Between the number of steps, and the altitude, (7380 ft.), it takes a ton of effort just to ride the escalators.

I leave you with this photo of the Metro system, itself, here in CDMX. Ivan and I plan on spending some time adventuring, by riding the rails going around the city. And why not? Heck, for $.50 a trip, it would be stupid not to. Right now, however, we start on the blue line, Linea 2, at the bottom of the diagram, at the station called Tasqueña, because it is closest to the house, and we go from there. The more we travel, here in town, the more we will come to a better understanding of The Metro.