Mexico is a very proud country. Naturally, the official Independence Day is celebrated in a correspondingly big way. And if it’s celebrated in the same way as in the capital, entire Mexico goes wild on that day 😀
I was in Mexico City that day and a few friends from the hostel had planned to go to Coyoacán. Coyoacán is a bit further away from the centre, but there was supposed to be a fair and all sorts of other things.
And well….. Coyoacán was packed, there were thousand people trying to sell you something, clowns putting on a show, people everywhere, a fair, stalls with snacks or food everywhere and…. It was just really fucking busy. 😀
We had actually planned to have a look around in peace and quiet, but there wasn’t much time to look around in peace and quiet. We already had enough to do with not getting lost. 😀 Well, we got through, but not as well as we thought or expected.
After returning from Coyoacán in the afternoon and recharging our batteries at the hostel, we in the evening went to the Zócalo together with what literally felt like entire Mexico City and…. We definitely had to push and squeeze to get anywhere 😀 Nevertheless… it was really worth it 😊
The entire Zócalo was decorated and a speech was given, with shouting for each state ‘Viva Oaxaca/Chiapas/Guerrero/Chihuahua…’ and then the crowd shouting ‘Viva!’. And of course at the end there was the obligatory ‘Canta y no llores’ 😀 To end the evening there were also really beautiful fireworks 😊
Go or not? Yes, I think the day was really great. However, I don’t think you should do it as a solo traveller. By that I mean you should go with friends from the hostel. Otherwise I don’t think it’s half as much fun. And I’d leave it up to you to decide whether I’d travel there to be there for that certain day…. 😀

I don’t know if you’ve heard of it, but at least I’ve always been told that Latinos know how to party. Since the day of the World Cup, when Mexico won against Germany in the group stage, I know what they meant.
First of all, to all Mexicans: congratulations, you deserved it that day.
Firstly to all the Germans: We were just plain bad and accordingly bowed out of the World Cup at the group stage. And if you had witnessed the party that was thrown afterwards at the Angel de la Independencia in Mexico City, you would have given the Mexicans even more credit. 😀
I watched the game in my hostel at the time and knew at some point that it was over. But as we played really embarrassingly bad and I was in Mexico City, it was clear that we would go out and see what was going on in the streets. I knew several people at the hostel – a Mexican, a Latina and an American. So we went out and found this party. Everyone was cheering, shouting and dancing, there were Mexican flags everywhere and everyone had these spray cans with foam in them. And the whole time they were chanting ‘Ay ayay canta y no llores. Porque cantando se alegran, cielito lindo, los corazones…’. And then of course even louder ‘AY AYAY CANTA Y NI LLORES. PORQUE CANTANDO SE ALEGRAN, CIELTIO LINOD, LOS CORAZONES!’
The atmosphere and the vibe were quite frankly incredible. That day I learnt this song and will forever associate it with Mexico and a genuine Mexican joy and party. This song is burned into my memory like few others. I still get goosebumps today when I hear the song and sing it at the top of my lungs.
I also that day learnt what is meant by the Latino parties I had heard about. Not necessarily the nightlife or club life – Spain is better at that 😀 (no offence) – but rather the parties that simply come out of nowhere and out of pure joy on the street. But Mexico City was really unbeatable in this respect that day. And they celebrated as if they had won the World Cup (or at least the way we celebrate in Germany when we become world champions. We could honestly learn from them 😉)
Go or not? Well…. It’s hard to go 😀 but if anyone should ever get to enjoy one – a street party like this doesn’t just happen when you win such a great football match – then just get involved and have fun. It’s worth it 😉😊

The Mercado Sonora is the ‘witches’ market’ in Mexico City. And to be honest, it’s exactly what it sounds like. All kinds of herbs, figures from legends and stories, skulls, skeletons – including some dressed in beautiful dresses -, I saw an advert for a fortune teller, lots and lots of fantasy figures, masks, an altar and much, much more. It also smells different. So you walk in and it smells like a witch’s kitchen – or at least how you imagine it. Extremely fascinating and a bit spooky.
As the market is right next to La Merced, I went there straight afterwards with the “guide” I met at the beginning of Merced and…. To be honest, I was a bit happy about the company 😀 It gives off a slight coven vibe. I’m not superstitious or anything, but I was half expecting someone to want to bewitch or cast a spell on me.
At the same time, Mercado Sonora also has normal stuff, of course. Just a little less and a little more hidden. But if you want a costume or something, Sonora. I saw a whole aisle full of costumes for Lucha Libre, among other things.
Apart from that, I would say Sonora is a normal size market. Just according to the theme and the focus of the market.
Go or not? Oh, one hundred per cent. I mean, a witches’ market is probably not everyone’s thing, but I found it really interesting. Especially because I’ve never seen anything like it before and, as far as I know, there’s nothing like it in Germany – except maybe at medieval markets or something like that. And also not in the European countries I’ve travelled to so far. So I think it’s worth a try. You can always leave if it’s not for you 😀 😊

For me, the Mercado La Merced is one of the most interesting markets I have been to in Mexico and the only one that overwhelmed me a little and where I was glad that I found a kind of guide right at the beginning.
First of all, we’re talking about a genuine and really big Mexican market here. Meaning: full, huge and completely confusing. Apart from that, there is of course pretty much everything apart from furniture or large electrical appliances: vegetables and fruit, spices, meat, breakfast stuff, flowers, shoes, clothes, pots, household goods…. Everything!
My original plan – as always – was to explore the market on my own. So I entered the market and was initially a little overwhelmed by everything. Simply because you really have no idea where to go first, because it felt like it was going in all directions at once and there was no ‘order’ – at least none that was immediately or quickly recognisable. As I strongly suspect that one could tell that I was a bit overwhelmed and you know kinda needed a second, someone spoke to me very nicely and respectfully and asked me if everything was OK. The result: I followed the person on his shopping route. And tbh that was the best thing that could have happened to me. Because that way I saw all facets of the market, found out how big and labyrinthine the market really is, saw a huge variety and diversity of things and, above all, didn’t get lost 😀 My orientation is really, really terrible. And La Merced is a nightmare for anyone without orientation. I promise. To be honest, I’m pretty sure I would have to have asked for directions at some point if I were alone 😀
In my defence, my helper told me that he only found everything so quickly because he knew the market, but that it had also taken him a while to get used to it. And that’s exactly what I mean by big and confusing. In the beginning, you will find whatever you will find by chance. Promised 😀 
Go or not? To finish up with the story, I think you should definitely visit this market as a sight, because I personally have never felt such a local vibe at any other market in Mexico City. You can just tell that it’s a really big market with really everything and also where the locals shop and…. I frankly didn’t meet a single tourist. So yes, definitely 😀 😊

I love love love bookshops. And I love the smell and the environment of old books even more. In Mexico City there is an insanely cool second-hand bookshop with a vibe…. It’s a bit run down, a little dark at times and houses an incredible amount of second-hand book treasures. When I discovered the bookshop, my self-imposed ban on buying books really hurt for the first time. Simply because I would have loved to browse here and pick something up.
As you can see from the pictures, everything is organised by genre and subject. Really cool!
And to be honest, the shop swallows you up a little. I can’t say exactly what it is, but the atmosphere in there is like time has stood still. It’s super quiet and somewhere a little bit worn out and at the same time you can feel the stories of all the books that linger there.
Go or not? If you’re a bookworm, definitely! Otherwise, I don’t think this place is for you. If you don’t speak Spanish, there is of course an English section 😊