We found ourselves in a brief state of indecision about where to go after Ensenada. We knew we wanted to keep heading south, but there wouldn't be anything that we would be keen on seeing for a very long way. We like to go overland as much as possible on this trip, but the prospect of a few days on buses staying in places we weren't that keen on triggered us to bite the bullet and fly south to Mexico City.

Arriving in the city after an overnight flight, with one stop over, we were bleary eyed but happy we made the right choice. It was the first time we stayed in a hostel since New York, putting us back into the community hostel vibe that is more common in Europe.

The city's reputation for being big and busy was spot on, with a very cheap, frequent metro system that packs people in like sardines at all hours of the day. We happened to be in Mexico City during the Independence Day celebrations for the country, and found ourselves wandering into the main square which had been zoned off as an event space for a free concert. The security involved with getting into the square was thorough to say the least. Jansen was checked at three separate checkpoints with metal detectors, pat downs, you name it, while Sonja seemed to be able to just walk in.

We took a day trip out to the Teotihuacan pyramids, which are surprisingly close to the city centre (within a couple of hours of transport), to see some ancient ruins, whose origins are mysterious. It was quite touristy, but impressive enough to get a sense of what civilisations could achieve even 2000 years ago.

"A city of contrasts" might be an overused term, but Mexico City has a bit of everything due to its size; wealthy spots, dirty and unappealing spots, but overall it's pretty cosmopolitan. We wouldn't recommend it as a specific destination for travellers, but as part of a wider trip in Mexico it's definitely worth a look.