Camille Lu's Travel Journals: Affectionate Calls From Mexico

In Taiwan, from time to time you see tempting travel commercials: clear oceans, white beaches, hearty seafood, and bright sunshine (Here I have to say, though, this is the least selling point to Taiwanese. We in Taiwan have unbearable heat already. ), and then wow, Australia is beckoning.

In Canada, when it had been snowing for ages, you were watching TV, an entertainment that you didn't really have much choice, and suddenly wow, clear oceans, white beaches, hearty seafood, and bright sunshine(Now this is all too exciting.), and then here came the exotic happy music. You heard Spanish pronouncing Me-hi-go(Mexico). "Wow! I want to go! I want to go!" You heard your heart yelling.

And on top of that, you found going to this romantic country was going to cost much less than going to Vancouver, the other side of the same country. So why wait?

Mexico City, accommodating approximately 19.4 million people by the year 2005, is the third biggest city in the world, following Tokyo and Soul. As you can imagine, the population in mere Mexico City is close to the population in the whole Taiwan.

Zocalo is a massive constitution square with a lot going on here. A lot of the buildings were constructed by Spanish people. So while walking in the streets, you can't help keeping taking photos.

I was very lucky to meet Sylviane, who was actually from France but has lived in London for years. Her Spanish was fantastic. We were roommates for three days.

The day we went to take the metro, she asked me how much Spanish I could speak. I proudly said, “Gracias.” And she waited. I kept smiling. So she asked, “Then?” This time I diffidently answered, “That’s it.” She almost fainted, wondering why I dared to come to Mexico with only one Spanish word.

Therefore she decided to teach me some more Spanish words since we were waiting for the metro. She said “uno” is the Spanish word for one, and dos is two. I mimicked and repeated. Then the metro came. After we got on the train and found ourselves seats, she asked if I still remembered what she had taught. I said out very loudly, “uno, dos.” She seemed satisfied so she continued, “And the number three in Spanish is ….” I interrupted, “That's enough for today.” And it made her laugh. She considered me humorous. However, I really meant it. Just trying to learn those two words made me soaked. (Or it was because of the packed train? )

Thanked her so I got to know that there was an annual celebration at the Basilica de Guadalupe (Church or Our Lady) on December 12. And hence I saw the vital traditional Mexican dances and listened to the vigorous typical Mexican music.