Puebla, Mexico--Mexico City, Mexico--Day 121

Today I met with Raul from Hippolotofus, but first, let me talk about how I got to Mexico City. Orignially I was supposed to fly from Puebla onwards to Morelia, without a stop in Mexico City (Well, stopping there with a layover, but not acutally spending any time there). When Raul suggested that we meet, I changed my plans and hopped on a bus to Mexico City, which only took a few hours. I had checked out of the hotel and went to the bus station, where I had been twice already, but this was the first time I was actually needing to use a proper bus there! So I got my ticket and before I knew it was off to Mexico City.

The ride to Mexico City was fine and I got a taxi to the hotel that Raul found for me and checked in. I then called Raul to let him know that I made it, and then set off to the zoo to get the hippo pictures at the Zoologico de Chapultepec in Mexico City. However when the taxi took me there, we realized that since it was Monday, the entire park that the zoo was in was closed! I would have to come back in the morning. So I spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the area that my hotel was in as I was to meet up with Raul later and had a couple of hours to spare.

At 6pm I met Raul at my hotel (who could miss him with his hippo shirt!) and we were off first to his office at the Technological University where he works and then to his apartment where I would get to see his hippo collection. Raul showed me around his office and I met his colleagues and his collection of hippos in his office. We then braved the rain outside and drove to his apartment. Raul showed me the highlights of his collection, including his first hippos that he collected as well as his prized crystal hippos and Star Wars themed hippos, which are actually a blend of his two collections, hippos and Star Wars memorabilia. After getting some great photos and seeing the lot, we headed to the Rainforest Café and took some pictures in front of supposedly the only hippos at a Rainforest Café (at lesat to Raul’s knowledge). Nevermind that we weren’t going to eat there! We just walked in, took the pictures, and left, ignoring the strange looks we got from the waiters inside.

After all of this it was getting late and we went to get dinner at a fabulous Mexican restaurant complete with mariachis and margaritas. Dinner was great and it was fun to be able to talk with Raul about his job and intersest in all things hippopotami. After dinner we set of on a mini tour of the zocalo where Raul pointed out all of the cool sights for me as I didn’t get to the zocalo earlier in the day. By this time it was well past midnight and Raul dropped me off back at my hotel!

Phew!




(c) 2004 Sarah Galbraith. All Rights Reserved.