On to Mexico!

After spending some time in the United Club at Houston Airport, I walked the short distance to the gate where my flight to Mexico City was scheduled to leave.  The plane was already there.  As you can see in the photo, it was raining.

It was nearly time to board, but the man at the desk announced that they were waiting for one of the flight attendants to arrive.  After about ten minutes the stewardess came, and the boarding process began.  Everyone had boarded, but then the microphone used for making announcements was acting up.  A mechanic was called in, and he quickly resolved the problem.  Still it was a about a half hour behind schedule when we pulled away from the gate.  Then it seemed to take forever for our turn to take off.

We finally were in the air, and before long, above the clouds.

For most of the flight there was nothing to see, but I did get some interesting photos of cloud formations.

We began our descent and mountains were visible.  I was seated on the wrong side to be able to see the volcanoes, but they were probably shrouded in clouds anyway.

Suddenly the sprawl of Mexico City was beneath us.

The mountain in the background is Ajusco, a 12,000-foot-high peak on the southern edge of Mexico City.

From the right side of the plane, I was not able to see the Mexico City World Trade Center which is located near my apartment.  However, I was able to zoom in on Torre Mítica, the city's tallest skyscraper.

The final approach to the airport

The structure with the spiked dome is the "Palacio de Deportes" (Palace of Sports), an indoor arena which was built for the Summer Olympics in 1968.  Below it and to the left is the Olympic Velodrome where cycling events were held.

On my last several trips I have been able to zip through immigration at the airport with almost no wait at all.  This time, however, there was a very long line.  Large numbers of tourists are arriving for the Day of the Dead festivities as well as the Formula One auto race that is being held this weekend. 

Alejandro had told me previously that now that I have a residency visa, I can stand in the much shorter line for Mexicans.  But since the sign said "Mexicanos" (no mention of residents) I took my place in the snaking line for foreigners.  After waiting for a half hour, I was finally reaching the front.  An employee was checking to see that we had our documents, and when she saw that I had a resident's card along with my passport, she told me to go to the line for Mexicans.  Alejandro was correct.

By the time I got to the baggage claim, my three suitcases had already been taken off of the carrousel.  This was the first time that I had ever grabbed a cart to carry all my luggage.  Fortunately, at customs I was just waved through.  I didn't have to open any of my tightly packed suitcases.  When I passed through the customs door, Alejandro was there waiting for me.

Usually, when I arrive in Mexico City, I spend a couple nights with Alejandro's family.  But today the movers are supposed to deliver my household goods to the condo.  So, Alejandro drove me directly to the apartment.  He and I had supper together at a nearby "taquería", and then he returned to his house.  I spent the rest of the evening moving things around in the apartment to make room for the few items of furniture that the movers are bringing.  

They were supposed to arrive around 10:00 or 11:00 this morning.  As I write this, it is 11:45.  But I have to remind myself, that I am in Mexico, the land of "mañana".  Hopefully they will show up later this afternoon, and not "mañana".