I Took a Boat Ride Through the Canals of Xochimilco

In Mexico City, I had become used to busy streets, cars, markets and huge crowds. That is why my trip to Xochimilco felt like such an unexpected change of pace. I headed south of the city, climbed into a colorful trajinera and, within a few minutes, found myself in a completely different world.

The City Was Suddenly Far Away

At first it felt strange to realize that a place like this could exist inside such a huge metropolis. Instead of skyscrapers and busy streets, there were canals, trees, greenery and small patches of land. The boat moved slowly across the water while the noise of the city gradually disappeared.

Xochimilco still preserves its old canal system and traditional agricultural plots known as chinampas. Today it is one of the most unusual parts of Mexico City, where an ancient landscape exists right next to a modern metropolis.

The Trajineras Have Their Own Atmosphere

The boat itself turned out to be much more interesting than I expected. Trajineras are painted in different colors, decorated with flowers and often have their own names. On some boats, people celebrate small parties, have lunch, listen to music and simply spend time together.

After a while, a boat carrying musicians appeared nearby. I could hear mariachi music from a distance, and suddenly the whole scene looked like something from a Mexican movie. People were singing on one boat, taking photos on another, while food was being sold from a third.

Small vendor boats sometimes came alongside ours. You could buy corn, drinks, snacks and other food. It felt like a real floating market, except that the streets had been replaced by water.

It Is Easy to Forget You Are in a Megacity

What I liked most was that the trip required no special plan. You can simply sit, look around and watch life unfold along the canals. There are greenhouses and plants, small houses and, from time to time, another colorful trajinera appears between the trees.

At one point I realized that I had completely stopped thinking about Mexico City. It felt as if I were far beyond the limits of the enormous city. In reality, the capital was still all around me.

That is probably what makes Xochimilco so special. It is not just a boat ride for photographs. A small piece of a completely different Mexico has survived here - quieter, greener and closely connected to water and agriculture.

Was It Worth Going?

Absolutely. If you spend several days in Mexico City, I would definitely set aside at least a few hours for Xochimilco. After museums, squares, markets and the endless movement of the city, this kind of trip is a perfect change of pace.

I returned toward evening. The water became quieter, the sun dropped lower, and the colorful trajineras gradually disappeared around the bends of the canals.

That day I realized that Mexico City is much more than a huge metropolis. Sometimes all you need to do is get on a boat and travel a little away from the center to discover a completely different side of the city.