Purification in Mexico City

Fly into Mexico City on March 16, and have a 6 hour layover. Tiina and I check our luggage for the next flight and catch the subway to the center of the city. The main square has some colonial (Renaissance style? or Gothic style?) architecture in the old palace and the cathedral, and some ruins of Aztec temples which they have excavated.

They also have many people, locals, milling about, enjoying themselves, listening to music being played by people in the square. Several groups of indigenous people dressed in classical garb, and non-indigenous people dressed similarly, are dancing and singing, and performing "purification" ceremonies for 10 pesos. Do I need to be purified? I do, for many reasons. Physically, from the flight. Emotionally, from recession and divorce. Spiritually, for my sins. Mentally, for the concerns of life.

They purify you with copious amounts of frankincense, and with a local basil-like herb. Anointing your head, arms, hands and face with basil is oddly refreshing.

Subway back to the airport, for a flight from Mexico City to Cancun, then on to the Island. A small gaggle of young adults from China on the flight from Mexico City. Presumably children of party members in China, if they have the means and freedom to travel. Are they going to visit the Island? No, they get off in Cancun.

Arrive in the Island much too late, around midnight. They seem suspicious of us in immigration and at the airport. Maybe we're spies? Or maybe we're just tourists with money to be swindled? The taxi attendant looks mean and officious. He waves for a taxi to come forward for us, then makes a specific show of putting our bags in the trunk and being important, looking for a tip. I'm tired and don't particularly like his method, so I don't offer him any tip and start to get in the taxi. He looks at me annoyed, then asks to see the address where we are going. I think I know his game now, but I'm too tired, and powerless to stop it. I show him the address, he reads it aloud to me, looks over at the taxi driver, repeats the address again to him. He nods at the taxi driver, who nods back at him. He turns to me and says "It will be 25 pesos for the taxi ride, pay the driver when you arrive." As we get in the taxi I notice the driver paying him his share of the inflated price. What would the price have been if I had offered him a tip up front?