Best of the World with Antoni Porowski (2026) s01e01 Episode Script
Mexico City
[opera music playing]
[Antoni] Now this is a castle.
This bougie joint was
built in 1785 as a summer
residence for European nobility,
on sacred land shaped by
thousands of years of history.
The colonizing aristocrats
eventually got the boot,
and now it's a museum that
celebrates this country's rich,
and sometimes complicated,
cultural heritage.
And it sits in the
middle of one of the largest
urban parks in the world,
right here in Mexico City.
[upbeat music playing
"Chuntaros Style"
El Gran Silencio]
[singing in Spanish]
I mean, I'm standing on
the balcony of a castle,
centuries old fully
surrounded by skyscrapers,
and it's endless.
I mean, look at this place.
Mexico City, let's go.
This is unreal.
What makes something the best?
Is it the view?
Wow.
You said don't look down
and that was the first thing
that I did.
Is it the stay?
Oh, it's so romantic.
Or is it a meal so good
it makes you want to cry.
Oh, that was so beautiful
that, like, warmed my soul.
Every year National Geographic
names its Best of the world.
Must see destinations
that rise above the rest.
-This is the most biodiverse
place in the whole world.
-And you're part of that story.
-Absolutely.
[Antoni] Now they've given
me the best job in the world.
I just saw my reflection.
I'm crushing it.
To explore places to stay.
Restaurants, sights
and experiences.
That's a thing, I'm in the head.
In Paris,
Mexico City,
London and my hometown.
You're a New York treasure.
I'm on a quest to find the best.
Because for me, the best
is more than just hype.
This is like a beautiful
representation of cultures.
It's food, but it's also
a history of the people.
It's the sights, the sounds.
-It's showtime.
[Antoni] The flavors.
-You can only taste
this in Mexico.
[Antoni] And it's almost
always the people.
-It's made with a lot of love.
[Antoni] Why the
Statue of Liberty?
-She’s so New York.
I came to this
country for freedom.
-Unreal.
Best I've ever had in my life.
I'm Antoni Porowski,
and this is
Best of the World.
Mexico City,
thrilling, electrifying,
and home to almost
23 million people.
Built on what was once the
capital of the Aztec empire.
It's like weirdly unexpected,
but familiar.
Now it's the largest
city in North America,
spread across 570 square miles
and founded over
700 years ago.
I've never actually been here,
but it's definitely
very European,
except the streets
are twice as wide.
Mexico City is split
into 16 large boroughs,
made up of nearly 2,000 smaller
neighborhoods, or colonias.
It's so vast and has so
much to offer that you could
spend a whole
lifetime exploring.
But you gotta start somewhere,
so I've handpicked
six experiences that capture
its global spirit
and ancient roots.
First off I'm following my
stomach to a place where
Mexican tradition
is being revamped.
In the upscale
colonia "Roma Norte".
A historic district
with a modern pulse,
and an insane food scene.
A few months ago I was on
a trip with my best friend.
We were on the Mexican coast
and she texted me one morning
and she was like,
"You need to get your
butt here immediately
because I'm having
like the best pastries i've
ever tried in my life."
We found out that they all
came from this place called
Rosetta and so I had to
come to the source.
This place is popping.
A good line is a good sign.
This isn't just a stop
for a quick croissant.
Rosetta bakery is a bread
and pastry nirvana whether
you're a local or
a gringo like me.
That's it.
What a beauty.
And there's a star attraction,
Rosetta's signature delicacy,
the guava roll.
Buttery pastry, guava jam,
cream cheese
Aah.
All in this perfect swirl.
It's a hard yes from me.
-Thank you so much.
-You’re welcome.
[Antoni] Okay, let's go.
This is perfection.
The guava's not too sweet.
This is so nice.
Perfectly crispy,
great lamination.
A little tangy.
I just saw my reflection.
I'm crushing it.
The best food is always messy.
That's my story and
I'm sticking to it.
The only thing more exciting
about this wonderful pastry
that I just
completely demolished,
is the fact that the chef who
created this has a restaurant
that's right down the block
and I think it's about time
I go meet her.
I mean, it's her fault I
got food all over my face.
This leafy little number is one
of the world's best restaurants.
Ho, ho, wow.
This is epic.
There's something so palatial
and whimsical about it.
Chef Elena, so nice to meet you.
-Nice to meet you too.
[Antoni] This is one of the
most beautiful dining room
spaces i've ever stepped into,
and it's homey.
-It's homey.
I always wanted it to be homey.
[Antoni] Rosetta is the
flagship restaurant of
chef Elena Reygadas.
It won a Michelin star in 2024,
the first year the inspectors
showed up in Mexico.
And has repeatedly
made it into the world's
"Top 50 best" restaurants.
If you're a traditional
Mexican dish and you need a
21st century glow up,
Elena's got you covered.
I'm just really excited to get
to know what you're all about.
-Let's go to the kitchen.
-Yes!
Today, Elena is taking
on a classic, tamales.
And creating a brand new
dish to add to her menu.
[Elena] You are in the best
time of Mexico because it's
a rainy season.
-Okay.
-And the corn now
it's really at its best.
[Antoni] It looks juicy.
[Elena] Exactly.
Look, if you see all this like--
-It just popped.
-Yes I’m sorry, I’m sorry.
-No, don't apologize.
Tamales, corn parcels so good,
the Aztecs offered
them to the gods.
Today they're the
ultimate comfort food.
Sweet or savory?
Your choice.
Can I just say, I love
that we're making tamales.
A very homey food.
[Elena] It is homey.
-And you're serving it
in a Michelin star restaurant.
Like, that's so cool.
-I really like making
humble food as luxurious as
food that is, in theory, luxury.
[Antoni] Yeah, of course.
-It feels beautiful
when something that you love,
other people love it.
-Uh huh.
-I think the most beautiful
thing about cooking
is to, to share.
[Antoni] Yeah.
After working in
New York and London,
Elena could have opened
a restaurant anywhere
in the world
but she followed
her heart back home.
[Elena] I always loved
Mexico but until I was
there in London--
[Antoni] Yeah.
-I realized how
amazing Mexico is.
-It's like you
have to leave home to realize
that you should be home.
You know?
-Yes.
-Yeah.
[Antoni] Here,
processed corn flour is
public enemy numero uno.
Elena uses fresh corn.
And a special
ingredient to add a little
extra sumthin’ sumthin’.
[Elena] And it's a
very special fungus.
[Antoni] And what's
the flavor that adds?
-It gives, like,
an earthy flavor.
-Okay, yeah.
-It's super, super prized.
-Okay.
-Some people call
it the truffle of Mexico.
[Antoni] I mean, you see it
like this, it's a mushroom.
-It's a mushroom, yes.
-You know?
[Antoni] If you want a little
Mexican mushroom "magic,"
you've come to the right place.
'Huitlacoche' might just be the
best kept secret since mezcal.
Elena blends it with
onion and chiles,
along with an aromatic herb,
called 'Epazote' giving diners
a different kind of 'buzz.'
[Elena] Now, we’re going
to make our steamer.
[Antoni] It's so different
but it reminds me of
making cabbage rolls,
like Polish cabbage rolls
and it's like the layering,
sealing the pot,
putting all the elements in.
[Elena] Ah.
Well I didn’t know you
had a Polish background.
-I’m a true Polish boy.
First one in my family
born outside of Poland.
[Elena] Really?
-In Canada.
There you go,
we learned about
each other through food.
[Elena] Yes. I agree.
[Antoni] You know.
[Elena] And I think it's
important to never forget where
we come from and what we have.
You can only taste
this in Mexico.
[Antoni] Right.
-And like this in Rosetta.
[Antoni] You've got to come
here to be able to have it.
[Elena] And that’s
beautiful you know?
-Yeah.
-You, we don’t want to
be the same.
[Antoni] Elena’s mix of old
and new makes a trip to Rosetta
as good as it gets.
[Elena] These are ready.
[Antoni] Wow.
Wow, that is so decadent.
Oh my God.
[Elena] Like it?
-That is so luxurious.
[Elena] I know.
-And it's not too smoky.
-No, it's just softly smoky.
[Antoni] Come on.
I get that little funky,
mushroomy vibe coming through.
-But also like the
sweetness of the corn.
-But it's still about
the sweetness of the corn
you didn't distract it.
This is brilliant.
It's like a warm hug.
I can't thank you enough for
taking the time to show me who
you are through your food.
-Oh thank you.
-Thank you chef.
Thank you so much.
-No. Thank you,
thank you for coming, Antoni.
-I’m gonna finish these off.
-Yes, please do.
-I know you have a,
you have an empire to run and
a lunch service to tend to.
It's so lux.
For someone who has,
like, such a world presence,
there's this incredible balance
of respecting where she comes
from and like really honoring
it but not being afraid to put
her own voice in it,
that it's all personal,
and that's what a restaurant
should be, in my opinion.
These are damn good,
best tamales I've
ever had in my life.
Unreal.
Elena, her restaurant,
this food rooted in heritage,
refined by craft,
defined by flavor.
Mexico City, now that's
how you make an entrance.
[Antoni] Okay, so you can't
throw a stone in this country
without hitting a
400 year old bell tower.
Everywhere you look,
there's a cathedral
that'll make your jaw drop,
and just a half
mile east of Roma Norte,
there's a huge one in
gritty Colonia Doctores,
where all religions
come to pray.
This place is massive.
This is Arena México,
AKA the
'Cathedral of Lucha Libre.'
Founded in 1956,
it's like a real cathedral.
[speaking in Spanish]
[Antoni] Except you're at
least twice as likely to see
someone get
kicked in the face.
Lucha libre with its iconic
masks is more than wrestling.
Dating back to 1863,
it's a vibrant tradition that
combines ancient warrior spirit
with uniquely
Mexican techniques.
And is now officially
recognized as part of the
cultural heritage of this city.
Oh my gosh.
For decades,
this Arena has been the
domain of macho dudes in tight
Lycra and sequins.
I'm a little intimidated.
But I'm here to meet one
of the best female wrestlers
in the country,
she's a total badass.
-Welcome.
-Are you Persephone?
-I am Persephone,
nice to meet you.
-So nice to meet you.
-Thank you.
[Antoni] 24 year old
'Persephone' is the current
champion in
the Amazonas league.
That's the very best
women wrestlers,
or 'Luchadoras' in Mexico.
[Persephone] This is probably
where the best wrestlers
in Mexico come.
Because I'm not even
from Mexico City,
but obviously anyone who
wants to be a wrestler you
have to come--
-To the cathedral.
-You have to come
to the cathedral.
-Yeah.
-Exactly.
[Antoni] Where were you born?
-I was born in El Paso, Texas.
-Okay.
-But my family's all Mexicans.
So I’m Mexican-American.
I was born on the border.
[Antoni] What made you
decide to do lucha libre?
[Persephone] I’ve always
loved lucha libre and it’s
part of who we are,
it’s part of our roots.
I think in Mexico,
once you can
start running around,
they jump into a
ring and get started.
-You’re good to go.
-Yeah.
-Yeah. I keep looking
to make sure they're okay.
[Persephone] Yeah, I know.
I love it, but it
is very dangerous.
[painful groan]
Well, like, she's fine,
she's fine.
[Persephone] Do you
want to give it a try?
-Yeah let’s go.
-Let’s go upstairs.
-Woo.
I've got health insurance
Okay.
So what's the worst
that could happen?
I trust you.
-Yeah.
-Really glad I just ate.
[Persephone]
Perse has to get in.
[Antoni] Come on.
[Persephone] Like a god.
[Antoni] You landed
like a Marvel superhero.
[Persephone] Yeah, exactly.
[Antoni] I’m down for
whatever you wanna teach me.
With reason.
-Yeah, of course.
Hand on my neck.
And then that hand.
[Antoni] First, the lock up.
[Persephone] I’m gonna push
against you and you’re gonna
push against me.
-Okay.
-Right. Push in.
And now
break that one off.
There you go, and
now you're ready for the
headlock and there you go.
I need to get out of it.
[Antoni] Your hair
smells really nice.
[Persephone] Thank you.
Thank you.
[Antoni] Yeah, but we can
talk about that later.
[Persephone] The shampoo,
I’ll give it to you later.
[Antoni] Okay.
[Persephone] I’m
gonna go pick her up.
[Antoni] Next?
Taking your opponent down.
Holy!
-You wanna give it a try?
[Antoni] Okay.
You okay?
I'm great.
That was so dope.
This all takes a whole
bunch of skill
and guts.
Especially when your guts
are getting "body slammed"
into the mat.
[Persephone] There we go.
That was it.
That was perfect.
-Gracias.
That was so freaking cool.
And this was only a warm-up.
Perse barely has time to
recover from the beating she
gave me, 'cause it's
"Fight Night" at the cathedral.
It's building up.
There's already like chaos
and I'm not even inside yet.
The atmosphere is electric.
Good, clean, brutal fun
for the whole family.
Whoa.
If I was booed like that,
it would be the end of me.
These are Persé's parents,
Alfred and Veronica,
who've snagged me a spot close
enough to feel the sweat.
These are some good seats.
-Aren't they?
-Yes, they are.
[Antoni] I think the most
shocking thing of all of this,
it is so much more real
than I ever imagined.
[Alfred] Everything is real.
The hits are real.
The tumbling is real.
Just learning how to take
them is the difference.
-Yeah.
I'm so excited to see Perse.
-Oh wow, I know.
-I think she’s next.
[Antoni] And there's one
way to really make this an
unforgettable night out,
you need to get involved.
Whether you root
for the good guys,
or the baddies, like Perse.
Seriously though, my pal, Perse.
That's your girl.
Is a straight-up super villain.
This is crazy.
-Super crazy.
-Boo!
I've never booed a girl before.
Not really proud of it.
-Get her!
[Antoni] My mind is blown.
Oh. Right in the face. Okay.
The fighting, the acrobatics,
the athletics, the theater.
No.
Lucha libre is, it's
an entire universe.
[Veronica] Kick her ass, baby.
-That's right.
You tell your daughter
to kick her ass.
I was surprisingly more
invested than I thought
I would be.
Oh I saw that move.
I never booed for
anyone before, I'm Canadian,
we don't do that,
that's not our vibe.
Choose kindness.
-Come on Persephone,
kick her ass.
[Antoni] But the universality
of this ongoing fight between
good and evil,
it's something that gets
everyone sort of united.
Perse.
You felt that energy from the
stadium and from the families
swarming in with kids
and grabbing masks.
It truly does bring
people together.
I wouldn't understand
it until I experienced it.
[Veronica] That's her move,
that's her move.
-That’s her move?
-That's her move.
That's right, baby.
[Antoni] Yeah. Whoa.
[in Spanish] One, two, three!
[Antoni] Arena Mexico. Yeah.
It's not for the faint
of heart, that I'll say.
It's pure massive chaos.
And if you're lucky,
you might even get
to see the girl who followed
her dreams all the
way to the "Cathedral"
to kick some serious ass.
Alright just one second.
I dropped something. One sec.
We're good?
We're wrapped?
Okay, alright,
have a good one guys.
[traffic sounds]
[upbeat music playing]
-Oh wow, that's impressive.
No shortage of beautiful
buildings and structures to see.
Mexico City is an architecture
geek's dream, so I'm in heaven.
There's gothic and baroque.
Art Deco and Art Nouveau.
Mid-century modern.
Brutalist And Contemporary.
And, having been
founded in 1325 as the
capital of the Aztec empire,
traces of that legacy are woven
into the fabric of the city,
but today, I'm gonna explore
something totally unique.
I'm heading to the outskirts,
to an area called
"Paseos del Bosque."
Translated as
"walks in the woods,"
it's a quiet residential
suburb away from the hubbub
of the city center where
there's a building that promises
to be like nothing
I've ever seen.
Gracias señor.
It's all nature,
and then suddenly you just
get a peek of, like, mosaic,
and it just like creeps
up on you out of nowhere.
Whoa. Oh, my gosh.
Wait, this is wild.
"El nido de quetzalcoatl".
The nest of the
feathered serpent god.
It might sound like an
Indiana Jones movie but it's
an apartment building.
This is so trippy.
Is that a fang?
That's a fang.
I'm in the head.
Whoa.
It's set within 50 acres of
forest with a botanical garden,
and community greenhouse.
Designed to look like a snake
slithering through the trees,
it's a masterclass of
"organic" architecture.
I'm taking it in,
but it's basically a mash
up of Fraggle Rock
and wherever the Hobbits live.
Hola, Adriana?
-Hola, Antoni.
-I'm gonna come down.
Adriana, an architect at the
firm that built this place,
is here to explain everything.
What a space.
[Adriana] I know, right?
[Antoni] This is unreal.
I really enjoy and appreciate
architecture but I've never
seen anything that I can
even compare this to.
-Have you ever imagined on
sleeping inside a snake?
-No, I've never,
but the same thing is
I also have, like, a pretty
bad fear of snakes, and
-Oh my god.
-border-lining
on a phobia, yet,
in this environment,
it's very calming.
Adriana works
with world-famous
Mexican architect
Javier Senosian,
who's all about jaw-dropping
"organic" structures.
Fluid, curvy, colorful,
they don't just sit on the land,
they become part of it.
[Adriana] If you look at the
body of the serpent you will
see that it's touching the land
just in three different points,
and the rest of the
body is levitating,
leaving the surrounding
nature untouched.
-So it only touches the
ground where it really needs to.
[Adriana] Exactly.
[Antoni] And then
it's all elevated.
What was it like for you
the first time that you came
to this space?
[Adriana] Oh my god,
I was so amazed that
something like this exists.
[Antoni] Yeah.
-And here in my country.
So I feel very excited and
grateful of having a place
like this here.
[Antoni] It's
amazing to look at,
but staying the night here
would be something else.
Wow, I just got
a little glimpse.
There are eight privately
owned apartments,
plus two vacation rentals.
It's great if you
wanna meditate,
chill out or just
confront your crippling
lifelong fear of snakes.
[Adriana] So welcome in, Antoni.
This is the living room.
[Antoni] It's like a tree house.
[Adriana] Look at the windows.
-Obviously, custom cut pieces.
-Of course,
designed to frame the nature,
which is the artwork itself.
[Antoni] Okay. Of course.
My brain is being itched
in a really pleasing way.
If that makes any sense.
[Adriana] I know, yes.
[Antoni gasps]
-What a little nook.
It’s like, it feels like art.
Oh my gosh.
-It fits to the
shape of the human body.
-Oh it’s ergonomic. Yes.
[Adriana] So all the, yeah,
all the furniture is ergonomic.
-Like luxury hotels
certainly have their place,
but there’s a serenity here.
[Adriana] Yeah.
-This leaves you with much more
interesting memories, I think.
-I know and here you
have the luxury of being
surrounded by nature.
[Antoni] Yeah.
[Adriana] By being inside
of our mother’s womb,
we feel protected, warm,
and cozy in there.
And that's the same idea
or feeling that Javier tries
to give us by creating
these organic spaces.
[Antoni] I guess it's a kind
of a "womb with a view."
I mean, come on,
that's a good one.
But seriously, this is a
totally unique place to come to
experience a quieter,
gentler side of Mexico City.
Even the restroom
is a work of art.
It's like a Van Gogh.
Oh my god.
Next time I'm booking
a place whenever I go
to a city, granted,
I'm probably not gonna find
anything like this anywhere else
in the world but
I think it's an opportunity to
start thinking,
"What do I want
my experience to be like?"
Do you want to be in
a perfectly square room with
air conditioning and
a certain thread count?
Or do you want something
where you can kind of look out
the window and see this
incredibly diverse ecosystem,
that's just like
living around you?
This is a utopian
wonderland unlike anything
I've ever experienced.
This is the craziest
toilet I've ever seen.
I'd love to stay here
to just take it all in,
but if I do, I'll be late,
late for a very important date.
[Antoni] Since it's my
first time in Mexico City.
[trumpet blares]
What is it?
There's a beautiful chaos here.
There's one thing I
absolutely need to do,
meet up with an old friend.
Buddy.
-Antoni, how are you?
-What's up?
Oh my God.
Ricardo has lived
here his whole life.
-Many people, when
they think about Mexico,
they instantly think about
our beautiful beaches.
But I think that Mexico City is
sort of our best kept secret--
-Uh-huh.
-probably till now.
-Sorry guys.
[laughter]
[Antoni] Ricardo's a
proud "Chilango" someone
born and raised in Mexico City.
And he tells me I've
gotta sample a little known
local delicacy, Tacos.
About 30 million are eaten
each day in Mexico City alone.
There's basically a
"taqueria" on every corner.
But not all taquerias
are created equal.
In lush Condesa,
a fashionable neighborhood
right next to Roma Norte,
there's a totally chill
'Bohemian' kind of vibe,
and a spot that's
bringing the tortilla back
to its former glory.
Maizajo.
Whoa, it goes a lot
deeper than I thought.
[Ricardo] Yes.
Here you can have
the real thing.
-Right.
-They do their tortillas here,
the way they should be.
-Hello. Antoni,
nice to meet you.
[Antoni] Thank
you for having us.
[Antoni] Maizajo is run
by 33 year old chef,
Santiago Muñoz.
Tortillas are kinda his thing
and he's all about making them
the traditional way.
These days, most are
made from highly processed
industrial corn flour.
It's quick but it lacks soul.
Santiago uses only
native "heirloom" corn.
It's brought from small farms
and processed the way his
ancestors would have
done for thousands of years.
-I want my people
to eat the best tortilla--
[Antoni] Yeah.
[Santiago] and what I try
to do every day here is to
make the best
tortilla of Mexico, so
-Yeah.
-..the best tortilla in
the world, that's the goal.
-Yeah.
-We have 64 different
corn in Mexico.
[Antoni] 64 different varieties?
[Santiago] Yeah.
All these corns have like blue,
red, white, and
different sizes.
[Antoni] And it’s not
just the corn that makes
Santiago’s tortillas pop,
it’s skills and
techniques that are
straight outta Aztec cookbooks.
[Antoni] First he cooks
the corn with lime.
The calcium hydroxide
kind, not the fruit.
A process called
“nixtamalization.”
Great for tortillas and
for a high score in scrabble.
-That's crazy.
The heat is wild.
Oh, it cracks.
[Ricardo] Oh wow.
[Antoni] The lime helps
break down the corn,
so when it's ground up,
it makes a softer, silky,
more nutritious dough, and
the results are super tasty.
[Ricardo] You do this
process every day?
-We grind the corn
every day, so it's really fresh.
-Okay.
-Preservation through
food, right?
[Santiago] Yeah.
[Antoni] Time to taste.
It’s a tough job, but
someone’s gotta do it.
[Antoni] Oh my gosh, thank you.
Ricardo and I each have one of
his famous 'campechano' tacos.
A meat lover's dream.
[Antoni] Gracias.
Okay let’s go.
Are you just putting it on?
Okay, I’m following your lead.
[Ricardo] Yeah. A taco
without salsa is not a taco.
[Antoni] Okay.
Is that a golden rule
or is that your rule?
-That's my golden rule.
-Okay. Got it.
[Ricardo] Ready?
-Mmm, smokey.
That's damn, that's damn good.
But like, the tortilla
does make the difference.
-It has like a smoky
and like a sweetness to it.
Okay, that's spicy. Wow.
-Really?
-Yeah.
[Ricardo] Antoni, don’t cry.
-I'm a polish boy.
We're sensitive to heat.
[sighs]
The ancient people of
Mesoamerica first harvested
corn about 9,000 years ago
and they've spent more than
three millennia
perfecting tortillas.
Now I understand, that
like the tortilla is the most
important part of the taco.
Now I get it.
[Santiago] Ha, yeah.
[Antoni] Look, the food
is objectively delicious.
The ingredients are like,
super-premium,
but the most interesting thing
is always the story behind it.
Santiago's passion for
preserving his heritage and
showcasing Mexico's
homegrown corn,
that's what puts Maizajo
on my "best of" list.
Now I just need some fresh air,
and Ricardo just
recommended a great place,
where I can get plenty.
[Antoni] I'll admit, I'm
not much of an 'early bird'
but my pal, Ricardo,
talked me into
getting up before dawn,
to enjoy a wellness experience
you can't get anywhere else.
When you kind of go off
the beaten path a little bit,
which we're actually
literally doing right now,
you get to see
something really magic.
So I got my coffee
and I'm ready to go.
I'm traveling about 15 miles
south from the center,
to an idyllic natural paradise
and UNESCO world heritage site
that's still within
the city limits.
Crazy, right?
Welcome to "Parque
Ecológico Xochimilco."
Buenos dias.
[Ricardo] Antoni, good morning.
-Nice to meet you.
[Ricardo] This is Carlos,
he is our guide today.
He's gonna take us canoeing.
Here is one of my
favorite places to have
a sunrise in Mexico City,
and I really want
you to experience it.
Sorry for making you wake
up this early in the morning.
-No, it's perfect. I'm excited.
[Ricardo] Perfect.
So let's do it.
[Carlos] You're gonna
go sitting here.
Don't fall.
And I'm gonna just
put you in the water.
[Antoni] Okay.
[Carlos] You good there?
[Antoni] I’m great.
[Carlos] You’re good at it.
[Antoni] Famous last words.
Xochimilco is over 100 miles
of winding canals and man-made
islands or 'chinampas'.
Believe it or not,
this is what much of
Mexico City used to look like.
The Aztecs built their capital
'Tenochtitlán' on an island in
the middle of a vast lake.
And this is the last living
piece of that ancient world.
[Ricardo] What do
you think, Antoni?
It's amazing, right?
[Antoni] It's wild.
[Ricardo] I told you,
yeah, I love it.
I feel like Xochimilco is sort
of a hideaway from the chaos.
[Antoni] Yeah, and we are in
a completely different world.
Get here early enough
and you're in for a truly
unforgettable experience.
This is epic.
This is my first
glimpse of the sun.
[Ricardo] Isn’t it amazing?
-It's beautiful.
Yo, this is unreal.
It's hard to imagine at
this peaceful time of day,
but more than a million
visitors take to these
canals each year.
Paddling is peaceful.
It kind of slows it
down in a nice way.
But I think the
environment begs for that.
[Carlos] This is not
about going super fast.
[Antoni] Right.
[Carlos] This is
about breathing, feeling.
[Antoni] Yeah.
I mean these views, incredible.
Most of the original
chinampas have been
lost to urban development, but,
thanks to conservation
efforts and the rich soil,
the ones that survived
are an awesome place
to grow flowers, and crops.
So what are they farming here?
-There's corn,
squash, chilies, beans.
-So corn, squash,
chilies all around here?
[Carlos] Yes.
Everything grows here.
[Antoni] Yeah.
[Carlos] So this
place has everything.
It gives you food.
[Antoni] Yeah.
[Carlos] And it
gives you a retreat.
It gives you clean air.
It's our history,
and it's in our roots.
So a lot of us, like myself,
we're not from here but we
somehow feel connected to the
place and the only thing
that's left is honoring it.
-Right.
Just to switch up the
energy I say we race home.
You guys down?
[Ricardo] Yes please.
[Antoni] Let's go.
Standing up, just kidding.
[Ricardo] Standing?
No. I won't let you pass.
[laughter]
[Antoni] Your
competitiveness is kicking in.
[Ricardo] Yes. Aw.
There's no way.
[Ricardo grunts]
[Antoni] Oh, it’s bumper cars.
[laughter]
It's breathtaking.
And what makes this
place so truly unique,
and really the best way to
really understand the history
of Mexico City is because
this is what the environment
used to be like.
I think just taking into
account how massive this city
is and in such a
short amount of time,
you can be in a completely
different world.
What's that?
[Ricardo] Just a
little surprise.
[Antoni] Okay, if by
surprise you mean my
literal worst nightmare.
There are baby dolls
hanging by their necks.
Where are we?
-It's called
"The Dolls' Island."
La Isla de las muñecas.
[Antoni] Isle de las muñecas?
[Ricardo] Exactly.
[Antoni] Ricardo tells me
this abandoned “chinampa” has
become a spooky
tourist attraction.
Legend says the dolls
have been left here to appease
the spirit of a young girl
who drowned nearby.
[in Spanish] Thank you, sir.
[Ricardo] Well Antoni,
it was nice to meet you.
[Antoni] Alright, see you later.
Oh, my gosh.
[Ricardo] Yeah,
this is crazy, right?
I swear I never put
a foot on this place.
-I can't imagine why.
This is like the set
of a horror film.
You come to Xochimilco
and there's something so
calming about it,
but you don't
have to go too far,
and there's always
something that kind of,
like, reminds you that
the world is a weird place.
[Ricardo] Yes.
[Antoni] That's the
thing about Mexico City,
you never quite know
what’s around the corner.
But odds are, it’s
probably gonna be something
you won't forget.
-Viva Mexico.
[Antoni] Mexico loves a party.
I mean, this place is famous
for its fiestas and parades and
now I'll get to witness
one that I've read so
many good things about.
There's expected to
be about 500,000 people,
which is wild.
It's a parade you've
probably never even heard of.
Clearly I have to be part of it.
Wow, these are wild.
Each October the
"Alebrijes Parade" is a
colossal display of folk art,
and national pride.
It stars fantastical creatures,
each one a mixture
of different animals.
These colorful papier mache
sculptures are hand-painted and
turn Mexico City into
a living art gallery.
And it all starts in
the historic Zócalo,
the city's main square.
Since this is all new to me
I'm meeting up with Fernanda,
who's plugged into
Mexico City's folk art scene,
and she just texted.
"Let's meet up by the pink
giraffe with the body of the
turtle with cacti growing
from its shell, shall we?"
Normal.
Now I gotta find her.
Wish me luck.
I'm never gonna find
her because these are
all so beautiful.
I am getting so distracted.
There are so many.
It's like trying to find
a needle in a haystack,
but it's a psychedelic haystack.
Wait, whoa.
Giraffe, check, turtle, cactus,
Fernanda?
[Fernanda] Antoni, how are you?
[Antoni] I found you.
[Fernanda] So nice to see you.
-Oh my gosh.
First question, what
is happening here?
-Okay, so we're in Mexico City.
-Yes. That's a good start.
-Yes.
And this is one of our
biggest traditions.
-Okay.
[Antoni] Okay.
[Fernanda] So that
everyone can see it.
-Available for everybody?
-Exactly, and
everyone can be part of it.
-There's nothing that I can
compare it to that I've seen
that even comes close to this.
-Yes and it has just
become way bigger each time.
[Antoni] These psychedelic
giants were first created on a
much smaller scale by
Mexican artist Pedro Liñares
back in the 1930s.
The idea came to him
right after a fever dream.
[Fernanda] He had
this weird nightmare,
where animals like these
kept on chasing him and so
he was trying to
escape from them.
[Antoni] When he woke
up feeling inspired,
he began crafting these
quirky animal hybrids,
and the Alebrije was born.
[Fernanda] And now
they're so popular because
they're believed to be like
protectors or guides for people.
[Antoni] Yeah, so these
are all positive symbols?
[Fernanda] Yeah, exactly.
Folk art in my opinion
is the driving force that
is showcasing what
Mexico really is.
Back when I was a kid.
[Antoni] Yeah.
-Whenever I told
people that I am Mexican,
they would ask like,
“Oh my God, you're
from the country
of Narcos, right?
Can you actually leave home?"
But for several years now,
folk art has been saying like,
“No, we're not that.
We're this.”
[Antoni] Yeah.
For the artists,
creating an alebrije is a
chance to make a statement,
on equal rights,
immigration, animal welfare,
the environment, you name it.
To think that every
single one of these pieces
has some kind of a story
and an intention behind it,
it's so inspiring.
[Antoni] Okay.
[Antoni] They're all personal
and every single one has a
different story and a
different reason for doing it.
It's beautiful.
What does that one mean?
-They actually did
it to pay memorial to someone.
-I’m gonna stop asking questions
because I’m just gonna cry.
[bell chiming]
[Antoni] What’s the bell?
-So let’s start--
-That means it’s starting?
[Fernanda] Yeah.
[Antoni] And they're off.
More than 200 artists
tow their creations along a
three mile parade route,
from the Zócalo,
through the
heart of the old city,
down the vast
Paseo de la Reforma,
all the way to the iconic
"Angel of Independence."
We're literally marching in
the parade right now.
[Fernanda] Yeah.
-So this is a corn stalk, right?
-Oh yes, yes, yes.
[Antoni] What's, what’s
the significance of this?
[Antoni] It's so much
more than just beautiful.
[Antoni] Yeah.
[Antoni] Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
I didn't expect to cry during
a parade, but here we are.
Okay, wow, whoo.
It's estimated that more
than 600,000 people are here,
embracing Mexico's
spirit and unity.
[Fernanda] It's a good
day to be a Mexican.
[Antoni] It's a damn
good day to be a Mexican.
[in Spanish] Thank you.
Thank you very much.
-Okay amigos. Bye.
Viva Mexico.
-I have never been
part of or experienced such
gentle and beautiful
activism that sends such
an important message,
in a way that still
exudes so much joy.
You realize that it's so
much more than just a parade.
My visit to Mexico City was
like the best first date ever.
It checks every single box.
It's a feast of the senses,
stunningly beautiful.
The people here,
they lead with kindness.
There's something about
its soul I think that is
really truly unlike any
other place in the world.
There's an authenticity here,
rooted in thousands
of years of history and
carrying an unshakable pride,
with the restless energy
of a city always looking
at what's next.
So, I'm not saying 'Adios'
I'm saying 'Hasta luego'.
See you later.
[Antoni] Now this is a castle.
This bougie joint was
built in 1785 as a summer
residence for European nobility,
on sacred land shaped by
thousands of years of history.
The colonizing aristocrats
eventually got the boot,
and now it's a museum that
celebrates this country's rich,
and sometimes complicated,
cultural heritage.
And it sits in the
middle of one of the largest
urban parks in the world,
right here in Mexico City.
[upbeat music playing
"Chuntaros Style"
El Gran Silencio]
[singing in Spanish]
I mean, I'm standing on
the balcony of a castle,
centuries old fully
surrounded by skyscrapers,
and it's endless.
I mean, look at this place.
Mexico City, let's go.
This is unreal.
What makes something the best?
Is it the view?
Wow.
You said don't look down
and that was the first thing
that I did.
Is it the stay?
Oh, it's so romantic.
Or is it a meal so good
it makes you want to cry.
Oh, that was so beautiful
that, like, warmed my soul.
Every year National Geographic
names its Best of the world.
Must see destinations
that rise above the rest.
-This is the most biodiverse
place in the whole world.
-And you're part of that story.
-Absolutely.
[Antoni] Now they've given
me the best job in the world.
I just saw my reflection.
I'm crushing it.
To explore places to stay.
Restaurants, sights
and experiences.
That's a thing, I'm in the head.
In Paris,
Mexico City,
London and my hometown.
You're a New York treasure.
I'm on a quest to find the best.
Because for me, the best
is more than just hype.
This is like a beautiful
representation of cultures.
It's food, but it's also
a history of the people.
It's the sights, the sounds.
-It's showtime.
[Antoni] The flavors.
-You can only taste
this in Mexico.
[Antoni] And it's almost
always the people.
-It's made with a lot of love.
[Antoni] Why the
Statue of Liberty?
-She’s so New York.
I came to this
country for freedom.
-Unreal.
Best I've ever had in my life.
I'm Antoni Porowski,
and this is
Best of the World.
Mexico City,
thrilling, electrifying,
and home to almost
23 million people.
Built on what was once the
capital of the Aztec empire.
It's like weirdly unexpected,
but familiar.
Now it's the largest
city in North America,
spread across 570 square miles
and founded over
700 years ago.
I've never actually been here,
but it's definitely
very European,
except the streets
are twice as wide.
Mexico City is split
into 16 large boroughs,
made up of nearly 2,000 smaller
neighborhoods, or colonias.
It's so vast and has so
much to offer that you could
spend a whole
lifetime exploring.
But you gotta start somewhere,
so I've handpicked
six experiences that capture
its global spirit
and ancient roots.
First off I'm following my
stomach to a place where
Mexican tradition
is being revamped.
In the upscale
colonia "Roma Norte".
A historic district
with a modern pulse,
and an insane food scene.
A few months ago I was on
a trip with my best friend.
We were on the Mexican coast
and she texted me one morning
and she was like,
"You need to get your
butt here immediately
because I'm having
like the best pastries i've
ever tried in my life."
We found out that they all
came from this place called
Rosetta and so I had to
come to the source.
This place is popping.
A good line is a good sign.
This isn't just a stop
for a quick croissant.
Rosetta bakery is a bread
and pastry nirvana whether
you're a local or
a gringo like me.
That's it.
What a beauty.
And there's a star attraction,
Rosetta's signature delicacy,
the guava roll.
Buttery pastry, guava jam,
cream cheese
Aah.
All in this perfect swirl.
It's a hard yes from me.
-Thank you so much.
-You’re welcome.
[Antoni] Okay, let's go.
This is perfection.
The guava's not too sweet.
This is so nice.
Perfectly crispy,
great lamination.
A little tangy.
I just saw my reflection.
I'm crushing it.
The best food is always messy.
That's my story and
I'm sticking to it.
The only thing more exciting
about this wonderful pastry
that I just
completely demolished,
is the fact that the chef who
created this has a restaurant
that's right down the block
and I think it's about time
I go meet her.
I mean, it's her fault I
got food all over my face.
This leafy little number is one
of the world's best restaurants.
Ho, ho, wow.
This is epic.
There's something so palatial
and whimsical about it.
Chef Elena, so nice to meet you.
-Nice to meet you too.
[Antoni] This is one of the
most beautiful dining room
spaces i've ever stepped into,
and it's homey.
-It's homey.
I always wanted it to be homey.
[Antoni] Rosetta is the
flagship restaurant of
chef Elena Reygadas.
It won a Michelin star in 2024,
the first year the inspectors
showed up in Mexico.
And has repeatedly
made it into the world's
"Top 50 best" restaurants.
If you're a traditional
Mexican dish and you need a
21st century glow up,
Elena's got you covered.
I'm just really excited to get
to know what you're all about.
-Let's go to the kitchen.
-Yes!
Today, Elena is taking
on a classic, tamales.
And creating a brand new
dish to add to her menu.
[Elena] You are in the best
time of Mexico because it's
a rainy season.
-Okay.
-And the corn now
it's really at its best.
[Antoni] It looks juicy.
[Elena] Exactly.
Look, if you see all this like--
-It just popped.
-Yes I’m sorry, I’m sorry.
-No, don't apologize.
Tamales, corn parcels so good,
the Aztecs offered
them to the gods.
Today they're the
ultimate comfort food.
Sweet or savory?
Your choice.
Can I just say, I love
that we're making tamales.
A very homey food.
[Elena] It is homey.
-And you're serving it
in a Michelin star restaurant.
Like, that's so cool.
-I really like making
humble food as luxurious as
food that is, in theory, luxury.
[Antoni] Yeah, of course.
-It feels beautiful
when something that you love,
other people love it.
-Uh huh.
-I think the most beautiful
thing about cooking
is to, to share.
[Antoni] Yeah.
After working in
New York and London,
Elena could have opened
a restaurant anywhere
in the world
but she followed
her heart back home.
[Elena] I always loved
Mexico but until I was
there in London--
[Antoni] Yeah.
-I realized how
amazing Mexico is.
-It's like you
have to leave home to realize
that you should be home.
You know?
-Yes.
-Yeah.
[Antoni] Here,
processed corn flour is
public enemy numero uno.
Elena uses fresh corn.
And a special
ingredient to add a little
extra sumthin’ sumthin’.
[Elena] And it's a
very special fungus.
[Antoni] And what's
the flavor that adds?
-It gives, like,
an earthy flavor.
-Okay, yeah.
-It's super, super prized.
-Okay.
-Some people call
it the truffle of Mexico.
[Antoni] I mean, you see it
like this, it's a mushroom.
-It's a mushroom, yes.
-You know?
[Antoni] If you want a little
Mexican mushroom "magic,"
you've come to the right place.
'Huitlacoche' might just be the
best kept secret since mezcal.
Elena blends it with
onion and chiles,
along with an aromatic herb,
called 'Epazote' giving diners
a different kind of 'buzz.'
[Elena] Now, we’re going
to make our steamer.
[Antoni] It's so different
but it reminds me of
making cabbage rolls,
like Polish cabbage rolls
and it's like the layering,
sealing the pot,
putting all the elements in.
[Elena] Ah.
Well I didn’t know you
had a Polish background.
-I’m a true Polish boy.
First one in my family
born outside of Poland.
[Elena] Really?
-In Canada.
There you go,
we learned about
each other through food.
[Elena] Yes. I agree.
[Antoni] You know.
[Elena] And I think it's
important to never forget where
we come from and what we have.
You can only taste
this in Mexico.
[Antoni] Right.
-And like this in Rosetta.
[Antoni] You've got to come
here to be able to have it.
[Elena] And that’s
beautiful you know?
-Yeah.
-You, we don’t want to
be the same.
[Antoni] Elena’s mix of old
and new makes a trip to Rosetta
as good as it gets.
[Elena] These are ready.
[Antoni] Wow.
Wow, that is so decadent.
Oh my God.
[Elena] Like it?
-That is so luxurious.
[Elena] I know.
-And it's not too smoky.
-No, it's just softly smoky.
[Antoni] Come on.
I get that little funky,
mushroomy vibe coming through.
-But also like the
sweetness of the corn.
-But it's still about
the sweetness of the corn
you didn't distract it.
This is brilliant.
It's like a warm hug.
I can't thank you enough for
taking the time to show me who
you are through your food.
-Oh thank you.
-Thank you chef.
Thank you so much.
-No. Thank you,
thank you for coming, Antoni.
-I’m gonna finish these off.
-Yes, please do.
-I know you have a,
you have an empire to run and
a lunch service to tend to.
It's so lux.
For someone who has,
like, such a world presence,
there's this incredible balance
of respecting where she comes
from and like really honoring
it but not being afraid to put
her own voice in it,
that it's all personal,
and that's what a restaurant
should be, in my opinion.
These are damn good,
best tamales I've
ever had in my life.
Unreal.
Elena, her restaurant,
this food rooted in heritage,
refined by craft,
defined by flavor.
Mexico City, now that's
how you make an entrance.
[Antoni] Okay, so you can't
throw a stone in this country
without hitting a
400 year old bell tower.
Everywhere you look,
there's a cathedral
that'll make your jaw drop,
and just a half
mile east of Roma Norte,
there's a huge one in
gritty Colonia Doctores,
where all religions
come to pray.
This place is massive.
This is Arena México,
AKA the
'Cathedral of Lucha Libre.'
Founded in 1956,
it's like a real cathedral.
[speaking in Spanish]
[Antoni] Except you're at
least twice as likely to see
someone get
kicked in the face.
Lucha libre with its iconic
masks is more than wrestling.
Dating back to 1863,
it's a vibrant tradition that
combines ancient warrior spirit
with uniquely
Mexican techniques.
And is now officially
recognized as part of the
cultural heritage of this city.
Oh my gosh.
For decades,
this Arena has been the
domain of macho dudes in tight
Lycra and sequins.
I'm a little intimidated.
But I'm here to meet one
of the best female wrestlers
in the country,
she's a total badass.
-Welcome.
-Are you Persephone?
-I am Persephone,
nice to meet you.
-So nice to meet you.
-Thank you.
[Antoni] 24 year old
'Persephone' is the current
champion in
the Amazonas league.
That's the very best
women wrestlers,
or 'Luchadoras' in Mexico.
[Persephone] This is probably
where the best wrestlers
in Mexico come.
Because I'm not even
from Mexico City,
but obviously anyone who
wants to be a wrestler you
have to come--
-To the cathedral.
-You have to come
to the cathedral.
-Yeah.
-Exactly.
[Antoni] Where were you born?
-I was born in El Paso, Texas.
-Okay.
-But my family's all Mexicans.
So I’m Mexican-American.
I was born on the border.
[Antoni] What made you
decide to do lucha libre?
[Persephone] I’ve always
loved lucha libre and it’s
part of who we are,
it’s part of our roots.
I think in Mexico,
once you can
start running around,
they jump into a
ring and get started.
-You’re good to go.
-Yeah.
-Yeah. I keep looking
to make sure they're okay.
[Persephone] Yeah, I know.
I love it, but it
is very dangerous.
[painful groan]
Well, like, she's fine,
she's fine.
[Persephone] Do you
want to give it a try?
-Yeah let’s go.
-Let’s go upstairs.
-Woo.
I've got health insurance
Okay.
So what's the worst
that could happen?
I trust you.
-Yeah.
-Really glad I just ate.
[Persephone]
Perse has to get in.
[Antoni] Come on.
[Persephone] Like a god.
[Antoni] You landed
like a Marvel superhero.
[Persephone] Yeah, exactly.
[Antoni] I’m down for
whatever you wanna teach me.
With reason.
-Yeah, of course.
Hand on my neck.
And then that hand.
[Antoni] First, the lock up.
[Persephone] I’m gonna push
against you and you’re gonna
push against me.
-Okay.
-Right. Push in.
And now
break that one off.
There you go, and
now you're ready for the
headlock and there you go.
I need to get out of it.
[Antoni] Your hair
smells really nice.
[Persephone] Thank you.
Thank you.
[Antoni] Yeah, but we can
talk about that later.
[Persephone] The shampoo,
I’ll give it to you later.
[Antoni] Okay.
[Persephone] I’m
gonna go pick her up.
[Antoni] Next?
Taking your opponent down.
Holy!
-You wanna give it a try?
[Antoni] Okay.
You okay?
I'm great.
That was so dope.
This all takes a whole
bunch of skill
and guts.
Especially when your guts
are getting "body slammed"
into the mat.
[Persephone] There we go.
That was it.
That was perfect.
-Gracias.
That was so freaking cool.
And this was only a warm-up.
Perse barely has time to
recover from the beating she
gave me, 'cause it's
"Fight Night" at the cathedral.
It's building up.
There's already like chaos
and I'm not even inside yet.
The atmosphere is electric.
Good, clean, brutal fun
for the whole family.
Whoa.
If I was booed like that,
it would be the end of me.
These are Persé's parents,
Alfred and Veronica,
who've snagged me a spot close
enough to feel the sweat.
These are some good seats.
-Aren't they?
-Yes, they are.
[Antoni] I think the most
shocking thing of all of this,
it is so much more real
than I ever imagined.
[Alfred] Everything is real.
The hits are real.
The tumbling is real.
Just learning how to take
them is the difference.
-Yeah.
I'm so excited to see Perse.
-Oh wow, I know.
-I think she’s next.
[Antoni] And there's one
way to really make this an
unforgettable night out,
you need to get involved.
Whether you root
for the good guys,
or the baddies, like Perse.
Seriously though, my pal, Perse.
That's your girl.
Is a straight-up super villain.
This is crazy.
-Super crazy.
-Boo!
I've never booed a girl before.
Not really proud of it.
-Get her!
[Antoni] My mind is blown.
Oh. Right in the face. Okay.
The fighting, the acrobatics,
the athletics, the theater.
No.
Lucha libre is, it's
an entire universe.
[Veronica] Kick her ass, baby.
-That's right.
You tell your daughter
to kick her ass.
I was surprisingly more
invested than I thought
I would be.
Oh I saw that move.
I never booed for
anyone before, I'm Canadian,
we don't do that,
that's not our vibe.
Choose kindness.
-Come on Persephone,
kick her ass.
[Antoni] But the universality
of this ongoing fight between
good and evil,
it's something that gets
everyone sort of united.
Perse.
You felt that energy from the
stadium and from the families
swarming in with kids
and grabbing masks.
It truly does bring
people together.
I wouldn't understand
it until I experienced it.
[Veronica] That's her move,
that's her move.
-That’s her move?
-That's her move.
That's right, baby.
[Antoni] Yeah. Whoa.
[in Spanish] One, two, three!
[Antoni] Arena Mexico. Yeah.
It's not for the faint
of heart, that I'll say.
It's pure massive chaos.
And if you're lucky,
you might even get
to see the girl who followed
her dreams all the
way to the "Cathedral"
to kick some serious ass.
Alright just one second.
I dropped something. One sec.
We're good?
We're wrapped?
Okay, alright,
have a good one guys.
[traffic sounds]
[upbeat music playing]
-Oh wow, that's impressive.
No shortage of beautiful
buildings and structures to see.
Mexico City is an architecture
geek's dream, so I'm in heaven.
There's gothic and baroque.
Art Deco and Art Nouveau.
Mid-century modern.
Brutalist And Contemporary.
And, having been
founded in 1325 as the
capital of the Aztec empire,
traces of that legacy are woven
into the fabric of the city,
but today, I'm gonna explore
something totally unique.
I'm heading to the outskirts,
to an area called
"Paseos del Bosque."
Translated as
"walks in the woods,"
it's a quiet residential
suburb away from the hubbub
of the city center where
there's a building that promises
to be like nothing
I've ever seen.
Gracias señor.
It's all nature,
and then suddenly you just
get a peek of, like, mosaic,
and it just like creeps
up on you out of nowhere.
Whoa. Oh, my gosh.
Wait, this is wild.
"El nido de quetzalcoatl".
The nest of the
feathered serpent god.
It might sound like an
Indiana Jones movie but it's
an apartment building.
This is so trippy.
Is that a fang?
That's a fang.
I'm in the head.
Whoa.
It's set within 50 acres of
forest with a botanical garden,
and community greenhouse.
Designed to look like a snake
slithering through the trees,
it's a masterclass of
"organic" architecture.
I'm taking it in,
but it's basically a mash
up of Fraggle Rock
and wherever the Hobbits live.
Hola, Adriana?
-Hola, Antoni.
-I'm gonna come down.
Adriana, an architect at the
firm that built this place,
is here to explain everything.
What a space.
[Adriana] I know, right?
[Antoni] This is unreal.
I really enjoy and appreciate
architecture but I've never
seen anything that I can
even compare this to.
-Have you ever imagined on
sleeping inside a snake?
-No, I've never,
but the same thing is
I also have, like, a pretty
bad fear of snakes, and
-Oh my god.
-border-lining
on a phobia, yet,
in this environment,
it's very calming.
Adriana works
with world-famous
Mexican architect
Javier Senosian,
who's all about jaw-dropping
"organic" structures.
Fluid, curvy, colorful,
they don't just sit on the land,
they become part of it.
[Adriana] If you look at the
body of the serpent you will
see that it's touching the land
just in three different points,
and the rest of the
body is levitating,
leaving the surrounding
nature untouched.
-So it only touches the
ground where it really needs to.
[Adriana] Exactly.
[Antoni] And then
it's all elevated.
What was it like for you
the first time that you came
to this space?
[Adriana] Oh my god,
I was so amazed that
something like this exists.
[Antoni] Yeah.
-And here in my country.
So I feel very excited and
grateful of having a place
like this here.
[Antoni] It's
amazing to look at,
but staying the night here
would be something else.
Wow, I just got
a little glimpse.
There are eight privately
owned apartments,
plus two vacation rentals.
It's great if you
wanna meditate,
chill out or just
confront your crippling
lifelong fear of snakes.
[Adriana] So welcome in, Antoni.
This is the living room.
[Antoni] It's like a tree house.
[Adriana] Look at the windows.
-Obviously, custom cut pieces.
-Of course,
designed to frame the nature,
which is the artwork itself.
[Antoni] Okay. Of course.
My brain is being itched
in a really pleasing way.
If that makes any sense.
[Adriana] I know, yes.
[Antoni gasps]
-What a little nook.
It’s like, it feels like art.
Oh my gosh.
-It fits to the
shape of the human body.
-Oh it’s ergonomic. Yes.
[Adriana] So all the, yeah,
all the furniture is ergonomic.
-Like luxury hotels
certainly have their place,
but there’s a serenity here.
[Adriana] Yeah.
-This leaves you with much more
interesting memories, I think.
-I know and here you
have the luxury of being
surrounded by nature.
[Antoni] Yeah.
[Adriana] By being inside
of our mother’s womb,
we feel protected, warm,
and cozy in there.
And that's the same idea
or feeling that Javier tries
to give us by creating
these organic spaces.
[Antoni] I guess it's a kind
of a "womb with a view."
I mean, come on,
that's a good one.
But seriously, this is a
totally unique place to come to
experience a quieter,
gentler side of Mexico City.
Even the restroom
is a work of art.
It's like a Van Gogh.
Oh my god.
Next time I'm booking
a place whenever I go
to a city, granted,
I'm probably not gonna find
anything like this anywhere else
in the world but
I think it's an opportunity to
start thinking,
"What do I want
my experience to be like?"
Do you want to be in
a perfectly square room with
air conditioning and
a certain thread count?
Or do you want something
where you can kind of look out
the window and see this
incredibly diverse ecosystem,
that's just like
living around you?
This is a utopian
wonderland unlike anything
I've ever experienced.
This is the craziest
toilet I've ever seen.
I'd love to stay here
to just take it all in,
but if I do, I'll be late,
late for a very important date.
[Antoni] Since it's my
first time in Mexico City.
[trumpet blares]
What is it?
There's a beautiful chaos here.
There's one thing I
absolutely need to do,
meet up with an old friend.
Buddy.
-Antoni, how are you?
-What's up?
Oh my God.
Ricardo has lived
here his whole life.
-Many people, when
they think about Mexico,
they instantly think about
our beautiful beaches.
But I think that Mexico City is
sort of our best kept secret--
-Uh-huh.
-probably till now.
-Sorry guys.
[laughter]
[Antoni] Ricardo's a
proud "Chilango" someone
born and raised in Mexico City.
And he tells me I've
gotta sample a little known
local delicacy, Tacos.
About 30 million are eaten
each day in Mexico City alone.
There's basically a
"taqueria" on every corner.
But not all taquerias
are created equal.
In lush Condesa,
a fashionable neighborhood
right next to Roma Norte,
there's a totally chill
'Bohemian' kind of vibe,
and a spot that's
bringing the tortilla back
to its former glory.
Maizajo.
Whoa, it goes a lot
deeper than I thought.
[Ricardo] Yes.
Here you can have
the real thing.
-Right.
-They do their tortillas here,
the way they should be.
-Hello. Antoni,
nice to meet you.
[Antoni] Thank
you for having us.
[Antoni] Maizajo is run
by 33 year old chef,
Santiago Muñoz.
Tortillas are kinda his thing
and he's all about making them
the traditional way.
These days, most are
made from highly processed
industrial corn flour.
It's quick but it lacks soul.
Santiago uses only
native "heirloom" corn.
It's brought from small farms
and processed the way his
ancestors would have
done for thousands of years.
-I want my people
to eat the best tortilla--
[Antoni] Yeah.
[Santiago] and what I try
to do every day here is to
make the best
tortilla of Mexico, so
-Yeah.
-..the best tortilla in
the world, that's the goal.
-Yeah.
-We have 64 different
corn in Mexico.
[Antoni] 64 different varieties?
[Santiago] Yeah.
All these corns have like blue,
red, white, and
different sizes.
[Antoni] And it’s not
just the corn that makes
Santiago’s tortillas pop,
it’s skills and
techniques that are
straight outta Aztec cookbooks.
[Antoni] First he cooks
the corn with lime.
The calcium hydroxide
kind, not the fruit.
A process called
“nixtamalization.”
Great for tortillas and
for a high score in scrabble.
-That's crazy.
The heat is wild.
Oh, it cracks.
[Ricardo] Oh wow.
[Antoni] The lime helps
break down the corn,
so when it's ground up,
it makes a softer, silky,
more nutritious dough, and
the results are super tasty.
[Ricardo] You do this
process every day?
-We grind the corn
every day, so it's really fresh.
-Okay.
-Preservation through
food, right?
[Santiago] Yeah.
[Antoni] Time to taste.
It’s a tough job, but
someone’s gotta do it.
[Antoni] Oh my gosh, thank you.
Ricardo and I each have one of
his famous 'campechano' tacos.
A meat lover's dream.
[Antoni] Gracias.
Okay let’s go.
Are you just putting it on?
Okay, I’m following your lead.
[Ricardo] Yeah. A taco
without salsa is not a taco.
[Antoni] Okay.
Is that a golden rule
or is that your rule?
-That's my golden rule.
-Okay. Got it.
[Ricardo] Ready?
-Mmm, smokey.
That's damn, that's damn good.
But like, the tortilla
does make the difference.
-It has like a smoky
and like a sweetness to it.
Okay, that's spicy. Wow.
-Really?
-Yeah.
[Ricardo] Antoni, don’t cry.
-I'm a polish boy.
We're sensitive to heat.
[sighs]
The ancient people of
Mesoamerica first harvested
corn about 9,000 years ago
and they've spent more than
three millennia
perfecting tortillas.
Now I understand, that
like the tortilla is the most
important part of the taco.
Now I get it.
[Santiago] Ha, yeah.
[Antoni] Look, the food
is objectively delicious.
The ingredients are like,
super-premium,
but the most interesting thing
is always the story behind it.
Santiago's passion for
preserving his heritage and
showcasing Mexico's
homegrown corn,
that's what puts Maizajo
on my "best of" list.
Now I just need some fresh air,
and Ricardo just
recommended a great place,
where I can get plenty.
[Antoni] I'll admit, I'm
not much of an 'early bird'
but my pal, Ricardo,
talked me into
getting up before dawn,
to enjoy a wellness experience
you can't get anywhere else.
When you kind of go off
the beaten path a little bit,
which we're actually
literally doing right now,
you get to see
something really magic.
So I got my coffee
and I'm ready to go.
I'm traveling about 15 miles
south from the center,
to an idyllic natural paradise
and UNESCO world heritage site
that's still within
the city limits.
Crazy, right?
Welcome to "Parque
Ecológico Xochimilco."
Buenos dias.
[Ricardo] Antoni, good morning.
-Nice to meet you.
[Ricardo] This is Carlos,
he is our guide today.
He's gonna take us canoeing.
Here is one of my
favorite places to have
a sunrise in Mexico City,
and I really want
you to experience it.
Sorry for making you wake
up this early in the morning.
-No, it's perfect. I'm excited.
[Ricardo] Perfect.
So let's do it.
[Carlos] You're gonna
go sitting here.
Don't fall.
And I'm gonna just
put you in the water.
[Antoni] Okay.
[Carlos] You good there?
[Antoni] I’m great.
[Carlos] You’re good at it.
[Antoni] Famous last words.
Xochimilco is over 100 miles
of winding canals and man-made
islands or 'chinampas'.
Believe it or not,
this is what much of
Mexico City used to look like.
The Aztecs built their capital
'Tenochtitlán' on an island in
the middle of a vast lake.
And this is the last living
piece of that ancient world.
[Ricardo] What do
you think, Antoni?
It's amazing, right?
[Antoni] It's wild.
[Ricardo] I told you,
yeah, I love it.
I feel like Xochimilco is sort
of a hideaway from the chaos.
[Antoni] Yeah, and we are in
a completely different world.
Get here early enough
and you're in for a truly
unforgettable experience.
This is epic.
This is my first
glimpse of the sun.
[Ricardo] Isn’t it amazing?
-It's beautiful.
Yo, this is unreal.
It's hard to imagine at
this peaceful time of day,
but more than a million
visitors take to these
canals each year.
Paddling is peaceful.
It kind of slows it
down in a nice way.
But I think the
environment begs for that.
[Carlos] This is not
about going super fast.
[Antoni] Right.
[Carlos] This is
about breathing, feeling.
[Antoni] Yeah.
I mean these views, incredible.
Most of the original
chinampas have been
lost to urban development, but,
thanks to conservation
efforts and the rich soil,
the ones that survived
are an awesome place
to grow flowers, and crops.
So what are they farming here?
-There's corn,
squash, chilies, beans.
-So corn, squash,
chilies all around here?
[Carlos] Yes.
Everything grows here.
[Antoni] Yeah.
[Carlos] So this
place has everything.
It gives you food.
[Antoni] Yeah.
[Carlos] And it
gives you a retreat.
It gives you clean air.
It's our history,
and it's in our roots.
So a lot of us, like myself,
we're not from here but we
somehow feel connected to the
place and the only thing
that's left is honoring it.
-Right.
Just to switch up the
energy I say we race home.
You guys down?
[Ricardo] Yes please.
[Antoni] Let's go.
Standing up, just kidding.
[Ricardo] Standing?
No. I won't let you pass.
[laughter]
[Antoni] Your
competitiveness is kicking in.
[Ricardo] Yes. Aw.
There's no way.
[Ricardo grunts]
[Antoni] Oh, it’s bumper cars.
[laughter]
It's breathtaking.
And what makes this
place so truly unique,
and really the best way to
really understand the history
of Mexico City is because
this is what the environment
used to be like.
I think just taking into
account how massive this city
is and in such a
short amount of time,
you can be in a completely
different world.
What's that?
[Ricardo] Just a
little surprise.
[Antoni] Okay, if by
surprise you mean my
literal worst nightmare.
There are baby dolls
hanging by their necks.
Where are we?
-It's called
"The Dolls' Island."
La Isla de las muñecas.
[Antoni] Isle de las muñecas?
[Ricardo] Exactly.
[Antoni] Ricardo tells me
this abandoned “chinampa” has
become a spooky
tourist attraction.
Legend says the dolls
have been left here to appease
the spirit of a young girl
who drowned nearby.
[in Spanish] Thank you, sir.
[Ricardo] Well Antoni,
it was nice to meet you.
[Antoni] Alright, see you later.
Oh, my gosh.
[Ricardo] Yeah,
this is crazy, right?
I swear I never put
a foot on this place.
-I can't imagine why.
This is like the set
of a horror film.
You come to Xochimilco
and there's something so
calming about it,
but you don't
have to go too far,
and there's always
something that kind of,
like, reminds you that
the world is a weird place.
[Ricardo] Yes.
[Antoni] That's the
thing about Mexico City,
you never quite know
what’s around the corner.
But odds are, it’s
probably gonna be something
you won't forget.
-Viva Mexico.
[Antoni] Mexico loves a party.
I mean, this place is famous
for its fiestas and parades and
now I'll get to witness
one that I've read so
many good things about.
There's expected to
be about 500,000 people,
which is wild.
It's a parade you've
probably never even heard of.
Clearly I have to be part of it.
Wow, these are wild.
Each October the
"Alebrijes Parade" is a
colossal display of folk art,
and national pride.
It stars fantastical creatures,
each one a mixture
of different animals.
These colorful papier mache
sculptures are hand-painted and
turn Mexico City into
a living art gallery.
And it all starts in
the historic Zócalo,
the city's main square.
Since this is all new to me
I'm meeting up with Fernanda,
who's plugged into
Mexico City's folk art scene,
and she just texted.
"Let's meet up by the pink
giraffe with the body of the
turtle with cacti growing
from its shell, shall we?"
Normal.
Now I gotta find her.
Wish me luck.
I'm never gonna find
her because these are
all so beautiful.
I am getting so distracted.
There are so many.
It's like trying to find
a needle in a haystack,
but it's a psychedelic haystack.
Wait, whoa.
Giraffe, check, turtle, cactus,
Fernanda?
[Fernanda] Antoni, how are you?
[Antoni] I found you.
[Fernanda] So nice to see you.
-Oh my gosh.
First question, what
is happening here?
-Okay, so we're in Mexico City.
-Yes. That's a good start.
-Yes.
And this is one of our
biggest traditions.
-Okay.
[Antoni] Okay.
[Fernanda] So that
everyone can see it.
-Available for everybody?
-Exactly, and
everyone can be part of it.
-There's nothing that I can
compare it to that I've seen
that even comes close to this.
-Yes and it has just
become way bigger each time.
[Antoni] These psychedelic
giants were first created on a
much smaller scale by
Mexican artist Pedro Liñares
back in the 1930s.
The idea came to him
right after a fever dream.
[Fernanda] He had
this weird nightmare,
where animals like these
kept on chasing him and so
he was trying to
escape from them.
[Antoni] When he woke
up feeling inspired,
he began crafting these
quirky animal hybrids,
and the Alebrije was born.
[Fernanda] And now
they're so popular because
they're believed to be like
protectors or guides for people.
[Antoni] Yeah, so these
are all positive symbols?
[Fernanda] Yeah, exactly.
Folk art in my opinion
is the driving force that
is showcasing what
Mexico really is.
Back when I was a kid.
[Antoni] Yeah.
-Whenever I told
people that I am Mexican,
they would ask like,
“Oh my God, you're
from the country
of Narcos, right?
Can you actually leave home?"
But for several years now,
folk art has been saying like,
“No, we're not that.
We're this.”
[Antoni] Yeah.
For the artists,
creating an alebrije is a
chance to make a statement,
on equal rights,
immigration, animal welfare,
the environment, you name it.
To think that every
single one of these pieces
has some kind of a story
and an intention behind it,
it's so inspiring.
[Antoni] Okay.
[Antoni] They're all personal
and every single one has a
different story and a
different reason for doing it.
It's beautiful.
What does that one mean?
-They actually did
it to pay memorial to someone.
-I’m gonna stop asking questions
because I’m just gonna cry.
[bell chiming]
[Antoni] What’s the bell?
-So let’s start--
-That means it’s starting?
[Fernanda] Yeah.
[Antoni] And they're off.
More than 200 artists
tow their creations along a
three mile parade route,
from the Zócalo,
through the
heart of the old city,
down the vast
Paseo de la Reforma,
all the way to the iconic
"Angel of Independence."
We're literally marching in
the parade right now.
[Fernanda] Yeah.
-So this is a corn stalk, right?
-Oh yes, yes, yes.
[Antoni] What's, what’s
the significance of this?
[Antoni] It's so much
more than just beautiful.
[Antoni] Yeah.
[Antoni] Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
I didn't expect to cry during
a parade, but here we are.
Okay, wow, whoo.
It's estimated that more
than 600,000 people are here,
embracing Mexico's
spirit and unity.
[Fernanda] It's a good
day to be a Mexican.
[Antoni] It's a damn
good day to be a Mexican.
[in Spanish] Thank you.
Thank you very much.
-Okay amigos. Bye.
Viva Mexico.
-I have never been
part of or experienced such
gentle and beautiful
activism that sends such
an important message,
in a way that still
exudes so much joy.
You realize that it's so
much more than just a parade.
My visit to Mexico City was
like the best first date ever.
It checks every single box.
It's a feast of the senses,
stunningly beautiful.
The people here,
they lead with kindness.
There's something about
its soul I think that is
really truly unlike any
other place in the world.
There's an authenticity here,
rooted in thousands
of years of history and
carrying an unshakable pride,
with the restless energy
of a city always looking
at what's next.
So, I'm not saying 'Adios'
I'm saying 'Hasta luego'.
See you later.