Xochimilco’s Weather Drama: A DIY Busker’s Messy Tale
i landed in xochimilco, mexico city, with my cheap accordion and a half‑baked plan to play on the canals. i just grabbed my phone and it says it's 18.06 °C right now, feels like 18.25, the humidity's hanging around 89 %, the pressure feels like it's trying to keep the sky from cracking. *café in the middle of the market has a free Wi‑Fi if you need a quick spot to charge, but the bridge over the canal is where i finally set up shop. i heard that a local warned me about a sudden downpour on the ‘floating market’ and told me to bring a waterproof cover for my instrument; drunken advice from a guy at the taqueria said the best time to busk is after midnight, when the police are too sleepy to chase you. if you get bored, puebla and cuernavaca are only a quick spin away, but i’m here for the rain and the rhythm.
pro‑tip: bring a foldable stool and a tiny amp; they’re lighter than my ego and they won’t cost you an arm and a leg.
- mic: the Rode NT‑4 picks up canal noises way better than the cheap built‑in.
- cover: a quick‑dry rain jacket (Y‑shape) protects your accordion from the humidity spike.
- music: a USB‑flash‑drive loaded with 5‑hour loops of 80s synth, because the locals love a throwback jam.
- pay: a smart‑phone‑compatible tip jar app (TripAdvisor tip jar? no, just TipJar) helps track coins without losing them to the wind.
someone told me that the floating garden vendors only take cash, but they’ll give you a free churro if you smile. drunk advice: never trust a “free wifi” hotspot without checking TripAdvisor reviews first, otherwise you might end up in a café that smells like old socks. I tried it once, yeah, that’s why i’m writing this.
i linked to a Yelp review of the El Pedregal Taqueria to see if the tacos were worth the extra $2 tip for staying quiet after my set. (https://www.yelp.com/biz/el-pedregal-taqueria)
also check the TripAdvisor page for the Xochimilco Canals if you want to avoid the tourist trap where the boats are painted pastel pink; the locals swear the real magic is at the blue‑water stretch. (https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g187660-d186930-Reviews-Xochimilco_Canals_Mexico_City_City_of_Mexico.html)
and for the busker‑board on Reddit, i posted a thread about the best time to cash in after midnight: https://www.reddit.com/r/busking/
if the humidity feels like a swamp monster hugging your neck, just hop on the local bus (Metrobus) that runs along the Paseo de la Reforma and you’ll get a breeze that cuts through the 89 % moisture. i still haven’t figured out why ground level pressure is 1017, but the locals say it’s good for “keeping the air alive.”
the weather* prediction app i used (Weather Underground) gave me a “sunny with a chance of surprise rain” badge, so i wore a hoodie under my rain jacket just in case. hope you like that kind of thing.
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