[HN Gopher] The Sounds of CDMX
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       The Sounds of CDMX
        
       Author : feross
       Score  : 125 points
       Date   : 2022-09-17 11:49 UTC (11 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (pudding.cool)
 (TXT) w3m dump (pudding.cool)
        
       | [deleted]
        
       | kristopolous wrote:
       | My favorite big city in North America! (although I haven't been
       | to Toronto or Boston so forgive me)
       | 
       | Really, you should give it a go. Find people to meet or small
       | places to go to beforehand, preferably themed. If you're into
       | say, music, go to music museums, find community groups, local
       | concerts and just do that.
        
       | qwertox wrote:
       | I expected to hear a "periodicooooo".
        
       | jollofricepeas wrote:
       | "Se compran ... colchones ... tambores ... refrigeradores ...
       | estufas ... lavadoras ... microondas ... o algo de fierro viejo
       | que vendan!"
       | 
       | If you know, you know ;)
        
         | xtracto wrote:
         | In my city, there is a version of that that says I addition
         | something like "if you are embarrassed to come, send your kid
         | to the truck with your junk" . I find that pretty funny.
        
         | trentearl wrote:
         | Exactly what I thought of, I always thought it would be a good
         | addition to Mexican rap song.
        
           | lobo_tuerto wrote:
           | Maybe something like this?
           | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yitoITlNcKs
        
         | zeppelin101 wrote:
         | Thanks for writing it out. I always tried to tune out the
         | words. The sound is grating.
        
         | dimmke wrote:
         | This is so interesting. I was just in CDMX for an entire week.
         | I rented a condo on the fifth floor of a tower. I couldn't hear
         | any noise and I was right on one of the main streets
         | (Insurgantes).
         | 
         | I also didn't see an organ grinder once. I had no clue that was
         | even a thing. Though plenty of street-side vendors. CDMX is an
         | amazing city. I kind of want to live there for a bit.
        
         | Jcampuzano2 wrote:
         | This is exactly what I was waiting to hear as I was scrolling.
         | It's is the first sound I think of when I think of CDMX now
         | that I've lived there.
        
         | hellohowareu wrote:
         | The shouts of vendors in the street is why I avoid cities in
         | Mexico, especially CDMX. The noise levels in Mexico are so
         | abrasive to me.
        
           | elboru wrote:
           | Big parties late at night in residential areas, vendors
           | shooting while passing by, then dogs barking at them,
           | delivery men in noisy motorcycles, then dogs barking at them
           | again. I guess that's why gated communities are trending in
           | many Mexican cities now days.
        
         | yayitswei wrote:
         | If anyone is like me and wondering what they're referring to
         | (it's linked in the website):
         | https://www.nytimes.com/video/world/americas/100000004701928...
        
           | muststopmyths wrote:
           | Hah! Good to finally know why they all (the vendors
           | recordings)sound the same
        
         | dariusm5 wrote:
         | I lived in CDMX and this sound (among several others) made me
         | resent the city. All the Mexican's I knew didn't mind it and
         | seemed to tune it out. If you like peace and quiet, living in
         | Mexico City is not for you.
        
           | KAMSPioneer wrote:
           | Glad I'm not the only one! I visited with my girlfriend
           | recently (she lived there a few years ago) and I immediately
           | hated that recording. She seemed somewhere between
           | indifference and endeared.
           | 
           | I actually really liked CDMX, but I also resent that sound.
        
       | [deleted]
        
       | lostgame wrote:
       | This was one of the closest experiences to 'Virtual Reality' I've
       | had; lol - the combination of the cute art mixed with the sound
       | is truly great.
        
       | jergtn wrote:
       | <3
        
       | [deleted]
        
       | volkk wrote:
       | Was just there and I ended up enjoying the sounds by the end of
       | the trip so much, they became comforting. One of the most
       | wonderful cities I've been to
        
         | owly wrote:
         | I had a similarly positive experience there. The energy of CDMX
         | is vibrant and the city is full of life.
         | 
         | There are definitely places to go for quiet away from the main
         | streets. Sometimes too quiet!
        
       | classified wrote:
       | What a lovely way to present contemporary culture. I'm enamored.
        
       | Jack_rando_fang wrote:
       | A fun and quite immersive experience! Wouldn't want to live here
       | due to all the noise but sure would love a visit.
        
       | hombre_fatal wrote:
       | I never understood the organ grinders. Why would you ever want a
       | North Korean general cranking a music box while you eat?
       | Thankfully everyone under age 50 agrees.
       | 
       | Great website.
        
       | e4e5 wrote:
       | The Organ Grinders are the worst! When I visited some of them
       | were so out of tune that it hurt to listen to them. Couldn't help
       | but feel happy when the website said they're losing popularity
        
         | [deleted]
        
         | hombre_fatal wrote:
         | One used to play in front of the taco stand outside my
         | apartment every morning.
         | 
         | I remember laying in bed fantasizing about the government
         | enacting a law where you have to play an actual instrument if
         | you want to generate loud sounds while you busker.
        
       | gomox wrote:
       | Awesome. I find myself frequently trying to explain the fact that
       | CDMX's sounds are so iconic. This site does a much better job
       | than I ever could.
       | 
       | A glaring omission in my opinion is the camote (sweet potato)
       | steam whistle, which has a PTSD-worthy volume even when heard
       | from half a block away.
        
         | dheera wrote:
         | I've been wanting to do a project like this for a long time,
         | there are lots of places I have travelled and lived that have
         | unique sounds that I'd like to share.
         | 
         | The only reason I haven't done it is that today's social media
         | wouldn't provide a means for my work to be seen. On Facebook
         | for example if I post anything with external links it covertly
         | censors my content so that even my own friends cannot see it.
         | Nowadays they downrank pretty much anything that isn't a
         | "Reel", my still photographs are now only shown to a very small
         | subset of my friends. Sound-only content isn't really
         | attractive to news sites either so I just don't know how I'd
         | publish it effectively.
        
           | yieldcrv wrote:
           | The ephemeral "stories" can get a lot of interaction, thats
           | the primary way my circle uses instagram, the "posts" feature
           | are pretty much dead, baring a once a year "photo dump"
           | 
           | For a creative that gets validation from simply having things
           | seen, consider buying a more popular account on instagram and
           | rebranding it. Theyve already done the work of growing the
           | account with real users. You don't need to participate in
           | that popularity rat race, just buy your own art gallery but
           | with the mailing list of the prior owner.
        
         | aunty_helen wrote:
         | I hunted for this sound for 2 days in CDMX. Where? what? who?
         | but most of all why?
         | 
         | It was all very delicious and satisfying in the end, like
         | finding the pot at the end of the rainbow.
         | 
         | The experience of standing next to a personal steam engine, on
         | a street at night, in Mexico, being served platano covered with
         | condensed milk and cinnamon is one of the reasons why I enjoy
         | travel.
        
         | murki wrote:
         | The camotero is there! In the free play map at the end, you
         | just have to find him and click on him
        
       | ljoshua wrote:
       | This is a really fun, interactive experience. And the rest of the
       | site is worth exploring too for its unique presentations.
       | 
       | Having lived in Mexico City myself and returning there a few
       | times a year right now, this is definitely a pretty accurate
       | representation of many of the sounds you'll see/hear (with the
       | exception that the folks playing the sounds aren't always as
       | smiley as the way the cutesy art makes them look). A fun way to
       | learn about another culture though.
        
         | onli wrote:
         | It seems to me it gets the sounds right, but not the volume.
         | Mexico City is so loud, from the music in the metro to the
         | calls of the vendors to especially the constant traffic jam and
         | the incredible amount of cars. The site sounds like the areas
         | outside of the city. Not at all how experienced the city
         | itself.
        
           | huevosabio wrote:
           | Surprisingly, I find CDMX to be ver quiet the moment you get
           | out of the main streets.
           | 
           | The buildings and vegetation seems to seal noises to their
           | area.
           | 
           | Of course the quietness is never permanent as no street is
           | off limits for the wandering merchants.
        
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       (page generated 2022-09-17 23:01 UTC)