"Tell me: What’s this place all about? The boleadores are dotted around the perimeter of downtown Mexico City's main square (and almost every other park and plaza in the city) but you'll have a great view of the cathedrals, flagpole, and Palacio Nacional if you get your shoes shined here. Climb up on the elevated perch of the boleador's chair and they will make your boots shine anew. At 50 to 100 pesos ($3 to $6), it's one of the cheapest shoe-shine experiences around. What’s it like being there? Boleadores are an important part of Mexican street culture and a fixture of pedestrian avenues, a living-breathing mid-century heritage that is not in danger of dying out. But with the proliferation of cheap plastic shoes and mass-market tennis sneakers, "limpiabotes" are a hand-crafted service for giving leather shoes a new life. Is there a guide involved? Historically, this was a men's morning activity, to read the paper, shoot the shit with their regular shoe-shiner, have a smoke, and head into work with crisp, shiny shoes. All are welcome but most boleadores tend to be men of a certain age. Who comes here? Mostly elder statesmen, office workers, and the occasional tourist. If you are lady with nice boots, don't be afraid. Step on up. Everyone is welcome. Did it meet expectations? Tip handsomely, these gents offer a handmade service that preserves local culture and is a fun, valuable experience to boot. (Pun intended). So then what, or who, do you think it’s best for? If you are wearing the right shoes and have 20 minutes to spare, it's worthwhile and lovely." - Scarlett Lindeman
