Mexico City as we never imagined...

Our last few days were spent in Mexico City, a city of 22 million which sits high on the altiplano at almost 2500 meters. We were a bit nervous to visit as we hear a lot of negative things about the city but again Mexico keeps surprising us.

We again stayed in a private home owned by a young doctor and lawyer which was quite modern in design as well as being huge. Here is just one of the many sitting areas in the home. We were made to feel right at home and were pleased with our choice.

It was located in a very quiet neighbour called San Miquel de Chapultepec that was very safe and easy to walk around.

Mexico is known for its bright colors and murals as can be seen on a house just around the corner.

We also ate at the neighbourhood restaurant which was full of Mexican families enjoying a Sunday meal. It was one of the best meals we ever had in Mexico as we tried the Chile Poblano and the mole sauce was rich with chocolate and chillies.

 

Since we only had a couple days here we decided to hire a private tour guide named Hector Barraza at Mexico City Elite Tours who also turned out to be a great find. We walked, taxied and took the subway across the city from Centro Historic to outlying neighbourhoods. Our two days with him gave us a glimpse of the history, culture and architecture of the city.

The first day we took the subway and was surprised to see how clean it was. It is a very complicated design so the stations are all identified by symbols to accommodate those who can't read.

 

The first day we walked around the Centro Historic district with Hector explaining the history and architecture of the buildings we saw...

 

A government building

The office of the President of Mexico

The main Cathedral of Mexico City...quite impressive and different from others we had visited as there were two altars one at the front and back of the church.

Mass was being said at the first altar while we were there.

Another view of the church....

Lots of pedestrian walkways...

Beautiful courtyards...

Historic markers....this shows the spot where the Spanish conquer Cortes first met the Aztec leader Montezuma which is now in the Center of the city.

Archeological sites...this is the site of a great Aztec temple which was discovered in the middle of the city. When the Spanish built Mexico City they built it on top of the Aztec city and used their buildings as quarries to gather materials. This site was discovered when recent digging took place....

Everywhere there are stalls with things to buy, here this alleyway was taken over by book sellers...

 

The spectacular interior of the Central Post Office....

The Opera House

These organ grinders are all over town....

We also took the tourist bus to the newer part of town and were really impressed with the cleanliness and the modern look of the business and financial districts...

Wide boulevards

 

Many monuments including The Angel of Independence

 

And the Arch of the Revolution. Of the many huge monuments and sculptures around the city there are many to remember and celebrate the Mexican revolution and its fight for Independence.

 

 

Great street art...

Some downtown street pictures.... Waiting for the bus

Walking through one of the many parks...

People everywhere...

Also lots of traffic and every time the light turns red there are people selling something, this guy Clorets...

And there is always time for a rest...

 

 

Another day we did a walking tour of two neighbourhoods San Angel and Coyocan which are some of the more well to do neighbourhoods and were beautiful...

I mistakenly called these flowers Poinsettias but was quickly told that in Mexico they are called Christmas Eve and the name was changed by an American general whose name was Poinsettia.

 

Many well tended parks...

Busy streets...

 

Many churches...

Fancy stores...

 

Cobblestone streets

Atrium crosses...these were used by the Spaniards instead of the the traditional crucified Christ as they were telling the natives that human sacrifice wasn't allowed so how could they show their God to be crucified?

These are the neighbourhoods of the artists Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo so we visited their studios and the Blue House.

Frida's studio which was joined by a roof top walkway to Diego's studio...

Diego's studio...

Frida's studio...

The garden...

 

 

Overall we both were more than pleased we decided to visit Mexico City and only wished we could have spent more time there. It has so much to see, lots of museums, art galleries and cultural venues to name a few and we only got an opportunity to see very little Since we hope to be coming to Mexcio for a few more winters we both feel that we will be back to this city to experience more of what it has to offer.

 

 

 

 

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