Mexico City

Tuesday 7 November 2017 A stroll around the historic centre of Mexico City

After a somewhat stressful start - nw cards not doing what they are supposed to do - we eventually got out and strolled through a very pleasant park, past the Palicido de Bellas Artes, an incredibly beautiful building. The inside is equally beautiful and well worth a visit.

Palicido de Bellas Artes

The Palacio National that we see today is a reconstruction that was completed in 1693, replacing the previous two that burnt down in 1659 and 1692. Taking up the entire east side of the plaz, it was built on the site of Moctezuma's palace when the Aztecs were  annihilated by the Conquistadors.

The palace is free to enter provided you can leave a passport or ID card - both of ours were back at the apartment.  Then Jorge introduced himself to us saying that  if we hired him as a guide, his ID would be enough to get us in. We knew that it was now or never.

He gave us the history of the complex but the most interesting part was the murals, painted by Diego Rivera between 1929 and 1935. The entire staircase and all around the first floor is a grand sweep of the history of the Mexicans. From the belief that the ancients were taught astronomy by the Vikings through the fact that most ordinary people welcomed the Conquistadors because of the fondness that the Aztecs had for human sacrifice and the much later American invasion stole over a third of Mexican territory. 

We had a look at the ruins of the Aztec palace, but it really is just a lump of stones held together with mortar. There is quite a lot of information dotted around the fenced off structure, in both Spanish and English, some of it suggesting that the rest of it was used in the construction of the cathedral right next door.


Luckily there are a couple of really good models of the complex in its heyday.

These temples are often depicted with blood running out of the opening and down the steps to portray the daily sacrifices carried out by the Aztecs - something about keeping the sun fuelled, I believe.

Wednesday 8 November

Chapultepec Park

We had quite an adventure getting here. The nearest metro stop to our apartment turned out to be out to be a metro-bus stop - a two carriage, modern bus - but we had to 'pay' to get on the platform. So we stood back and watched a couple of locals go through, while also translating the instructions between us when a young lady offered to help. Not only did she help us buy a travel card but she happened to be going in the same direction, so she led us three stops on the bus before changing to the metro and telling us where to get off.

Public transport in the city is reliable, comfortable and cheap.

The bridge crossing the eight-lane highway from the metro station  is dotted with the current exhibition - photographs enlarging the minute, and lead to the entrance of the park

Six pillars at the entrance - Bosque de Chapultepec - Monumento a Los Niños Hèroes celebrates the bravery of the last cadet standing after the Americans had slaughtered all the others.

The art gallery - Meuso de Arte Monderno

The Castle - museo Naional de Historia

The Antropología Museo

Thursday 9 November

Teotihuacan - Pirámide de la Luna