Mexico City-Culture,History and a whole lot more

It is said that every one should do something that challenges their comfort level.

Traveling to Mexico City as our first stop on our two plus week Get away does that for me.  It is impossible to truly intellectualize that nearly the population of the entire country of Canada resides here in the sinking former lake that was home to the many pre-hispanic people who were the original Mexicans.

With one previous trip 3 years ago as my experience and equipped with Trip Advisor, Google Maps, and booking.com reservations we arrived on Interjet, Mexico's national low price carrier.   The widebody, full leg room, camera on the nose experience puts other carriers to shame.  An easy taxi ride and we were welcomed to our fully modernized mansion turned hotel on the Alameda.  The day happened to be a religious celebration and the crowds were on the street carrying their icons.  Crossing Hidalgo/Reforma is not for sissies as traffic travels in 2 directions on each side of the divided road.  Nevertheless; the opportunity to see Palacio Bellas Artes, the Zocalo and have our first night dinner at Cafe Tacuba enticed us out walking well after dark.

Day One and we have dedicated this day to Centro Historic.  Templo Mayor, the once magnificent Mayan temple now only partially visible alongside the great cathedral,palace and zocalo. From there, in the midday heat and crowds we wanted to see the magnificent Diego Rivera murals in the national palace.  Not realizing that an extensive collection of pre-hispanic artifacts are also housed in the palace...we were in complete museum overload.  Luckily we found The  opera bar and had our first meal of the day in this classic complete with bullet hole of Pancho Villa in the ceiling!  

 A siesta later and wearing our best clothes; the Ballet Folklorico of Mexico charmed us after not quite so charming a stroll through some seriously disturbed art in the gallery.  Louise Bourgeois... There is a diagnosis for your obsessions I'm sure.

 Day 2 dedicated to Chapultepec and Museum of Anthropology.... Suffice to say it was like a time travel through all of Mexico.

 We left 4 hours later with the identities of Mayans vs. Aztecs still a burning question for another day.

 The view from the castle was stunning...the walk home via Rosa totally entertaining and we were done.

Day 3 and time to see the real Mexico city.  The streets just outside the main tourist zone attractions called to me.   So after promising Gene he would not be disappointed with breakfast at Sanborn's Casa de Los Azuelejos we went exploring.

We found where the Mexican people shop and I loved every crowded, noisy street.  Starting with a street dedicated to buying and clothing Baby Jesuses, moved thru the cloth, paper, light, and electronic areas ending in Barrio Chino just in time for Chinese lunch and to see the Lion Dance welcome New year of the horse.

Our last stop is an evening out to hear the mariachis at Plaza Garibaldi.  I have my Zihuatanejo amigas words in my head,warning me of the dangers of that area after dark.  But I don't want to miss one last chance for a sensory treat in this city of diversity.  Diversity that feeds the mind and soul and that sets the stage for our early morning flight to Guatemala.  Mayan immersion to continue.......