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Published: November 25th 2011
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So day 5 in Mexico City. Yesterday was meant to be my last and I was due to be on a flight to Cuba in an hour but as usual plans change last minute and instead its off to Guatemala and volunteering tomorrow!
Mexico City has been incredible from the moment I got here. The streets are packed, the traffics chaotic and the police sirens near constant but that just adds to what is Mexico City. I've been staying in Centro Historico which is the old downtown area of the city. It is beautiful. This is where the Presedential Palace, Metropolitan Cathedral and the Plaza de la Constitucion are located. Directly outside the hostel is a market run by indigneous people from the Oaxaco region of Mexico seeking justice for community members who have disappeared or been arrested by the authorities never to be seen again (or at least thats what I got from my interpretation of the banners!). The streets around Centro Historico are small, cobblestone and lined with cheap jewelery, clothing, food and other random stores. The area is a bit run down but that doesn't take away from it at all. One thing the conquistadors liked to
The Snake and the Eagle
This is believed to be the spot where the Aztecs saw the snake being taken by the eagle. They believed this point to be the centre of the universe. do when they raised the anciet Aztec city of Tenochtitlan and rebuilt Mexico City in its place was build churches. There are so many of them in Centro Historico! The area also has a very 17th-18th Century Mediterranean feel to it with its grand architecture and the like.
Wondering down Calle Madero it would be very easy to think you were in another Western country with its high end shops and restaurants that line the street but take a detour down any side street and you'll be back to finding street vendors and small catinas.
One thing I've noticed about Mexico City is that everyone just likes to hang around and take life slowly. From the groups of men standing on street corners to the old women sitting on the kerbs people just like to take it easy. All this despite at the same time a city of 21 million speeds by. Talking of hanging around...the police like to do it a lot. They are everywhere you go and it feels very NYC 80s style movie with them just standing there saying nothing sometimes unarmed, sometimes sporting sub machine guns. All in all though this gives an impression
Mexica Sun Stone
Originally believed to be the Aztec calender it is now thought to have been a monolith used in rituals by the Aztecs. that Mexico City is a very safe place and I had no qualms about walking around at night by myself. Judging from Mexico City its hard to imagine this country is in the midst of a drug war that has claimed over 45000 lives in 5 years.
Highlights have been:
Museo Nacional de Anthropologia - this is by far the best museum I have ever been to in my life. So many artifacts from the ancient Maya, Aztec and Mesoamerican cultures. Beautiful works of stone masonry to the buriul rituals of these peoples, the musem explains it all.
The general friendliness of the locals who despite my awful Spanish have done everything they can to help out when needed. Special mention goes to the woman who served me in the Post Office as these were a very challenging 20 minutes of both of our lives trying to send a parcel and postcard to Australia.
Being the only gringo on a packed metro system.
Not so good:
Being vegetarian and not knowing what food is right to eat.
How tired I am after kms of walking everyday!
Basically if you like beautiful buildings, friendly locals, don't mind risking your life to cross the road and can handle the odd whiff of sewerage Mexico City truly is a city to visit.
Next stop Guatemala City...
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