Mexico City

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Mexico City was founded as Mexico-Tenochtitlan circa March 18, 1325 by the Nahua Aztec or Mexica tribe, which rapidly became the capital of a sophisticated growing empire. Located on a small island on the middle of Lake Texcoco, the layout of the city forced the Mexica to build artificial islands (chinampas) and create a series of canals to allow the growth of the metropolis. In fact, although the lake was salty, dams built by the Aztecs kept the city surrounded by clear water from the rivers that fed the lake. Two double aqueducts provided the city with fresh water; this was intended mainly for cleaning and washing
After centuries of pre-Colombian civilization, the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés first arrived in the area in 1519. He did not succeed in conquering the city until August 13, 1521, after a 79-day siege that destroyed most of the old Aztec city.[In 1524 the rebuilt city served as the capital of the viceroyalty of New Spain and the political and cultural center of Mexico The importance of the city was such that the Captaincy General of Guatemala, Yucatán, Cuba, Florida, and the Philippines were administered from it. This colonial period culminated with the construction of the baroque Metropolitan Cathedral and the Basilica of Guadalupe.
Mexico City is located in the Valley of Mexico also called the Valley of the Damned, a large valley in the high plateau at the center of Mexico, at an altitude of 2,240 meters (7,349 feet. The city was almost completely destroyed in the siege of 1521, and was redesigned and rebuilt in the following years following the Spanish urban standards. In 1524 the municipality of Mexico City was established, known as México Tenustitlan, and as of 1585 it is officially known as Ciudad de México.
Awoke the following morning, not a good night the dreaded altitude affecting me again and still got the painful gout.
M.C.is a bewildering city reminds me of total bedlam; it’s so vast the population if you include the outlying areas 20million people.
Where I am staying is not exactly geared for travellers so not much help in information there, not to be deterred set off to explore if somewhat slowly (bloody gout) get a map and head my way to Plaza Zócalo , the Zócalo (officially known as the Constitution Square), the main central square with its time clashing Spanish-era Metropolitan Cathedral and Palacio Nacional, and ancient Aztec temple ruins Templo Mayor are all within a few steps of one another. (The Templo Mayor was discovered in 1978 while workers were digging to place underground electric cables.)
Here there is a information centre of sorts. Whilst there I arrange to give one more shot at a city tour by bus the following day, a little more confident as I had seen the buses running around the town.
Feeling somewhat poorly with the gout called it a day and headed for Hotel Virreys




Phileas

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Photos

the museum of who knows what
I never did find out what this building was but I know that during it's construction it was held up because of the revolution for 40years ,typical building in Mexico

two of many traffic police whilstle like mad all the time
at least 10 patrol each street every day,love the whistle to command the traffic

never found out
All I can say is this was built in the 70's to with stand earthquakes .it survived the 80's quake

house of tiles
the tiles were from China ,it is in fact a restaurant.I later found out the tiles were in fact from Mexico some where in the north ,however the the rest was from China

One of many taxis
rather odd as it can only carry two people as the front passenger seat has been removed to enable easy entry

the Cathedral in Plaza Zocalo
this is on a terrible lean in all directions .In 1979 it was about to fall down ,all the different naves inside are leaning all over the place

view from hotel room
noise from the road,well should call it race track ,under the building a nightclub music at 500 decibels till l 5-00am every night!!!the mexicans are noise mad worse than the Canarians