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Published: June 21st 2017
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Geo: 19.4106, -99.1306
Beginning another adventure.
The flight to \mexico was surrisingly long and seemed to detour way north over Greenland. Maybe this was to avoid the storms and headwind crossing the Atlantic to hit UK. But after 12 hours and 4 movies we arrived early evening Mexican time.We had a short wander to the main square all lit up with Xmas festive lights and busy with a huge ice rink in the centre. One night we found ourselves walking through a powder snow fall (generated by snow machines and accompanied by carols!) in the main shopping street. They like to experience winter, even if temperatures are very un wintery - 10 at night and 20+ with hot sun and blue skies once it warms up in the day.
On our first day we explored the ancient Aztec remains in the city centre, saw the Cathedral and then mastered the Metro to take us to a quieter neighbourhood with a tree lined square full of modern art on a Saturday and a sit down at a cafe on the pavement for our first toscados snacks and glass of wne. On Sunday we went to the huge Anthropological Musem to see Aztec and Mayan artifacts
particulalry. It was interesting to see locals at play as they crowded into the park and Museum, free to them but not us on Sundays.
On Monday we found our way by metro to the Roma suburb, quite influenced by Europe and different waves of immigration, where Barny and Gem had booked us a Foodie walking tour. A young lady showed us round the neighbourhood with interesting explanations and stops at various cafes for snacks and liquid refeshment which included hibiscus and rice water drinks, beer tasting, mescal, a glass of wine and coffee. We sampled Taccos, Tomales and Toscadoes with Jalapeno and habenero salsas. It was an excellent way of exploring a strange city in cnversation with an interesting Mexico City resident.
On our last day in the city we went on a long metro and train journey to an area in the South where there are still canals and as we were punted along quiet waterways we tried to imagine how the Aztec city was originally constucted n a vast lake, whih continue to give them problems as their buildings like the cathedral are still sinking. (In saying 'still' canals - when the Spanish came across the ancient city that
Gourmet's delight
Mexican's eat pork crackling with everything stod where the centre of Mexico City is now it consisted of man-made islands in the middle of a huge lake, very little of the lake remains)
We've both struggled a bit these few days with Peter taking himself to a local doctor with a sore throat and breathlessness, to be prescribed antibiotics just like home, and Liz falling down a hole - one of many on the pavement- resulting in a painful twisted ankle , so hobbling round with a stick. We also got fleeced by a taxi driver short changing us.
But we've found some cultural high spots like Diego Rivera's murals and Frida Kahlo's paintings and the house they shared, with a bridge joining the two halves. We also went to the beautiful Palais Belle Artes for a colourful evening of folk dance.
All good fun. Wish we spoke better Spanish, but we are getting to grips with Mexican History and Literature, as time allows.
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