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Published: January 12th 2009
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Mexico City was an unexpected bonus. Having decided to depart the Americas for Cairo and builders of other pyramids, our airline layovered us at Mexico city. Immediately asking for a little more than a few hours, we wangled a whole 10 days. And we were delighted with our fortune... until Qantas didn't properly process our flight changes, leaving us at Guatemala airport up sewerage creek. Fortunately some exceptionally helpful and friendly service from the Airport Managment office (earning them the "Best Help When We Were In The Worst Doo Doos" award), and a Skype call to NZ became our paddle to make the flight out, with 10 minutes to spare before the flight closed.
Mexico city was the lakeside Island capital of the Incan empire until a dastardly cunning Spaniard by the name of Cortes lead a tiny force of Spaniards, carefully manipulating the significant regional hatreds against the incumbent Aztecs. While not guaranteed of success or survival, with some ruthless tactics and a fair dose of luck, Cortes toppled the empire and returned to favour (and stupendous wealth) with the Spanish crown for his unsanctioned expedition. Setting a blue print for other expeditions in the Americas, he set about
The early city
Pre-Incan, this waterlogged island built on the lake was the centre of a major powerhouse and one of the most advanced civilisations on the continent. absolutely decapitating the culmination of leadership, cultural, religious, and architectural achievements made over centuries. For his efforts he is now remembered (not always flatteringly) in many history books, and by a very small plaque on the wall next to an alter of a castle looking church with the letters "H.C." only.
Mexico city was the heart of the Aztec empire, based from a small Island on a lake. It was hard to comprehend this flying into Mexico City, as there was almost no lake in evidence. The city of 20 million people now sprawls over the drained carcass of the lakebed, providing dubious footing for the massive buildings of the eras, from pyramids and temples to colonial cathedrals and palaces - often the latter on top of the former. Unsurprisingly subsidence and flooding was an ongoing problem, but both pre- and post-colonial cultures tackled this with an energetic determination, using cunning piles/footings and where that failed (as it invariably did), rebuilding. Many historic buildings look bizarre with their clearly sunken structures, giving them a slight lean which interferes not at all with their ongoing use.
Being forewarned by our advanced scout (Arlene's workmate Krista) that this massive city
9:30am
Believe it or not, you can get a seat on the Mexican subway... you just need to time your visit carefully between Christmas and New Year. This one was for you, Krista! was insanely busy and hot, we arrived just after Christmas, and left just after New Year, making the most of the lovely winter sunshine and even getting a seat on the subway at 5:30pm. Delighting in blatting around its sprawling length and breadth by subway cost us an insane 2 pesos per trip - about NZ0.25c. And that for an international style metro system.
Museums and art are features of Mexico's massive capital. The exhibitions from the sheer variety of cultures within Mexico were beautifully displayed, lending us a greater appreciation of the Mayan sites we had seen of the Yucatan, and the local Aztec history. Also with such a wealth of different cultures well in excess of these two more prominent civilisations, the Museo Nacional de Anthropologico had our brains fantastically overloaded.
But with Benj looking forward to the art galleries, the outcome was dissapointing. Apart from the massive, intricate, and political murals of Diego Rivera, and the background story of his life with fellow artist Frida Kahlo, the massive art museums provided little else to stir our creative juices with.
And then there was the FOOD. A Mexican identity. Since Mexico is not a homogenous
Recovery therapy
After 4 days of nil to limited dietary intake, Benj found the street fod in Mexico city both cheap and plentiful. Perfect. entity, there was lots of good food on offer from all manner of street sellers (illegal but tolerated) and more established street side BBQ outfits, giving (especially Benj) a frequent fill of thoroughly filling and tasty delights with an afterburner proportional to the rocket fuel we placed on top. Chancing upon a movie entitled 'Australia', we ran over the road, loaded up on street tacos, and made it back to see this historical slice of Antipodes with our lips still burning with much older New World fare.
And so the time came to bid farewell to this wonderful city, and our travels which have taken us through the most incredible countries of South & Central America. Our last night we spent ascending the LatinoAmericano skyscraper to link all the little pieces of the city we had explored by subway into one enormous whole - and now we could appreciate the lakeside beginning but also the gargantuan metropolis this city has become. 20 million people crammed next to and on top of each other. Amazing. And the two cocktails we had were the equivalent of 4 street meals - and worth every little bit as we savoured the night views!
Mexican wolf
aka Senor Lobo. Having time only for the zoo (and an obligatorially huge Mexican taco lunch) on the morning of our flights outs, Arlene was rapt to see the Mexican wolf minding its own business through the trees of its little hangout.
So farewell to all the wonderful people of the past and present who have made our travels so amazing thus far. We dive off into new chapters, with next stop Cairo.
Adios Pais magnificos. Muchas muchas gracias para nos viajes.
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Krista
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yeeha!
So glad you got to experience the place properly, we were too busy running to the toilet to see what we wanted to. Arlene, you are looking fantastic! X Krista.