Mexico City
When Barbara and I were in Mexico City last week it almost felt as if the resistance had moved to that city. We stayed in a Quaker guesthouse about two blocks behind the Monument To The Revolution. A striking planton was layed out for blocks on Juarez Avenue in front of the monument. Many of the groups were from Oaxaca. Someone (who?) decided to knock hundreds of windows out of the ISSSTE (union) glass building nearby whereupon a couple hundred strikers marched in protest down Reforma.
A couple days later the hop on hop off bus I was on pulled over by the side of the road and stopped near the Bellas Artes…the driver conferring on the phone. Turns out that the strikers took over the Zocalo and all roads around it were blocked. So the bus just continued on back to the Monument where I had picked it up. Actually the 3 hour open air bus under the hot sun was tedious…just drove down tree-lined Reforma Avenue to Chapultepec Park and back through Polanco (high end shopping) Condesa (best place for sidewalk cafes) the Zona Rosa (cheesy tourist area with bars) around the Zocalo, Bellas Artes (a must) and on to the Monument To The Revolution.
However, you could spend weeks visiting the historical buildings and museums…the most highly recommended being the Museum of Anthropology that covers acres just off Reforma Avenue.
The Zocalo taken from the rooftop restaurant of the Holiday Inn.
In the corner of the bare treeless, chairless Zocalo I spent two hours watching some young guys performing an amazing breakdancing/gymnastic routine on bare pavement.
“Ciudad de México, México, D.F., or simply México is the capital city of Mexico. It is the most important economic, industrial and cultural center in the country, and the most populous city with 8,720,916 inhabitants in 2005. However, Greater Mexico City (Zona Metropolitana del Valle de México) extends beyond the limit and covers 58 municipalities of the State of Mexico and 1 municipality of the state of Hidalgo, according to the most recent definition agreed upon by the federal and state governments. In 2005 Greater Mexico City had a population of 19.2 million, making it the largest metropolitan area in the western hemisphere and the second largest in the world. In 2005, it ranked as the eighth-largest urban agglomeration GDP in the world.
Mexico City is also the Federal District (Distrito Federal in Spanish, and hence the abbreviation D.F. that officially follows the name of the city). The Federal District is coextensive with Mexico City: both are governed by a single institution and are constitutionally considered to be the same entity.
Mexico City is at an altitude of 2,240 meters (7,349 feet). It was originally built by the Aztecs in 1325 on an island of Lake Texcoco.
It was built on a swamp and is sinking.
The Historical Center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
I highly recommend the Casa de los Amigos Guesthouse in Mexico City run by the Quakers on Ignacio Mariscal No. 132
in Colonia Tabacalera Mexico D.F.
Tele: 5705-0521
email: amigos@casadelosamigos.org
The guesthouse is a short metro ride to Bellas Artes and on to the Zocalo.
Minimum stay 2 nights and max 4 nights unless you make a special request.
Full breakfast for $1.50 except Sundays
If you only have a little luggage you can take the Metro from the airport for two pesos and avoid an expensive taxi ride. You will have to make two transfers. Best to get written instructions from the guesthouse staff. Mexico City’s Metro is the cleanest, nicest and least expensive subway I have experienced in the world.
Tags: Hotels,Hostels & Guesthouses, Mexico, Mexico City, UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Zoe
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