Greetings to you from Mexico City once again.
I awoke this morning, extremely disconcerted by a vivid dream where we were all dragooned into joining a dodgy cult here in Mexico. Methinks the altitude, coupled with meeting a large crowd of Germans in the immigration queue yesterday, who were going to an event which they 'couldn't really explain', (i.e. a cult gathering) manifested into a peculiar dream. I made sure I told the group to avoid any potential invitations to join cults and it has been ok so far, as far as I know.
After breakfast, where there was an abundance of refried beans, which a certain group member has become rather partial to, we gathered and headed off on a fascinating walking tour of the frantic, busy, buzzing metropolis that is Mexico City. We are staying right in the centre, surrounded by blaring taxi horns, men winding howling accordions in various states of disrepair, police cars with lights flashing and sirens shrieking, but trapped in with the rest of the traffic going nowhere fast, yet there is a certain vibrant feeling to the City, which I like.
Our trusty guide Violetta took us for an informative tour, taking in the Zocalo, the Main Square, which is the third largest square in the world, after Tiananmen Square in China and Red Square in Russia, all of which are very large squares. There was an enormous Mexican flag in the middle of the Zocalo; I thought our new Guide flag was large, but it doesn't compare to the one we saw today. Zoë tells me that they also have very large flags in Azerbaijan.
We also saw various places associated with Moctezuma, the Aztec king, including excavations ofthe Templo Mayor, the ancient Aztec temple, and the multi-storey car-park where Moctezuma used to leave his car.
We moved on to the spectacular Metropolitan Cathedral, visiting the Metro station which Moctezuma used to use to travel to the Cathedral to worship. The Metro station looked uncannily like Old Street station, so I felt quite at home.
I do find places of religious significance fascinating; this Cathedral was full of worshippers, tourists, and various services occurred whilst people wandered through. Violetta told us about the lack of official relations between the Vatican and Mexico until fairly recently, when the Pope (two Popes ago) came to visit. Relations were then cemented, schools became officially Catholic, rather than just Catholic, and everyone was happy. Not sure when the latest Pope will visit, but it's not that far from Argentina, so maybe he'll pop in when he pops home to visit his friends.
The tour came to an end and we went our separate ways. A group of us headed to the tallest building in Mexico City, which we dutifully climbed, well, with the help of a speedy lift which took us the first 42 floors. The views were spectacular as the City is very flat because of earthquakes. We could see the volcanoes in the distance. I saw my favourite volcano, Popocatépetl. It's active, but it hasn't erupted since... <googles> oh, March 7th.... 2013. Ok so that was quite recently. A month ago in fact. Right. In case you're wondering how to pronouce it, it's 'popper-catta-petal', which would be a good name for a cat in case you are thinking of buying one.
We went for a drink in a spectacular indoor courtyard bar, which had perfurmery at the front, an x-box shop at the back, and an overexcited lady playing with a plastic singing bird in the loo. Yes, really.
Post-siesta, we headed back to the square, to find my favourite type of place to eat - a roof terrace. We had superb views over the square and surrounds, and we sipped Corona above the hustle and bustle and car horns of the city. I ordered a Green Mole, an intriguing blend of beef, pumpkin seeds and various other things. I'm not sure what they were, but that's what being abroad is all about!
Signing out now. We are off to Our Cabaña in the morning! Hasta luego!
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