I started writing up an account of my most recent trip shortly after I returned home a little over two months ago. After much procrastination (all sense of urgency vanished with the realization that I’d be homebound for the foreseeable future), I’m happy to share Part One with you.
I was fortunate indeed with the timing of my winter escape this year. I left for Mexico on January 26 and returned to Virginia on the last day of February, shortly before corona-virus related travel restrictions went into effect. The world changed so dramatically almost overnight. No one could have imagined how our lives would be impacted. It seems like my five weeks in Mexico happened in another era. Still, looking back at that earlier time allows me a temporary escape from today’s reality.
In preparation for my Mexican adventure, I had been studying Spanish with an online language course. I had also recently taken courses in Latin American history and art history at George Mason University. Both provided me with some very useful background knowledge and a greater awareness of the richness and complexity of Mexico’s history and culture. In case you’re interested, a book I highly recommend is Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest by Matthew Restall. It helped overcome some serious gaps in my education while also calling into question much of the Euro-centric interpretation of Latin American history that I’d been exposed to.
My trip began in Mexico City, known to locals simply as México. Despite all the negatives I’d heard about our neighbor to the South, I found its capital to be vibrant, cosmopolitan, friendly – and no more dangerous than any major U.S. city.
México is a great city for walking as it’s relatively flat and easy to navigate on foot, thanks to cell phone map apps. On a single walk, I could be immersed in a multitude of different worlds – from pre-Columbian to colonial Spanish to modern avant-garde. During my five full days in México, I wandered through colorful street markets, lush green parks, and quaint plazas; past gleaming skyscrapers, luxurious mansions, and towering monuments; and into fragrant smelling bakeries, aromatic taquerias, and into bistros that would be at home in any American city.
What you may have heard about México’s terrible traffic is true, but a big and very pleasant surprise was how consistently courteous the drivers were to pedestrians. As for the notoriously bad air pollution, it didn’t seem noticeable. When the traffic noise and the heat (at an elevation of over 7000 feet, the sun feels very strong) got to me, I’d duck into one of the city’s many excellent museums. I was told that Mexico City has more museums than any city in the world. And judging from the ubiquitous posters throughout the city advertising concerts, opera, dance and theater performances, the quantity and quality of cultural events rivals that of any major city in the world.
Since I’d never visited this sprawling city of over 21 million people before, I took the recommendation of my friend Diane (a long-time resident of San Miguel de Allende and a frequent visitor to Mexico City) and stayed in a neighborhood (colonia) called La Condesa, which is known for its trendy galleries, shops, and restaurants. This human-scaled residential area of México, with its eclectic mix of architectural styles (primarily Art Nouveau and Art Deco), cafes with outdoor seating, and one-of-kind boutiques, reminded me of trendier parts of Brooklyn.
My home-away-from-home for six nights was a charming B&B called the Red Tree House, just a couple of minutes’ walk from the Parque de México, a delightful haven for joggers, dog walkers, children, and young couples who are seeking an escape from their families’ prying eyes.
On my first morning in México, I used the hop-on hop-off bus to get a sense of orientation. A city of this size can definitely be overwhelming. On the two-hour loop around the historic center, 2000 years of history passed before my eyes. From La Condesa, the double decker bus traversed the adjacent upscale neighborhood of Roma (setting for the film of the same name), and made its way northeast along the wide Paseo de la Reforma, the commercial heart of the capital. From the roof of the bus, I glimpsed men in business suits and fashionably dressed women going in and out of tall office buildings that housed banks, corporate offices, exclusive shops, etc.
At Avenue Juarez, the bus turned right and we made our way towards the historic center of the city. En route, we passed the green expanse of Alameda Central, the oldest public park in the Americas (created in 1592). In front of the park, facing Avenue Juarez, stands the neo-classical monument to Benito Juarez, the revered and much-loved Mexican statesman.
The resplendent white marble Palacio de Bellas Artes, a venue for a variety of cultural events, stands at the eastern end of the park.
We made slow progress as we continued down colonial era streets deep into tourist territory. Former mansions were now retail establishments with familiar names, such as H&M, Starbucks, and Subway. Interspersed with the big chains were small locally-owned stores selling books, jewelry and ice cream.
One neoclassical mansion now houses the National Museum of Art. In front of it stands a 200-year old statue known as El Caballito. The figure on horseback is Spanish King Carlos IV of Spain, who was the ruler of New Spain at the time Mexico gained its independence.
Eventually, we arrived at the Zocalo (officially, the Plaza de la Constitucion). This enormous plaza, where a huge Mexican flag was flying, is the true heart of the entire country. The Metropolitan Cathedral faces the north side of the plaza while the fortress-like National Palace occupies the eastern side. Throughout the centuries, the plaza has been used as a ceremonial center where proclamations were issued, military parades were held, and religious events took place. On the day I got my first glimpse of the Zocalo, a very loud but peaceful political demonstration was going on. I learned that this is not an uncommon occurrence.
Although I was tempted to get out of the bus and start exploring this fascinating area on foot, I decided to remain on board so that I could complete the circuit. Heading back west, we skirted the northern edge of Alameda Central and were soon on Paseo de la Reforma once again. This boulevard led us to the northeastern corner of Chapultepec Park, one of the largest city parks in the world. In fact, it’s twice the size of New York’s Central Park. The area of Chapultepec has been used as a park since pre-Columbian times, when it served as a retreat for Aztec rulers. I knew I’d return to Chapultepec later in the week to visit the National Anthropology Museum, one of the many cultural treasures located within the borders of the park.
Eso es todo por ahora (that's all for now). You'll see more of Mexico City in my next post.
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