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MEXICO CITY MEXICO
Mexico City soars above the earth at an elevation of almost
8,000 feet. The Valley
of Mexico, is an ancient lakebed about 60 miles long and 30 miles
wide. It is on this vast surface, surrounded by towering mountains
on all sides, that the original settlement was established by
nomadic, indigenous people in the 14th century. From that modest
beginning, the city has grown in every direction to encompass
300 colonias or neighborhoods connected by everything from cobblestone
streets and narrow alleyways to eight lane major thoroughfares.
The heart of the city is the Zocalo, a large plaza
flanked by the Cathedral and the National Palace. This 500-block
virtual
museum of colonial architecture, was built on ruins of the Aztec
capital, Tenochtitlan. The Templo Mayor, one block from the Zocalo,
is the foremost relic of that period. Artifacts unearthed at
the site are displayed next door in the Museo del Templo Mayor.
The park just west of the Zocalo, Alameda Central,
is lined by museums, and the Palacio de Bellas Artes, a performing-arts
venue
and a must-see for its art-deco interior and elegant dome, is
at its northeastern corner. Paseo de la Reforma, the city's stately,
elegant boulevard, flanked by modern skyscrapers and popular
Mexico City Hotels, runs along the western edge of the Alameda
Central. From there,
it travels southwest to Chapultepec Park, the site of several
museums and the zoo.
Chapultepec Park is not only the city's largest
park, but it's also home to many fine museums, such as the world-renowned
Museo
Nacional de Antropologia. In the daytime, the park is patrolled
by police on horseback who are dressed to resemble charros, traditional
Mexican cowboys. North of Chapultepec Park is Polanco, an upscale
neighborhood with many fine Mexico City Hotels, restaurants
and
shops.
Those
traveling to Mexico City will find symphony orchestras, a national ballet company,
a national opera company and numerous
theaters offering performances in Spanish. Museums are plentiful
and impressive. Ballet Folklorico's performances of traditional
Mexican dance at the Palacio de Bellas Artes are particularly
noteworthy. The most colorful attractions are the traditional
religious festivals occurring throughout the year.
Mexico City is an exciting combination of Aztec, Spanish colonial
and modern art and architecture. Between Alameda Central and
the Zocalo are several impressive buildings and museums, including
the Palacio de Iturbide, an Italianate baroque palace, Casa de
Azulejos (the House of Tiles), the Correo Central (the main post
office), the Museo Nacional de Arte, containing Mexican art exhibits,
and Museo Franz Mayer which displays religious art and European
antiquities.
There are jogging trails in Chapultepec Park and
bicycle rentals by the hour in the first section of the park.
Most golf and tennis
clubs are private, but some Mexico City Hotels offer guest privileges.
Shopping, sightseeing, culinary delights, sports and recreation,
a vibrant nightlife, concerts, theater and fiestas year round:
these are the highlights of a vacation in warm and welcoming
Mexico City. |
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