Tenochtitlan

Zocolo. Ruins of Templo Mayor with Catholic Cathedral in background built out of materials from the Aztec city.

Mexico city was like a ghost town when we spent some time there. I think the media focus on drug cartels and violence has scared the vast majority of tourists off. It's this moody strange mix of modern culture fused with a hybrid blend of partially exposed Aztec ruins subjugated by the Catholic invaders from Spain. I loved it! The public art is bold and exuberant and the city is absolutely vast. To think that this city was built on a drained lake goes part way to explaining why all the baroque architecture is leaning at crazy angles. (That and the fact that a fault line gave the city an 8.2 quake in 1985) The day we toured the Zocolo you had this quiet Cathedral and haunting ruins accompanied by blaring megaphones and a soccer expo for the World Cup! Evocative... not so much.

Lost tourist (myself) standing on top of The Pyramid of the Sun. Teotihuacan

If you get tired of watching penitents crawling on their knees across the Plaza at our Lady of Guadalupe (Even the Subway is Faster!) you should head to both the Museum of Anthropology and Teotihuacan (Aztec City outside the metro area). The site is awe-inspiring and the masonry exceptional. With such a focus on European art and culture it is almost criminal that Mexican and South American history is dealt with so lightly. Their ceramics were fascinating for me. Not only had they mastered work of extremely high quality but their decorative talents were first rate. I can only hope that their government can remedy their security situation as the people are friendly and the country rich with art and ruins... my kind of place!

Ceramic Vessel.  National Museum of Anthropology

Who needs boot camp when you have an Aztec Pyramid and Trinket Vendors in hot pursuit.

All Photos David Plummer