August, 2011: Mexico City - Day

Having came all the way to Mexico, I couldn't leave without checking out Mexico City. The capital of Mexico, Mexico D.F (Distrito Federal), is by one count, the 3rd largest city in the world.

After 3 weeks in Monterrey it was time to leave for Mexico City, before getting out of the country. The evening before I left, I could hear the train horn blowing at the far edge of the industrial park from my hotel. Too bad, it was not a "Alllll-aaabooooard!!", since it is not a passenger train, just cargo.
Standing at an altitude of 2,240 metres, in the Valley of Mexico right in the high plateaus at the center of Mexico, it is probably one of the highest above sea level.
Most of the Mexican I worked with in Monterrey were from Mexico City, and they looked incredulous when I actually have to ask if Mexico City is bigger than Monterrey. Of course, they said. Go see for yourself, they suggested. I did, and now I am a believer. It is hugh.
And it is colorful, too. The street out of the airport was a crash of color.
I checked into the Cathedral Hotel, near the main city cathedral. It is at the centre of Federal District, and, judging by the crowd, the touristy part. Although here in the Historic Centre, it is a much sombre part of town. Even the 7Eleven shop lost their colors.
The website of the Cathedral Hotel promised me a view of the Cathedral. Well, I wasn't getting any of that. The only view I got was the window of the room opposite. But at least it is right at the centre of most of the touristy places I was planning to see.

First stop ,the Metropolitan Cathedral, of course. The tourist has already descended on the cathedral and the main square in front of it. As with all churches in Mexico, the church came with the merchants. All along the front gate of the church were souvenir peddlers, stalls selling drinks and food.

I skipped going into the cathedral for now and followed the crowd into a side street.
Along the way, a Xi'an terracotta statute by the National Museum caught my attention and I went into the museum. Admission is free, and there were a China exhibition going on. In it were the usual Chinese costume, pottery and the likes.
A Confucius saying on the vermillion wall seems to attract a lot of attention from the Mexican visitors. It turns out to be
“己所不欲，勿施于人。”
《论语·卫灵公》

They also have a interesting permanent display of rice as staple food in the Asia Pacific rim.

After the museum, I wander into the old part of town. There were more churches, and more stalls. The old town seems to be organized by the same way as old Hanoi, where each streets has a concentration of a specific trade. The longest street I wandered into was textile street: everything from thread to panties. I have my lunch by the street, and then continue back to the Cathedral.


This time round, I went into the church. A Spanish sign ('cripta') seems to suggest there is a crypt right below the church. I followed the sign and went down a flight of stair to the basement. But there was a desk by the door and someone at the back of the desk, who look like he is there to stop busybody like me from entering. I never got into the crypt.


But images of death seems to be commonplace on the street. This reverence towards is probably carried over from Aztec belief before the introduction of the Catholic church. Mexico is quite famous for its Fesival of the Dead. Juxtaposition of church and death is everywhere in the street.


I would hate to run into this statute of Santa Muerta in the middle of the night.
Just right outside the cathedral, the Indians were doing their dance. Once they noticed me taking pictures, one of them came over for 'tips'. The sent the right guy, I gladly parted with some spare changes.