Tacos, Pyramids and more futbol!

Trip Start Dec 06, 2005
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Trip End Jun 17, 2006


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Where I stayed
Hostel Amigo
(Mexico City hotels)

Flag of Mexico  ,
Friday, March 10, 2006

Mexico City is the second biggest metropolitan area in the world with 25.8 million people, following Tokyo (35.2m). Itīs massive, and has a massive smog problem to go with it. I have really enjoyed the city, only here for 3 days before heading off to Cuba. The Centro Historico, where my hostel (the beautifully named "Hostel Amigo") is, has a really great vibe to it. There is awesome food sold from the street, small cafes and holes-in-the-wall - a lot of tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, and tortas (not cakes as in the rest of latin america, but kind of like really good toasted focaccias).

Thereīs heaps to do here, and Iīve only managed to see a few "sights", but itīs been fantastic and Iīd love to get back here a few days before my flight out. Hereīs a list of Stuff Iīve Seen:
(1) Latin Americaīs largest cathedral, a ludicrously decorated monstrous building with frescoes, gold and silver decorations, and statues everywhere you look 01 Big open plaza with massive flag
01 Big open plaza with massive flag
 .
(2) The archeological īTemplo Mayorī (Great Temple) of the Aztecs and earlier Mexican civilisations - their "centre of the universe" which was only dug up after the destruction of colonial buildings within the last 20 or so years.
(3) The oldest pub (cantina) in Mexico, "El Nivel", established 1855.
(4) A really impressive and free modern sculpture exhibition.
(5) A massive anti-globalisation protest in the main square, literally tens of thousands of people protesting outside the presidentīs "Palacio Nacional".
(6) The Virgin of Guadalupe, a massive miracle of the Catholic church. The story is great, not sure how much of it I actually believe but if you have some time itīs definitely worth google-ing.
(7) A football match between the Pumas of Mexico (the team of the national uni, UNAM) and Internacional of Brazil, as part of the Copa Libertadores (latin american version of the European Championīs league). The locals lost 1-2, which disappointed the often vocal but surprisingly small crowd.
(8) The most important site of the Aztec civilisation at Teotihuacán (an hour bus away from the end of the Metro), which includes a whole bunch of ruins, two massive pyramids including the third largest in the world (220m x 220m x 70m), still-colourful mural paintings even though they were probably painted in the 1st century AD, and loads of hawkers and school children.
(9) Lots of really good food, just in case I didnīt stress that enough previously!
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