Nice sunrise at breakfast about 7 a.m. - balcony restaurant looks east to the Sierra Madre and the ring of volcanoes surrounding the city. Main square was quiet.
Catalina picked us up at 9 a.m. and we were off through the city to visit the Shrine of Guadalupe where there is a basilica at the site where the Virgin is purported to have appeared to Juan Diego. It is an important Catholic pilgrimage site visited by millions every year.
Catalina picked us up at 9 a.m. and we were off through the city to visit the Shrine of Guadalupe where there is a basilica at the site where the Virgin is purported to have appeared to Juan Diego. It is an important Catholic pilgrimage site visited by millions every year.
Cute kids were dolled up at the church in gorgeous dresses:
Next stop was Teotihuacan, a vast archaeological complex about 50 kms NE of the city. It was built between the 1st and 7th centuries AD. We walked the length of the complex - about 3 kms or so - and climbed the Temple of the Sun, over 60 m high.
By the time we finished it was getting hot so we were pleased to finish and return to the car and then had a slow at times drive back to the city on the busy freeway - with a 'catnap' on the way.
Catalina dropped us off at Sears department store and on her advice we went up to the 6th floor where we enjoyed a frappe overlooking the magnificent Museo de las Bellas Artes (Fine Arts Museum). No time though to see through it and do it justice so we returned to the hotel via the House of Blue Tiles (Casa de los Azulejos), an 18th century palace, now a restaurant.
Catalina dropped us off at Sears department store and on her advice we went up to the 6th floor where we enjoyed a frappe overlooking the magnificent Museo de las Bellas Artes (Fine Arts Museum). No time though to see through it and do it justice so we returned to the hotel via the House of Blue Tiles (Casa de los Azulejos), an 18th century palace, now a restaurant.
And then we crossed the main square to the Palacio de Municipio for the exhibition of Diego Rivera murals. Lovely buildings and gardens.
We were lucky to 'snag' a museum guide half-way through his tour and he assisted with some deeper analysis of the murals which are just wonderful! Diego was a famous Mexican painter (1886-1957).
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We walked back to our hotel via a quick look inside the huge cathedral opposite - nothing to write home about; and also via a walkway over the Templo Mayor archaelogical site. Before Spanish colonization, Templo Mayor served as the religious centre for the Aztec people. When Spanish Conquerors arrived in the late 14th century, the temple was among many that were destroyed and built over.
It now being early evening, we walked to Plaza Garibaldi which we are told is a hive of evening activity and we enjoyed a marguerita and guacamole while serenaded by various music groups of singers and guitar players.
We walked along a street that had shop after shop after shop of dresses that looked like they were either for weddings, balls or formals ??
We had dinner at Cafe de Tacuba on the way back to our hotel - enchiladas. The glass of red wine we thought was the highlight. Not sure I think much of the Mexican cuisine so far ...
Blogger doesn't seem to be 'keeping' the photos - help anyone ???
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