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Mexico city (for me) is a huge mish mash of lots of different cities, maybe it's laziness on my part as it requires less description, comparing things, but sometime it better to have a context. The historic centre is called the Zocalo, long European looking streets in a grid system reminiscent of New York. In the centre of this is a huge square with a massive Mexican flag limply flapping in the insubstantial wind. It must take some exceptionally strong gale to really fly it. The square has the old palace on one side and an ornate, gothic looking cathedral on an another, around the rest are arched buildings with symmetrical windows. You could be forgiven for thinking you were in Prague or Brussels. The square is usually empty but for the flag, however at this time year they were constructing a huge christmas tree out of long lengths of green matt tinsel. The tree was massive, two double decker buses in height with lots of little red bodies scrabbling up and down it attaching the faux covering like festive pixies. On the other side of the square an open air ice rink was being constructed, how they will prevent that from melting I have no idea, and next to that, wooden huts, complete with fake snow on top for a christmas market. It makes me a bit homesick seeing this and remembering drinking hot meed at the bottom of the mound with family (clinging on to Nenny to prevent her skitting on ice) and friends.
Mexico city was originally built on a lake in the bowl of the mountains that surrounded it, and navigated by canals like Venice. The foolish Spanish unable to cope with building on water drained the lake and now the city is slowly sinking, subsidence is rife and clearly visible with cracks like lightening bolts down the sides of building and church's that aisles project you to the pulpit down a slope. The atrocities the Spanish committed in terms of desecration of the indigenous architecture was appalling. They practically bulldozed down all the Indian cities and built on top of them using the surplus materials to construct vast churches and their idea of a 'civilised' city. Ironically the ancient civilisations had running water in their homes, toilets, showers and an effective rubbish collection system along the rivers and out of the city. Cleaning was an important part of Indian life and when the Spanish aristocracy arrived the enslaved servants were often much cleaner then the countesses and mistresses as they only bathed once a year and couldn't be fully naked due to catholic ruling. Daft.
On the Wednesday morning, I got up at a leisurely 8.30, showered and headed down to see the gang. I met Gem on her way back from breakfast armed with some toast for Cleo who wasn't feeling very well again. Luis had headed out with early riser Aida to investigate tour buses and who reappeared shortly after I had. Cleo perked up and, after a game of happy families, I went off by myself for half an hour to have a wee walk round the main square whilst the Luna clan packed up and stored their bags. After that we trotted on mass to the bank where I was successful but unfortunately Gemma's UK card didn't work and they needed to deposit money in the school account to pay for the girls, Gem went in search of HSBC (it may the world's local bank but it's MC branch proved rather elusive even to the locals) whilst the kids, Luis and I went over to the temple ruins just off the main square. We didn't go in and just as well as I ended up going as part of the tour the next day. By now it was about half twelve and the bus tour (yes I was one of those geeky people peering over the edge of an open top bus with a camera and an upside down map) was suppose to take 3 hours. We went to the main stop in the square and the rep there said that the square was infact closed so we would have to walk 8 blocks to the next stop. Half an hour later we located the stop, having had to ask several people and trek about in the hot sun. Luis kindly offered to lurk at the bus stop which had no shelter from the sun while a subdued Cleo, Aida, Gem and admittedly not a 100% me, sat in the shady steps down to the pretty terracotta painted stamp museum courtyard with bubbling fountain. Aida cracked open her pens and settled down on the ground with her colouring book beside the fountain. It was amusing to watch people walking past looking at what she ws drawing as if she was some minature street artist. Over an hour later and on the verge of us giving up the bus appeared. We got on and while Gem inquired with the conductress about the frida Carlo museum the kids and I went up stairs and sat in the open air. Unfortunately the frida carlo museum was quite far from the Bus route so the luns's decided to got to the anthological museum instead. I opted to stay on the bus, it had taken so long to get this one I didn't wasn't to have to hang around for another, I wasn't feeling well and it gave me the chance to see lots of the city in a short a space of time.
The bus passed through leafy areas such as La Contesa, named after a spanish countess who owned the whole area and more but whose name has been lost in the folds of time. These wide avenues, trees on either side and cafes lining the pavements look very Parisian. It then travelled down modern streets with large reflective glass building on either side and palm trees along the centre reminiscent of LA.
After 3 and a half hours, with a few moment of having to duck low hanging branches the bus eventually arrived back in the historic centre. I made my way back to hostel. There was no sign of Gem and the gang so I headed out round the corner to a dress shop I had seen an amazing dress in, I know totally inappropriate but it had peacock feather design on it (even doug said it would of been a travesty not to get it) Using my 'Spanish for travellers book' I managed to say I wanted to try it on and also what size. Successful in both the trying on and buying I jubilantly ventured over to C&A (yes, as in the one used to be on Princesses street) and after standing in a queue for 20mins got some tights, its cold here!
Back to the hostel I emailed for a bit then Gem and family reappeared and we headed out for dinner. After, I had to say sad goodbyes to a sleepy cleo, fully awake Aida, Luis and wonderful Gemma. I then waved them off in a taxi, returned to the hostel where I went straight to bed, exhausted and sad to leave everyone after such a lovely two weeks with the Luna clan.
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