TRAVELOGUE
An Eight-Day Odyssey to Mexico City:
Exciting, Dangerous, Big, Challenging!

Taxco’s famous pink church, Tempo de Santa, dating back to the 16th century

Recollections and photographs
by Ralph Selitzer, Editor and Publisher

Mexico City is the largest metropolis in the world. With a population of 20+ million sprawled over 2,000 sq km it is a massive, confusing, mind-boggling mosaic of humanity. Mexico City is not only the oldest continuously inhabited city in the western hemisphere, it also carries the burden of the volatile mix of wealth and poverty.

All the highly-detailed websites (Google “Mexico City”) cannot really prepare you for the Mexico City experience. In fact, we found the most valuable, straightforward information in the Automobile Association of America (AAA) Mexico City guide. Useful websites include www.allaboutmexicocity.com and www.advantagemexico.com. Even with a tour book in hand, one can easily become bewildered by the turmoil and mayhem of the city. However, with intelligent pre-planning and specific sightseeing goals, Mexico City can be a rewarding, memorable experience not to be missed.

Playing It Safe

Most victims of street crime are unprepared, confused travelers. Don’t leave your hotel without a specific plan of where you are going and how you will get there and back. A big problem is the crush of people. Mass transit is clean and efficient but packed with passengers and is a feast for the pickpocket. Follow simple safety rules as in any big city. Don’t walk alone, especially after dark. Watch your purse, wallet, etc. For example, I concealed my camera and lenses in a plain black knapsack.

Taxi robberies are among the most frequently reported crimes. That’s because there are many taxis with counterfeit license plates and exterior markings, etc. They may look like the real taxis but they are fakes and they are largely ignored by the police. The AAA advises that you should especially avoid taxis parked in front of public buildings, such as the Palace of Fine Arts. At the airport, use only official taxis which you pay for in advance at special taxi stands, or have your hotel taxi pick you up. In town, only hire taxis from a major hotel, even if you have to walk a few blocks to the hotel. Going out on the town, have your hotel transportation take you to your destination and pick you up.

Telephones rank high as a major tourist rip-off. Some phones charge $20 per minute for long-distance calls, especially those that accept credit cards. We used our cell phone. At $1 per minute it was a bargain.

Where to Stay — Choose a Safe Area

This is probably your most important decision. Unlike other major cities such as London, Paris and New York, no part of Mexico city is entirely immune to crime, especially the downtown area, the popular Zona Rosa tourist section and the area behind the U.S. Embassy.

We were fortunate to have chosen the J.W. Marriott in the upscale Polanco area (www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/mexjw-jw-marriott-hotel-mexico-city/). Frankly the choice was because of the magnificent Marriott, but the bonus was the most beautiful and secure area of Mexico City. Here, under the protection of armed police on every corner, you have the complete freedom without worry to explore, take a pleasant stroll and walk a few blocks on the Avenida Presidente Masaryk, Mexico City’s most exclusive shopping avenue lined by dozens of upscale stores and designer shops. The magnificent four-star, 26-story Marriott is flanked by other first-class hotels and is situated in a beautiful village setting with many interesting shops, a bookstore and even a Starbucks. The hotel is a luxurious oasis and a refreshing respite from a busy day of sightseeing. It is everything you would expect from an upscale hotel: four diverse restaurants, rooftop pool and spa, and all the amenities of a four-star hotel. The concierge service is excellent and will arrange everything for you including daily sightseeing tours.

Food in Mexico City

This report will not include any review of the food in Mexico City simply because we ate all our meals in the Marriott’s dining room and cafés. Dull perhaps? With the horror stores about “Montezuma’s Revenge” my wife and I decided to play it safe and dine only at the Marriott. This proved to be a wise decision. And of course, drink only bottled water. Be prepared to carry plenty with you.

On our last day of touring in the silver city of Taxco we broke our rule and had lunch in one of the town’s best, cleanest and 100% safe cafes, as recommended by our tour guide. Unfortunately we were struck by a mild stomach upset that affected our last afternoon in Mexico and lingered even upon our return to New York. It is not only contaminants you have to worry about but also the unfamiliar spices that are used.

Sightseeing

The enormous size of Mexico City makes it difficult to plan a sightseeing itinerary. Tour buses that offer on-and-off privileges run from 9 to 9 daily and stop at half-hour intervals. It would be best to go on scheduled tours arranged by your hotel, or to arrange for a private tour and a guide, as we did. Although you pay for the convenience (averaging 1,500 pesos or $150 a day) personalized tours allow for greater flexibility and more personal service. For our guide’s name and contact information please contact me at gnype@optonline.net.

The Trip: Our Day-By-Day Itinerary

Day One (Saturday)

Following our five-hour flight from JFK, New York arriving in Mexico City at 3:00 pm (one hour earlier daylight saving time difference) we were picked up by pre-arranged Marriott hotel limousine. The cost was 700 pesos (about $70). The authorized airport taxi would have been 160 pesos or about $16 but we opted for the convenience.

During the remainder of the day we rested, getting accustomed to the thin air at 7,300 feet altitude. We drank lots of water and took it easy and saved our strenuous sightseeing for the next day. After an afternoon at the spa we strolled Polanco and had dinner in Marriott’s Pergamino Restaurant which serves California-style cuisine.

Day Two (Sunday) — A Day in Chapultepec Park

The J.W. Marriott borders Chapultepec Park, but for safety reasons we took a hotel taxi about two miles to the entrance. It seemed as if all of Mexico City converged on Chapultepec Park on this beautiful Sunday. Many food and souvenir shops line the winding paths. This vast recreational and cultural area spans 2,100 acres and has been a refuge from summer heat for more than 500 years. It is said that the Mexica or Aztecs used the wooded area and later the nobility retreated to Chapultepec in the summer. Here you can go boating, enjoy the botanical gardens, zoo, children’s museum and amusement areas. The park is also home to several important cultural attractions including Chapultepec Castle, National Museum of Anthropology, and Museum of Modern Art.

Chapultepec Castle stands atop a hill 200 feet high overlooking the central part of the city. It can be reached by foot or a round trip tram ride. From here you can get an unrestricted view (best in the morning before smog invades) of the Paso De La Reforma, Mexico City’s longest and most beautiful boulevard capped by the Angel of Independence monument. Fashioned after Paris’ Champs-Élysées, the boulevard was built during the reign of Emperor Maximilian, the Austrian archduke who ruled Mexico from 1864-67. The castle dates from 1783 and was used as a fortress during the Mexican American War of 1847. In 1939 it was bequeathed to the nation. Today it houses the National Museum of History and many interesting historical rooms.

This reconstructed Mayan Temple is part of the 100,000 sq. ft. National Museum of Anthropology complex

National Museum Of Anthropology — This is probably the finest archaeological museum in the world. More than 26 exhibit halls are housed in 100,000 square feet. Every conceivable artifact covering 30 centuries of human evolution are on display: stone carvings, ceramics, masks, decorative objects, traditional costumes, and more. Highlights of the museum include the Aztec Hall featuring the 24-ton Aztec calendar stone with the face of the sun god carved in its center; Mayan Hall featuring a reconstructed Mayan temple; Teotihuacán Hall with its massive reproduction of the site’s Temple of Quetzalcoatl. You can spend years exploring the museum. A few hours does not even come close to covering its many wonders. We spent only a few hours, but perhaps you might want to consider devoting a full day to the museum. While the exhibit labeling is in Spanish, we found many include English translations. Also there is a 20-minute orientation film in English as well as guided tours in English. Admission is about $13.00 USD but free on Sunday.

Day Three (Monday) — North of Mexico City: Guadalupe and the Pyramids

This was our first full day of touring. Although the Marriott offers excellent day tours, we elected to hire our own tour guide since we wanted to make an early start and avoid the crowds. The cost was $1,500 pesos ($150) and well worth the expense for the personalized, in depth tour. It was such a great experience that we hired a tour guide each day to take us around Mexico City and environs.

Basilica of the Virgin of Guadalupe, a massive modern structure built to house the shroud bearing an image of the Virgin

Basilica of The Virgin of Guadalupe — This is Mexico’s holiest site, dating back to 153l, where most Mexican Catholics believe the Virgin appeared to Juan Diego, a peasant Indian, and asked him that a church be built on the site. Juan Diego’s sacred shroud bearing an image of the Virgin is housed in the modern basilica, where Pope John Paul II, during his fifth visit to Mexico in 2002, canonized Juan Diego. The “Pope mobile” he used on the Mexican trip is also on display.

Since we were early we were able negotiate that massive complex with ease, before the huge crowds and bus tours arrived. A plaza, visitor’s center and museum anchor the sprawling complex. The entire area has a bazaar-like atmosphere with a huge array of vendors selling religious objects and handicrafts. However, the official store is the best place to buy souvenirs.

Highlights of the visit include the ornate 1709 Old Basilica, originally built to house the sacred image. However, the image is today on view in the stark modern new basilica built in 1976 which can accommodate more than 10,000 people. The cloth, in a gold frame is protected by bulletproof glass and hangs above the main altar. Visitors pass beneath the shrine via two moving walkways.

Be sure to stay for one of the several masses recited daily. Even if you are not Catholic, you will consider it a moving and beautiful experience. Also, visit the beautiful rose garden.

Teotihuacán — Our next stop further north was the pyramids, San Juan Teotihuacán is a cluster of pyramids built around a city that disappeared thousands of years ago. Very little is known about this religious center, or who built it, or the city’s original name. It was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1987. The area consists of three great pyramids (Moon, Sun and The Citadel) plus a museum that has archeological, historical and diagrammatic exhibits. The scale models of the area (which you walk above and view through a glass floor) are a great orientation. As planned we arrived early, not only avoiding crowds but also the heat of the day as we trekked along the more than mile-long thoroughfare of pyramids. Some of the highlights you will see:

Pyramid of the Sun: On the east side of the Avenue of the Dead, it dominates the ruins and it is the oldest of Teotihuacán’s structures. It is the world’s third largest pyramid; only those in Egypt are bigger. The structure rises five sloping levels to a height of more than 250 feet and each side of its base measures 735 feet. Built of adobe brick façade with volcanic stone, the pyramid is visible for some distance from the highway approaching the site.

The Plaza of the Moon consists of a remarkable cluster of buildings. The plaza is surrounded by staired platforms and has a square altar in the middle. It is worth the climb just for the panoramic vista of the Avenue of the Dead.

Palace of Quetzalpapalotl: This is Teotihuacán’s most elaborate building. Presumed to have been the home of a prominent citizen or supreme priest, it has some well-preserved murals. In the inner courtyard are pillars decorated with bas-reliefs depicting the quetzal-papalotl (“feathered butterfly”), and various symbols related to water.

Day Four (Tuesday) — South of Mexico City: The Floating Gardens of Xochimilco, Dolores Olmedo Patiño Museum, and the Frida Kahlo Museum.

Today we headed south on the Avenida Insurgents, said to be the longest boulevard in Mexico, on our way to San Angel and the Coyoacan area. After traveling in heavy congestion you come upon beautiful homes and small parks in one of the most exclusive areas of the city. San Angel is a picturesque village with meandering cobblestone streets, thick-walled, opulent mansions and gardens. In this area is the home of Diego Rivera and the Trotsky Museum. We considered both homes very touristy and not worth the visit.

The boats of the floating gardens of Xochimilco

The Floating Gardens of Xochimilco — The area was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. Before visiting the “gardens” be sure to stop at the flower market, an avenue lined with wholesale dealers. The ancient floating gardens have been around for about 700 years and still look as they did in Aztec times. Here you can rent brightly painted boats, called trajineras, which average from $10 to as much as $25 USD an hour, including a driver who uses a pole to push the boat along the shallow canals. Enjoy the ancient canals at a leisurely pace, view the many nurseries that line the shore and even stop over to explore the area. Once out of the dock you’ll be approached by boats with mariachi bands, photographers and vendors of food, drink and handicrafts. This is a favorite weekend spot where families rent large boats for floating parties.

Frida Kahlo Museum — Our next stop was Frida Kahlo's family home, the Casa Azul ("Blue House") where she grew up, and where she returned in her final years. Built in 1907 by Frida's father, Guillermo Kahlo, the house was home to the Kahlo family and also served to house Leon Trotsky when he first arrived in Mexico in 1937. The home is decorated with Mexican folk art and contains Frida's and her husband Diego Rivera's personal belongings from the time they lived there. Upstairs you will see here studio, bedroom and wheelchair. Kahlo was paralyzed from in a bus accident from youth and spent her adult years as an invalid, however, that didn’t deter her from creating some of Mexico’s most vivid and brilliant paintings. The Casa Azul was converted into a museum in 1958, four years after Frida's death. However, you won't find much of her work exhibited here. To see Frida Kahlo's paintings, you should visit the Dolores Olmedo Patiño Museum in Xochimilco (our next stop) or the Modern Art Museum in Chapultepec Park.

Dolores Olmedo Patiño Museum — Philanthropist, art collector and benefactor of Diego Rivera, Olmedo bequeathed her hacienda, La Noria, and her magnificent art collection to the Mexican people upon Rivera’s death in 1957. Here you will primarily see the work of Rivera and his wife, Frida Kahlo, plus other Mexican folk and religious art and changing exhibits of other artists. The beautiful grounds of this immense complex are alone worth the visit with its lush gardens, orange and fig trees, Aztec and Mayan artifacts, sculptures, wandering peacocks and hairless dogs with black skin dating from pre-Hispanic times. Plan to stay a few hours to relax and enjoy one of the most beautiful and restful spots in Mexico City.

Day Five (Wednesday) — Mexico City Historic Center and Palace of Fine Arts

Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988, the four-square-mile area Centro Historico, or historic downtown, fans out from the city’s main square. It is home to important landmarks from pre-Hispanic times to the present, including ruins of the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan dating from the 14th century, colonial-era churches and mansion, built over 300 years ago, between the time of the Spanish Conquest (1521) and Mexico’s Independence from Spain (1821) and lavish European-style homes and monuments built during Mexico’s industrial boom. Highlights include:

Zocalo — The main square is one of the world’s three largest. It was built by the Spaniards atop the ruins of the Aztec main temple complex and for centuries it has been a meeting place and center for religious and political demonstrations and celebrations.

View of the Metropolitan Cathedral on Zocalo, the world’s largest square

Metropolitan Cathedral — This enormous, opulent church dates back to 1525. Along the interior side aisles are five naves and 14 chapels variously adorned with statuary, ornate altars, paintings, gilded surfaces, priceless tapestries and various representations of Christ, including a black Christ figure. An evening sound-and-light presentation, “Voices of Cathedral” features choral music and actors in period costume. Tickets are $25 USD.

National Palace — The home of Mexico’s government since 1820, its main attraction is Diego Rivera’s sweeping, lavishly detailed historical murals, decorating the upper level of the central courtyard and the walls of the main staircase. They depict everything from romantically-idealized views of Aztec life before the arrival of Hernándo Cortés to the bloody 1910 revolution. The Palace also has several interesting museums and courtyards, but the murals are the main attraction.

National Pawn Shop — Established in 1775 to provide poor citizens with loans on personal property at low interest rates, the shop houses a fascinating array of everything from crystal chandeliers, jewelry and antique clocks. A purely commercial operation, the exhibit salons are fascinating to wander through.

National Arts Museum — The museum displays mostly Mexican painting from the colonial era. The 22 exhibit areas show Mexican landscapes by native artists interpreting classic European styles. In front of the building is the work of Mexico’s greatest sculptor, Manuel Tolsa. Known as El Caballito, or “the little horse”, the massive equestrian statue of Spanish King Carlos IV is one of the world’s finest Bronze sculptures.

The Palace of Fine Arts houses the most famous of Diego’s murals and is the home of the Ballet Foklorico

Alameda Park & Palace Of Fine Arts — Just west of the historic center and walkable is the Alameda Park area with several museums and the magnificent Palace of Fine Arts, built between 1905 and 1934. The Palace is the handsome venue for the world famous Ballet Foklorico performances on Sundays at 9:30 am and 8:30 pm plus Wednesdays at 8:30 pm. Tickets cost only $90-$180 pesos or $9 to $18. The dancing is brilliant and accompanied by an eight-piece Mariachi band. The decorative sculptures on the façade are the building’s highlight. They include garlands, flowers, masks and a sculptural group called “Harmony”. Inside, the look is pure 1930s Art Deco, enhanced by second- and third-floor murals by Diego Rivera and other artists. Don’t miss “Man in Control of His Universe,” Rivera’s caustic rendering of capitalism, originally commissioned in 1933 for New York City’s Rockefeller Center. The upper viewing floors close promptly at 5:30 pm at which time we had a snack in the café before the Folklorico performance.

Day Six (Thursday) — Cuernavaca and Taxco

This was the day to take the 90-mile excursion to the silver hamlet of Taxco and get a feel of the Mexican countryside and colonial towns. The trip takes about three hours. On the way there and back you might want to buy roses from the various stands along the highway.

Cathedral at Cuauhnahuac dating to 1525, one of the most beautiful in Mexico

Cuernavaca — On the way to Taxco we visited Cuernavaca, which has the distinction of two major plazas. Overlooking the larger one is the Palacio de Cortés, built by the conqueror in 1526. The building now houses one of the city’s major cultural attractions, the Cuauhnahuac Museum, with a collection of pre-Columbian and conquest-era exhibits, plus several superb Diego Rivera murals. A focal point of the visit is the cathedral. Established in 1525, it is one of the oldest churches in Mexico. Due to renovation in 1959 it is also one of the most modern. Just across from the cathedral is Jardin Borda, a beautiful 19th-century residence and garden. The house is now being used for traveling art exhibits.

Taxco — Further southwest of Mexico City is one of Mexico's most-loved colonial towns, which is also best known for silver. Better known for silver in fact, than the real "Silver Cities" which were the hub of Silver mining in Mexico. This is probably because the metal is widely crafted in Taxco, and so well marketed and commercialized here too: there are literally hundreds of shops selling silver. Silver mining in Taxco has almost been limited, and today the mines are virtually exhausted. The silver from other places in Mexico is brought here to be crafted and later sold locally or exported.

The silver town of Taxco, viewed from atop the Hotel Monte Taxco

Taxco is nestled on a mountainside 5,000 feet above sea level. The town itself is made up of steep, narrow roads and alleyways, breaking out into small and pleasant plazas. The whole place is cobble-stoned and quaint. Unlike many of the other colonial cities in Mexico, no modern suburbs exist around its outskirts. This colonial town is a real gem—traditional, well preserved and charming. Taxco has been declared a national heritage site by the government and building regulations here are extremely strict.

The town has a couple of famous Temples and Churches: Templo de Santa Prisco (the Main Square) and its pink stonework is revered worldwide. The interior decoration here is also magnificent; catch at least a glimpse of the gold work around the altar. The other main church in Taxco is the Iglesia de San Sebastian.

The highlight of the visit is a ride on the Cable Car to the top of Monte Taxco. The ride takes a few minutes and you embark at the luxurious Hotel Monte Taxco. The views from up here are spectacular.

Day Seven (Friday) — Polanco Area

Cartier on Avenida Presidente Masaryk, one of the most exclusive shopping streets in the world

We chose this day to explore the area around the J.W. Marriott and the Avenida Presidente Masaryk. We strolled the beautiful streets with upscale homes and offices mostly dating back to the 1920s. Here you will find shopping centers, upscale boutiques, as well as antique shops, galleries and jewelry stores. A real discovery was a small park about one block from the Marriott. It has a beautifully-designed playground, dozens of sculptures and a huge aviary with dozens of tropical birds. You can relax on comfortable benches, sip an iced coffee and watch the small parakeets and other varieties of small birds fly all around you.

Day Eight (Saturday)

We had a leisurely buffet breakfast and made an early getaway for our noon flight back to New York. For me, the airport’s duty-free shops are always an interesting experience although I really don’t find bargains. But, of course, we bought tequila with the worm in it got a great buy on vodka.

Summary

The trip to Mexico City was an exciting experience. However, the lack of freedom of movement due to the threat of crime dampened our enjoyment of the visit.