North Speaks
Travel, Adventure Breaks, Holidays and Vacations
Archive for November, 2008
Mexico City
Posted on November 17th, 2008 by admin, under Travel Destinations.
The city of Mexico may not be a popular destination for the good old, traditional tourists. The safety concerns about crime aggravated by the grim conditions about unemployment, overpopulation, government disputes, corruption and political unrest have made an unwelcoming impression on pleasure seekers. But for the modern world traveler, for those open to earn more than their share of postcards moments, a visit to the tumultuous city offers a unique experience bound to teach them a lesson in human resilience and love for all that really matters.
Mexico City is a place of pure excitement with everything ingenious and new at every turn. The city is built over a lake bed where buildings slowly yet constantly sink; as if that were not dangerous enough, the whole place is ringed with volcanoes. The city is also rich in history; it was home to one of the most ancient civilizations, the Aztecs. The last of the water gardens that filled the Aztec Tenochtitian, Xochimilco’s chinampas is a park that protects singing crickets, cranes and chamomile plants.
The city streets are filled with people all driven to do various odd jobs like selling maps and other souvenirs, juggling and offering religious charms and rosaries- all for a small amount of the elusive peso. The more popular treat among these street entertainers are the mariachis who sing the ballads inspired by the cattle ranches of Jalisco on the streets near Garibaldi Plaza. Of course, a drink of tequila with matching tortillas of ground chorizo and cheese are just a few steps away.
The culture and attitude of the Mexicans also adds to the city’s unusual charm. They operate in closely-knit families, nurturing their businesses together, helping relatives find employment and going to church together. Witnessing a dizzying array of colors from native costumes and Roman Catholic images during the festival of the Virgin of Guadalupe every 12th of December is another experience not to be missed.
