Mexico City

by Alison Carr

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Past and present

The unfairly maligned Mexico City is one of my favourite places on the Planet. Growing up in Dublin’s north-side in Ireland during the 1970’s and 80’s I experienced snobbery and stigmatisation instigated by poor media coverage and framing of my community. This stayed with me, inspiring me to seek out the unique personality and character of wherever I visit. I bring my kids with me when I travel, inviting them to view the World through a wider lens. Mexico City is a beautiful beast with a huge heart.

Mexico City sinks one metre every year according to Ramón Alguirre Diaz who runs Mexico’s Municipal water system. Built upon five lakes ironically the city is running out of water.

The original city consisted of a diverse confederation of indigenous people ranging from Tenochtila, Maya, Tlaopan, Texcoc, Xochicalco tribes to name but a few. These people developed intricate irrigation systems and canals that even today astound archeologists . There are over 55 indigenous languages spoken in Mexico City today.

The Aztecs arrived in the 13th century, they developed and expanded their Empire. The city of Tenochtitlán was founded in around 1324 and remained the centre of the Aztec world until Spanish colonisation in the 17th century. Mexico gained independence eventually becoming a constitutional republic in 1917. However, like many post colonial countries it remained impoverished in the following years. The 1960’s saw a new middle-class emerge. Sky-scrappers like the 44 floored torre latinoamericana signified a new era. May I suggest using here as a landmark to get your bearings. http://torrelatinoamericana.com.mx/

October 1968, just ten days before the opening ceremony of the Olympics games the army opened fire upon protesting students. Dozens were killed, hundreds disappeared never to be heard from again. This atrocity is known as the Tlatelolco Massacre. Mexico endured single party rule until 2000. In 2001 the new democratically elected president Eduardo Foxe delivered the city into a new era of reconciliation and openness.

Today Mexico city recognises it’s indigenous cultures, deals with it’s colonial past and celebrates it’s cultural contribution to the world through Art, Culture, Sport and Food. This city is teeming with art galleries and museums that aid you in understanding Mexico’s diversity.

Images courtesy of Museo Nacional de Antropología and am carr. Plaza Major: The city’s past, present and future in a square…

Playtime

Mexico city’s public transport is easy to navigate, comfortable and cheap. The city is divided into Zonas.

Lets start at the centre of the universe, at Templo Mayor. https://www.templomayor.inah.gob.mx/english Zona Zócalo is where you will find the original Aztec city beneath the Spanish colonial grandeur of Plaza de constitucíon. Here, adjacent to the Cathedral is the Palacio Nacional where the walls are dressed with Diego Rivera’s famous murals. This area is simply heaven for Architecture and Archeology enthusiasts. Entry to Museums are free on Sunday. There’s a mind boggling 150 museums in Mexico city. The museum of Anthropology is considered to be one the best in the world.

Art is the very soul of Mexico city

For many, the city’s focal point is either food or archeology. For me…it’s the art. Art exudes from every pore of the city. Whether it is street kids using sculptures for goal posts, or an unexpected pop up gallery in a tobacconist’s shop, Mexico City is art. Like the museums there are too many to mention but here are a few I think you should check out.

• MUSEO JUMEX (MEX MOMA) 1st image
• PROJECTOS MONDOVA CLIMA ROMA 55 (A CONVERTED POOL HALL)2nd image
• MUAC  Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo 3rd image
• MUNAL http://www.munal.mx/en/visita largest collection of Diego Rivera’s work
• MUSEO ARTE MODERNO OVER 3K PIECES RIVALING NYC http://www.museoartemoderno.com/

Casa Azul, the Frida Kahlo museum is a pilgrimage for any art aficionado. Diego Rivera and José Clemente Orozco are often hailed by art critics and connoisseurs to be Mexico’s greatest artists. Frida Kahlo only had one major exhibition in her life time. Yet, Frida is the people’s choice. She belongs to them. On a crowded rush hour bus scowling teens don Frida t-shirts, exhausted domestic workers have Frida’s monobrow emblazoned on their mesh shopping bags. She is neither cool or uncool she is…Frida

above images from Casa Azul (the blue house) Visit. https://www.museofridakahlo.org.mx/en/the-blue-house/

If anyone is conflicted about visiting big cities with their children, just remember this.. Children live in cities. Lots of them.

Here are just a few ideas to do with Los Niños. Immerse them in community activities, it’s inexpensive and they always have more fun.

Lucha libre, Mexican wrestling is held most nights in the Arena Mexicana, Buy your ticket on line or directly from Arena Mexicana when you arrive as opposed to a third party vendor is cheaper. It is chaotic, there are no rules and it is definitely not for those who adhere to political correctness. Mexican families pile into the Arena to shout laugh and sing. https://youtu.be/9uDAl_MmQb4

La Fragata, Sports Park and football centre. If your partner or kids are beginning to grate on your nerves. This amenity is fantastic, play grounds, pitches, outdoor gym equipment, drop in soccer games open to anyone of all ages. Free, fun and if this is not your thing, there are lots of little neighbourhood bars and taco stands nearby where you can ‘mind the bags’ and sip a beer.

Art classes and activities are held at weekends in several museums and gallaries. Art Club CDMX run great art and design projects for kids. Carlos Slim a mexican billionaire built Museo Soumaya in memory of his wife. Being one of the largest private collections in the world Soumaya prides itself on making art accessible to all. There is always something interesting to do for kids here. http://www.museosoumaya.org/

There are a plethora of football clubs in Mexico City. Pumas, Club America, and Cruz Azul are the big three. If you are finding difficulties getting a ticket for a game just go into any bar or cafe, kids are welcome. The atmosphere is sometimes more exciting in a corner bar… GOOOOOOAL!

Eat and Sleep

Where does one begin? Mexico has one of the most diverse kitchens on the planet. Each region has it’s own distinct flavour and style. Where’s the one place you can discover them all? Mexico City.

Contrary to the racial stereo typing perpetrated by North America, Mexicans work the second longest working weeks in the world according to the World Economic Forumhttps://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/01/the-countries-where-people-work-the-longest-hours/ Hence working class Mexicans tend to eat on route or returning from work. All hail the taco stand and Jugo (juice) stands.

Food tourism is big in the city. People are drawn from all parts of the Globe to this culinary melting pot. In my experience the best way to sample everything and satisfy everyone’s palate in your gang is to go to a food market. Tamales, tacos, tortas, gorditas, mole con carne, dulces it’s all there.

For the foodies…Mexico city is home to some of the finest restaurants in the world. Enrique Elvera’s Pujol is considered one of the world’s best restaurants. https://youtu.be/IHP6lyLKfhQ It’s located in the swanky zona Polanco. Another of Pujol’s chefs , Karime López made history in 2019 by becoming the first woman in Mexico to win a Michelin star. She now heads a restaurant in Florence, Italy.

ZZZZzzzz

There are ample hostels and high end hotels in the Zona Histórico. I prefer to stay in the Zona Roma or in the Gaybourhood of Zona Rosa. https://www.travelgay.com/destination/gay-mexico/gay-mexico-city/. Zona Roma (as in the academy award movie) is an eclectic mix of artists writers and hipsters these days. We tend to stay at the Hotel Geneve, https://www.hotelgeneve.com.mx/en/history/ this bizarre establishment is like staying on the set of Wes Anderson’s Grand Hotel Budapest . Also, you never know whom you might bump into at the breakfast buffet, as the girls were coming in from the night shift we were starting our day site seeing.

Well Being

There are various NA and AA meetings in all city zonas in multiple languagehttps://www.thenews.mx/living/aa-spoken-here-english-meetings-in-mexico-city/s

Cancer support CIMAB hold regular support groups (Spanish-english) in Mexico City for women with cancer.

• CIMAB
  Tel: (55) 5574 9058 / (55) 5574 9073

Mental Health Support

A national helpline, in Spanish, is available for those seeking emotional support.

• SAPTEL
  Tel: (55) 5259 8121 / 01 800 472 7835

free yoga and tai chi classes are held regularly in the Parques de Bosque every morning.