It’s been a while since I posted anything. Returning to the States in March 2020 and jumping back into work (at a lab, lots of COVID testing) slammed a door on my momentum. Jumping back in with my last minute trip to Mexico City.
Mexico City boasts one of the highest populations in the world. As of 2022, over 22 million people live in the metropolitan area! It has a rich history including it’s independence, the Spanish rule, and the prehispanic cultures prior to 1500. The city offers up archeological sites, beautiful architecture, sporting events (Lucha libra anyone?!), great food, a castle, and green parks.
Mexico City was a quick 3 hour flight from Tijuana and thus the perfect impromptu trip for a few unexpected days off. Living in San Diego, the CBX bridge into the Tijuana airport made for an easy and cost-effective trip. For more info on the CBX bridge, here’s a past article from when it first opened: beyondtheseborders.com/save-money-with-cbx-to-tijuana-airport/ And here is their website: www.crossborderxpress.com/en/
Visit the pyramids at Teotihuacan
The first thing I would put on a list to see while visiting Mexico City is actually not in the city. This archeological site known to many tourists as “The pyramids” is a short bus ride northeast of the city. I recommend either going with a guide or reading thoroughly about it prior to visiting. Teotihuacan may have been founded as early as 400 BC with branching rivers running through it. The city had drainage systems build into the design (taking advantage of the gently sloping land they built on). In 500 CE between 125,000 and 200,000 people lived here. The civilization collapsed around 600 or 700 CE. Later, around 1300 CE, the Aztecs found the deserted city and took it over. They eventually abandoned the area as well. As time passed, the pyramids were covered in dirt and plants. Lost beneath the land, they were saved from the Spanish who would have destroyed these temples dedicated to gods of the earlier indigenous civilization.
The most famous structures at Teotihuacan are 2 large pyramids and a temple. Our first stop was the Temple of Quetzalcoatl. Feathered-serpents are carved in the sides of this temple which was for the Teotihuacan royal family. Not far from the temple was the ball-court (a game played by many prehispanic cultures). Actually, you can’t see it. It’s hidden under the grassy ground you are standing on. Archeologists discovered its existence with current technology recently. It’s unknown if or when it will be excavated since that will affect tourism in the surrounding area.
From here, turn north and you look straight down the Avenue of the Dead to the Pyramid of the Moon (with the Pyramid of the Sun seen to the right prior to it). The Avenue of the Dead is a walkway lined with stone structures. It’s at least a couple miles long (much of it not yet excavated). Markets would have been bustling in the middle of the this main street.
The Pyramid of the Sun is the largest pyramid is the Western Hemisphere. Similar to the pyramids in Egypt, a tunnel leads below the structure to an inner chamber which may have been a tomb. When excavated, it was mostly empty. It is believed that the Aztecs found the tombs and emptied them of any treasures.
The top of the Pyramid of the Moon is the same elevation as (though it’s actually slightly smaller than) the Pyramid of the Sun since it sits on higher elevation ground. 6 other pyramids lie hidden under the Pyramid of the Moon. Each pyramid was built over the previous, likely by successive rulers.
As of May 2022, tourists are not allowed to climb these pyramids. They are closed due to the pandemic and the number of potentially germ-filled hands that would be gripping the railings on the steep climb and descent. Although a bit disappointing not to climb up, to see the pyramids without any people standing on them was a treat.
Explore the Historic Center
Beautiful, old structures fill the historic center. From 1521 to 1821, Spain ruled over Mexico and built many of these buildings. We joined a free walking tour to learn about the area.
Palacio de Bellas Artes is a gorgeous building which houses a museum, cafe, and theatre. We didn’t get a chance to go inside but our guide presented a photo of the theatre’s curtain. It’s stunning! The curtain is a mosaic of about a million stained glass pieces, constructed by Tiffany in 1912. The mosaic is of the Valley of Mexico landscape. The best view of Bella’s Artes is from the cafe terrace on the top floor of the Sears building across the street. So head up, grab a coffee, and enjoy the view.
Take in another great view from the top of the Torre Latinoamericana, a skyscraper in the historic center. Pay to head up to the observation deck or choose to go to the restaurant (Miralto) one floor below. We enjoyed a coffee drink at the restaurant, taking in the view over the sprawling city below us.
The Metropolitan Cathedral is one of the largest and oldest cathedrals in Latin America. It’s giant, beautiful, and sinking…. yes, I said sinking. The whole city is actually sinking. More on that later. The cathedral took over 300 years to build and thus is comprised of 3 architectural styles: baroque, neo-classical and neo-renaissance.
Near the Metropolitan Cathedral rest some partially uncovered ruins. “Temple Mayor” was the main temple of the Mexica people in the city of Tenochtitlan, which is now Mexico City. In 1521, the Spanish destroyed Tenochtitlan’s structures to build their own city.
Near the cathedral and Temple Mayor, indigenous people in traditional clothing are dancing and performing ritual cleanses for anyone interested. They just request a tip of your choice for the ritual.
History of the Historic Center
The people that first created and inhabited these grounds were the Mexicas. They came from Aztlan, which is thought to be in either norther Mexico or southwestern United States. They left their home in search of a sign for their next great city. This sign was foretold to be an eagle holding a snake on top of a cactus. The sign was finally discovered on an island in Lake Texcoco in the year 1325. They built their capital city named Tenochtitlan there. The Mexican flag displays this eagle holding a snake on a cactus. When the Spanish took over, they destroyed the current buildings and built on top of them. In the 17th century the lake was drained. The giant city of Mexico City resides on top of the Mexica city of Tenochtitlan and the previous lake.
Another fascinating Mexico City fact is that the water table is dropping. This conjoined with this building on top of the pre-Hispanic structure (which were built up on top of a lake) has led to the city sinking! Looking around the historic center, you can see buildings leaning, some quite dramatically!
Visit a castle, ponds, and museums in Chapultepec Park
Chapultepec Park holds some museums, lots of trees, a few small lakes, and the only castle in the North America to ever house royalty. First off, here’s a few pictures from around the park.
Castillo de Chapultepec (Chapultepec Castle)
The castle was constructed in 1785 and has housed royalty. It is now a museum about much of the country’s history (but heads up it’s all in Spanish as of 2022). A portion still contains the decor from when Porfirio Diaz (president of Mexico from 1877-1880 and 1884-1911) lived here. This beautiful castle boasts fabulous views over the green park.
Cheer at a Lucha Libre Match
Lucha Libre is a Mexican sporting event and a fun way to fill an evening. Mexico City contains 2 Lucha Libre arenas: Arena Mexico and Arena Coliseo. Both have their events listed on Ticketmaster. You can purchase tickets online or save yourself the fees and buy at the venue just before the show. Don’t fall for the ticket scalpers outside telling you the show is sold out (it’s not). Just head to the windows under the “Taqueria” sign. As a warning for non-Spanish speakers: You may not get someone that speaks your language.. and at least at Arena Mexico, you cannot see through the windows. So it can be quite challenging trying to communicate to purchase a ticket. You may want to buy online to save yourself the hassle.
The event has multiple fights. It seems there are good guys and bad guys, often with 3 wrestlers per team. The crowd cheers and boos as the events unfold. It seems the good guys generally win, but always after a round that’s not looking in their favor. My favorite part is the jumps and flips the Lucha Libre wrestlers integrate into the battles.
Where to stay: Neighborhoods of Condesa and Roma
We didn’t get the chance to see many neighborhoods, but stayed along the division between Roma and Condesa. Popular with tourists as they are more gentrified, you find lots of international cuisine. They also have cute parks and nice walking paths in a few areas.
If you are staying in this area, it’s still very easy to visit the historic center. Grab yourself a copy of the metro map and ride like a local. If you have used a metro elsewhere it should be very easy to navigate. Each ride cost the equivalent of 25 cents at the time of this posting. And for the ladies, there are women only cars at the end of the track if you prefer.
Extra bit of fun!
if you are a runner or interested in doing some biking, here’s a tip for you. On Sundays, the major street “Paseo de la Reforma” is closed off to cars part of the day and accessible to bikes and joggers. Paseo de la Reforma is the location of the statue “The Angel of Independence“ and leads to Chapultepec Park.
There’s of course much more to do while visiting the city, and hopefully I will get back someday to do and see more. Museums, nightlife, great restaurants, hikes in nearby national parks, markets, and many different neighborhoods could fill up a lengthy trip. The city is one of many great trip options in Mexico!
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