Mexico City 2008

(All photos can be expanded by clicking on them)

During my ride to our hotel, I witnessed a big parade traveling in the opposite direction, down the Paseo de la Reforma. It was brought about by the AIDS conference, but had gay rights people, sex worker rights people, and AIDS awareness people. BTW, you haven’t seen a gay rights parade until you see Chicago’s, although I assume that probably San Francisco’s is probably more flaming. Imeldo tells me that there is a parade every day. I didn’t find this to be true although the next day there was a bike event in support of something.

Due to the change in scheduling the only place we could get a room for Sunday night was at the Marquis Reforma but we moved the next day across the Paseo de la Reforma to the Four Seasons Hotel. And due to the conference rate, it was cheaper and a cut above the Marquis with breakfast included.

This is looking down from our room to the courtyard where the bar and restaurants are also located. It was raining when I took this. This was a great place to stay.Sunday is not the best time to visit Chapultepec Park, but we had no options due to Judith’s schedule at the AIDS conference. As always on Sunday the park is crowded but on the positive side, it is more interesting.

The main attraction to the Chapultepec Castle which is now the Museum of National History and on Sunday, it’s free. We walked up the steep hill along with hundreds of others and crowded out way around the exhibits having a slight advantage of height over the rest of the people. Lots of families can be seen.From the top of the castle looking down the Paseo de la Reforma.

And you can’t have a Museum of National History without some murals by Diego Rivera showing the struggle of the revolution.

We do visit the Zocalo which has the Cathedral, the National Palace, Aztec dancers and crafts, and the huge square and national flag. On the Zocalo is also the Majestic Hotel, build in 1937. At the top of the hotel is an open air restaurant overlooking the Zocalo. After entering the lobby, you take the operator operated elevator to the 7th floor, and then make you way along a hall filled with the history of the hotel and some of its famous guests to reach the restaurant. We eat there twice. Once at lunch and once in the evening with Judith’s students and colleague

This photo looks at the huge National Flag and the National Palace, the seat of government taken from the Majestic Hotel.

Standing just outside the Majestic hotel, the Cathedral is on the left.

Inside the Cathedral there this is the main pulpit.

Gold leaf is everywhere. This might be beautiful except I can’t help thinking that the Jesus of the bible would be appalled.

Here are the Aztecs doing their dance along side a Picasso.

In the evening we took refuge inside the Majestic’s restaurant due to a concert taking place in the Zocalo. Judith’s colleague and husband are at the end and her students from Indonesia (2), Chile, and China are around the table. I think you can identify their countries by their appearance. Missing is Made from Bali whom I have written about before. He was detained by US immigration in Los Angeles, causing him to miss his flight to Mexico City with the next available flight 2 days later.

Everyone here stays on at the conference, but the next morning, Judith and I take a very early flight to the western coastal city of Los Mochis to start another adventure.