La Ciudad de Mexico

Miša and I had originally intended to spend second spring break in Nairobi, Kenya, visiting Pat, Reshma, and David. Symone, my senior-class advisee, had set up an internship with an orphanage in Nairobi, and we wanted to visit her there as well. Then came the presidental elections of December 27th. Within two days, it became clear that none of us would go to Kenya this year. I was in Berlin at the time, anxiously poring over the news every day with Ali and Dru, feeling my heart slowly sink into my stomach and waiting for news from Pat and Resh -- thankfully both okay, but holed up in their homes and unable to get internet access for some days.

As time neared for break, Miša and I began consulting with Mark about Mexico. I'd been to Nogales numerous times, and Rocky Point (Puerto Peñasco) once, but those don't really count. :) At Rocky Point, I spent most of the time in the water or drinking beers and listening to Alan play guitar, and hardly knew I was in Mexico. Miša and I decided we needed to take advantage of our nearness to the border, especially since neither of us are sure how much longer we'll be in the Southwest. We knew nothing about Mexico City that we hadn't gleaned from the movie Frida or our own wild imaginations!

Weirdly, neither of us seemed to understand how little English is spoken in Mexico. I mean, Duh. There are plenty of Mexicans in *Tucson* who don't speak English, and I should have made the connection, especially when Luke, our neighbor, shoved a few Spanish phrase books and dictionaries in my direction. They came in handy when Miša and I tried to figure out which fruits to request at the local fruit smoothie operation.

Jugos Canada

So when we arrived at the airport after approx. six hours' bouncing (e.g., "flying"), not having eaten anything, we were admittedly a little slow on the uptake. Somehow we were bullied into a taxi, the driver managed to read our map, we'd only tipped about four people on our way over, and we ended up in the general area of Hostal Moneda without getting into a car accident. I attribute this entirely to an act of providence. Signals? Pshaw! Those are for fools. Just cut right in!

Anyway, we were alive. We wandered out past the cathedral in search of some grub still open past 10 p.m., and walked past a giant open area near the central square filled with what looked like piles of rubble . So I said, "What's that doing there?" to which the wise Miša replied, "I think those are ruins."

Templo Mayor, Ruins of the main temples of the Aztec city of Tenotchtitlan

These were the first part of Mexico City we explored the following morning, as they were just past our front door. We managed to feel like we learned a thing or two about the Aztecs from the posted signs there, namely that 1) the Aztecs' most powerful god, the sun (Huitzilopochtli, a name that just trips off the tongue), had killed his sister, the moon, in order to rise, and so they had to make a human sacrifice every morning in order for the sun to rise, and 2) they were really into skull decorations.


We also learned that the Aztecs had ruled for a relatively short amount of time before the Spanish Conquistadors arrived--from 1325 to 1519--and had chosen to build their empire on an island because, supposedly, they saw an eagle with a snake in its mouth resting on top of a prickly pear cactus. That, and the water made for good defense systems and year-round farming.

The rest of the afternoon was spent wandering around the Centro Histórico, ducking in and out of numerous Iglesias (churches) and the main Catedrale on the Zocalo (central square). And we saw many "minor" signs that la Ciudad is sinking into its sandy foundations.


No margaritas had been imbibed when this was taken, though they were soon after. :) Part II to follow....