The streets are like a big theatre, with something always going on. Food is never far away - in many places I've spotted the backs of vans being used as makeshift taco stands.
Yesterday we visited the centre of town, which pulsated with activity, even on a Sunday with many of the shops closed. The main cathedral was packed to the gills with those participating in mass, and those unreligious types (such as ourselves) just keen for a bit of a stickybeak. Adam was most impressed wtih the organ, which took up most of the inside of the building.Outside, vendors of every persuasion were trying to capture the attention of the masses. There were numerous shoe shine stands - ever popular with Mexicans to keep the cowboy boots polished - and the usual array of handicraft sellers. Men in what looked like old army uniforms played those old wind up accordians, herdy-gerdys, with their caps outstretched.
Several men paraded about in traditional Aztec garb - a big feathered headdress, loin cloth and not much else, selling "purifiaction rituals", promising to rid the body of the participating person from evil spirits. Basically this involves lighting a vessel full of incense, screaming a lot and dancing around the person.
The historical centre was very neat and tidy, with many amazing buildings and museums, like the massive Palacio National, which we spent nearly three hours getting from one end to the other. The design was all European decadence, with state rooms decked out in Louis XIV style chairs, drapes and chandeliers.
The main plaza and the pedestrian malls leading up to it were a hive of activity, packed with people watching street performers - the kind dressed in various shades of metal that hold still until you throw a coin their way. When we arrived at the Alameda - the big park just down from the main plaza, the crowded streets suddenly turned into a crush of bodies.
What we didn't realise was that we were standing near the entrance to a Metro station. A bunch of student-y types had just arrived on a train, and were heading to stage some kind of protest. We thought maybe they were doing a flash mob - especially when we looked to the ground and realised they were all wearing only their underwear (although no G-strings thank god).
One thing we found funny about the city centre was that while we felt totally safe at all times, if anything the only thing we found nerve-wracking was the security presence, which bordered on the insane. There were security guards (in cop-like uniforms) hanging out on every corner, with dozens stationed out front of the main monuments and museums. We even spotted them doing drills in military-style formations.On the home front, I can report that after much frustration and many broken-Spanish phone calls we have found ourselves some accommodation for the next six weeks. We're living in this curious rambling establishment that is sort of like a boarding house in that other students live there, but is very private as we have the ground floor almost to ourselves with our own bathroom and shared kitchen.
The place is nested in a maze of back-streets, where people have randomly added to their houses, building concrete or corrugate extensions, and everyone has a rooftop courtyard. Ours has a great view of what Mexican houses really look like - they're all neat and colourfully painted in front, but all ramshackle and lopsided in the rear.
No comments:
Post a Comment