A Weekend in Mexico City
By Angel Valtierra – Provide by Mexico Desconocido

Here, there was a lake and on the lake there was a nopal (prickly pear) and on the nopal stood an eagle, which became the symbol of the country’s new centralism. That, however, was in 1325. Today, this city (Aztec-Viceregal-Insurgent-Porfirian-Revolutionary-Modern) has survived earthquakes, floods, invasions, fashions and devaluations. Above all, it has withstood the forgetfulness of its authorities and inhabitants. In order to survive, the city has relied on people who respect and defend it, and mostly on people like you who wish to visit it and fall in love with it.

FRIDAY
20:00. If you arrive in Mexico City on a Friday afternoon you can stay at a hotel near the Historic Center, which makes it very easy to get to difficult places. Before deciding where to have dinner stop by and say hello to the Cathedral. Only half a block away from it you will find Colegio De San Ildelfonso (San Ildelfonso College), which was formerly the heart of the University. The Secretaría de Educación Pública (Secretariat of Public Education) is a block north on the street of República Argentina. This building has mural paintings by Diego Rivera with scenes from the victorious revolution. This area has many old bookstores, where it is still possible to find out-of-print or antique books.

21:00. To the right of the Templo Mayor (Main Temple) on Guatemala No. 32, you can climb up to the rooftop and find La Casa De Las Sirenas. This restaurant is an excellent place to eat delicious chicken in mango mole (a type of sauce), while admiring the cathedral from a different angle, the National Palace and the many other domes in the area.

22:30. Turn right on Guatemala and on Brasil No. 5, you will find a lively "torta" (type of sandwich) restaurant at the entrance of the Bar León. This bar is also a “cathedral”, albeit one of salsa music. Entrance is $45 with live music until 3 a.m.

SATURDAY
8:30. The city offers many options for those who insist on having breakfast in a portal (type of arcade). For instance, on the southeastern corner of the Zócalo (the Main Square), you will find the Gran Hotel de la Ciudad de México, where you can admire the ceiling’s stained-glass window and an old cage-type elevator. The restaurant has a buffet service starting at 7 a.m. and there are tables on the terrace overlooking the National Palace.

9:30. Now, walking northwards you can stroll along the arcade (once called the merchant’s portal) and buy a typical hat from any of the country’s states. We now reach the Cathedral’s side where there is: a) a tourist information booth run by the city government, b) a monument that marks the starting point of national highways, which in the past reported the water level of Lake Texcoco and c) the terminal for bicycle taxis.

10:30. This is a good time to be among the first visitors to see the famous Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in the Alameda Central, a mural Diego Rivera painted for the Del Prado Hotel, which was damaged by the 1985 earthquake. The mural has images of the painter, the famous Catrina skull, Frida Kahlo and many other personalities from our history. Outside is the real Alameda Park, which you saw on the mural. Although the Alameda has been here for more than two centuries, its present layout dates back to the end of the 19th century when it was decorated with fountains, monuments, and statues, which we can still admire.

11:30. Near the center of the Alameda, on Avenida Hidalgo, is the Plaza de la Santa Veracruz. Here, the Church of Santa Veracruz (one of the oldest in Mexico) faces the Church of San Juan de Dios, a baroque building dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua. The Museo Franz Mayer and the Museo Nacional de la Estampa (National Stamp Museum) stand between the churches.

12:30. We walk along Av. Hidalgo and we reach Eje Central, where there are two great buildings designed by the architect Adamo Boari in the early 20th century: The Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts) and the Edificio Central de Correos (Central Post Office Building). The latter will amaze you especially because its golden filigree glitters once again as a result of the building’s recent renovation. The Postal Museum is on the top floor. Its exhibits do not include a stamp collection but rather a collection of mail boxes. An outstanding piece is the 4 x 5 meter “painting with mosaic effects”, made by Pablo Magaña with 48,234 stamps ranging from 1890 to 1934.

13:30. Now, enter the Palacio de Minería (Palace of Mining), which is on Plaza Manuel Tolsá on the first street of Tacuba. The palace, built at the end of the 18th century by Tolsá (an architect and sculptor from Valencia), is a jewel of neoclassicism. Next, visit the Palacio de Comunicaciones (Palace of Communications), which was inaugurated during the country’s centennial celebrations. Today it houses the Museo Nacional de Arte (National Art Museum). El Caballito, an equine statue of Charles IV, which some of us were still able to see in front of the Lottery building, is in the center of the plaza. The Mural displays works of art that reflect its integrated approach and offers a wide view of the arts in Mexico from pre-Hispanic times until the middle of the 20th century.

15:00. Go along Filomeno Mata, turn right and half a block after you will find the city’s oldest cantina (bar), La Ópera. Here, you can imagine Francisco Villa bursting in and leaving bullet holes on the ceiling (still there) and the scene’s contrast with the elegant French-style decoration. We recommend sopa de médula (bone marrow soup) and don’t forget to ask about the bar’s legends.

16:30. Walk towards the end of Av. 5 de mayo and make a “doctor’s visit” to the Palacio de Bellas Artes. The Palace was finished by revolutionary governments, which explains the grandiosity of its style: the Porfirian fasto of its architecture, the art deco details and the mural paintings of Orozco, Siqueiros, Montenegro and Tamayo. Inside is the famous stained-glass drop curtain made by Tiffany. Upstairs is the Museo de Arquitectura (Architecture Museum) and on the left you will find a perfect place for a cup of coffee.

17:00. We now stroll along the route of the Duke of Job: “from the gates of La Sorpresa to the corner of the Jockey Club”. We go along Madero street, where well-to-do youngsters of the early 20th century would come to flirt. We now see Casa de los Azulejos (House of Tiles), built in the 16th century and whose facade is covered with glazed tiles from Puebla. The Templo de San Francisco (the San Francis Church), which still has an 18th century altarpiece dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe, is in front. Further up a block is the former Palacio de Iturbide (Palace of Iturbide), where Banamex sponsors (until January 6) a great exhibit called: México, los proyectos de una nación 1821-1888 (Mexico: The Projects of a Nation 1821-1888). You can see our first postal stamp, Santa Anna’s leg and replicas of a pharmacy and a café from that time, among over a thousand highly valuable pieces.

18:00. The Bazar de Fotografía Casasola (Casasola Photography Bazaar) is on the first floor of the corner of Allende and Madero. Here, the heirs of this great photographer will gladly sell you copies of the Revolution’s most famous photos.

18:30. The next crossing is a pedestrian walkway called Motolinia street, where the Casa del Marqués de Prado Alegre (House of the Marquis of Prado Alegre) is located. In front of it is a modern building with a large mask showing the level of water reached during the flood of 1619.
We leave the old street of Plateros and we pass in front of the Iglesia De La Profesa (La Profesa Church) to admire the French-style buildings that flank it. We then cross the Zócalo and reach the Antiguo Palacio del Arzobispado (Old Archbishop’s Palace) on Moneda street, where, unlike last night’s tropical show at Bar León, there is a sober classical music concert.

21:00. Night has fallen. Before reaching the corner of the Cathedral, we come across El Nivel, an inevitable stop on our cultural tour. There, one can rest after a long day and practice mathematical skills with a game of dominoes. By the way, this cantina has the city’s first license. Have an appetizer and a beer and a good night.

SUNDAY
8:00. Today, we only have fruit and coffee for breakfast and decide to have it on the hotel’s terrace to make it more pleasant. We exit the building and on the left-hand side there is a passage behind the Cathedral, where most stores sell saints, long wax candles, tabernacles and other religious items. The store at the entrance sells cheap and very good copies of famous paintings.

9:00. This is still a good time to visit the metro on a Sunday. We enter the Zócalo station and take a subway towards Taxqueña, which we reach 30 minutes later. In Taxqueña, we take a light train and 25 minutes later, we arrive in Xochimilco (all without leaving the city).

10:00. The market (two blocks left of the station) has an old floral tradition and is still a key supplier of goods to this area. In the market you can buy a light lunch to eat on a trajinera (boat). You will find fresh-water shrimp, duck tripe or if you want something more simple, try barbacoa (barbecue) and quesadillas (folded fried tacos).

11:00. We recommend the Belen dock, which is three blocks away and posts a sign with official boat rates: $110 or $130 pesos per hour. The rates depend on the type of boat. There are also water taxis covering a fixed route for $7 pesos. At this time, it is still possible to enjoy a peaceful ride, admire a cloud’s reflection on the canals, buy a cold beer or find, among crazy mariachis and norteño bands, a small band that can play songs like Las bicicletas and Adiós mamá Carlota.

13:30. Back in the Zócalo, we can attest to this plaza’s preservation of pre-Cortesian market traditions. From here on to the Templo Mayor people will try to sell you kites, esquites, teponaxtles, photos of sub-commander Marcos and masks of ex-president Salinas. There are also dancers charging to have their pictures taken as well as merolicos and witches, who “cleanse” you.

14:30. We are now on the southern corner of National Palace. To the left, is the Supreme Court of Justice building, where the El Volador market operated from colonial times until 1930. Along Pino Suárez we find the Casa de los Condes de Calimaya (House of the Counts of Calimaya) and inside it is the Museo De La Ciudad De México (Museum of Mexico City). On the corner, you will find one of Quetzalcóatl’s heads found in the Templo Mayor, which symbolizes the oppression of a culture.

15:00. Reaching Mesones, we turn left until we get to Las Cruces. The Fonda de Hotentote Restaurant is on this street. Here we can enjoy a delicious Mexican meal, which would cost a fortune somewhere else: maguey worms, chicken breast filled with cuitlacoche (corn fungus) in zucchini sauce and a corn torta. The place is clean, recently restored and is decorated with original paintings by José Gómez Rosas El Hotentote. Parking is available on Sundays, but not so during the week since the street becomes full of walking salesmen. The restaurant is closed on Saturdays.

16:30. A very nice way to close the tour is to go to the corner of Madero and Eje Central. For only $30 pesos, you can go up to the observation deck on the 44th floor of the Latin American Tower. On a clear afternoon you will be able to see the volcanoes, the Toreo de Cuatro Caminos, the Ajusco and the Villa de Guadalupe. If it is not clear, look down and see Bellas Artes, the Alameda Central and the Zócalo. In either case, just imagine how many people are down there and remember what Salvador Novo said: “The greatness of Mexico City is carved from the dreams and toil of all those men, brought upon the most beautiful valley in the world”.

Source: México Desconocido No. 298 / December 2001
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