Mexico City and its three cultures

Jan 23
09:42

2008

Andrei Costenco

Andrei Costenco

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What do you feel at the mention of Mexico, particularly its capital? Tequila, the serials that never end and sombrero? It appears that you know nothing about Mexico! So, let your suitcase not become too dusty, pack it quick and go to meet the unknown, the world depository of history secrets, that are thoroughly hidden from the modern world by this country and its major city. May be it will be you who can either touch the riddle of universe or to contribute to its answer.

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Sometimes you sit in the boring evenings,Mexico City and its three cultures Articles there is bleakness outside and it is nasty drizzling, and autumn that came into its possession, casts a light melancholy over you. And you think…somewhere there it is warm and the sun twines round your hair tenderly, a soft breeze is carried from an ocean or a sea…there is a such place, where the sun is shining almost every morning, where now, today, tomorrow is good, because just from October till January is the best time for traveling to cradle of the ancient civilizations of the New World – Mexico.The land of Aztecs and the ancient Maya civilizations is now the bright and unique interweaving of the past and the present, it combines fabulous mountains, impenetrable jungles, very beautiful landscapes, broadest flats and fine pyramids.Mexico is a rich history, bright paints, proud and broadbrow people. All these will win your heart and amaze you by their heartfelt hospitality.I will turn some facts that will educate you and probably seduce you like me to rush to this country, to enjoy and to be greatly impressed.So, the shores of Mexico are washed by waters of the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California in the West, and in the East- by the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. From the South it borders on Guatemala and Belize.Mexico City is the capital of Mexico and United Mexican states, which I will share my impressions about.  It is the Latin American megalopolis that arose upon the ruin of the Aztecs capital. It is the biggest city in the world and the oldest one in the New World that amaze by its plenty of monuments pre-Spanish and colonial times.They say, that cities have their soul. The soul of Mexico City and its population of many millions is hidden behind the huge surface of the paved by dark flagstone Plaza de la Constitución, Zócalo. Someone who was in Venice can compare the size of the Constitution Square with the Venetian Square of St. Mark, alike there are imposing buildings along the square edges, among which there are the monumental government palace with the famous painting of Diego Rivera and the biggest baroque cathedral of Latin America.One more tremendous place is Chapultepec Park, where there are many sights, such as the Museum of Modern Art, National Anthropologic museum, zoo and Chapultepec Castle.Generally speaking, Mexico City includes several cultures and acts as a keeper of three of them simultaneously – Indian, Spanish and Mexican that arose from the previous two cultures. Therefore, museums are full of quite a lot of jewelery of  the great Indian states. You can observe the Spanish style on the Saint Dominic square, where the most beautiful baroque church of Mexico is placed.  In turn, you can see in the days of classicism the luxurious boulevard Paseo La Reforma in the Europe style, and the modern style can be seen in the Fine Arts Palace.Most probably that everybody saw the movies about the Indians and their way of living, but here just 40 km away from Mexico City you can find yourself among the most famous and mysterious monuments of Indian culture: the archaeological nature reserve Teotihuacan with the pyramids of the Sun and the Moon, the Avenue of the Dead and the temple of the Quetzalcoatl. This city is the biggest archaeological zone of America and has an area of 23 square kilometers.And as a contradiction to antiquity, a kind of symbol of modernity is the Torre Latin American - a 177 meters tower. It is highly recommended to climb it in the evening and the picture of the sea, houses illuminated by the millions of lights will imprint in your memory for a long time. And once you descend and come to the Garibaldi square, you will surely meet ensembles that play the mariachi music until late at night for everybody who is ready to pay some pesos.As a matter of fact it is a pleasure not only to walk around the town, to visit museums and monuments, but also to sit in a cozy restaurant or café. Believe me, it is not less fun, and what is more important – delicious. For example, I and majority of other people admit, that Mexican food is one of the most varied and delicious in the world. The most well-known national dishes, which are worth tasting, and which you can find in any café and even in a street booth – are tortillas (corn pones), burrito, fajitas, caesadea. You should be careful, because Mexican cuisine likes to put hot chili everywhere, though, in many places for tourists, spicy sauces are served separately. When it comes to drinks, I will not be original and say that the national drink, known all over the world – is tequila, and only after that - beer and mescal.After you stuffed yourself with delicatessen and still have some time, it is worth seeing one place  - the  house-museum of one of the brightest, contradictory and tragic figure – Trotsky as well as the house-museum of Frida Kahlo, the famous Mexican artist, the wife of the famous painter Diego Rivera with an incredibly unique creativity, mysterious nature. They still arouse sincere interest and attract painting-lovers to Mexico City. Some decades after death, Frida Kahlo became the cult figure of women's movement. Her difficult life (she had poliomyelitis in her childhood and she was at a surgical table for some dozens of times) gave her image a kind of unbelievable power.And to finish the walk along Mexico City, I would recommend to visit the Xochimilco channels. It is the amazing place of flowers or floating gardens. The ancient channels of Aztecs, Chinampas, remind about the remains of the "5EA>A> lake, on which the city itself stands. So, the trajinera gondolas trip with the live music of Mariachis will help you to make the picture of the Mexico City from the pieces of sights, absorbing of what have been seen, making the impression and enjoying such different and  at the same time harmonious city that is so different from others.Still, if some money is left – run through the shops and stores with souvenirs, which can be silver items, Indian motives, hand-made carpets and fabrics, poncho and capes “serape”, sombrero, of course, leather products, wooden masks and figures, products from onyx and obsidian, and ceramics.Somehow, in an incomprehensible way in Mexico City coexist colonial palaces and skyscrapers, slums and world-known museums, green lawns and polluted air… but all this is alive, truly touching and real, and that is why we admire, wonder, explore and enjoy the moments, given to us by this magical city! Should you believe my stories and impressions? It is for you to decide, but the only way to check – is to visit the place, where you, besides the magnificent rest on the seashore, will touch the breathtaking events of the past, setting off to travel in the very heart – in Mexico City.