Day 4: Tuesday, April 2

A weird thing to start Day #4 of my adventure in Mexico City. I received a message via WhatApps as I had been receiving all info on my trip from the tour company that I would be picked-up at 8:15 a.m. on Tuesday. So I waited outside from 8:10 a.m. as I had the previous 3 morning, but no one showed, so 40 minutes later, I sent a message on WhatApps informing the tour company that I had been waiting for 40 minutes and asking if they tour van was still on its way. I received a message telling me that they would check...5 minutes later, I received a message that they had made a mistake and that the van was on its way again to retrieve me and that they would be there within 10 minutes. However, 10 minutes later, a car appears with the driver getting out looking for me. The driver's name was Humberto and he said he would give me a personalized tour for today! It turns out that the guide for today was in a van that was completely different than the brand new on the side of the van from the last few days. And the guide today did not hold a sign with my name on it looking for me. This guide for today went inside the lobby of the hotel, asked for me, called my room, etc., couldn't find me and left. I told Humberto how the guides and vans were different from the previous 3 days. Either way, I am so impressed with "Destination Services Mexico" that they corrected their mistake by giving me a private tour for the day...I think most companies would have apologized and cancelled the day, so I am very impressed on how today developed!

My day started driving from the Zona Rosa District up to El Zócalo or La Plaza de la Constitucion de Mexico. In driving through the main downtown of Mexico City, I saw all of the department stores, historical office buidlings, the names of streets that are very organized, etc. It reminds new of New York City! This alone is another item on my future list of Mexico City to spend an entire day or two to just walk around to view.

We then parked and walked-up to the main square for Mexico City, an area of which I have seen photos for years. My view today is quite different from the other photos I've seen...there is a huge area of tents for locals from all of the states of Mexico to set-up booths to vend their local items. But I did see the President's palace, government buildings around the square, the Mexico City Metropolitain Cathedral, and of course the huge flag for Mexico!

Humberto first showed me the area to the side of the cathedral where the remnance of the Aztec pyramids of their city of Tenochtitlan were found in 1978 when new electrical cables were being laid. Remember, when the Spanish conquered the Aztecs and their city of Tenochtitlan, they vowed to tear down the Aztec city and build their new city, Mexico City, on top!

Next, I got to tour the Cathedral of Mexico City...construction started in 1573 and ended in 1813. What an amazing building! Huberto said that all buildings throughout Mexico City, are sinking since construction with the underground aquifiers being emtied of all of its water. Remember, Tenochtitlan was a city built on water!

After visiting the square, we then drove throughout the city viewing many historical buildings, old and new. We also passed through many squares and traffic circles throughout the city on our way to visit the Museo Nacional de Antropología. What an amazing, beautiful site, both the inside, and the outside! I viewed so many remnants from the Olmec, Aztec, Maya and other tribes in Mexico, photos I can of course use in the classroom.

One of the most beautiful parts of the complex is its water fall of the Anthropoligical Museum! In exiting the museum, I also saw the example of Aztecs swinging on a pole...incredible!

We were finishing our tour of the city at approxiately 2:45 p.m. when I got a message that I would be picked-up at the hotel at 3:15 p.m. to continue on to take a tour of the Frida Kahlo Museum. This museum is known as La Casa Azul where this famous artist for Mexico lived her short life. Visiting this site showed me the artwork of Frida and why she was so famous in the 1930s to the 50s. I found her home particularly beautiful with the color and the gardens in her site.

What an amazing day! I walked "only" 5.5 miles today, but I can feel it!

You can see below a box of 20 small photos. You can also see the numbers below (up to 2) meaning there is another box of up to 20 photos. You can click on any photo to see it enlarged OR just click on the 1st photo and wait....it will present a slide show of all 40 photos that advances every 5 seconds.