Day 3--Zocalo

Again, I woke up at 7am to get ready for my day, but took a leisurely time getting ready so that I could wait out the morning metro rush. I left the hostel around 9 and found the metro a LOT less crowded than it was yesterday. The metro ride to the Zócalo (main city square) was very quick and easy, taking about 10 minutes. Upon exiting the station, I walked a short distance to Templo Mayor, bought a ticket, and began my walking tour of the ruins. The temple complex is very obviously only a shadow now of its former glory. The excavations show the multiple layers of temples overlaying each other. I can’t imagine how this structure (and the city of Tenochtitlán) must have looked during the time of the Aztecs, located in the middle of a huge lake (now all dried up). The outer structures of this site were very impressive, but I think the on-site museum is even nicer.

The Templo Mayor museum is very well done with all exhibits/artifacts dramatically-lit and described by informative, artistic plaques. Most of the treasures unearthed during the Templo Mayor excavations are housed here. I especially liked the eagle-shaped statue used to hold the hearts (etc.) of sacrificial victims and the famous stone showing the murder/dismemberment of the goddess Coyolxuahqui.

After Templo Mayor and the museum, I walked over to the nearby Palacio Nacional. Upon passing through security, I went upstairs to look at the famous Diego Rivera murals. Although I don’t particularly love his artistic style, I was impressed by the amount of effort that was obviously put into these massive murals. I did like the murals depicting Tenochtitlán prior to the arrival of the Spaniards. I didn’t spend very long in the Palacio, but I took the time to admire some of it’s architecture, art, and the central square.

By now it was lunch time and I walked down a side street and ate flautas de pollo (good but spicy) and chocolate caliente (Nesquick!?! Blaaah!) at a restaurant called Vips. After my lunch I wandered into the Starbucks next door for a caramel frappucinno--I'm in a big city now! It has been at least 7 months since I’ve had anything from Starbucks (they don’t exist in Costa Rica).

Once I finished my coffee and had enough of a break, I found an internet café to quickly check my e-mail and spent the next couple of hours wandering around the streets near the Zócalo looking for souvenirs. I eventually made my way back to the Catedral and went inside to look around and relax (and escape the sun) for a little bit. The ceilings and altar carvings were very impressive and pretty.

It was around 3:30 by now and too hot to hang around in the main square for much longer. I took the metro back to the hostel, drank some water, and reorganized before walking over to the Zona Rosa and Mercado de Insurgentes. The Mercado here was less than impressive, consisting of really redundant stores that sold the same boring, overpriced junk to tourists. I did manage to bargain for a cute, brightly-painted wooden owl (alebrije) for Carlos.

Back at the hostel I met up with my friend Danielle and we went out to dinner at a Sanborns where I had chilaquiles (spicy!). After eating dinner we walked to the bakery near out hostel (El Globo) for a hot chocolate and this was by far the best cup yet. Upon returning to the hostel, I took a shower and went to sleep around 11pm (late!). Tomorrow I travel to Morelia~