In a country plagued by a decade-long drug war, Mexico City provides a chance for revival of the past and awakening of the future.
MEXICO CITY- In the summer of 1986, after graduating from Princeton University, my father traveled to his homeland of Mexico with nothing but a backpack of clothes and necessities and a few pesos clinging in his pocket. When he ran low on cash, he slept in a tent with nothing to eat but dirt-cheap bananas and uncooked vegetables.
In the summer of 2015, almost 30 years later, I returned to Mexico City with my father on the comparably luxurious vacation he never had. What I discovered was a diverse metropolitan city filled with fascinating art, eclectic architecture and a rich history.
Situated in the mountains at above 7,000 feet, the city is not for the faint of heart. With a population of over 20 million people the shear size and magnitude of crowds walking through Mexico city’s most crowded areas can render some midsized-town tourists amazed.
As overwhelmed as I was by the massive crowds and somewhat poor air quality, I was more surprised by the historic and captivating beauty of Mexico City. While the current culture remains attached to the city’s colonial European influences of France and Spain, many natives prefer to identify with their Aztec empire heritage.
The city’s more expensive district, Zona Roma, feels almost like Paris with its charming boutiques, quaint cafes and iron gates adorned with fleur de lis prints. The city’s more artsy district, Coyoacán (where tourists can visit Frida Kahlo’s house), is reminiscent of the colorful, terracotta buildings and sprawling courtyards of Spain.
Between shopping the trendy clothing stores, visiting art galleries and sipping strong cappuccinos, I could have sworn I was in Europe. But a trip to the Zócalo, Mexico City’s version of the national mall in Washington DC, reminded me I was not. Situated next to the Metropolitan Cathedral, the first and largest cathedral in the Americas, is the recently unearthed ruins of the Templo Mayor, which was the main temple within the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlán.
Another integral part of the ancient empire can still be visited just outside Mexico city. A 20-minute car ride led me to Xochimilco, the sight of the Aztec empire’s famous floating gardens, which are still in use today. Instead of growing food, Mexican natives grow plants and flowers in the gardens, which visitors can purchase during a boat tour through the river. While I expected the boat ride to be a quiet escape from the Mexico City crowds, I discovered that Xochimilco was basically a party on the water. Boat vendors float next to you offering freshly cooked food, packaged snacks and alcoholic beverages while other boats carrying mariachi bands and marimbas offer to play a personal concert for your boat. While I went on a Saturday, our tour guide informed us the river is almost always crowded on any given sunny day.
My father was around the same age as I was when he traveled to Mexico City almost 30 years ago. While our circumstances and privileges differ, we both discovered that the city is so much more than its reputation for spicy food, a corrupt government and a dangerous drug trade. It is a diverse yet united look at influences of power throughout the past and present. If you are still on the fence about traveling to the colorful central American city, I have one word to ease your mind; Tequila.
In the summer of 2015, almost 30 years later, I returned to Mexico City with my father on the comparably luxurious vacation he never had. What I discovered was a diverse metropolitan city filled with fascinating art, eclectic architecture and a rich history.
Situated in the mountains at above 7,000 feet, the city is not for the faint of heart. With a population of over 20 million people the shear size and magnitude of crowds walking through Mexico city’s most crowded areas can render some midsized-town tourists amazed.
As overwhelmed as I was by the massive crowds and somewhat poor air quality, I was more surprised by the historic and captivating beauty of Mexico City. While the current culture remains attached to the city’s colonial European influences of France and Spain, many natives prefer to identify with their Aztec empire heritage.
The city’s more expensive district, Zona Roma, feels almost like Paris with its charming boutiques, quaint cafes and iron gates adorned with fleur de lis prints. The city’s more artsy district, Coyoacán (where tourists can visit Frida Kahlo’s house), is reminiscent of the colorful, terracotta buildings and sprawling courtyards of Spain.
Between shopping the trendy clothing stores, visiting art galleries and sipping strong cappuccinos, I could have sworn I was in Europe. But a trip to the Zócalo, Mexico City’s version of the national mall in Washington DC, reminded me I was not. Situated next to the Metropolitan Cathedral, the first and largest cathedral in the Americas, is the recently unearthed ruins of the Templo Mayor, which was the main temple within the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlán.
Another integral part of the ancient empire can still be visited just outside Mexico city. A 20-minute car ride led me to Xochimilco, the sight of the Aztec empire’s famous floating gardens, which are still in use today. Instead of growing food, Mexican natives grow plants and flowers in the gardens, which visitors can purchase during a boat tour through the river. While I expected the boat ride to be a quiet escape from the Mexico City crowds, I discovered that Xochimilco was basically a party on the water. Boat vendors float next to you offering freshly cooked food, packaged snacks and alcoholic beverages while other boats carrying mariachi bands and marimbas offer to play a personal concert for your boat. While I went on a Saturday, our tour guide informed us the river is almost always crowded on any given sunny day.
My father was around the same age as I was when he traveled to Mexico City almost 30 years ago. While our circumstances and privileges differ, we both discovered that the city is so much more than its reputation for spicy food, a corrupt government and a dangerous drug trade. It is a diverse yet united look at influences of power throughout the past and present. If you are still on the fence about traveling to the colorful central American city, I have one word to ease your mind; Tequila.