Un día para la historia - Chapultepec

One of the most important sites in Mexico City is the Castillo de Chapultepec, and that is where we went today. The setting is a large park, the Bosque de Chapultepec, which has the castillo as well as the anthropology museum, and at least one major art museum. Too tired to look up everything on a map.

Omar fixed a nice, simple breakfast for us (you knew we would start the blog with food notes, didn't you?). Rice with sweetened condensed milk, rasins, and guayaba juice - a traditional Mexican version of rice pudding. There is enough left over for breakfast tomorrow. We got off the hill to the city thanks to his neighbor's taxi service – who we found out once had 3 or 4 wives, and now has many children to drive his cabs (we get some wild stories). The subway ride was brief because of some technical difficulties, namely, nothing would move after stopping at two stations. It happens, and it was not too bad. The fans were on and the doors were open, but Karen has a tendency to claustrophobia, so we left at the Hidalgo station – middle downtown – and hopped on a bus down the Paseo de la Reforma.

And what a colorful ride it was. Seems as how this is Gay Pride Day in Ciudad de Mexico and it was well attended. At first it looked pretty sad, rather thin numbers and some folks in costume (the dude in a wig and flamingo style dress was interesting. But, after a few blocks it began to rival Carnival in New Orleans. Lots of marchers with flags and signs, and truck-drawn floats with mariache bands and chisel chested guys in G-strings. Well, whatever floats your boat.

Chapultepec is very impressive and very historic. It has served as an Imperial residence, presidential palace, and as Mexico's military acadamy. It was defended by young cadets from an attack by US forces in the War of 1848, and the dead are revered here as Los Ninos Heros. Roger read a brief history of Mexico before leaving and fully enjoyed the displays. It's a shame Americans are ignorant of Mexican history. It shows what can happen when there is a failure of leadership and when a privileged class is allowed to run a country with no regard for the common folk.

These are photos of ...

... us, Omar,and his son Ivan at Chapultepec, and a city shot - just another old building in Mexico City. 

It's late, we'll forego the food report for supper, except to say it was at a restaurant that Omar used to work in and the food was very good – got my first taste of chorizo, one of several styles of Mexican sausage. Oh, the onion soup is made with chicken broth here, and garnished with raw unions and jalapenos. And, the tortilla soup is also very good.

Tomorrow morning we take the bus to Puebla. Another city, another mercado district, another whole style of cuisine, Poblano. They actually run food tours of Puebla.

Your turistas in Mexico,

Roger and Karen