Gone Shopping

I rarely travel to Mexico City without visiting the Ciudadela Handicrafts Market.  Last week I hopped on the Metrobus and took a shopping trip.  The large market with aisle after aisle of stands is located a few blocks south of downtown.  A lot of the what is for sale... OK, maybe most of it... is pure tourist junk.  But there is also plenty of quality merchandise, and perhaps part of the fun of going there is seeking it out.

It seems as if it is always the "Day of the Dead" here.  The skulls and skeletons of that celebration are popular with tourists and will be found here any time of year.

My Christmas shopping is already done, and I had planned only to buy a couple presents for friends back home.  But by the time that I was done, the large shopping bag that I had brought with me was full.  I was afraid that I would not be able to fit it all in my small suitcase, but I did a trial run of packing, and fortunately there was room to spare.

From the market I walked to Insurgentes Avenue from where I would take a different Metrobus line back to the apartment.  My route took me along Bucareli Avenue.  There, in the middle of one of the intersections, is the "Chinese Clock".  It was a gift from the Chinese community of Mexico City in 1921 on the centennial of the end of Mexico's War of Independence.  It was recently restored and is once again telling correct time and chiming on the hour.

Near the clock there is an apartment building probably built at the beginning of the 20th century.  It is a bit run down, but still is quite a striking piece of architecture.

Along the roof line there are crests with the coats of arms of different Mexican cities done in tiles.

Along the façade there are tile portraits of the viceroys of colonial Mexico.

There are so many architectural gems to be found along the streets of Mexico.  If only there were unlimited resources to restore them all to their original beauty.