From the 44th Floor

One of the places that I will take my friends Nancy and Fred when they come to Mexico City in October is the observation deck of the Latin American Tower.

The Latin American Tower was built in 1956, and at that time it was the tallest skyscraper in all of Latin America.  It has been surpassed in height by many newer buildings in Mexico City, but it remains an iconic landmark.  The structure was specially designed to withstand earthquakes, and it has come through the severe quakes of 1957, 1985, and 2017 without damage.

I have been to the top of the tower numerous times and went again last Thursday.  I have posted pictures from the observation deck before, but this time I thought I would play a bit with the photos.

Looking toward the east the air looked quite clear even though the volcanos Popo and Izta were not visible.

Directly below and leading to the main plaza is Madero Street which was converted into a pedestrian street nine years ago.

Zooming in on Madero Street you can the people walking along the street.


Stretching along one entire side of the main plaza, the Zócalo, is the National Palace.

You can also see the tents for the market that was being held on the plaza as well as the large Mexican flag in the middle of the Zócalo.

To the side of the plaza is the Metropolitan Cathedral.

About a mile to the east of the Zócalo, you can make out the Legislative Palace of San Lázaro.

This modern building, inaugurated in 1981, is the meeting place of the Chamber of Deputies (the equivalent of the U.S. House of Representatives).  It is named San Lázaro after the train station which used to stand on that location.

Beyond that, you can barely see the Mexico City International Airport.  

The airport has reached the limits of its capacity, and a controversial new airport is being built beyond that on the old lakebed of Lake Texcoco.


Looking to the southwest, facing the afternoon sun, the view is not as clear and the city's smog is more visible.  The World Trade Center, a skyscraper about the same height as the Latin American Tower, is the most prominent building.

The condo that I rent is just a block behind the World Trade Center.

Market on the Square

Once again there is an event of some sort taking place on the Zócalo, Mexico City's main square.  I tend to get upset when the plaza is taken over by some exposition detracting from the cityscape of this vast square surrounded by historic buildings.

The tents set up on the square appeared to be some sort of market, but there were no signs saying exactly what was going on.  So I crossed over onto the Zócalo to check it out.  

It was indeed an market, similar to the "tianguis" or outdoor markets that are held in every neighborhood in the city.

There were a large number of food stalls... yet it was not a food fair.

"Elotes" are ears of boiled or roasted corn and "esquites" are corn kernels served in a cup with mayonnaise, hot sauce and lime juice.

In Mexico there are all sorts of candies made from seeds or nuts, such as "alegrías" which are made from amaranth seeds mixed with honey or sugar.

"Tlayudas" might be called Oaxaca's version of the pizza... a large tortilla with various toppings.

Different kinds of "mole"

There were many stalls selling handicrafts... yet it was not a craft fair.

This woman was weaving fabric on a backstrap loom.

Besides the booths selling food and handicrafts there was ordinary merchandise such as shoes, books and DVDs.  Just what was the theme of this market?  A lot of the vendors were from Oaxaca, and I asked one lady if they were all from Oaxaca.  "No," she said, "just this tent."

I had a conversation with this gentleman, a member of the Huichol tribe from the state of Nayarit.  He was creating the beautiful beaded objects for which his people are famous. 

I was tempted to buy something from him... the small framed picture of a wolf all done in beads that you see at the upper left corner of the photo.  But it cost over 1500 pesos (over 75 U.S. dollars), and I didn't have that much money on me.  However, given the quality and detail of his art, the price was most reasonable.

I asked him if there was any sort of theme to this market.  He told me that he had no idea.  He had been invited to participate, and so there he was.  

I guess I will never know the reason behind the market on the square.

Independence Day is Coming

In a month Mexico will celebrate "las Fiestas Patrias"... the National Holidays... Mexico's Independence Day on September 16th.  The first sign that the holiday is on its way are the advertisements outside the restaurants saying that they are now serving "chiles en nogada", the patriotic dish with the colors of the Mexican flag.

Yesterday I passed by a fabric store in downtown Mexico City.  The store window was decked out with patriotic themes, but because of the reflection I was unable to get a good picture.  Step inside the store and you immediately see...

...holiday tablecloths for just 39.99 pesos...

and just beyond those...

bolts of red, white and green satin fabric for creating a fantastic Independence Day outfit!

A Different Breakfast

A few days ago I passed a little French bakery / café across the street from the World Trade Center with the very French name of "L'Univers de Macaron".  They have a breakfast menu so I gave it a try a couple mornings ago.

I ordered the "croque madame", a ham sandwich covered with bechamel sauce and topped with a fried egg.  

It was not as delicious as the "croque monsieur" I once had in a Paris café, but it was very tasty.  The place gets rave reviews for its baked goods.  I ordered a "chocolatín" (a chocolate-filled pastry), and it was much better than the typical "chocolatín" from a Mexican bakery.

I would come here again for a change of pace for breakfast.

Volcano Road

No, it isn´t always cloudy, foggy or rainy in Jalapa.  On Monday morning, when we left the city, the sun was shining.

However, clouds were already starting to form.  El Pico de Orizaba, the snow-covered volcano which is Mexico's highest peak, was already shrouded in clouds.  However, unlike our trip from Mexico City to Jalapa a couple days before, on our return we had views of the other volcanos which line the route.  As we left Jalapa and climbed through the Sierra Madre mountains, we had a good view of El Cofre de Perote.

El Cofre de Perote is an extinct volcano and is the eight highest mountain in Mexico.  The word "cofre" means coffer and refers to the box-like outcropping at the peak.

We soon reached the "altiplano", the high, semi-arid plateau of central Mexico.  This plateau is far from flat however, because it is crossed by the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt.  Even many of the smaller mountains here are obviously of volcanic origen.

When we entered the state of Tlaxcala the mountain named La Malinche came into view.

La Malinche is a inactive volcano which last erupted about 3100 years ago.  With an elevation of 14,500 feet, it is the sixth highest mountain in Mexico.

After passing La Malinche, two of the country's most famous peaks came into sight... Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, often referred to as Popo and Izta.

At just over 18,000 feet in elevation, Popo (to the left) is the second highest peak in Mexico.  For half a century the volcano had been dormant, but starting in 1991 activity has increased with eruptions of gas, ash, steam, rocks and even occasional lava.   Smoke constantly emanates from the crater.  

Izta, "the White Lady" is a dormant volcano.  With an elevation of more than 17,000 feet, it is Mexico's third highest mountain.  According to Aztec mythology Popo and Izta were star-crossed lovers... you might say the Romeo and Juliet of pre-Hispanic Mexico.  The gods turned them into mountains so that they would be side by side for all eternity.  

Just beyond the two volcanos is Mexico City.  Our journey was coming to an end. 

Not So Magical Coatepec

From Xico we traveled a short distance to another "Pueblo Mágico", the town of Coatepec, the "coffee capital of Mexico".  The town is filled with picturesque architecture and in 2008 it was named a "Magic Town" for its unique atmosphere.  Unfortunately the town is a victim of its own success.  On a Sunday afternoon, it seemed as if every family in Jalapa (just five miles away) was here on a weekend outing.  

As we approached the center of town, the traffic was bumper to bumper.  We got out of the car while Javier parked at a parking garage.  The town square was jammed with people.  It was beyond lively... it was a zoo.

We stopped at a café facing the plaza which is owned by "Bola de Oro", the best known brand of coffee from Coatepec.  

However our visit to the sidewalk café was not the relaxing experience it should have been.  There was a stage set up on the plaza, and a rock band was playing at full volume.  To add to the cacophony, a street musician decided to serenade the café, playing the guitar and singing at the top of his lungs.  His voice was less than melodic, and we wanted to give him some coins just to get rid of him.  After the would-be Caruso left, I thought that perhaps we might be able to converse, but then the street vendors came to our table one after another.  I usually take vendors in stride, but I was beginning to lose my patience.  My responses of "No, gracias," were taking on a tone of irritation.  

After we finished at the café, we left the hubbub around the plaza, and Coatepec's charms and why it had been chosen as a "Pueblo Mágico" became more apparent.  There is much lovely architecture.

San Jerónimo is the town´s principal church.

The old houses are built in Spanish style, and have wide eaves to protect passersby from the frequent rain.

  The 19th century Church of Guadalupe is fanciful inside and out.

So, my advice to any visitor, is to come to Coatepec on a weekday when the town is quieter and when you can better appreciate its atmosphere.

Magical Xico

After visiting the botanical gardens in Jalapa on Sunday morning, Irma's nephew Javier then drove us to the town of Xico about ten miles to the south of Jalapa.  In 2011 Xico was designated as a "Pueblo Mágico" (Magic Town), a designation given to towns of unique picturesqueness and cultural importance by the federal government.

Javier parked the car along one of the streets and we walked to the center of town.  Under the arcade facing the main plaza, there were vendors selling local handicrafts.

The specialty of the area seems to be carved wood.  I bought a wooden yo-yo for Alejandro's nephew from this fellow.

These wall plaques of fruits and flowers carved from wood were beautiful.  They were very tempting, but I have already bought too many handicrafts.  I did, however, buy a little wooden magnet for the refrigerator.

This gentleman was selling candies similar to marzipan made from peanuts.

The town's principal church is dedicated to Mary Magdalene.

July 22nd, the Feast Day of Mary Magdalene, marks Xico's main fiesta, and many of the decorations from the festival were still in place.  At the entrance to the church there was still a large decoration covering the central façade made from agave leaves.

  
The interior of the church is quite beautiful, but was even more fanciful with the fiesta decorations still in place.

These metal sculptures with the name of the town have became very popular throughout the country, and have become a popular spot for visitors to take photos.

(photo taken by a friendly tourist)

Women from Chiapas were selling embroidered blouses on the plaza.

From the church we headed down the town's principal street.

Many of the buildings still had decorations from last month's fiesta.

We went to a traditional restaurant called "El Mesón Xiqueño" for our afternoon dinner.  It is located in an old house with a central patio filled with lush vegetation.  

At first we thought that these beautiful flowers in the patio were orchids, but they are a vining plant called "flor de verano" (summer flower).

This macaw has been a resident of the patio for decades.

Not only was the setting lovely, but the food was delicious.  I ordered chicken in "mole xiqueño", one of the specialties of the town.  Three of our group ordered a meat plate that was advertised as serving two or three.  In fact, there was plenty for four or five, and Javier and I also got to sample it.

After dinner it was time to move on to another "magic town" located outside of Jalapa... Coatepec, the center of the coffee industry in the state of Veracruz.