Walking Home

On Tuesday after seeing the exposition of Nativity scenes in the Coyoacán subway station, I decided to get some exercise and walk about three miles back to my apartment.

Emerging from the subway station, I found myself on Avenida Universidad close to the Torre Mítica, Mexico City's tallest skyscraper.  

I walked a short distance up broad Avenida Universidad.

Avenida Universidad runs in a northeasterly direction, so it was heading away from my apartment located almost directly north near Avenida Insurgentes.  I turned onto Gabriel Mancera which runs parallel to Insurgentes through the neighborhood of Colonia del Valle.

Much of the street is lined with apartment buildings, although there are still some single-family homes in neo-colonial style that date back to when the neighborhood was first developed.

As in other parts of the city, there are many new buildings under construction.

This construction site will be the location of a high-rise apartment building called "Be Grand del Valle".

"Preventa de departamentos a partir de $5.2 MDP"

Pre-sale of apartments starting at 5.2 million pesos (275,000 U,S, dollars)

All along Gabriel Mancera Street are banners from the city government touting the safety of the neighborhood.

 Secure path

Walk freely

Walk safely

This billboard from one of the bakery chains was still advertising "rosca de Reyes", the "Kings' Ring" which is traditional for Epiphany.

The sign for this restaurant was rather funny and bizarre.  The restaurant is called Alita'Kate and it features an all-you-can-eat buffet of chicken wings (alitas) and sushi.  A three-dimensional sumo wrestler wearing a Mexican "lucha libre" mask is climbing up the wall.

Continuing along the street there is a pleasant neighborhood park.

This sign in the park says, "Neighbor, the park is not a garbage dump.  Maintaining a clean space is the work of everyone."  The sign must have made its point, because the park was very clean. 

Of course, it helps that there are plenty of trash bins throughout the park.  There are separate bins for organic and inorganic trash.

The "BJ" sign in the park refers to "Benito Juárez" the borough in which Colonia del Valle, as well as my "colonia" of Nápoles are located.

A flower vendor's stall at the edge of the park

At this point I was in need of a restroom break, so I popped into this cute little cafe / gift shop, where I ordered a cup of Oaxacan hot chocolate.  

The place has the odd name of "Mi Vida en Bici" (My Life on a Bike).  There are several bookshelves with used books.  Apparently, you can bring a book and exchange it for something on the shelf.  They must have some "gringo" customers, because quite a few of the books were in English.  I'll have to return sometime with some of my books and see if there anything I would like to read.

A bougainvillea in bloom

This little shop that sells thermal items caught my eye.

Among other things, they sell thermal tortilla holders.

Tortillas should always be served hot, and in Mexican households the tortillas are always brought out to the table wrapped in a cloth or in a special container.   These can hold up to two pounds of tortillas, depending on the size, and they keep the tortillas hot for up to three hours.  They are made in Mexico and have very attractive Mexican designs.  I went inside and bought one for Alejandro's sister.

I turned left off of Gabriel Mancera at this rather imposing church, "La Parroquia del Purísimo Corazón de María" (the Parish Church of the Purest Heart of Mary).

I have never seen the modern film adaptation of "Romeo and Juliet" that starred Leonardo di Caprio, but I've been told that this church was prominently featured in the movie.

I was now heading west toward Insurgentes Avenue.  From a pedestrian bridge that crosses a broad thoroughfare, you can see the uniquely shaped building that used to be the headquarters of Mexicana Airlines.

Locals jokingly refer to the building as "La Liquadora" (The Blender).  After Mexicana went bankrupt, the building was purchased by an insurance company.

From that bridge you can also see the round top of the World Trade Center.  I am getting close to my apartment.

I finally reached Insurgentes Avenue.  On one side of the street is this nearly completed high-rise that will have luxury condos and a Hyatt Regency Hotel.

On the opposite side of the avenue is the Mexico City World Trade Center.  Home is just a block away.