Disappointment

(image taken from the internet)

 

Last weekend, Alejandro and I were looking forward to attending an event downtown called "Feria del Mundo" (Fair of the World).  The event was to be held last Friday, Saturday and Sunday at a building called the "Palacio de Autonomía" located about a block from the Zócalo.  Thirty countries from all over the world were participating, and they would be selling art, handicrafts and typical food.

Alejandro and I took the Metrobus and the subway and arrived at the Zócalo Saturday afternoon.  We are in the midst of the campaigns for the Presidential election in June.  Because of political demonstrations on the plaza, metal barricades had been set up in front of the National Palace.  Those barricades also blocked the street next to the National Palace, the street that we would have taken to get to the event.  We were told by the police that we would have walk around several city blocks and that we could access the street from the rear of the National Palace.  We did so, and we found barricades and a checkpoint there.  There was a long line of people waiting to pass through and go to the "Feria".  After waiting a while, we were told that there was going to be a demonstration on the Zócalo, and that the event was closing down.  We did not even attempt to return on Sunday, because an even bigger demonstration was planned for that day.

We were, of course, very disappointed.  But I can imagine the disappointment of the people who had traveled from across the globe to represent their countries in the "feria", only to have the event shut down for two of the three days.  If the event is held again next year, I wonder how many countries will bother to participate.