As mentioned previously, on Saturday Alejandro and I planned to go to the Zócalo to see the Christmas festival. We arrived there mid-afternoon.
The plaza was busy but not overly crowded. There were, however, a lot of people crowded around the more photogenic spots, so I was glad that I had come a couple days earlier to take photos.
We went into the large tent that housed a handicrafts market.
This fellow was weaving fabric on a backstrap loom.
I was priding myself on being a good boy and not buying anything.
But then I came to the stall of this vendor from the state of Michoacán.
He had hand-painted wooden plates, spoons and jewelry.
I bought a couple of the miniature plates, one for myself, and one with butterflies to set aside as a birthday present for Alejandro's sister.
We left the Zócalo and went to our favorite restaurant, Testal, for dinner. By the time we finished, it was after dark. We headed back to the plaza to see the Christmas lights. In the intervening time, the city government had set up metal barrier fences all around the Zócalo, with only a few places to enter and exit the festival... an absolutely idiotic move. Even in this enormous city of 22 million people, I have NEVER experienced such a crush as the crowd pushed and struggled to enter or leave the festival. It was the first time I have ever felt fearful for my safety in Mexico City. It was like one of those situations you read about in the news where people are trampled underfoot. Meanwhile, the police watched impassively.
After we finally entered, it was less dangerously congested, but still uncomfortably crowded. We took a few photos, and then got out of there.
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| (photo taken by Alejandro) |
We walked from the plaza for a block down 20 de Noviembre Avenue to where two of the city's department stores, Liverpool and Palacio de Hierro, across the street from each other, are nicely decorated for the holidays.
We survived Mexico City's Christmas Festival!
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