Mexico City (or D.F. for locals) is a monster of a city. With over 22 million residents, some ridiculously rich while the majority live in poverty in cramped favelas on the mountain side, it really is a city of contradictions.
The main square, Zocalo is overwhelming. Lined by the enormous National Palace, the Federal government and the grand Cathedral it's one of the biggest squares in the world. The pavers in the square as well as the bricks of many of the buildings were taken from ancient Aztec ruins by the Spanish to build their modern city.
Behind the cathedral, ruins have been found of the ancient Temple Mayor and you can see an interesting contrast between the past and now.
Overall the city is full of relics of the past that contrast the present. The Museum of Anthroplogy is housed in a huge, modern building and displays relics from past cultures throughout the world.
The ancient ruins of Tenochitlan, one hour from the city, are surrounded by a golf course and villages.
On the highway to get there you pass endless favelas where the poorest people survive on the basics, but they all have Cable TV.
Every night there was a light and sound show in Zocalo put on by the government to celebrate one hundred years since the Mexican Revolution, to celebrate the change, progress and pride in Mexico over the last 100 years. However, in reality Mexico is still struggling to catch up to modernity, democracy and equality.
There are street vendors selling tacos for 1 or 2 pesos outside restaurants selling tacos for 30 or 40 pesos.
There are police lining most corners of the historic centre yet there were still men fighting in the street, people selling drugs, cars running red lights and people drinking in the street.
There are the beautiful neighbourhods like Coyoacan and Polanco where the drinks are pricey and the clientele well dressed. But you need to take the dirty, smelly metro, with people selling everything from chewing gum to cooking books for about 5 pesos, to get there.
The Castillo de Chapultepec was once a castle for an Austrian emperor, then a military school, followed by Presidential palace until it was bequeathed as a national museum. So now the city's residents flock there to get a taste of wealth and culture.
Then, like I did, for a taste of REAL Mexican culture they head to the lucha libre. An example of possibly the lowest cultural tradition that exists in Mexico, this 'free fighting' is a true cult. Teams of three luchadors, each with a mask or long hair fight (albiet fake) for three rounds. The athletic abilities are impressive, the fighting not so much. Families take their children who are dressed as their favourite luchador, couples go on dates there, and true fanatics even have their own section of the stadium. Everyone has a hero and an enemy, and they go wild over both. I even heard kids as young as 5 or 6 yelling 'puto, puto, puto' -roughly translated as asshole, asshole, asshole!
Even the climate is opposing, stinking hot days, then chilly nights.
I spend only four days there, and I got a great impression of the city, but I think to really appreciate the city and its inner workings you need a lot longer.
