tomi tomato now
   
 

Das herausragendste Ereignis der Woche war der zweitägige Mexico City Aufenthalt. Mexico City ist eine enorme Stadt in jeglicher Hinsicht. In ihr wohnen rund 22 Millionen Menschen. Dies ist rund dreimal die gesamte Bevölkerung der Schweiz. Um vom südlichen zum nördlichen Ende zu gelangen muss mit knapp einer Stunde gerechnet werden (auf der Autobahn versteht sich). Der Durchmesser beträgt von Süden nach Norden gute 60 Kilometer (Thun - Biel).

Die Stadt ist überaus vielfältig und hat wohl für jeden Geschmack etwas zu bieten. Das eindrücklichste für mich ist wohl, dass die Stadt auf einem ehemaligen See errichtet wurde und aus diesem Grund diverse Gebäude am "versinken" sind. Dies kann auf einem Foto ziemlich deutlich gesehen werden. Nebst dem versinkt die Stadt bei warmen und sonnigem Wetter im Smog. Der Himmel ist nicht mehr sichtbar.

Mexico-City ist auch eine der gefaehrlichsten Metropolen der Welt. In der Millionenstadt wird im Schnitt alle 12 Minuten ein Auto gestohlen und alle 10 Minuten jemand ueberfallen. Jeden Tag werden zwei Menschen ermordet. Und das obwohl mehr als 70 000 Polizisten in dieser Metropole Dienst tun. Ein Heer von Ordnungshuetern, das nicht einmal ein Viertel aller Verbrechen aufdeckt. Faszinierend!
   
This is the main place in Leon the (leather) town. Like all the other cities has also Leon beautiful buildings and charming streets. It is a modern city with a impulsive lifestyle.
The mexican flag. It shows an eagle eating a snake.
A market for shoes in Leon. On three flors nothing else than shoes and some Taco restaurants. The mexican kitchen is very spicy and unfortunately also not really healthy. They cook with a lot of fat and onions. Very unhealthy :-)
Mexico! The town of superlative in every regard. There are different parts and one of them is Satelite and another one is Toluca. It is amazing to drive into the town. You drive and drive and drive and it takes another 20 km to downtown.
One of the most splendid super market I ever have seen is the "Mundo e". This complex is located in the "Satelite" part of the town. It has almost everything from the cinema over a gym to a small zoo also called Rainforest Cafe.
This is one of the places inside. It's a place from Italy and the sky is always blue with some clouds. Pretty nice to sit inside and looking to the blue sky even in the night.
An alley in the middle of the center. Most of the stores are expensive internationl ones. We went there about 11.00 but almost all of the stores were still closet. They open in the afternoon and not really before. The mexicans need their beauty sleep before they go to work.
This was one of the most amazing things I ever have seen. In the middle of this skyscraper a tree grew outside a window. It was so funny to see this and on the other side almost unbelievably. But it seems that the tree like this kind of place and he looks pretty healthy and green.
The "Auditorio Nacional", the most important theater in the entire town. A huge and modern building next to a famous parc.
This was also a crazy thing for me to see. The guys are called "Voladores de papantla" and they are from Veracruz. They climb first on this thing and then they start to "fall" slowly down until they are again on the ground. It is an old ritual which they used to pray for more rain. It is quite interesting to see them how they come slowely down with a permanent mix of singing and playing a instrument.
On this picture they are almost on the ground. I think they have too much blood in their heads all the time and I can't imagine that this is healthy for the blood pleasure. However, it is not my problem.
The "Museo the Antropología" is a very interesting place where they show almost the whole history of Mexico.

As example you can see how the mexican womens birth their babies. For me this looks more like going to the toilet but it seems to be a commen act in Mexico (at least few hundert years ago) :-)

Anyhow, I like the picture!
For me this roof has something special. It is carried by only one buttress in the middle and the roof is really huge and looks quite heavy.
The "calendario azteca" is a calender which the aztecs used already a long time ago. This guys were absolutely civilized and enormous smart. The calender is also used on the mexican coins.
This is Mexico-City few hundert years ago. The aztecs built the town in the middle of a lake to protect themself against enemies. No wonder that the spain were absolutely amazed as they came over the hills and as they saw this "miracle" for this time. Unfortunately they entered the town and destroyed almost all of the invaluable arts in the town.
Another miracle is the beetle! In europe a rarely used vehicule on our streets but in Mexico very common. Many years ago they were produced in Mexico and I think that this car is one of the best ever built cars in the world.
"Angel de la Independencia" is the independently angel on the street to downtown.
The "Palacio de bellas artes" is a marvelously building in downtown. Besides the theater it has also a cafe and a gallery with important pictures from mexican artists.
Here now the evidence that some of the buildings are sinking. It is again the "Palacio de bellas artes" and if you watch exactely you can see that the building is not at the same level as the parking lot. Every year the building sinks few centimeters. And this is not the only place this happend. It has a great many other buildings with the same problem. That's why they build the new houses with special technique deep into the ground.
A typical thing in Mexico are the Mariachis. This guys are playing music for some pesos. In downtown exist a place with a lot of Mariachis. It's almost looking like they go to a party or something like this because they wear almost all the same clothes.
A street in downtown....
.....a building in downtown......
....a very old and rich at embellishment facade...
....and a absolutely important place called "Zócalo". It is next to the government building and few other important houses.
The gigantic traffic which blocks all the streets at the main traffic points.
The "Palacio de gobierno" the government palace. This is the place from where Vincente Fox (the mexican president) the country rules.
"Catedral metropolitana" is one of the oldest churches in town. It is also built at the Zócalo and it is a very charming church.
The banco de méxico....
....and a car without the newest smoke regulation.
Now my favorite places. The pyramides of the sun and the moon. An amazing place which the aztecs built hunderst of years before our time. All the things are in a good condition and it's a thrilling atmosphere around this place.
This picture is taken from the "Pirámide del sol" towards the "Pirámide del luna". The sol one is higher than the luna one but not so difficult to climb on in as the luna is.
This is the Pirámide del luna. The luna is situated at the end of the "Calle des muertes" (street of the deads)
El tomato on the top of the Pirámide del sol with the calle des muertes in the background.
At 12.00 all the people on the top getting ready to get the energy from the god of sun. At the 21st of march, the beginning of spring time, the pyramide is full with people and all are there to get the energy. It is an amazing performance because all the sun-worshipper are wearing white clothes.
The pyramide of the moon....
...at the end of the "Calle des muertes". It is a powerful place and somehow it gives a good feeling to be there.
Again the sol pyramide.
At almost every traffic sign are some "actor" showing something to get some pesos. Just like this juggler who plays with his fire.
Another oltimer on the streets of Mexico-City.
Xochimilco, another fascinating location. It is also called little venice. Just the boats are bigger and the guys are speaking spanish insteed italian.

Hoi Mutti, dieses Bild habe ich nur für dich geschossen. Es zeigt klar und deutlich deinen zweiten Vornamen. BERTHA :-)

Wie wunderbar.....
The family on the boat waiting for the waiter to serve the food. From left to right: Luis, Nacho, Marilu, Maria and sweet Marycarmen.
The cook and her waiter are preparing our food.
Not only the streets are dominated by traffic jams also the water.
The "Torre Satélite" are a symbol of the Satelite part of Mexico-City.
Last but not least: As usual, I did not use any suntan lotion and this was the result in the evening after the pirámide del sol. Maybe I will learn one day that is makes sense to use this things before and not after a hot and sunny day. Who knows?
 

This was the third week of my mexican vacation. I really liked Mexico-City and all the things around this amazing town. Maybe one week would be enough time to see the most important things but unfortunately we had only two days. Anyhow, this two days were wonderful and they stay in a very good memory from my side.

Once more, viva México!!!
   
 
  home