Beautiful Culture and History in Mexico City

One week ago, I returned from Mexico City – the capital of Mexico. The greater metropolitan area is one of the world’s largest and it’s the largest city by population in North America. For instance, there are an estimated 26 million people living in the region. It was my second visit in 11 years and the city was even more beautiful than I remembered! There were so many different aspects of this trip. First, I stayed in the center of the city, but also visited surrounding communities and climbed the pyramids in Teotihuacan.

The Historic Center

The city center is similar to any other bustling city center in the world. The main square is the Plaza de la Constitución, also known as the Zócalo. Both museums and iconic buildings like the art nouveau Palacio de Bellas Artes and the Metropolitan Cathedral are located in this central area. And it’s filled with locals, traffic, tourists, restaurants, street performers, hotels, clubs, and history. There was something that I found funny as I walked throughout the city. It was 50-60 degrees outside and the local people were wrapped in scarves and jackets. I was escaping the frigid January weather in Chicago and was so excited for the warmer temperatures!

The main square had a variety of street performers and I caught a group of young men having a rap battle. It was all in Spanish, but I could hear the intonations of the freestyle and tell that it contained all the bragging, insults, and boasting of a rap battle in New York City.

Dining in Mexico City

For dining, the best areas are La Condesa and Roma. I had a great dinner at a restaurant called Nueve Nueve. The tortilla soup was amazing!

One afternoon for lunch, I decided to try the hotel lobby restaurant, since it was always so busy. I had a delicious meal that included cactus as a side dish. Nopales, also known as prickly pears, have been an important staple of the Mexican diet for centuries. In addition to being very tasty, this cactus also provides many health benefits, like lowering cholesterol and combating diabetes.

Catholic Christianity is Dominant

Mexico City is home to many elaborate churches, including the Metropolitan Cathedral in the city center, which is the largest cathedral in Mexico City and in the Americas. I had the opportunity to spend some time at the Basilica of Guadalupe, in the north of the city. This is the second most visited holy place in the world, as it’s dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe who is said to have appeared to Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin. Specifically, the basilica is visited by several million people every year, especially around December 12th, Our Lady of Guadalupe’s Feast day.

In fact, there are actually two basilicas – the old and the modern. The latter was built when the former had sunk so much that it had become a safety hazard. You can actually see the old church leaning to the side. It is once again open to the public and I was able to go inside and see the ornate interior.

The Aztec Ruins

The most unexpected part of my trip to Mexico City was the opportunity to climb the ruins of Teotihuacan. At about 30 miles north of Mexico City, it is well worth a visit! This archaeological site, which houses the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon, was once home to the Aztecs, with a population of over 150,000 people. The Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan is classified as the world’s third-largest pyramid, behind the two Egyptian pyramids of Giza. The main attraction of the Sun Temple is the 248-step climb to the top of this 246-foot-high pyramid. From the summit, there are amazing views over the Avenue of the Dead, which leads to the younger Pyramid of the Moon. And I made it to the top of both!!