Tonight I am thinking about Mexico. I have been to Mexico City twice with visits in 2002 and 2005. I am looking forward to visiting there again next week as I head south of the border for a two week training trip. I am not sure yet what I will visit on the weekend between the classes I teach, but I am really glad that I have a much better camera than on previous trips.

On my first trip to Mexico City we visited the downtown area including the Zócalo (Plaza de la Constitución). At one edge of the plaza is the Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral.

This picture is taken from the side while I was near the Templo Mayor and shows the Metropolitan Tabernacle which was built in the Baroque era in the mid 1700’s. I am hoping to get a much better picture during my upcoming visit.

As I write this I am having memories of walking through this area and seeing so many works of art. My shutter finger is itching just thinking of the many photo opportunities I will have if this is one of the places that I revisit. Of course, I am there to work so won’t have too much time for sightseeing :-).

During the first trip I also had the chance to go visit Teotihuacán.

I am not sure if we will be able to visit again, but I have some great memories of the day I spent there eleven years ago. I remember the long climb to the top of the Pyramid of the Sun and also the great view that we had from the top. It is an amazing archaeological site. The Pyramid of the Sun is the third largest pyramid in the world. The base is about the same size as the Great Pyramid of Giza, but it is only about half the height. It did give me an good idea of the immensity of the pyramids in Egypt. I do need to visit them someday though to see if the picture in my mind is right :-).

While I am thinking of that day I am also remembering the great barbacoa we had at a restaurant near the pyramids. One of the things that I am looking forward to on this upcoming trip is the great food that they have in Mexico City.

The highlight for me on the second trip was visiting the Museo Nacional de Antropología. This is an amazing museum and does a great job of covering the history of Mexico. There are a lot of great exhibits.

The architecture of the museum is also unique. It includes a plaza that is protected by a large concrete umbrella that is supported by a single column. The column is covered with symbols from the past. The structure is know as ‘el parguas’ which is the Spanish word for ‘the umbrella’. I have another picture tucked away somewhere that gives a better idea of the size of this structure. Perhaps it will see the light of day over the next couple of weeks. I will most likely share some of my older pictures along with the new ones that I take during the trip.

Does anyone have suggestions for places that I should visit while I am there?

Steven