I was invited to join a group of people from four states on an educational trip to Mexico. We were sponsored by the Northwest Area Foundation and Raices. I went as a person interested in helping Mexican immigrants gain access to land and the participate in farming in our community. This was my first day in Mexico city. At 21 million people, only Tokyo is larger. Not only was I struck with traffic, congestion, and air pollution of a city this size but the degree to which it has maintained its Spanish architecture.
This is one door to the cathedral that borders the ancient Templo de Mayor, the central plaza in the city. It is built of stones that once formed the temples of the Aztec people.
The city cannot dig for subways without unearthing structures from the Aztecs. Here are some excavated ruins of Tenochtitlan Temple the Spanish built over in the colonial era. This is located just 1/4 block from the cathedral.
This is known as the Plaza de Constitucin or El Zcalo,
Around the plaza are scores of vendors selling everything from tortillas to lady’s underwear.
We were treated to a very elegant dinner at a fine restaurant near the plaza. You’d never know it was there from street level. The dining room opened out into night and a view of the Cathedral.