I wanted to celebrate 2011 in a memorable way (with lots of sun and no jetlag). And I wanted to kick media-generated fear in its annoying face. So, Mexico City was just right. I’ll follow this little photo essay with a series of blog entries from the rest of this journey — featuring Nicaragua and El Salvador. Thanks for joining me on a Latin American side-trip.
Flying into Mexico City, you see a metropolis with a population two-thirds the size of Canada's, stretching what seems like forever in all directions.
The streets of Mexico City's old center are a constant carnival of color and people.
With Mexico's much-publicized drug war violence, the military police seem to be everywhere, keeping the peace. They are young and all smiles, and feel appreciated by everyone.
When Columbus "discovered" America, the biggest city on earth was Tenochtitlan (today's Mexico City). With about 200,000 people and lots of canals, it looked something like this.
Mexican kids get their presents on the day the Three Kings gave their gifts to the Baby Jesus, January 6th. So in the park, they pose not with Santa — but with the Three Kings.
Because of the beloved Virgin of Guadalupe — a miraculous icon showing Mary with indigenous (rather than European) features — the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe receives more pilgrims than even St. Peter's in Rome.
The pyramids at Teotihuacán are as awe-inspiring as those in Egypt. It's hard to imagine these being built way back around 200 AD.
Mexico's National Museum of Anthropology tells the story of its many impressive pre-Colombian civilizations.
My memories of Mexico are being wished Happy New Year by people like this. (Photo by Trish Feaster)
On the streets of Mexico City you can get anything — even a good, end of the year, smoke spanking for purification. (Photo by Trish Feaster)
Mexican diners mix up potent brews to add kick to your enchilada. (Photo by Trish Feaster)
In Mexico City on New Year's Eve over 20 million just stayed home. That left plenty of people out on the happy and peaceful streets. (Photo by Trish Feaster)
And at midnight the sky's lit up. Feliz Nuevo Ano! (Photo by Trish Feaster)
Comments
14 Replies to “Happy New Year from Mexico City”
Glad you gave Mexico a chance. Personally, I would not take my family there but I would go alone. I have been there in the past and found it to be safe. Lately, there have been too many issues.
I went to Mexico City (and Guadalajara) just a couple of years ago and I never felt afraid for my safety. I was down there to check out Mexico`s best zoos, but I also visited some great tourist sites, such as the Teotihuacán pyramids, Chapultepec Castle (fascinating!), and of course just the central Zocalo area. Zocalo includes the world`s second-largest urban square (after Moscow`s Red Square), the historic Metropolitan Cathedral, some national museums, and lots of fun people-watching and outdoor shopping. I stayed in a nearby budget hotel (Hotel Catedral) that would definitely be featured in a Rick Steves book, if he were writing about Mexico City.
By golly, this looks like a really fun place. I`ve been toying with the idea and now you`ve inspired me to travel to Mexico City next Christmas. We must seek adventure while we can still move, is my motto.
Thank you Rick for showing that although every destination has it`s drawbacks, the real “sights” are the honest and good people who just want to live in peace. The best memories of the trips I`ve taken are of the people I`ve interacted with.
Don`t suppose any apologists for visits to Mexico read about the multiple decapitations found in Acapulco January 8? But of course the reports are always tempered (the victims were found where most tourists don`t go). Of course we have violence right here (6 killed in AZ plus a congresswoman severely wounded). But run right out and buy a ticket to the latest place with a rampage. You can be assured you will be reassured by those whose business might be impacted by your absence.
Fifteen bodies, all but one of them decapitated, were found early on Saturday in the Pacific resort city of Acapulco as drug violence in Mexico intensified. Think I will stick with your tours instead
As with all countries, it depends on where one goes. Mexico is a large country; Yucatan is safe. I feel safer in Yucantan than in Florida, Texas, or Arizona. Chiapas is safer than Arizona, but this is damning with faint praise.
Rick, looks like you had a wonderful holiday, look forward to what all you did in those three countries, I still hold my position on not traveling to Mexico, don`t want to support a government that is very corrupt and dangerouse. By the way Happy New Year, and I hope you find a happy year a head. Judy
How about branching out and doing a Rick Steves Mexico TV episode. You might be able to hook up with another PBS person, Rick Bayless, who does Mexican Cuisine. You could call it, “Mexico, two Steves at a Time.” Also, for Americans who may be reluctant to travel as far as Europe you could do a Rick Steves Canada. What might be really interesting is to do a Rick Steves America. That could be a whole season. Bring the usual Rick Steves cultural insights and travel tips along with the perspectives of having traveled extensively in other countries.
It was interesting to read the comments so far for this blog entry. I don`t agree with many of them, but respect the opinions of those who wrote them. I did notice several entries referring to apologists and the corrupt Mexican government. I would be curious if the authors were referring to the federal government, state governments, both, or something else. My take on this is that the current Calderon administration is doing a tremendous job of moving the country in the right direction. He isn`t perfect, but he is fighting hard against corruption and the drug cartels. I have been living and working in Mexico off and on since 1995 and can honestly say that the country is advancing by leaps and bounds. US media focuses on the illegal immigration and drug violence issues. While this are admitedly huge issues, there is a lot more going on in Mexico and much positive to consider. Traveling to Mexico surely isn`t for everyone, but can be richly rewarding for the right traveler.
Rick, you took the right approach. My familia is from Ciudad Juarez and if you told me you were going to spend NY eve in any border town in Mexico, well…stupid and idiot are the same in Spanish and English. But, the same rules as in Europe apply-money belt, stay out of areas that you are not sure of, take only sitio taxis and watch what you say!
Rick, did you support your local drug cartels and smoke some weed?
Speaking of Mexico and holidays, I received a great book for Christmas. Madre: Perilous Journeys with a Spanish Noun by Liza Bakewell recounts a single woman`s adventures in Mexico as she tries to figure out the meaning of one word. Great for those learning Spanish and for inspiring those concerned about traveling there. I`m ready to go meet the people and see the butterflies!
I will not spend my hard earned travel dollars in a country with such a corrupt government and legal/police system. Another US citizen killed today. It is easy to blame the mass killings on drug lords, but they own cities, police forces and government officials. Clean up your country Mexico.
Glad you gave Mexico a chance. Personally, I would not take my family there but I would go alone. I have been there in the past and found it to be safe. Lately, there have been too many issues.
I went to Mexico City (and Guadalajara) just a couple of years ago and I never felt afraid for my safety. I was down there to check out Mexico`s best zoos, but I also visited some great tourist sites, such as the Teotihuacán pyramids, Chapultepec Castle (fascinating!), and of course just the central Zocalo area. Zocalo includes the world`s second-largest urban square (after Moscow`s Red Square), the historic Metropolitan Cathedral, some national museums, and lots of fun people-watching and outdoor shopping. I stayed in a nearby budget hotel (Hotel Catedral) that would definitely be featured in a Rick Steves book, if he were writing about Mexico City.
By golly, this looks like a really fun place. I`ve been toying with the idea and now you`ve inspired me to travel to Mexico City next Christmas. We must seek adventure while we can still move, is my motto.
Thank you Rick for showing that although every destination has it`s drawbacks, the real “sights” are the honest and good people who just want to live in peace. The best memories of the trips I`ve taken are of the people I`ve interacted with.
Don`t suppose any apologists for visits to Mexico read about the multiple decapitations found in Acapulco January 8? But of course the reports are always tempered (the victims were found where most tourists don`t go). Of course we have violence right here (6 killed in AZ plus a congresswoman severely wounded). But run right out and buy a ticket to the latest place with a rampage. You can be assured you will be reassured by those whose business might be impacted by your absence.
Fifteen bodies, all but one of them decapitated, were found early on Saturday in the Pacific resort city of Acapulco as drug violence in Mexico intensified. Think I will stick with your tours instead
As with all countries, it depends on where one goes. Mexico is a large country; Yucatan is safe. I feel safer in Yucantan than in Florida, Texas, or Arizona. Chiapas is safer than Arizona, but this is damning with faint praise.
Rick, looks like you had a wonderful holiday, look forward to what all you did in those three countries, I still hold my position on not traveling to Mexico, don`t want to support a government that is very corrupt and dangerouse. By the way Happy New Year, and I hope you find a happy year a head. Judy
How about branching out and doing a Rick Steves Mexico TV episode. You might be able to hook up with another PBS person, Rick Bayless, who does Mexican Cuisine. You could call it, “Mexico, two Steves at a Time.” Also, for Americans who may be reluctant to travel as far as Europe you could do a Rick Steves Canada. What might be really interesting is to do a Rick Steves America. That could be a whole season. Bring the usual Rick Steves cultural insights and travel tips along with the perspectives of having traveled extensively in other countries.
It was interesting to read the comments so far for this blog entry. I don`t agree with many of them, but respect the opinions of those who wrote them. I did notice several entries referring to apologists and the corrupt Mexican government. I would be curious if the authors were referring to the federal government, state governments, both, or something else. My take on this is that the current Calderon administration is doing a tremendous job of moving the country in the right direction. He isn`t perfect, but he is fighting hard against corruption and the drug cartels. I have been living and working in Mexico off and on since 1995 and can honestly say that the country is advancing by leaps and bounds. US media focuses on the illegal immigration and drug violence issues. While this are admitedly huge issues, there is a lot more going on in Mexico and much positive to consider. Traveling to Mexico surely isn`t for everyone, but can be richly rewarding for the right traveler.
Rick, you took the right approach. My familia is from Ciudad Juarez and if you told me you were going to spend NY eve in any border town in Mexico, well…stupid and idiot are the same in Spanish and English. But, the same rules as in Europe apply-money belt, stay out of areas that you are not sure of, take only sitio taxis and watch what you say!
Rick, did you support your local drug cartels and smoke some weed?
Speaking of Mexico and holidays, I received a great book for Christmas. Madre: Perilous Journeys with a Spanish Noun by Liza Bakewell recounts a single woman`s adventures in Mexico as she tries to figure out the meaning of one word. Great for those learning Spanish and for inspiring those concerned about traveling there. I`m ready to go meet the people and see the butterflies!
I will not spend my hard earned travel dollars in a country with such a corrupt government and legal/police system. Another US citizen killed today. It is easy to blame the mass killings on drug lords, but they own cities, police forces and government officials. Clean up your country Mexico.