Mexico, April 2013 − Travels − Captain Tom

Mexico, April 2013

The fourth time I visit Mexico City and the fourth time I visit Christine, Stephan and Laura.

This time our main destination outside the City was San Miguel de Allende. I have compiled some pictures for some sites visited.

  • Sighseeing Mexico City
  • Las Estacas
  • San Miguel de Allende
  • The Zocalo
  • The Cactus Garden El Charco del Ingenio
  • The Hotel Casa Carly
  • Dolores Hidalgo
  • La Gruta
  • Santuario De Atotonilco
  • Tula
  • La Isla de las Muñecas
  • The Flight
  • others

Weather was quite pleasant. Not as hot as expected and sometimes even chilly in the evening.

Find here an overview of the locations visited

Map 2013_04_mexico

1 Sightseeing in Mexico City

First we go to the Basilica de Santa María de Guadalupe, one of the most important pilgrim sites for Catholics in Mexico. They say that Mother Mary appeared to an Aztec king here.

Believers crawl on their knees from the entrance towards the basilika
I am curious
A great building shaped like a tent
a little chapel inside
the building is quite open towards the central square
Mother Mary appears to the Aztec
A smaller church
lots of ornaments
Aztecs pay homage to Mother Mary
The building seen from the central square
Torre Latinamericano offers nice views over Mexico City
The basilika in a distance
Panoramic view towards southwest
The President's palace and Zocalo (central square)
Panoramic view towards north
The palace of fine arts
Life is busy down at Torre Latinamericano
Museum Soumaya is owned by Carlos Slim, a billionaire and richest man of Mexico
The museum is located close to the headquarters of Telcel, the enterprise Carlos Slim made his fortune with
I was there
The museum shows art from around the world collected and owned by Carlos Slim. The pieces of art include this statue "The Thinker" and paintings of Renoir, Van Gogh und Lucas Cranach
2 Las Estacas

A nice river bath with wide spread facilities

3 San Miguel de Allende

A little town and base for some trips. We find quite a few churches and a nice and busy Zocalo

At the Zocalo
We found this restaurant with a nice view to the busy life in the evening
4 The Zocalo

The central square in all cities. And full of life. we went there every evening and watched the scene. And Laura got something every time.

5 Cactus Garden El Charco del Ingenio

A nice and big garden with many varieties of cactus. A lot of them were blooming.

A little canyon needed to ge conquered
Laura found a playground ...
... and some ice cream
6 Hotel Casa Carly

A nice little hotel with some apartments

Colorful decoration in my apartment
Breakfast was being served in the main house...
... we started it with a little game
There was a mini pool for Laura
And there was a cat belonging to the hotel
7 Dolores Hidalgo

Starting point of the Mexican independence movement

Hidalgo memorial on the Zocalo
We got ice cream
and Laura got candy floss
8 La Gruta

A bath with thermal springs

the pools are filled with water of different temperature
9 Santuario De Atotonilco

The probably oldest catholic church in Mexico

10 Tula

Old stones and Mexico belong to each other. In Tula we visited a group of pyramides. In this case with stone columns on top of one.

11 La Isla de las Muñecas

We go the the channels of Xochimilco in the middle of Mexico City. Barges get punt through the channels

There are many herons
We go to Isla de las Muñecas, the island of dolls. A former resident has collected dolls from the channels and put them on trees on his island. Looks quite bizarre.
Christine is happy
The moorings Embarcadero Cuemanco shows many colorful barges
12 The flight

First I go to Frankfurt. There I can see the office building of my company right at the airport.

After take off in Frankfurt I can see the skyline
This time we fly quite up north and I have stunning views onto Greenland Pack ice
Glaciers
Island with icebergs
Arriving in Mexico City after a 12 hour flight
13 others

Laura and I have much fun

I eat everything Mexican. Usually I let make my friends choosing my meals. I get a Michelada, a mix of beer with lime juice and chili.
The Mexican way to transport a double bass. Just put it on the roof and hold it with your hands
There is a tree growing out of the building.