RonnieAdventure #0583 - Mexico City, Mexico

Aztec Calendar (Postcard)

While going through old files, I discovered some 1986 photographs that were taken in Mexico City. Linda was performing with the Arizona State University (ASU) Choral Union during the Spring Semester and when the Coral Union was invited to perform in Mexico City, they invited the spouses to go along on the trip. 

Unfortunately, after 37 years, my photographs and postcards were stuck together into one large mass. In order to separate the photos and postcards, I put them in a microwave oven and heated them until they were hot. This technique worked for separating the photographs, but not for the postcards. So, some of the postcards are missing sections that are still stuck to the backs of other postcards or pictures.    

While the choir was rehearsing for their performance, another husband and I had time to do some exploring on our own, so we decided to use the local bus system. The hotel concierge warned us that the public busses were very crowded and the price of a bus ticket included a steam bath and a message. We were also advised to carry our wallets in our front pockets. 

One morning for breakfast we went to the famous Sanborns Restaurant. This was Poncho Villa's favorite place to eat. Neither of us could read or speak Spanish, so we decide that we would each just point to something on the menu and hope that what we selected would be a good choice. 

When the waitress came to take our order, we each pointed to a different item on the menu. The waitress had a puzzled look on her face and then she said in very good English "Would you like to see a menu in English?" That worked out a lot better, but I still came down with a really bad stomach ache. 

Since we did not know how the Mexican currency system worked, we went to the Chapultepec Castle and each of us purchase a small item with different bills. We then compared our change to figure out how much each coin was worth. It was actually quite simple to figure out and we did not have any problems making change for the rest of the trip. We also went by the Angel of Independence Monument.

Chapultepec Castle (Postcard)

Teotihuacan was the ancient capital of the Aztec, so one afternoon the entire choral union went to see the historic ruins. My stomach was killing me, but I went anyway. I was determined that I was going to climb to the top of the Pyramid of the Sun. The Pyramid of the Sun is a series of  steps that go up to a flat level and then up more steps to the next flat level. I think there were three or four levels.

As we were climbed up the steep, narrow steps on the pyramid, my stomach hurt so bad I had to stop at each level to rest. Each time I stopped, there were numerous entrepreneurs that wanted to sell me something. I decide that this must have been the first multi-level marketing system. Anyway, I finally reached the top of the pyramid and then on the way down I purchased three Aztec flutes. 

Teotihuacan (Postcard)

The ASU concert was held in the Palacio de Bellas Artes, which is a beautiful building that construction was started in 1904, but not completed until 1934. One of the most impressive items in the building was the stage curtain, which was a foldable panel created out of nearly a million pieces of  Tiffany's stained glass. We were told that the curtain weighed 24 tons and was the only one like it in the world. 

Under the direction of Dr. Douglas R. McEwen, ASU Coral Union performed Brahms: A German Requiem, Op.45.

On Sunday afternoon, we were invited to Xochimilco Canals and toured around the various waterways. This was a popular destination for locals on Sunday afternoon and many people were selling items from their boars as others floated by. From one vendor, I purchased a large seven-flower orchid corsage for Linda that cost one US dollar. 

On our last evening in Mexico City, we decided to go to a nice restaurant for dinner. We asked the concierge where he would recommend and he suggested the restaurant at the top of the 44-story Torre Latinoamericana. He even offered to get us a taxi. We were a little surprised when a dark blue Chevrolet Impala low-ridder pulled up with beads hanging from the mirror and other personal items decorating the car. It did not take us long to figure out that this was probably a family member's private vehicle and he was just helping them get some business. Anyway, we had a nice ride to the restaurant, which had a sign by the front entrance stating that they were the highest restaurant in the world (about 7,800 feet above sea level, not counting the large antenna on top of the building) 

There were nice views from the restaurant, despite a heavy layer of smog. The food was great! 

After dinner, we called for a taxi to take us back to the hotel and a VW bug showed up. The vehicle only had a back seat, but at that stage of our lives we were younger and more flexible, so all four adults crowed into the car. Where was the Chevy Impala when we needed it? The next morning we left the hotel and flew back to Arizona on chartered aircraft.

44-story Torre Latinoamericana (postcard)

Hotel