First on the agenda this morning was a City Tour so a few street pictures (still not too happy with some of them but too many to go through to correct converging verticals etc.)
For some reason most roundabouts seem to have hoardings around them - maybe they are targeted by protestors.
Día de los Muertos decorations are still dominating - some of them really are very good.
At the time I didn't notice this one was sponsored by Tetra Pak (aaahh, I used to type up the insurance reports for their factories worldwide for surveyor Terry Courtney).
The Palace of Fine Arts
A bit of a naughty shot really; an unfortunate street sleeper having her morning wash (from the coach so a little fuzzy).
Mexico City has always suffered earthquakes, the last major one (8.0) being in 1985, but apparently tremors are regularly felt. This street is famous for its undulating ground and buildings, although you can't really see it on the photo.
There are some lovely benches around.
Right in the heart of the city are the ruins of Templo
Mayor, once an elaborate temple in the heart of the Aztec capital of
Tenochtitlán and dedicated to the gods of rain and war. The Spanish colonials ruined the original building and used its materials to build the next door cathedral.
Turn 180° and it's all modern.
A very rubbish photo I've nicked from the internet to show the full splendour of the cathedral, one of the largest and oldest in Latin America.
Part of the cathedral is under scaffolding (of course it is!) and, although the height and flimsiness of the structure doesn't really come across here, I actually gasped when I saw so many workers up there.
The Eastern façade.
Guarding the entrance to the Cathedral grounds is a large, stone cross which was originally installed in the Cathedral’s cemetery,
once located outside the main gates. When the cemetery was moved off the
premises, the cross was relocated to this position inside the Cathedral’s
courtyard. The base of the stone cross is wrapped in a crown of thorns and the
base of the column is surrounded by carvings of human skulls. This is a fairly
odd image to see but it pays homage to the Aztec heritage that was discovered
on this site (in 2017, archaeologists working in the area discovered a
15th-century tower of human skulls just below the foundations of the Cathedral. Containing 119 skulls from men, women and even children archaeologists think this tower of sacrificial skulls was created by the Tenochtitlán people
to scare the Spanish conquistadores when they arrived to capture their city.
Next to the cross stands this lovely statue of Pope John Paul II who first visited Mexico in 1979 (his 4 subsequent visits made it one of the most visited countries in his papacy).
The Main Entrance was less impressive.
A few shots from inside.
I loved the size of this score and how lucky was I to have the chap standing there for scale!
The pendulum hanging in the middle of the nave shows
the slow shifting of the foundations of the church since it was built in the
16th century.
Close-up (courtesy of the internet).
The Organ Pipes (for Dad)
And a very impressive altar.
Outside the cathedral was a lovely cactus display.
A few more street images. Whilst this is a common sight in South America it's not something we're used to in the UK - we seem to look down our noses at some jobs which elsewhere are considered a vital service and a good way of spreading money around without it seeming like charity.
Kebab, on offer all around the world.
The building (in the centre) famously sticks out at an odd angle.
I don't recall what this chap's shop sold but he just looked so gangster-like - he was delighted to have his photo taken and very pleased when I showed him the image.
There are a lot of protests against violence towards women here.
Cuitláhauc (c.1476-1520) - the last Aztec Emperor (also carrying a protest against violence towards women).
