Adventures Downtown

Today was Marie's last day in Mexico City so we decided to spend the day playing downtown. We took a cab from Quel's parent's house to the "Auditorio Nacional" and took the "Turibus" from there. The Turibus (as you might deduce from the name) is a bus that tours downtown Mexico City. It's a double decker bus... the best seats were on top where there is nothing to obstruct your view because there is no cover. We were a little concerned about the weather but decided that a little rain never hurt anyone. However, getting wacked by a branch does hurt (Quel learned this by experience today... despite Marie's best efforts she wasn't able to protect Quel from the branch that attacked us while Quel was examining the map).

Here we are outside the Auditorio Nacional waiting to board the Turibus. Marie was really frustrated with the inefficient boarding process... we were able to come up with at least five alternatives that would have been much more efficient for everyone. Although the Turibus has at least 20 stops where you can get off and explore a variety of different things, we only had time to stop and explore the historic center. It was pouring when we got off the Turibus but luckily we were equipped with rain gear (1 black umbrella).

The historic center was gorgeous and consisted of a variety of old buildings (mostly government and religious). The first building we visited was the "Catedral Metropolitana," a Catholic cathedral that was built over an ancient temple from the pre-hispanic period.


Quel's idea of protection from the rain is an umbrella... Marie's is rolled up pants, since it is completely unacceptable for wet Levis to touch skin when you are wearing flip flops.

We met Carolina while we were taking pictures by the flag in the main square of the historic center. We know she looks angry in this picture but it's not Quel's fault, she was just looking at the floor and was kind of shy.

These are a couple of government buildings of some sort... ok, so they explained it to us on the tour but really, it takes more than one time for it to sink in when you are on vacation and your brain is in standby mode.

These pictures were taken after going through heavy security, including ID check, inside the Palacio Nacional. The building includes several murals by Diego Rivera (some of you might know him better as the husband of Frida Kahlo) depicting the history of Mexico. They are pretty powerful murals portraying a painful legacy of extortion and suffering. We spent some time discussing what implications this history has on its people and the development of a culture. If you are interested in some of our thoughts ask us about it sometime.

The cobblestone streets downtown are always busy with the pulse of the city... Quel finds this incredibly energizing. They are also amazingly beautiful.

And, of course, you can't forget the great shopping available in the city... Quel also finds this incredibly energizing.

While downtown we decided to stop for lunch... and ended up purchasing ice cream instead, the healthy alternative (see the little head of the cone barely visible in the picture?).

Don't worry... We did eventually have dinner and it wasn't just ice cream. We had shrimp in a coconut milk sauce with mashed potatoes and salad to celebrate our safe arrival home as well as the safety of the local citizens who may have been in jeopardy while we were loose in the city.

Marie heads back to Utah tomorrow making this the end of this phase of adventure... but stayed tuned for more to come after Quel and Marie are reunited in Provo... who knows what the rest of the summer will bring...