Mexico City

As we were changing planes in Mexico City anyway,  it made sense to book 3 nights there and enjoy the stopover. I have booked an apartment close to the centre which looks really swish at a very decent rate. However more of this later. We are due to land at 5 am, so not really any sleep tonight and the prospect of a slightly daunting journey to our accommodation. Below is what some of a city of 21.3 million people looks like from about 5000 feet. Mexico City is the largest metropolitan area in the Western Hemisphere. It is an economic powerhouse in itself, with Greater Mexico City having a GDP of $411 billion. This is ten times greater than all of Costa Rica. Mexico's capital is both the oldest capital city in the Americas and one of two founded by native Americans. A prize for anyone who can tell me the other one. The city was originally built on an island in Lake Texcoco by the Aztecs in 1325 and was called Tenochtitlan. The effects of this watery base still has implications for buildings up to the present day.

Not really wanting to travel on an unfamiliar metro in a new city in the early hours we spent some time at the airport. We deposited one of the big cases in left luggage and went to eat some breakfast. The link between the airport terminal and the metro involves a long walk punctuated at regular intervals with bracing stair climbs and descents. This was an activity made more challenging when the main handle on the suitcase broke. We alighted from the metro at the nearest station to our accommodation then had to rustle up a taxi to complete the journey. We were due to stay in the "awesome apartment" in what was indeed a very swish apartment block. It was only when we met the owner in the apartment that we realised what we actually had was a room in his and his wife's flat. This was not what we planned or wanted.  I think he realised that he had missold the place and was at least very helpful to us when it came to rebooking more suitable accommodation and he offered us an immediate refund. Within half an hour we booked into the San Merino executive suites. This was quite close to the original place and is the embassy district. In fact the UK Embassy is only two blocks away. Also part of our hotel is a rather splendid Mexican Restaurant. This is an evening view from our room illustrating our proximity to the CBD.

After a walkabout and a bite of lunch we tried to recoup some sleep and plan for tomorrow.
You may have heard of Strawberry Tours, they are a walking tour outfit that operates throughout the world. A proportion of the money raised goes to local charities. The tours are free, you can give what you think it was worth. It's a win, win really as the guides are enthusiastic locals whose income is performance related and the punters can't get ripped off.
We booked onto the walking tour of the Historic Centre of the city. We had to meet up with our guide who you can see below at 10am next morning. There was about twenty of us at the start and the first thing we had to do was introduce ourselves using the little microphone thingy that you can see Adriana, our guide wearing. About the only thing we all had in common was we spoke English and all wanted to do the tour. Although this latter point may not have been true as our numbers gradually dwindled as the we walked around. We were by far the oldest but also the last ones standing at the end. If you think that this kind of thing would interest you, go to your app store and download Freetour.com for worldwide opportunities.
We are meeting next to the Hemicicio a Juarez a monument to the 26th President of Mexico which is in the middle of the Alameda Park. This was the first European style public park built in the Americas, being created in1529, early in the Spanish imperial period.

We walked through the park heading towards the building you can see below which is the Palacio de Bellas Artes. The building has an interesting history and a surprise inside. The building which replaced the National Theatre was begun in 1904 and the plan was to open it in time for the centennial of the Mexican War of Independence in 1910. The Italian architect designed the exterior you can see today in a mixture of Neo-classical and Art Nouveau. However political problems intervened in the form of the Mexican Revolution and construction stopped entirely in 1913.

Work resumed in 1932 and a Mexican architect redesigned the interior in the prevailing style of Art Deco. The contrast could not be more striking, whereas the exterior is run of the mill, the interior is stunning. It is actually a fusion of Aztec symbolism and design interpreted through the medium of Art Deco. 

Just one shot of the interior (for now) and this does the interior no favours but you can see the box office where we bought our tickets for the show that is advertised on the poster in the centre of the picture. 

This is the view across from the entrance to the Palacio of some more commercial Art Deco buildings, see the Sears building on the right. You can see Adriana again in the centre of the picture, well if you look above her head you can see a wedge of paler material which is in filling between the Sears block and the left hand side one. Remember Mexico City is built on a lake so entire buildings oft go on the lean. It is heading towards the base of the famous Torre  Latinamricana which was completed in 1956 and measures 182ms tall. It has survived several major earthquakes, particularly the 8.1 magnitude in 1985.

Here it is, if you include the non architectural tip, it is over 200ms high and the major landmark in the Centro.

Next we walked on to the well named Palacio Postal. Built as the central Post Office with magnificent opulence and decoration it manages to keep its utilitarian functionalism. You can trace the worldwide history of postal communications on its walls. Sadly now closed save for a small stall selling stamps it remains a great tourist attraction.

The small lanes were devoted to selling particular items, for instance here we are amongst the book stalls which led on to the music stalls. There were, of course tourist stalls everywhere. They were not selling tourists, you understand....

Here's a bronze beastie with a bronzed lady sitting on it. A decent piece of street art .

Outside the House of Tiles, in Spanish Casa de los Azulejos. Ignore the posey bloke bombing the picture, we are looking at the blue and white tiled house in the background. All three exposed walls are covered with expensively imported Spanish tiles. Built in the C18, the main objective was to opulently display the family's wealth. 

This is inside. The building was bought by the Sanborn brothers who run a chain of restaurants throughout Mexico. This is their flagship restaurant which retains lots of period details. We are looking down from the internal balcony and you can see the waitresses in their distinctive colourful uniforms. Just out of sight a pianist adds to the atmosphere. There are several more rooms up here served from the same kitchen. We will eat up here on the evening of the ballet performance. 

Across the road from the restaurant we were shown the remains of the monastery and church of San Francisco. Built on the site of Montezuma's private zoo, the monastery covered over 30,000 sq m. It was always subject to sinking because of the watery sub-soil. This is actually a doorway into a side chapel, the nave having disappeared. The Franciscan monks were seen as honest brokers, trying to forge bonds between the new religion and the old Aztec beliefs. Shades of Mark Twain, a funeral mass was held here after rumours of the death of Cortes in Central America.

The gilded cage. This rather splendid merchant's house built in the C18 has a sad story to tell. His wife had everything she could wish for within this house and lived in the lap of luxury. The balconies were where she could look out onto Madero Avenue but she could go no further, entrapped as she was within her gilded cage.

Madero Avenue connects the Alameda Park area with the Plaza de la Constitucion running through the middle of the first grid system that the Spanish laid out. It is pedestrianised and one of the important shopping streets as well as boasting a number of historic buildings. The Plaza de La Constitucion, known to all as Zocalo and is the third largest public square in the world. Before you ask Tiananmen Square is largest followed by Red Square. The entire East side is filled by the Palacio National which contains the Federal Treasury, the National Archives and Presidential Offices. The building materials are from Montezuma's Palace which was on this site prior to the Spanish rearrangements. .

La Zocalo was the ceremonial area right back in Aztec times and dead centre in pride of place stands the pole with the National Flag proudly flying. You can just see it to the right side of this picture which also gives an impression of the size of the square. The facade in front is the Palacio National.

Turning ninety degrees to the left and you see the Metropolitan Cathedral which is built on top of the Aztec temple complex. For a Christian Church the orientation is unusual. You would expect this to be the west front but it is the south leaving the altar facing north, the devil's side.

Just down to the right of this picture is the Templo Major, in English the Greater Temple. As well as excavations of the Aztec Temple area there are some models to give the archeological context of the ruins. Below is the original Aztec city in 1325 where you can see the causeways built for defence and to control access. The Templo is right in the centre.

This is a simulation of the Templo as it would have looked when the Spanish arrived. It is reckoned that it was built on seven times by the Aztecs, one pyramid providing the base for the next.

The excavations as they are today although the picture does the site no justice. Excavations started in earnest in 1979 when a local electricity company discovered some remains while laying a cable. By 1985 the entire area was declared by UNESCO to be a World Heritage Site. This is the place where the human sacrifices took place. According the their beliefs in order for the sun to rise the next day then pumping human hearts had to be offered up (red blood represents red dawn). As a heart will only beat for a few seconds outside the body a line of people was assembled in order to provide a good continuous flow. It never creases to amaze me the things people will do in the name of religion.

A Costa Rican Recce Uvita 4th Feb

Back onto the bus and heading South to Uvita. This should be a much less developed coastal area and just becoming popular with the surfers. The beaches are protected so there won't be sunbeds or the usual beachfront paraphernalia. Here be whales!

Well, not quite here, but be patient because I hope we will shortly walk along the whale. Meanwhile Uvita beach looking North. Not too busy today. From about the same place I photographed the beach looking South, here we are looking towards the Marino Ballena National Park.

This huge and surprisingly quiet beach is perfect for anyone who is wanting to learn how to surf.

After all that exertion in the surf Helen is ready for a sit down in the little house that we have rented.

Or, better still a lie down on the terrace.

One of our neighbours from the jungle that is about ten yards away from our front door. This is the Scarlet Rumped Tanager.

Spotted in the forest is the Lineated woodpecker.

Not a very good picture I'm afraid, but this is the Great Kiskadee which has a brilliant yellow breast which is revealed in flight. For you taxonomists it is the only member of the genus Pitangus.

You remember that I mentioned whales at the start this blog. There's two reasons why. Firstly the Ballena Marine Nature Reserve was created to protect the whales. Although Blue and Wright whales are seen here, it is the Humpback that is the star. In July through to November, humpback whales arrive from Antarctica to calve in the warm water of Ballena. December sees the humpbacks from California and Canada swim south for calving until April. Also commonly seen marine animals are Olive Ridley and Hawksbill turtles, Common and Bottlenose dolphins. We had planned a whale watching trip but the price tag of $140 rather put us off. We have had good whale watching both off New Zealand and New England in the past so we decided on whale walking instead. Puzzled, well have a look at the picture below.

This is the famous whale's tail that extends from Uvita beach. It is only walkable an hour or so either side of low tide. The whale's back is a sand bar and the tail or fluke is formed by rocks and sand. We walked along the beach towards the whale and encountered these spoors. There was no human accompaniment and without Cameron Roy to help, I used Google lens to identify that is was a raccoon.

Meanwhile overhead the peloton of Brown pelicans was pedalling past.

Here's a shot of Helen on the back.  This was full low tide about 10.15am. The sun was relentless and the sand already too hot to walk on without shoes. This picture needs a little explanation. Helen has her back to the tail so the camera is looking down the whale's back, on the horizon to her left is the north pointing end of the fluke.

Having completed our whale walk we returned along the beachside trees for a little shade. Only when we passed the sign did we realise that we might not have been alone.

Moreover there was company overhead, as Helen spotted. This is, of course a Howler monkey. If you are wondering what the white monkey nuts are, then I can tell you that mature male Howlers have white testicles.

The day had one last surprise up a tree before we left to catch our bus. A three toed sloth.

So just a four hour bus ride to San Jose, a taxi to the airport and a 1.00am flight to Mexico City arriving after 4.00am. I better just finish with a final sunset from Uvita.

A Costa Rican Recce Manuel Antonio National Park 1st Feb

Manuel Antonio is Costa Rica's smallest and most visited National Park. It comprises of humid tropical forest and a stretch of coastline that is both very beautiful and has amazing biodiversity. It was established in 1978 and consists partly of re-naturalised agricultural land. Compared with many of the country's other parks it is accessible being only 132kms by road from capital San Jose. There were also two cruise liners at anchor off shore on the day that we visited.  Entry ($15 per head) is strictly controlled. Only 600 people per day are allowed in and the Park closes every Monday. This means entry is restricted to around 150,000 people per year.

You and your bags are searched mainly for food but the person in front of us had his cigarettes confiscated. There must be no feeding of animals, despite what people are told this remains a major problem around the world in such parks.
This park has planned laid trails all of which have water run-off facilities or are raised above what is for most of the year is flooded ground.  Here is an example.

This type of path is in the minority, most are wooden boards (there's plenty of raw materials) or stone and earth paths. Most have wooden handrails to help with the walking and to keep you on trail.
We were greatly thrilled to encounter a troop of White faced Capuchins. There were about eight of them play-fighting in the trees. These creatures are very bright and their behaviour has already changed by the presence of humans. They will approach people and if a bag is opened they will steal things as quick as a flash..

Another picture later on in the day..This is how they lay on the tree branches.

Allowing you to get pictures like this.

We wandered further and heard that some sloths had been sighted up a tree not far ahead of us. Although we had already sighted a sloth in Monteverde it was a fleeting nocturnal view. This male was asleep but seemingly having a happy dream. He is the Brown throated three toed Sloth.

We got this view of a second one, possibly a pregnant female.

There is access to the beaches at several points and here we are on Gemelas beach.

Beach scavengers abound here is a hermit crab

He is after the nutrients left in the dead red snapper, along with a few of his mates.

Always lurking about is the impressively large Black spiny tailed Iguana.

This is the viewpoint at the end of the appropriately named viewpoint trail but you cannot access the beach from here.

We retraced our footsteps then decided to cut up the Howler monkey trail in the vain hope of seeing or hearing some Howler monkeys. We did come across this large male White nosed Coati.

We then had to rush somewhat as the park was closing, in fact we looked to be the last visitors out. As we were approaching the exit we heard some crashing in the trees above us. It was those Howler monkeys who, thinking that the visitors had all gone, had come out to play.

Not the easiest subjects to capture on camera.

You may have noticed the absence of any photographs of birds. There were birds present, we could hear them all over the place, rarely saw them and as you can see totally failed to photo any.