A rare sight--a reader! Outside Bellas Artes

A young man stopped to read the juvenile books he was selling

A common sight of wreckage and renovation

Protection of historic buildings from city-wide protests

Pre-Columbian rular whose name adorns many places all over Mexico

THE food of Mexican Independence, eaten the entire month of September: chiles en nogada

A block from my apartment: a used book store on Calle Donceles

Prelude in Mexico City

October 4 in Mexico ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

It was fun to spend a few days in Mexico City before going to Rome. It is vastly different from Oaxaca, in terms of area, population density, automobiles, and big-city atmosphere. It was my first time to stay in the Historic Center, only a few blocks from beautiful Bellas Artes, the lavish art nouveau/art deco performing arts center.

Logically enough, I bought a concert ticket for the Sinfonica Nacional for my first night, which featured Shostokovich’s Eighth Symphony. It was beautifully performed, and quite moving. The second night I saw a Jean Genet play, “The Maids,” performed in Spanish at a small cultural center nearby. It was culturally enriching, as I read the play in English the next evening!

During the four days I was there,, I wandered about, seeing interesting slices of Mexico City life, and relaxing before my trip to Europe.Read more