Historic Center: Zócalo

After sneaking into Ingrid's hostel lobby and getting some work done, I headed to the historic center of Mexico City. I quickly got the hang of navigating the metro system—which moves about 3 million people daily—and eventually emerged via the escalators at the Plaza de la Constitución (a.k.a. Zócalo). This is the third‑largest plaza in the world (after Tiananmen Square in Beijing and Red Square in Moscow), a vast expanse of pale grey stone with almost no escape from the blazing sun. It’s framed by monumental buildings that make people look like miniature figurines in comparison: the Metropolitan Cathedral, the National Palace, the Federal District Government Building, and the Old Portal de Mercaderes with its long arcade of shops and cafés.

Today was one of the rare moments when the plaza felt almost empty. Earlier that morning, the President had given a speech, and rows of soldiers had stood in formation across the square. By the time I arrived, the military was still dismantling the stage, stacking metal barricades and rolling up cables under the midday sun. On the opposite side of the plaza, facing the cathedral, a group of Indigenous protesters had set up camp. According to the tour guide I’d meet later, the government keeps a steady rotation of official events in the Zócalo precisely so protesters can’t occupy the most visible spots—especially the area directly in front of the National Palace—pushing them instead to the margins of the square.Read more