• Sharon Stevens
  • Sharon Stevens

Mexico

Back to catch up and visit new site. I ♡ Mexico Leggi altro
  • Inizio del viaggio
    26 giugno 2019

    Return to Mexico city

    26 giugno 2019, Messico ⋅ 🌧 21 °C

    I was smiling ear to ear as soon as i got on the plane and arrived yesterday.
    The customs official gave my Spanish a run for its money, but i am slowly getting back into the swing if things.
    My apartment is sweet with 2 taco shops within 100 metres of my doorstep. I am yet to find the closest bar. (That's tonight's project, and make friends with the barman)
    Unfortunately, not much exploring today as i am pushing to get the last of my assignments completed.
    But I can wait to be out exploring.
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  • Old stomping grounds

    27 giugno 2019, Messico ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    I came to ol' stomping grounds, places from previous trips, this a afternoon.
    Being back in the historic centre i was reminded of the things I had forgotten about the "heart" of Mexico.
    How the zocalo has always got something going on, and that consequently you can never get the perfect photo of the church.
    The people playing the wind organs
    The sharmans and Mayan performers
    The vendors selling glasses
    How people are not in a rush to be anywhere

    And I notice too the things that have changed
    New shops
    Less newspapers being hung from the store windows
    It's cleaner
    More Mayan performers, more sharmans
    More street vendors
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  • Teotihuacan - Night Experience

    28 giugno 2019, Messico ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    I was really happy when i secured tickets for this event back in May.
    I was not sure what to expect and it was hard to find reviews.
    Arriving just on dusk, it was getting cold and i was poorly equipped, but as the sun went down and i could see the lights turning on and shining onto the pyramid of the sun i was able to forget the chill in the air.
    Entering after dark, and getting my English audio guide, when i entered and looked up the Avenue of the Dead and saw the ruins glowing in light it was an awesome moment.
    It really looked amazing.
    As i walked up the avenue and heard the history of the site, which i had forgotten long ago, i remembered how mysterious it all was.
    For the first time i saw the stars "in Mexico city", and the light show, all made the experience incredibly unforgettable.
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  • Museo Dolores Olmedo

    2 luglio 2019, Messico ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    Last night I had teething problems with the host of my Air BNB, it was incredibly frustrating and i felt that her request was totally unreasonable. Consequently, i woke up this morning in a very down mood.
    While i was meant to spend today to finalise the last 5 questions of my last assessment, it was the last thing i wanted to do.
    Instead i decided that i needed a change of scenery and searched through my list of things to do to find something suitable for a few hours.
    On my list was to see the native Mexican dogs - the Xoloitzuintli (pronounced 'Show low eats qweent lee') and i had read that the best place to see them was at this museum.
    As it turns out, the museum used to be a hacienda for an old friend of Diego Riviera, and so while she was a true patron of Mexico she also has a great private collection of art work.
    The grounds were beautiful and with roaming peacocks.
    I had a really relaxing day and it eased my mind and anxiety from the previous night.
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  • Chimalistac

    4 luglio 2019, Messico ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Travel guides can sometimes get it so wrong.
    I even dressed for the occassion of finding beautiful rustic streets filled with Spanish architecture, ready for all the selfies I was going to take.
    In reality I found 2 water fountains and houses with walls, gates, razor wire and electric fences.
    (On the upside I submitted my last assignment today. It's a huge milestone)
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  • Picnic in a bag

    5 luglio 2019, Messico ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Following more travel guides into uncharted territory.
    The grounds of this ex-convent were recommended as a great location for a picnic.
    Went to the supermarket, found the world's smallest portion of Philly cream cheese, a tomato, bread roll and some kind of Turkey ham.
    Bob's your uncle - picnic in a bag
    The lake is a little lacking but i make a garn good sandwich.
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  • Lazy days

    9 luglio 2019, Messico ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    So its been a lazy few days around here.
    It started after a big night on Friday.
    Saturday morning required Burger King, afternoon treat to have my nails done.
    Sunday, afternoon visit to my friend who works at my usual hostel and then dinner with a friend who arrived from Australia.
    Monday, i had to resubmit my assignment which didn't upload and i relaxed the purse strings and booked some excursions for next week.
    Today a late start to the day but it's into the historic centre.
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  • Lucha libre

    9 luglio 2019, Messico ⋅ 🌧 24 °C

    There is nothing more Mexican than a night at the wrestling.
    It's usually a family affair, where the whole family can enjoy the experience of throwing your favorite swear words around. Hahaha 🤣
    Litre beers, popcorn, good company, and laughs.
    I love how athletic the wrestlers are and the energy.
    Absolute cracker of a night and all for a whopping $20.
    Bargain!
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  • My friend recommended

    11 luglio 2019, Messico ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    I was recommended to visit the Bosque de Aragon and the zoo which is across the road.
    Having been to the main zoo in Mexico city i was a bit sceptical that this one was going to be sub-par, and it was in a few ways, but also brilliant in other ways.
    I am very pro zoo and i feel that they give people an opportunity to be inspired to save our animals, i find them to be educational for kids and overall a good experience.
    Yes, i understand that the animals live a life that is not 'normal' for them but soon we will have no animals - so this is the lesser of 2 evils in my opinion (also zoos provide an avenue to expand the gene pool for animals on the verge of extinction).
    So, here 99% of the animals are in good condition and the living areas are pretty good. They are not overcrowded and have plenty of shade and the environment is very similar to what the animals would live in normally.
    The exception is the 'old zoo' where it was an interesting experience to step back in time and see just how far zoos have come in terms of looking after the animals.
    Hippos in swimming pools, antelopes in caged areas with sheds for shade, and birds in aviaries way too small for the species. This was a bit of a downer but i still appreciated that a zoo which charges nothing to enter has to have some pitfalls, i mean who is covering the cost here. Not like Sydney Taronga zoo which is $50 to get in, with half the big name species.
    Another fun and interesting part of the day was venturing through the surrounding park, obviously at one point it was an amazing place, now it is filled with decrepit fun parks and buildings. It is very moody and great for photos. I really liked it, and won't surprise myself if i head back before i leave.
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  • Kayak in Xochimilco

    13 luglio 2019, Messico ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    My friend and i went to view the canals in a different manner to the usual embarcaderos.
    For the love of kayaking and for the love of the tranquillity it offers.
    After an hour of paddling we had a very quick stop at isla de munecas (island if the dolls) which is a local legend of horror story quality, and then we were caught in the rain.
    Soaked head to toe we came back to 'dock' as quickly as possible, indulged in flautas and beer drank and besides being cold and uncomfortable, overall we were merry.
    However, the hot shower I had when i got home was priceless.
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  • Museo Nacional de Arte

    14 luglio 2019, Messico ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Sunday = Free day.
    I was scrambling for things to do today.
    Sundays are typically days spent with the family, and consequently, getting out of the house.
    It can be a bit depressing when travelling solo to sit alone somewhere and watch other people have fun together.
    So, i did the next best thing - went shopping - and then ended up at the National Museum of Art.
    It was quite impressive, the artworks on display are very good and there is a lot of art by famous Mexican artists and art covering the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs.
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  • Loreto y Pena Ecological Park

    15 luglio 2019, Messico ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    So, what happens when you try to make plans on a Monday?
    Monday is closing day for 99% of the attractions in Mexico City, so i thought, I know! I will go and visit some more parks. They are usually beautiful and free, i can take my own lunch and have a good day out.
    Well that was the plan.
    Travelling an hour to my first stop, the botanical gardens at the university, i discovered it is school holidays and so, even after looking it up on google, and asking a lady who worked at the university if it was open, i discovered it was not.
    Plan B, head further south and go to another park.
    I was expecting too much, and was therefore a little disappointed, but took the time to take some photos anyway.
    So 3 hours (return) travelling time equated to 1 hour in the park and 1 hour in the shopping mall next to the park for lunch.
    Not what i had planned but at least it was good practice for use of the public transport.
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  • Archaelogical Sitio Tula

    16 luglio 2019, Messico ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Yeah! Ruins!!!!!! My most favourite part of Mexico.
    It was an early start, getting to the bus station for 8am. Travelling more or less 2 hours to Tula, a small little town north of Mexico city.
    I was going solely for the ruins.
    And the site was small but i still got 1000 photos, and spent a good 2 hours walking around.
    I am starting to wish i had taken up archaeology as a profession so that i could really delve into the sites, but for the time being i will have to settle for taking photos and reading the information boards.
    The most fascinating part of these ruins are the carved Toltec warrior columns, which sit atop one of the pyramids.
    With links to both Teotihuacan and Chitzen Itza (which are literally decades apart) it's a very interesting little site.
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  • Cholula Church

    17 luglio 2019, Messico ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    I sucked it up and joined a tour to visit Cholula (and Puebla - see next post).
    Its a pretty little place with really colourful buildings and this beautiful little church set on what used to be the worlds widest pyramid.
    Unfortunately, the spanish came and destroyed the pyramid and covered it with dirt and build this little church on top, so now we cannot see the pyramid and it is now too badly damaged to try and restore, but the church makes up for it.
    Inside (cannot take photos) is one of the most spectacular i have seen. Gold and white it is a sight to be seen.
    The volcanoes were covered with clouds, so i was not able to get the iconic photo seen in all the pictures.
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  • Puebla

    17 luglio 2019, Messico ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    After our short visit to Cholula we continued another 40 minutes to the town of Puebla.
    It reminded me very much of another Mexican town of San Cristobal de las Casas, which is one of my favorites.
    Being part of a tour group it meant that basically we went on a guided orientation and had about an hour spare time to see the sites.
    It wasn't nearly enough time and i think it could be possible to spend an additional 2 days venturing around.
    The architecture is very pretty and very beautiful.
    Maybe on my next visit i will spend more time here.
    (there is also another big ruins close by that i really want to explore)
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    Fine del viaggio
    1 agosto 2019