Day: January 20, 2025

Polanco to Historic Center – Mexico City Day 6

Today we checked out of our hotel in Polanco and moved to a hotel in the historic Center. Our room wasn’t ready when we arrived so we went out for a walk.

We went into the cathedral and watched part of a mass.
We walked around the ruins of the Templo Mayor. It was first built around 1325 and then destroyed by the Spanish to build the cathedral.

Then we had lunch at our hotel. Snacks (sandwiches, beer, wine, etc.) are included in the price of our room.

Lunch

We were able to get into our room by 2:00. We have a fantastic view of the Zócalo with the cathedral on the north side and the Palácio Nacional on the east side. Behind the Palácio Nacional we can see the Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuarl volcanoes. When Duke lived in Mexico City in 1981-2 he says he never saw the volcanoes because the smog was so bad.

The view of the Zocalo from our room.
The cathedral and zocalo from our room as the sun was going down
Volcanoes in the distance

We ate dinner at a rooftop restaurant not far from our hotel.

The cathedral at night

Paseo de La Reforma – Mexico City Day 5

On Sundays, Reforma, the wide avenue that crosses central Mexico City, is closed to car traffic. So, Sunday morning we walked along a traffic free Reforma enjoying the people, the sites and the weather.

We stopped briefly at the Tamayo museum of contemporary art.

Inside the Tamayo
Walking along Reforma
Fountain of Diana the Hunter

We passed the Sheraton where we stayed on our first trip to Mexico City together back in 2011. Back then, the American embassy was next door to the Sheraton. Recently the embassy has been moved several miles away.

That’s the Sheraton on the left. The short building to the right is the former embassy.

When we were here on a Sunday morning back in 2011 the Mexico City Marathon was going on.

A picture from near the same spot in 2011. The former embassy is in the background.

After about three miles we stopped, had coffee, and caught an Uber back to the hotel..

Coffee and tres leches cake

For dinner we went to another restaurant Duke booked before the trip, Taboo.

We shared the salad.
We also shared the catch of the day
Inside Taboo