Mexico City Trip Report / Photo Journal (love this city)
 

Hi All –

Just posted my trip report/photo journal from traveling to Mexico City, Cartagena and Bogotá. Didn’t care for Bogotá, liked Cartagena and LOVED Mexico City. Hope you like it, find it helpful.

TRIP REPORT / PHOTO JOURNAL:
http://www.esmetravels.com/category/...a-mexico-city/

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Mexico City
• Stay at Red Tree House, one of the most charming hotels I’ve found
• Hang-out in Condesa at night
• Reserve at least a day for wandering through Chapultepec Park
• Get contemporary at the Museo de Arte Moderno
• Relax at the Libreria Porrua (Chapultepec Park)
• See how the other half live in Polanco
• Visit the Soumaya Museum
• Don’t miss Centro Historico: the Palacio de Correos (post office) for its architecture, the Alameda Central park for its energy, the Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral for its organ, the Templo Mayor for the culture and the National Palace for the Diego Rivera murals

Cartagena

• Walk the ramparts at dusk
• Visit the Castillo San Felipe de Barajas
• Have a drink at Café del Mar
• Stay at the Santa Clara (if money is not a factor)
• And most of all, explore the Getsemaní neighborhood for a glimpse of real life

Bogotá

• Wander through La Candeleria (but know the boundaries)
• See the candy-striped El Carmen Church (La Candeleria)
• Seek-out the crazy watermelon-colored zigzag house (La Candeleria)
• Ride the funicular up to Monserrate
• Take the local bus to the Salt Cathedral in Zipaquira

New York Times article this week on Museo Jumex, a three-story museum near the Museo Soumaya.

Article: http://nyti.ms/1cekdG8

Museum website: http://bit.ly/1ff64IH

LOVE your blog! You are close to convincing me to plan a return trip to DF sometime soon!

Thanks, ekscrunchy!

I am returning in June to see Jumex, Museo Rufino Tamayo (that was closed the day I was there) and all these bizarre places I just discovered on the Atlas Obscura website:

http://www.atlasobscura.com/search?u...source=desktop

Great blog and I love your photography! Thanks for sharing!

Tour blog is wonderful. Thank you!!!

Thank you, ShellD and cmcfong.

Good article on Mexico City architecture in the New York Times Travel section today:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/10/tr...tml?ref=travel

Can't wait to return in November.

I will be there for a week in late October/November.

Ek, you are going to be in the DF for Muertos? How wonderful! I loved it there at that time the 2 times. I have gone for Muertos.

Our trip does have us in the city again (last week October into Nov for DF) but not sure if I will make the trip out to a cemetery. (Years ago I was with family members who drove me to Mixquic; this time we would have to go by taxi).

Where did you go when you were there those times?

I'm really looking forward to the trip, as I have been away for almost 20 years!

I did not go to any cemeteries in the DF on the 1 st trip. But the zocalo is wonderful at that time, Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. have huge paper mâché effigies of death figures, skeletons, etc, a big stage for live music, a fantastic Pan Muertos contest, and each state has a big display for day of the dead, an altar, etc. And women are dressed up like Catrinas and walking on stilts. There is also a procession into the cathedral on the zocalo one morning (I will look up in my notes if it was Nov 1 or 2) where every state in MX is represented and has about 30 people dressed in the traditional garb of their state, with their state flags, and filing into the cathedral. it was immensely colorful and fun!

Sr one trip I was at the zocalo festival for Muertos and then did go to the city pantheon one night.

I think it was Panteon Dolores right in the city where 8 went on the 2nd trip for Muertos in the DF.

here is a pic of the zocalo on Nov1-2.

http://travelblog.viator.com/how-and...y-of-the-dead/

I also went to Coyoacan on Nov. 2. Very nice BIG altar displayed by the city there.

This sounds odd, but I always try to visit a market and a cemetery in a foreign country. Any recommendations for a photogenic Mexico City cemetery NOT during Muertos?

Hi Esme, great info .
Do you think I need to Join a tour whilst I am in mex city to see some of the main museums or I can do it on my own?
Is visiting the pyramids worth it? Any tour recommendations?
Best, jseneca

You most certainly can go to the museums on your own. Take a taxi or metro. Also easy to go to the pyramids on your own.