The Fiesta de Culturas Indígenas is held in the Zócalo at the end of August every year for two weeks. A well-organized colourful event, the Fair is a great place to learn about some of the indigenous groups in Mexico and also to taste their food, buy their art and crafts or watch them dance.We started Photo Walk Nº82 outside the Cathedral in the Zócalo and while waiting for the Fair to open, we headed down Calle Moneda towards the Santissima church to see some street art. On our way, we experienced the daily life of this part of the city, capturing some interesting shots with our cameras. Although the street art around here used to be based on the theme of Indigenous Groups, we discovered it had recently been painted over which was somewhat disappointing. However, there was a lot more to see and photograph in this part of the Centro Histórico which is off most tourist trails.Returning to the Fair in the Zócalo, we wandered around the stands crammed with food and crafts from Oaxaca, Nayarit, Baja California, Guerrero, Puebla and other states and watched the Aztec dancers on the stage. Among other things, we savoured esquites, pan de elote, tlayudas from Oaxaca, aguas de sabores and someone was even brave enough to taste the roasted grasshoppers covered in chocolate.Towards the end, we watched a rug weaver from Teotitlán del Valle in Oaxaca working on his loom and a Huichol man from Jalisco covering figures of animals with thousands of tiny beads.All in all, it was a great opportunity to photograph indigenous cultures without having to leave Mexico City or travel far and wide around the country!
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When you wander around the Condesa neighbourhood, you have a rather strong feeling that you aren't in big choatic Mexico City, but rather a small provincial European town... except maybe for the taco stands and mounds of chillies in the street market. Next we walked along some charming streets, popping into tiny shops and photographing the small details usually missed when rushing around in a car, as we headed for the Tuesday street market.The market was a riot of colour, with stands of fruit and vegetables neatly piled up, and a whole section given over to cooking food for hungry shoppers.We finally made our way back down Calle Veracruz, through Parque España, the other big park in Condesa and arrived at our starting point.Wherever you go in Condesa, there is always something unusual or quirky to photograph...on this occasion, a life-size rhino and lioness walking up the side of a building. It definitely pays to savour life slowly with a camera in your hand and this is one of the best ways to get to know a neighbourhood.Photo Walk Nº80 - A spectacular library, street art and Moorish architecture... off the beaten path20/8/2018 The area of Buenavista and Santa Maria La Ribera is not on the main tourist trails but has a lot of surprises in store for those who head there. On Photo Walk Nº80, we combined a visit to the enormous Vasconcelos Library with a wander down an entire street covered in urban art and a walk around a very unusual "kiosco" in Santa Maria La Ribera.Our first stop was at the massive Vasconcelos Library with its very unusual interior, full of light, where half a million books sit on bookshelves and walkways suspended from the ceiling. All around the library is a peaceful botanical garden where we did some nature photography.From there we made our way down both sides of the Buenvavista-Guerrero street where the buildings have been covered with vivid street art depicting different themes. 43 artists teamed up with the local residents who decided what to have painted. Frida Kahlo, the 43 missing students, indigenous groups and nature are some of the themes represented. We enjoyed not only photographing the street art but also the locals going about their everyday life.We then crossed over Av Insurgentes and walked to the park in Santa Maria La Ribera to take photos of the Kiosco Morisco with its unusual Moroccan-style architecture. In fact. it was designed as the pavilion representing Mexico in the World Fair in the USA in 1884-5, after which it was dismantled and shipped back to Mexico. We also peeped in the Geology Museum where we photographed the sweeping staircase and mosaic floor and got a glimpse of the mammoth skeleton inside.Our final stop was at Casa de Toño for some refreshment where we discovered that, even in this restaurant, there were interesting murals on the walls!Photo Walk Nº79 took us to Colonia Tabacalera to visit its most outstanding landmark and a few of its not so well-known sites.We met at the bottom of the Monumento a la Revolución and first learned a bit about the history of the neighbourhood and this singular monument before photographing it from various angles around the large open square. After wandering around the square, we proceeded to explore the rest of the Colonia Tabacalera, stopping off first at the Fronton México building, an authentic Art-Déco building now painted bright red with a Casino at one end and the sports facilities at the other end. Other places visited were the Museo de San Carlos, with its fine collection of European Art housed in a 19th Century building with a spectacular oval patio, once the country home of the Counts of Buenavista, the house where Che Guevara and Fidel Castro plotted the Cuban Revolution and a nicely renovated park.At one end of the neighbourhood, standing on Paseo de la Reforma, is the Art-Déco building El Moro, known as the Loteria Nacional. Each Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday at 8pm, they hold the lottery draws here which members of the public can attend. Our purpose in visiting it was to photograph the massive mural "El Juego de la Fortuna" by Ariosto Otero and the spectacular interior. Although it was damaged in the September 2017 earthquake and had been closed for months, the lower floor and the first five floors of offices are now open again although some large cracks looked worrying.Before returning to the Monumento a la Revolución we took photos of the bright yellow sculpture known as "El Caballito" by the Mexican sculpture Sebastian which doubles up as a vent, some newly painted street art and some old cantinas.Our final activity was going up into the dome of the Monument and photographing views of the city. The elevator whisked us up the equivalent of 22 stories in few seconds leaving some of us a bit lightheaded and deposited us under a green dome, quite open and we made our way down some stairs which can prove to be rather hair-raising for anyone with a fear of heights. However, the viewing platform was wide and had glass panels for security. There were few people up there, as it still isn't as well-known as other viewing points in Mexico City.Back in the square below, some of us went for a coffee underground but for those who want to know more about the Mexican Revolution, the museum next to the coffee shop is a good place to visit.Colonia Roma is a neighbourhood that needs to be savoured slowly. Preferably on foot, with observant eyes, and a camera around your neck. That's when you discover the often overlooked details that make this such a charming place and the many contrasts even on the same street.And that's precisely what we did on Photo Walk Nº78. We ambled around part of the neighbourhood, learning about its history, photographing its architecture and street art, and even being invited into a private courtyard to see some local urban art.We began the tour at Casa Lamm and learned that Colonia Roma had originally been the place where the wealthy built their mansions to escape the chaos of the city centre. Its heyday was from the early 1900s to 1940 when wide leafy streets were lined with European-style residences. We also wandered around La Romita, a mangle of tiny streets around a leafy square with one of the oldest churches in Mexico City in the centre. This is where the pre-Hispanic village Aztacalco was founded on one of the small islands on the lake in Aztec times. The Spaniards came and built a church there but over the years, it has strongly resisted development like the rest of the Colonia Roma. So maybe this was really a photo walk to capture the two faces of Colonia Roma and some of its curious spots. And as Avenida Alvaro Obregon simply bristles with restaurants, we decided to end with a meal and a cold beer at La Cerveceria. The best way to savour Colonia Roma.Tucked away in some backstreets between San Angel and Coyoacán is a surprising place which we visited on our Photo Walk Nº77. The beautiful quiet area of Chimalistac is like a small Colonial town which accidentally got left behind among the chaotic traffic and noise of Mexico City, forgotten in time.For this walk, we met in one of the squares in San Angel and made our way across busy Avenida Insurgentes, plied by red Metrobuses and streams of ever-moving traffic, to a beautifully landscaped park, Parque La Bombilla. Perhaps the most eye-catching element is the large Art-Déco style monument built in memory of Álvaro Obregon who was assassinated in this very square and which for years, believe it or not, housed the arm he lost in the war, until it was replaced by a bronze replica in 1989.From there, we made our way to Plaza Federico Gamboa, lined by picturesque houses and cobbled streets. In the middle of the square is the small church of San Sebastian Màrtir, built in the 1600s with a Baroque altarpiece and a rather lively congregation on Sundays.The land behind this square was originally a fertile orchard planted with thousands of fruit trees belonging to the nearby El Carmen Monastery, and watered by two rivers, el Rio Magdalena and el Rio Chico. Spanning these rivers were bridges made of volcanic rock and immortalized in a famous painting by the Mexican landscape painter José Maria Velasco. Today the rivers have long disappeared but the bridges have stood the test of time and now span the gardens which meander through this place, bordered by lumpy cobbled streets and fine mansions.As we wandered around the tranquil streets, we came across many hidden gems... splashing fountains, a small capilla with special acoustics where whispers could be heard clearly in the opposite corner, a house designed by the famous Mexican architect Luis Barragán, and a rather eccentric mansion whose owner kindly invited us in and let us photograph the impressive interior and gardens.We finally came back to reality and found ourselves once again among the crowds and the traffic and wandered through San Angel market where we had a refreshing drink of freshly-squeezed juice. Our last stop was a visit to the Casa del Risco with its magnificent fountain, one of its kind in the world, decorated with ceramic plates from as far off as China and Europe.On Photo Walk Nº75 we spent the morning wandering around the streets of Colonia Roma south of Av. Alvaro Obregon in search of new and old street art and finding some hidden gems. We were not disappointed by what we found... scores of colorful murals brighten up this part of the neighborhood. Many of the murals in the streets near this square are part of the series on Mexican indigenous groups #VAPORLAROMA. There are 68 different indigenous groups in Mexico and the idea is to represent all of them in murals in Colonia Roma.Of course, there is much more to Colonia Roma than street art and we met some friendly people along the way who explained things to us, including the owner of a tortillería who even invited us all to hot, freshly-made tortillas and spicy sauce.By the end of the morning, we had all got lots of great shots, a few selfies and learnt a bit more about the street art world in Mexico City.With such hot weather these days, it was a breath of cool air to wander around shady Chapultepec Park for Photo Walk Nº74 and sharpen our photography techniques and composition skills.We met outside the Anthropology Museum and first made our way down Reforma, looking at the winning images of the Nature Photography contest displayed along the Galeria de Rejas and commenting on composition and lighting. Learning from the images of other photographers is an excellent way to sharpen our skills and find our own voice and style.Throughout the walk, among other things, we looked for natural frames, different viewpoints, reflections, uncluttered backgrounds, and details.Chapultepec Park is one of the largest urban parks in the world and was where the Aztec rulers once had their summer residence. The springs there provided water for the ancient city of Tenochtitlán and water was conveyed to the Templo Mayor site using aqueducts. Today this enormous park is much more than Mexico City's "lungs"; its wooded areas and lakes are home to wildlife, and within its borders are museums, a castle, fountains, and many places to do outdoor activities or just enjoy some peace and quiet. Not far from the zoo is an eating area, with small stalls providing food and seats and tables to sit at. The shutters of the stalls are all brightly painted with animals and plants and are beautiful works of art.Behind this section, we discovered some off-the-beaten-path spots hidden among the greenery and streams with birds, butterflies, dragonflies, fish and even the odd turtle and tried to capture them with our cameras.All in all, it was a great walk and a reminder that even in the heart of this chaotic noisy city, there is a place where you can find some peace and quiet and get away from the crowds.Coyoacán is one of Mexico City's most colourful neighborhoods and Photo Walk Nº 73 was a fun walk around the Santa Caterina area focussing first and foremost on colour.To start off, we had a brief tutorial on how to use colour to make stronger images. This included a range of concepts such as the characteristics of warm and cool colours, brightness and intensity and how just a small spot of bright colour in a rather neutral scene will attract the viewer's eye. Then we wandered around the area, finding out about the history and some curiosities as well as photographing colour in general.We also had fun photographing brightly-coloured doors and walls plus some vibrant street art.Finally, some of us continued on to the Mercado de Coyoacán to savour some tostadas before heading home. One thing is sure... after this photo walk, we have begun "seeing" colour in a whole new way!Every year, the World comes to Mexico City in the guise of the Feria Internacional de las Culturas Amigas. For a little over 2 weeks, visitors and residents of Mexico City have the unique opportunity of seeing and tasting the food and culture of countries spanning 6 continents. This year 83 nations took part in this World Fair and we visited them all on this Photo Walk.Started in 2009 to re-activate tourism after the devastating Swine Flu epidemic, the Fair has become so popular that it has had to move to the Centro Histórico and split up. The main section is in the Zócalo and the food stands are located in Plaza Santo Domingo. With the taste of some of the world's flavours still in our mouths, we returned to the Zócalo to wander around the main stands there and mingle with the crowds. Our task was to capture a wide variety of shots with our cameras, including people in their national dress, iconic images, flags, crafts and culture and activities such as henna writing.The three hours flew past with so much to see and photograph and so many countries to visit. It's easy to see why this Fair has become so popular and why they are expecting over 4 million visitors this year.
Tlalpan, once a provincial town to the south of Mexico City, has long been swallowed up by the urban sprawl all around it. Unknown to many, the Historic Centre is a charming area which conserves its tranquil old-world feel with cobbled streets lined by colonial mansions and cultural spots, in contrast to the chaos and traffic around it. We met in the main square with its kiosko, its gardens and fountains and from there visited a few places down Calle Moneda, including a building whose rather exotic past includes being used as a coin mint, a prison, barracks for the US and French armies, and even the place where Emperor Maximilian's wife Carlota used to stay. Today it is a school, heavily camouflaged by ugly cables.Back in Plaza de la Constitución we vsitied Casa Frissac, built at the end of the 19th Century, and now a cultural centre. Perhaps the most eye-catching sight was the unusual "minarete" nearby with a distinct muslim design. We were told we could visit it if we went next door, but that was just wishful thinking. The lady who came to the door said it was now a private house but kindly informed us that the minaret had been part of that house for over 100 years and no-one seems to know who built the tower or what on earth it was doing there. Interesting.Tlalpan can boast the fact that it was once the capital of the Estado de México, albeit for a mere 6 or 7 years, and its Palacio Nacional bears witness to its historical importance. Under the arches, the history of Tlalpan has been depicted in murals, and when you go inside, halfway up what was once a grand stairway is a painting of the Constitution and the main historical figures. Our arrival coincided with the sound of a youth band playing music in honor of the 99th Anniversary of Zapata's death, icon of the Mexican Revolution.
On the other side of the square is the Iglesia de San Agustin de las Cuevas, the entrance of which was damaged in the September earthquake, but if you duck through a side door you find yourself surrounded by old colorful peeling walls and silent spaces and sometimes accompanied by a friendly cat. We spent time photographing the bright orange cloisters and central fountain, very Mexican indeed and wonderfully photogenic.After that, we stopped for some refreshment in the Cafe de la Selva under the arches and also popped in to see the very colorful restaurant La Sazón before wandering with our cameras around some of the nearby streets capturing typical scenes.All too soon it was time to leave this "small town" and head back out into the big city with its noise and traffic... back to reality.Seriously, it's quicker for me to drive up into the nearby Parque Nacional del Desierto de los Leones in the mountains near Mexico City than it is to get to the Zócalo in the centre most days. And in this thickly forested National Park, at an altitude of 2700 metres, is an old monastery, founded by the Carmelites in the early 1600s and a true gem of a place to visit. By the way, there's nothing remotely resembling a desert up here nor any lions, just in case you were wondering.The old monastery and its grounds are an excellent spot for doing Photo Walks with textured stone walls covered in soft moss, long chilly corridors and barred windows, and patios and gardens awash with flowers. Add to all that the existence of some mysterious tunnels underground and it has the perfect plot, especially when it comes to kids.Put a camera or phone into the hands of seven kids aged 5 to 12 years old and give them an interesting check-list of things to photograph and I can assure you that the activity will be stimulating and the outcome surprising. I learn so much from children... their creativity and lack of knowledge of the rules we adults adhere to in photography produce scenes and images I rarely see in other contexts. In fact, these seven kids took the challenge of finding new viewpoints to a whole new level that totally surprised me.We all had an eye-opening experience and learnt not only about taking photos, but also some history and nature facts too. And what better way to end the time than with a cup of hot frothy coffee by a cosy fire where barefoot monks once tread.Mexico City's Centro Histórico has been designated a World Heritage Site and no wonder. With over 700 years of history, Aztec ruins, colonial gems, numerous palaces and almost as many museums as London, it should be on every visitor's bucket list.
In the Zócalo, we paid a quick visit to the Gran Hotel, with its spectacular Tiffany dome and which is famous among other things for appearing in the James Bond film "Spectre". Next stop was the Palacio Nacional where Diego Rivera painted his extensive mural "The History of Mexico", part of which was being restored. Nearby Aztec dancers and the ruins of the Templo Mayor are a reminder of Mexico City's pre-Hispanic heritage while next door is the Cathedral, built by the Spanish which is sinking fast into the soft former lakebed and noticeably leaning to one side.After our multi-sensorial experience, I left the Danish couple to find somewhere for lunch and to process all the sights and sounds of the centre, probably over a meal of spicy Mexican food.Spring changes Mexico City like nowhere else I've been. It's the season for the jacaranda trees with their pretty lilac-coloured flowers, turning the city purple. Parks, streets and gardens all take on a surreal colour with soft purple carpets under the trees. Definitely the prettiest time of year.Imagine being in Mexico City but instead of being stuck in a noisy traffic jam, you are gliding along a tranquil canal in a canoe, photographing the birds and reflections and learning how the ancient Aztecs used to grow their food on "chinampas", islands that they made with mud and sticks on the lake. On the "chinampa", we were shown how the farmers continue the centuries-old tradition of scraping out the nutrient-laden mud from the bottom of the shallow canal and make beds which are cut up into small squares like brownies. A hole is made in the square with the finger and seeds planted. When they have sprouted, they are transplanted to another bed.Juanito and Araceli showed us around, explained about their very small local project and picked armfuls of fragrant vegetables for us, while we took photos.
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Margaret MetcalfeBorn to travel, explore and share photos and experiences Archives
May 2019
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