Tlalpan's Historic Center is not on the main tourist trails and not too many people know of its charms. On this Photo Walk, we discovered many interesting places in a relatively small area and were pleasantly surprised by what we saw. After having refreshments in a very Mexican restaurant, we went to photograph the colorful Iglesia de Sant Agustin de las Cuevas, with its peaceful cloister and fountain. Almost next door is the Casa de Cultura where we saw the telephone which was used to make the very first long-distance phone call in Mexico.... from Tlalpan to Mexico City. Across the street is the small market in a red brick building, over 100 years old. Our final stop was to some of the vintage shops, cafés and a mezcalería nearby.Time ran out before we had a chance to wander around more of the cobbled streets lined with mansions and small cafés and shops. Tlalpan's Historic Center certainly deserves to be better known and is a great place to stroll around and have something to eat or drink.
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The Centro Histórico of Mexico City is full of hidden gems, large swathes of street art and local life brimming with authenticity. For Photo Walk Nº90, we went off the beaten path to capture some of these places and scenes. Next we made our way along Calle Regina, a pedestrianized street with cafés and street art and had lots of fun photographing the vividly-painted walls.Nearby and hidden behind a modern façade, the Hospital de Jesús, founded by Hernán Cortés in 1524 and the longest functioning hospital in the Americas, holds another surprise for us. We step off the busy street and back into Colonial times. A haven of peace and quiet, its two patios and arches are very photogenic as is the long mural depicting the meeting of Cortés with Moctezuma (said to have taken place here) and pre-Hispanic medicine.Our last visit was to the small Templo de Porta Coeli, of the Catholic-Melkite rite, where incense clouded the air, the walls are covered with mosaic-murals of icons and the Cristo del Veneno, a black Christ, is venerated with authentic devotion.Wherever you go in the Centro Histórico, you can be sure to find not only lots to photograph but also lots of unusual places to visit.For Photo Walk Nº89, we went off the beaten path to visit a few places in the Buenavista - Santa Maria La Ribera area where we photographed the stunning Vasconcelos Library, the street art in the Guerrero corridor and the unique Kiosco Morisco. From there we wandered along the same street for a couple of blocks. Two years ago, 43 artists collaborated with the residents here and painted 11 of the buildings to brighten up the area. The themes of the street art range from traditions, nature, the 1985 earthquake and women's rights. As well as taking photos of the street art, we also photographed the locals going about their daily routine.We then crossed Av. Insurgentes into Santa Maria La Ribera where we made our way to the Kiosco Morisco in the central park. With its Moorish architecture, it made us feel like we were in Morocco, not Mexico City. Not only did we try to photograph the building as a whole, but we also captured its intricate details in blue and red. Perhaps the most challenging aspect was trying to master the exposure with such great contrasts in lighting. Nearby is the Geology Museum with its grand staircase, stained glass panels and mammoth skeleton.Although this area isn't on the tourist trails, it's well worth a visit to see and photograph these unique places.A special photography trip to Cuadra San Cristobal designed by Mexican architect Luis Barragán8/11/2018 Last Tuesday we made a special visit to Cuadra San Cristobal, one of Luis Barragán's masterpieces, located in Mexico City. Built for the Egerström family and their horses, this is one of the most representative works of the well-known Mexican architect and with its bright colours and clean lines is absolutely stunning to photograph. We really enjoyed the visit and Mia suggested that next time we should visit during the jacaranda season when the trees are covered in purple blossom... next February or March.(Photograph by Mauricio Ramos which appeared in the National Geographic) |
Margaret MetcalfeBorn to travel, explore and share photos and experiences Archives
May 2019
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