On Saturday I walked around the Polanco area, which is the area where the hotel I'm staying is is located. It is adjacent to Chapultepec Forest, which I visited on my last visit here, and has some very nice restaurants and shops nearby. Mexico City's version of Rodeo Drive is here in Polanco, called Avenue Presidente Maseryk, named after the President of Poland once upon a time, I think. Many Embassies are located in Polanco, and there is a very nice park called Parque Lincoln just a block from the hotel. There is lots of activity here in Mexico City this weekend, as December 12 is the Virgin de Guadalupe celebration, with many (7 million, I hear) making the pilgrimage to the shrine on foot. Some from close by, some from very far away. The sound of fireworks has been nearly constant all weekend.
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| Fountain in the circle in front of the hotel. |
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| The view from my 36th floor room, which looks to the North. See the pollution. |
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| Sculpture in the hotel lobby of the eagle and snake, symbol of Mexico. |
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| The hotel entrance with an Indian sculpture. |
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| The store listing on Presidente Maseryk. A virtual who's-who of high end stores. |
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| Statue of Winston Churchill |
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| Church near Maseryk. |
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| Small park in front of the church. |
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| Some beautiful homes in the area. |
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| There are lots of people out selling balloons. I think this says a lot. Happy people buys balloons. Everyone here is very disturbed with the violence in their country, but they do not let it dominate their lives; not here, at least. |
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| Japanese Pagoda in Chapultepec |
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| Reforma Avenue |
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| The median on Reforma, decorated with Poinsettias for Christmas. |
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| Inside Chapultepec Park. Lots of vendors. |
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| Lake in the Park. |
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| A large tree trunk for the kids to play on. |
