We spent the first few (rainy and cool) days in Mexico City's Centro Historico - right downtown adjacent to the main square. We wandered the streets visiting churches, old ruins and beautifully preserved Spanish colonial buildings while I imagined how our lives might unfold if we lived there.
The main church was first with it's over the top interior and hushed silences. You can see, attached to the red velvet box on one of the many altars to the Virgin Mary, how the charms I work with called milagros are traditionally used. A prayer or a thanks pinned in front of their most revered idol.
From there we headed to the Templo Mayor just a little ways from the main square. It is here that the most important Aztec temple used to stand until the Spanish arrived and built right over it. No one even knew the temple, once the ancient culture's literal 'center of the universe', existed until a few decades ago. Now you can walk among the ruins and feel awed to experience this already old city's even more ancient history.
A walk through the streets lead us through the perfume district and on to the Palacio Postal - Mexico City's main post office. When we lived in Puerto Vallarta I visited the post office frequently where a picture of this building hung on the wall. The girls that worked there recommended that if we ever made it to Mexico City to check it out for ourselves. It did not disappoint and is, happily, still being used as a post office to this day.
And finally off to the markets before heading home to quench our thirst and nurse our blisters.
