I don't know much about Art, but.......

We began the day with another delicious and filling breakfast at the hotel. Sam is enjoying Mexican coffee, which has a slightly different taste. The selection of pastries changes daily so we have fun trying everything out, as well as a different entree item each time too.
Next we made our way to a big shopping area where we got tickets and boarded a double-decker Turibus that makes a circuit of the city and stops at all the main points of interest. After a short ride through some neighborhoods and past some interesting buildings,


we got off at the Palace of Fine Arts.


This building contains lots of murals by famous Mexican Artists like Diego Rivera 

and David Siquieros.

 

We hope to see more of these artists' work at both the National Palace and the National Art Museum later this week.
Admission is free to the Palace of Fine Arts on Sunday so we avoided the exorbitant $.40 fee.We were told no pictures, but everyone else took some so we did too. We didn't get arrested. The building is beautiful,

and also houses the National Theater, where a Ballet Folklorico was going on later in the day. There are many displays of architecture, photography, and painting throughout.


It was a short walk next to the Zocalo, the gigantic public square in the middle of the city right on the spot where the Aztecs did public ceremonies, military displays, dancing, and human sacrifice. Today it was being set up for an international Technology conference. Progress!

Also at the Zocalo is the National Cathedral of Mexico. No pictures allowed inside (where a mass with the Cardinal of Mexico was going on) but we got some outside, and at the smaller chapel next door where baptisms were being performed. Cute!

We got back on the bus and missed the stop we wanted so we ended up at Chapultapec Park. We rode the reverse route back, but apparently the bus driver had to go off the route (about 40 minutes worth) to pick up a friend and bring him to work. Ah, Mexico!

We finally got back to our area and regrouped for a late lunch. I had seen a seafood restaurant on a previous excursion so we went to Bellapuerte

and had some great food once again. I got the Seafood Chowder, with octopus, head-on shrimp, scallops, conch, and a whole crab. Wonderful. Sam helped me eat it all.

Sarah had fish tacos and ate every bite. Sam had a very nice salmon dinner, and Amy had a house salad that she really enjoyed. Everybody had a beverage, and the bill with taxes and a generous tip in this very nice place was still under $40!

We got back on the Turibus with our all-day passes and rode it back to the park.
We hoped to see the History Museum there, and maybe ride some paddle boats in the lake.

Alas, everything closes on Sunday afternoon at 5pm, so instead we wandered a bit and then took the bus (the driver took the correct route this time), through some beautiful neighborhoods with some very low-hanging palm trees. Look out!

A thunderstorm came up (we were on the top, open deck) just as we got back to our stop, but we rushed back to the hotel without getting drenched.

A little later S and S and I went across the street to an intriguing place called Hamburguesas al Carbon,

which seems to do incredible business every night when the clubs are open. It's a one or two man show, and they sell hamburgers all different ways, and fries. Al Carbon means over charcoal. 

We got 4 cheeseburgers and an order of fries and brought them back to the hotel, and got to use our spacious dining room for the first time.

Early to bed tonight, so we can get on an early bus tour to the pyramids and ruins in the morning. Adios!