Full Circle

Day 222: Mexico City

Coffee on the seventh floor terrace of the Majestic Hotel overlooking the Zocalo, the city's enormous main square. Mexico's colonial history is spread out below. The stone paving was first laid by Cortés in 1520, rubbing Aztec noses in their defeat by using stone from their own temples. On the far side, in a scalloped niche above the main entrance of the Palacio Nacional, hangs the Dolores bell, originally rung in the town of Dolores Hidalgo to signal the start of the War of Independence against Spanish rule in 1810.

In the centre of the square a group of people, surrounding a portly figure dressed as Superman, are painting a wooden construction fence with a bold, colourful mural entwined with political graffiti - Libertad, Trabajo, Dignidad, Respeto, No a la Contaminacion, No al Credito bancario. The masked man with several spare tyres bulging from beneath a red tunic and gold pants calls himself Super Barrio and he is announcing his candidacy for the forthcoming American election. I go down to listen to his election address.

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PALIN'S GUIDES

Series: Full Circle
Day: 222
Country/sea: Mexico
Place: Mexico City
Book page no: 286

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Cartagena - Queretaro