Chapultepec Park

Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015--Mexico City

Wes had never been to the city before, so going to see the Anthropology Museum was one of the things we knew we had to do.  We postponed it until today, however, because we figured that Saturday and Sunday would be busy (Sunday is even free to Mexican residents) and because it is closed on Mondays. 

We headed for Chapultepec Park where it is located with plans to visit the zoo first (because it has shorter hours than the museum) and then go to the nearby museum.  We knew it would be a tiring day, and it was!!

We stopped on the way to the park to have a torta for breakfast.  They were large ones, so we each ate half and saved half to have later in the day.  However, when we got to the zoo, they wouldn't let us take food inside.  We had to go to the side and finish eating the sandwiches before entering.  (The only food service inside was McDonalds, so they probably have rule that no outside food can be brought inside.)

The zoo was nice.  It has a good layout and very nice enclosures for the animals and birds.  We wandered through it all.  Only one of their pandas (for which they have a reputation as being one of the best zoos for panda births) was outside, and it was sleeping.  And we had hoped to see a quetzal, the famous bird that was prized by the native tribes and is difficult to see in the wild, but they did not have one in the collection.  We enjoyed the visit, however, which lasted about 1 1/2 hours.

We walked to the Anthropology Museum from there.  It is so huge that everyone gets exhausted trying to see all the exhibits.  We spent about 4 hours there and were very tired as we left.  It is a great museum filled with treasures from all the archeological sites in Mexico.  It was my third time to tour the museum, and I hope it will be my last since it is such an exhausting experience.

This is our last day in Mexico.  We will leave for Taxco tomorrow.  We have a hotel reservation, but we don't have a bus ticket.  We couldn't find a way to get one in advance without going to the station.  We will just go there tomorrow and hope that we won't have to wait long for a bus that has seats available.