Mexico City

Restless sleep because all the guide books recommend not to drive in Mexico city especially ride motorcycles. Figured if I got up early on a Sunday morning and tried then it would be easier.

Did that and it was the traffic was down to stalled instead of gridlocked.

Worked my way toward the centre of town when I saw a group of about fifty bikers at a Pemex service station. Stopped to double check my whereabouts. The guy I approached said - Stop talking and follow us. They took off at warp speed weaving through the traffic and I tried to keep up but only did so for about four kilometres before dropping back.

After that though it was almost as if the bike was on rails because I ended up exactly at the hotel where I wanted to stay one block from the zocalo. Arrived a 8.30am.

Spent the day looking around the centro historica area.

Police Mounted branch - what a broad brimmed hat. If they issue cops with those they will need bigger cars.

Two senorita police officers helping the tourists.

Crowds like you have never seen. Amongst all that there is some vehicle traffic trying to weave their way through the Sunday walkers.

Right in the centre of town there was an archaeologist dig. They unearthed what they think is the original spot where the priests said to start a city. You know the story about the bird with a snake in its beak perched on a cactus.

Apparently the Spaniards knocked down most indigenous temples and built the Churches and plazas with the stone but this small area was discovered when electricians found a huge round craved stone.

The guy with the bowl in his hand has seen more heart surgery than thirty modern day heart surgeons. Apparently records of the period show that twenty thousand were sacrificed (hearts torn from chests) over a three day period.

Shirley arrived at Mexico airport to start her Peregrine tour. Surprised her because she was not expecting me to be there. Peregrine failed to show and pick her up. Contacted them and they told her to get a taxi to her hotel and they would refund the cost. Not good enough but the rest of the tor group were out having dinner.

Turned out that her hotel was about four hundred metres from mine but much more up market.

We met up with the rest of her tour group and took the opportunity to catch up.