Mexico
It would be presumptuous to try and discover the essence of Mexico City in just two days. It's a big Mexico City, immense, thrown up at the foot of the Popocatépetl volcano like a rough-hewn urban canvas. And it's high: an altitude of 2,300 metres that would take the breath away of even the most trained long-distance runner. So, for these few days and evenings in the megalopolis, you have to choose. Oscillate in the traffic jams between the world of the Aztecs and the tiny remains of the marvellous city they called Tenochtitlán; wander through the colonial districts or discover modern Mexican art with the frescoes of Diego Rivera or the paintings of Frida Kahlo...
Of course, you can't ignore the popular art and craft centres, or everyday life as it is, with a visit to the huge, hallucinatory 'Merced' covered market during the day and a night out in the nightlife district of Zona Rosa, packed with restaurants, terraces, bars and nightclubs... It's trendy, joyfully Latino, young, gay in places, and sometimes even a little sultry, Pigalle-style.
The historic centre of the Zócalo
Poor Aztecs! This is all they have left in Mexico City: the Templo Mayor, a huge mass of stone, the remains of the largest pyramid in their capital. The site is nevertheless well worth a visit, especially the adjoining museum, located in the heart of the historic district. Right next to the Zócalo square, and therefore the Metropolitana cathedral, but also the Palacio Nacional, home to Diego Rivera's frescoes. It's an opportunity to get close to modern Mexican art, and the history of the country as seen through the eyes of the artist: from the Pre-Columbians to the revolution.
Everything is sold in the square, preferably cheap souvenirs. But above all, under a gigantic Mexican flag, half-naked Indian warriors roll drums with feathers raised on their heads; they dance and pose for a few pesos in front of the tourists...
The best place to do this is on the terrace of the Majestic hotel or the Holiday Inn, which overlook the whole area and can be made private for the occasion. All around, the streets are teeming with people, overflowing with stalls unpacked on the ground, and lined with timeless boutiques, Internet cafés and Chinese bric-a-brac...
Alternative: The pre-Columbian site of Teotihuacán (about fifty km from Mexico City)
The Pyramid of the Moon is not so high. But the altitude - over 2000 metres - added to the steep flight of steps, takes your breath away. So we take advantage of the time we have to recover to discover the view. Just ahead, against a backdrop of bare plains, is the four-kilometre-long Avenue of the Dead. The road is straight and lined with ruins, small pyramids and religious buildings. At the end, the temple of Quetzalcoalt, on the right, the palace of Quetzalpapalotl, and on the left, the majestic Pyramid of the Sun, 63 metres high, 2.5 million tonnes of stone and a staircase you won't soon forget.
The site, occupied as early as 600 BC by humans about whom nothing is known, bears witness to the fabulous richness of Mesoamerican culture. No one knows why the site was suddenly abandoned around 750 AD. It takes a good half-day to visit.
Alternative: The floating gardens of Xochimilco, some 20 km from the historic centre of Mexico City
You've got to love the mariachis, their guitars and horns, the popular festivals, the loud songs, the excessive colour, the light beer and the tequila... Because every weekend, on the outskirts of Mexico City, the floating gardens of Xochimilco throw a wild party... Originally, it was a network of canals created by the Pre-Colombians, dotted with islands created from scratch to grow vegetables.
Nowadays, you can stroll along the water on hundreds of colourful barges, each with a long communal table for groups of friends or families. As soon as you leave, small barges come alongside, offering plenty of cold drinks. Some of them are outright boathouses, serving popular cuisine to guests who know all about a good laugh. During the week, things are much quieter. You walk along the banks of the canals, and under tall willows, you discover the famous floating gardens, which still supply the capital's markets with fruit and vegetables. Flowers too. And it's all very pretty.
Catamaran cruise
These catamarans are huge, sailing from bay to bay, taking up to 200 passengers and passing between islets where hundreds of birds frolic. And they're comfortable too. And privatisable too... They leave from the port of Santa Cruz Huatulco for half a day or even a full day at sea, with white sandy beaches as pristine as in the early days, swimming in crystal-clear waters and cocktail parties with their feet in the water. True luxury.
Alternative
A beautiful escape Puerto Escondido, Zipolite and Puerto Angel
Of course, Puerto Escondido is not quite what it was in the 70s, with its "blue houses leaning against the hill, you come on foot, you don't knock...". The little port on the Pacific coast has become a little more gentrified... and has kept up with the times by transforming one of its beaches into a surfers' paradise. It's even one of the best spots in the world. As for the rest, the village, a little shellfish, is still clinging to the Sierra, the coconut palms are still leaning on the beach, the cafés are always full, the restaurants are packed...
If you leave Huatulco, you'll still need to plan a full-day getaway, for lunch, for example. On the way back, take the opportunity to stop off at Zipolite, which is wilder, younger and freer too. With huge waves - reputedly dangerous - crashing at the foot of the straw huts planted in the sand. Cocktail or Corona beer. We'll round off with a final stop at Puerto Angel, a few kilometres away, well hidden at the end of its bay. There are few or no parasols, but boats, real boats with real fishermen who keep the little port alive... Just like before.
