Having the time of my life touring Mexico City!
JTOG Day 23 was a day of touring Mexico City and discovering the Cultural Olympics of 1968!
Turibus rocks! I had so much fun riding around Mexico City on the roofless upper deck!
The day started by taking the Mexico City Metrobus near the Sur Inn straight down Insurgentes Avenue to the National University by the Olympic Stadium. The red tandem buses have their own permanent lane with walk-on walk-off stations much like an above ground subway/ A great way to get around Mexico City. I was very pleased with choosing my hotel close to the University, golf and on a major thoroughfare!
With Javier and Leticia and their awesome family!
Today was a day of meeting people along the way like the nicest family—the Flores family who were waiting to meet their friend Simba from Zimbabwe. There was a major collegiate soccer match later in the day. I had to cut short my time with them as the Turibus arrived. Alberto Vargus was our tour guide for the day and he was excellent!
Our first stop was in the festive little village called Coyoacan. There was a lot of food and ongoing Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead similar to Halloween) activities and displays. My new friend Alberto gave me a guided tour and encouraged me to try Atole de Guayaba (a hot drink made with guava juice) and Pan de Muerto (baked goods) which of course I did and liked them both. There was a 100 Anos (Year) celebration of the birth of Julio Cortazar one of the founders of the Latin American Boom of poetry and literature in the 1960s and 1970s. Visiting this little village of Coyoacan for a little bit could have easily turned into a whole day affair.
With the ‘Angel of Independence.’
Next up we toured through the Reforma and Centro Historica seeing all the artsy and historical buildings from a birdseye view. I met Beatrice from Switzerland and Paco and his wife Carmen who were locals on a romantic weekend getaway! Going past all the great sights of Mexico City—the Angel of Independence, Constitution Plaza (Zocalo), and the Metropolitan Cathedral along with many more.
The most amazing part of the day was getting off the Turibus at my final stop at the Fountain of Cibeles, who was a Phrygian goddess, a personification of nature, motherhood, fertility, and creation. I saw a film crew and of course ventured over to learn the nature of what was being filmed. There I met the producer and television talk show host Paula De Labra who was filming a piece with musicians Hector Infanzion (jazz) and Rodrigo Macias (classic).
CLICK here for Video Interview with Paulina De Labra explaining the 1968 Cultural Olympics.
With Paulina De Labra, Hector Infanzon, Rodrigo Macias and the film crew.
In another amazing twist of the ‘Journey to Olympic Golf’ I learned Paulina’s uncle was Lenin Molina, the architect of the first Cultural Olympics which were staged in Mexico City in 1968! It’s a small world but really, c’mon I had just learned of the Cultural Olympics for the first time two days ago from Cristobal Lopez Yanez at the National University and now I met someone with intimate knowledge of the 1968 Cultural Olympics.
Even though I had a great time today I was thinking about Torch in the automobile hospital called Bridgestone. It was the first time we were apart for the day during our Journey. I was hopeful she would be repaired and ready to go come Monday morning. I repeated my usual routine tonight in Mexico City with a walk down the Avenue Insurgentes with dinner on the street. In my room at Sur Inn I would review the day and download my videos and pictures from my camera to both my computer and an external hard drive which I kept in separate places in case I lost either piece of luggage.
Dinner on the street, the best place to eat in Mexico City!
I was tired, it was a full, fun and exciting day. I was still networking via email and the computer for here in Mexico and thinking ahead to Guatemela but I needed a good night’s sleep for I would be playing my first round of golf in Mexico tomorrow at Camp de Campestre de Ciudad de Mexico, a.k.a. the CC of Mexico City.
Life is good on the ‘Journey to Olympic Golf!’
There are some more stories in the pictures below this request to make a donation to The First Tee…
I am looking for 100 new friends in the next 100 days to make a $100 donation (or any amount that you are able to make) to The First Tee. Each day I will be reliving the original “Journey to Olympic Golf” and hope to find a new friend in golf. Is that you? Please join me in giving back to the game we all love.
CLICK here to make a donation to The First Tee.
Please select ‘Andy Reistetter’s Journey to Olympic Golf’ on the drop-down menu for the question ‘What inspired you to make a gift today? This is for tracking purposes only, Andy does not receive any part of your donation or anything financially from The First Tee organization.
There are interesting incentives for making your donation to the First Tee…
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Thank You!
In Coyoacan still celebrating Dia de Muertos!
I liked being on the top of the Turibus!
My awesome Turibus guide Alberto Vargas!
