Mexico City Travel

In a land where macho attitudes rule and traditional family values remain strong, it should come as no surprise that little tolerance is shown for alternative orientations. Notwithstanding the promi-nence of such openly gay luminaries as singer/composer Juan Gabriel, artist Juan Soriano and essayist Carlos Monsivais, until recently gay life was safely closeted and officially unmentionable in the media. The ascendance of the Partido de Acción Nacional (PAN), a right-of-center political party with close ties to the Catholic church, suggests a continuation of these long-prevailing attitudes. But as in many other areas, the capital diverges from the mainstream. Dominated by the socially progressive PRD, which is nothing short of antagonistic toward the PAN presidency, the city assembly recently passed an initiative sanctioning same-sex partnerships by granting such unions the same legal advantages enjoyed by traditional married couples. nWhile falling  short of an actual legalization of gay marriage, the move seemed like a bold assertion of the
capital’s well-known tolerance for gays and lesbians. Mexico City is a magnet for the first generation of Mexicans able to openly express their sexuality. This new openness has created a special energy in the capital. Gays and lesbians can now choose from a wide variety of venues appealing to different age groups and social classes. The growing sense of tolerance means public displays of affection are no big deal anymore, at least in the capital’s more cosmopolitan zones. To be sure, it’s OK to hold hands in the Zona Rosa, but it won’t raise any eyebrows in Colonia Condesa, Roma, Polanco or Del Valle either.

The mountainous terrain that rings the capital  makes for some splendid hiking and climbing opportunities. Whether looking to scale some  jagged peaks or just walk in the woods, fresh-air fiends won’t have to venture far to reach some pristine settings. The area around and between Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, the prominent volcano pair rising east of the me-tropolis, is a favored destination for outdoors enthusiasts. Popo’s intermittent activity limits exploration to the lower slopes, but skilled mountaineers can take a stab at Izta’s sum-mit. Near the Volcán de Ajusco, southwest of town, is an eco-reserve with miles of trails threading through that extinct volcano’s piney slopes. Malinalco and Tepoztlán, atmospheric villages set amidst the spire-like hills south of the city, offer less demanding but serene nature walks to hilltop Aztec temples.

Mexico City is arguably the best place to enjoy classical  music in Mexico, for both the high caliber of the musicians and also the exceptional acoustics and theater spaces of the top venues. Together with the philhar-monic and symphony orchestras, there are several smaller ensembles, including the Carlos Chávez Youth Symphony, the New World Orchestra (Orquesta del Nuevo Mundo), the National Polytechnical Symphony and the Bellas Artes Chamber Orchestra (Orquesta de Camara de Bellas Artes). In addition to the following listings, several museums also hold occasional classical concerts, and some of the swankier five-star hotels have a string quartet to accompany cocktail hour.

The Aztec empire, and with it nearly 3000 years  of ancient Mexican civilization, was shattered in two short years – 1519 to 1521. A tiny group of invaders brought a new religion and reduced the native people to second-class citizens and slaves. So alien to each other were the two sides that each doubted whether the other was human (the Pope gave the Mexicans the benefit of the doubt in 1537).From this traumatic encounter arose modern Mexico. Most Mexicans, being mestizo (of mixed indigenous and European ancestry), are descendants of both cultures. But while  Cuauhtémoc, the last Aztec emperor, is now an official Mexican hero, Hernán Cortés, the leader of the Spanish conquistadors, is seen as a villain, and the native people who helped him as traitors.The Spanish had been in the Caribbean since Columbus arrived in 1492. Realizing that they had not reached the East Indies, they began looking for a passage through the land mass to their west but were distracted by tales of gold, silver and a rich empire there.The Aztec ruler at the time was  Moctezuma II Xocoyotzin, a reflective character who believed (perhaps fatally) that Cortés, who arrived on the Gulf Coast in 1519, might be the feathered serpent god  Quetzalcóatl. According to legend, Quetzalcóatl had been driven out of Tula centuries before but had  vowed to return one day and reclaim his throne.