Riots in Mexico City. Well, not quite but at least I got your attention. Read on.

After a 4 hour flight from San Francisco, not help by the fact that Mexico City is two hours ahead of San Francisco and local Mexico time was 2 pm when we left San Francisco at just before midnight, touched down at 5:50 am local time.
 
With sunrise at 6:48 am, the city was still waking up as we drove the short distance into the historic centre of town.

I had to wait just 20 minutes before my three star Hotel El Salvador room was ready at 8 am. After an hour's "power nap", that was enough to hit the streets so armed with a walking guide and maps in hand off I went.

The shops were still closed and the street cleaners were still finishing the final removal of the previous day's rubbish. It must be a city that gets up late and closes late. Wonder how late on a Saturday night?

Out of the hotel and right into Eje Central Lazaro Cardenas being one of the main streets. As I walked were all the police in their riot gear and perspex shields lined up on both sides of the road. Was there a protest about to happen? They were standing relaxed with many checking their mobile phones. At least I felt safe.

I headed towards the huge Zocalo or main square as this would be the centrepoint of the next two days. Timmerman Square is much larger. Reminded me of Russia's Red Square in some ways.

Inside the magnificent Catedral Metropolitana (cathedral). Here the number one attraction inside the cathedral being the pendulum hanging from the center dome. It was a good several metres out of plumb. The cathedral is slowly sinking.
 
Next door in the side Metropolitana Sacrarium a baptismal service was on.

Down Avienida 5 de Mayo.

In the Condesa alleyway the whole side of the Casa de los Azulejos building was covered in these blue Talavera tiles.

Passed Palacio de Bella Artes, Palacio de Correos - Post Office, Plaza Santo Domingo and the Convento de Santo Domingo.

Headed towards Salto Del Agua the closest metro station just a block away from the hotel to take the pink line to Chapltepec station and the Museo National de Antropologia.

The metro in Mexico City was simple to use and yes it was only 3 pesos or NZ 28 cents / US 23 cents to travel either one station or ride the whole system all day.
 
By now I was starting to feel tired and my brain certainly did not want to stop to read the various English descriptions on the many exhibits. I was glad that I've made the effort to come out here as many of the sites we would visit later on in the tour. In some ways it would've been good if this was the end point of my trip so that I could relate the artifacts to the actual sites.