A thousand years ago, the site where Mexico City would emerge was a series of small islands in a large lake. As the Aztec civilization connected the islands to each other and the mainland with a series of earth causeways, the city spread out into the lake. Since the arrival of the Spaniards in the 16th century, more land was filled in, the lake shrank, and the city of islands and causeways became the city of canals. The fringe of water and land was pushed back farther and farther as the city grew. In modern times, massive drains were dug under the city to drain the lake and remove the danger of flooding, a perennial hazard for Mexico City. In the 17th century, one such flood inundated the city for five years to a height up to two meters in some places. The lake did not entirely disappear, however, pockets of the original lake still exist and it is possible to see the old city of canals and "floating" planting beds from the pre-hispanic period.
However, you will be too drunk to appreciate it.
Xochimilco is one of the biggest tourist draws in Mexico City. What it is is a village on the southern edge of the city, filled with the old canals and floating gardens. The canals are filled with brightly colored pole boats where people buy an hour or two tour of the canals, and pretty much just party and day drink.
If you're going to go, go with a group. I went with K, K's friend M, and three of their friends from the American School. We all bought micheladas not far from where you pick up the boats. A michelada has a lot of variations- at it is essence, it's beer+lime juice+ salt+ other stuff. Some micheladas have Clamato, some are chamoy (sugar, salt, and chile powder mix), the most basic version is with salt and lime. I got a fancy one. A full cawama (a 40) of Mexican beer, about five or six limes, hot sauce, chamoy goo and powder around the rim of the cup, and the entire thing was garnished with a slice of lime, a slice of lemon, and a candied mango covered with chamoy. It's a messy drink beloved by Mexicans everywhere.
Our group joined up with another small group and we got our own boat for an hour. The boats are all decoratively painted with elaborate archways with the boat's name written on it. Originally, these frontspieces were decorated with flowers, but we only saw one boat with the traditional decoration like that. The boats are basically wide enough for a long wooden table and chairs on either side, and you basically just cruise along the canal, drinking, and taking it all in.
It's a lot of fun. There's a ton of other boats out there, and in addition to the other hired boats, there are also small, thinner boats which pull alongside to sell elote a kind of roasted corn dish made with mayonnaise, more beers, sandwiches, tourist junk, etc. There are also boats with mariachis for hire, along with the mariachis who simply walked from boat to boat. Along the banks, there are small museums, little gift shops, and lots and lots of plant nurseries. The canals fingering into the land means there's a lot of agriculture and decorative plants grown in the area.
The hour goes by more quickly than you think, but mostly because your thinking has become rather slow. It's one of the more pleasant ways to spend a lazy sunday afternoon in Mexico City.
However, you will be too drunk to appreciate it.
Xochimilco is one of the biggest tourist draws in Mexico City. What it is is a village on the southern edge of the city, filled with the old canals and floating gardens. The canals are filled with brightly colored pole boats where people buy an hour or two tour of the canals, and pretty much just party and day drink.
If you're going to go, go with a group. I went with K, K's friend M, and three of their friends from the American School. We all bought micheladas not far from where you pick up the boats. A michelada has a lot of variations- at it is essence, it's beer+lime juice+ salt+ other stuff. Some micheladas have Clamato, some are chamoy (sugar, salt, and chile powder mix), the most basic version is with salt and lime. I got a fancy one. A full cawama (a 40) of Mexican beer, about five or six limes, hot sauce, chamoy goo and powder around the rim of the cup, and the entire thing was garnished with a slice of lime, a slice of lemon, and a candied mango covered with chamoy. It's a messy drink beloved by Mexicans everywhere.
Our group joined up with another small group and we got our own boat for an hour. The boats are all decoratively painted with elaborate archways with the boat's name written on it. Originally, these frontspieces were decorated with flowers, but we only saw one boat with the traditional decoration like that. The boats are basically wide enough for a long wooden table and chairs on either side, and you basically just cruise along the canal, drinking, and taking it all in.
It's a lot of fun. There's a ton of other boats out there, and in addition to the other hired boats, there are also small, thinner boats which pull alongside to sell elote a kind of roasted corn dish made with mayonnaise, more beers, sandwiches, tourist junk, etc. There are also boats with mariachis for hire, along with the mariachis who simply walked from boat to boat. Along the banks, there are small museums, little gift shops, and lots and lots of plant nurseries. The canals fingering into the land means there's a lot of agriculture and decorative plants grown in the area.
The hour goes by more quickly than you think, but mostly because your thinking has become rather slow. It's one of the more pleasant ways to spend a lazy sunday afternoon in Mexico City.
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