Parque México gets a Facelift

Parque México, an oasis in the heart of Colonia Condesa, is one of the loveliest spots in all of Mexico City--and one of the greenest places in town, too, with lots towering palms and banana trees, some now almost 100 years old, providing shade along the meandering pathways.  

After years of delays, the chipped and faded paint, crumbling columns and grafitti-covered walls of the Foro Lindbergh, the large public space that lies in the middle of Parque México, have finally been repaired. There's also  new area for the colonia's many pampered dogs, and some new playground equipment for the kids. 

It's a great place for moment of tranquility during the week. On weekends things get livelier with frequent music events, outdoor movies, tango classes and more. If you've just spent an hour in traffic on the periferico and are hating Mexico City this place is the perfect antidote. 

Google map link:  https://www.google.com/maps/@19.4123472,-99.1694673,17z

A shady walkway

Hanging out in the Foro Lindbergh

new lanterns, old cactus detail

junk food

To see more photos of Parque Mexico click the link below:

https://plus.google.com/photos/104722146490116474060/albums/6137756065460626337

Walking Tour #9 in the new edition of my book leads you in and around Parque Mexico. For a free copy of the tour write to me at jimjohnstonart@gmail.com--or buy the book (with 3 more walking tours of Colonia Condesa) on Amazon--click HERE.

Trees of Mexico City

Mexico City has been called a city of survivors, and for many of us who live here, there's a bittersweet pleasure in thriving in the midst of all the urban chaos. Overpopulation, scarcity of oxygen, earth tremors, the possibility of Popocatepetl blowing its top and covering us in molten lava--you call those problems? We're a tough breed here. By necessity, our roots must reach well below the surface of things. 

 Mexico City's trees represent a constant, slow motion contest between man and nature. Every time I see one of these guys, it gives me strength to soldier on. Slammed, squeezed, pinched, pummelled, hammered, uprooted, chopped off at the limbs, plastered with posters, strung up with electrical cables, pissed and shat upon by passing animals, enveloped in garbage, broken glass, cigarette butts, and sawed off at the base and left for dead if its presence should suddenly interfere with the machinations of the city--such are the trees of Mexico City. 

  I welcome submissions from my readers and will re-post this from time to time with new additions.  

Note the sprouting leaves in the middle of the trunk

Palm tree in Santa Maria la Ribera 

Trees painted green in Colonia Roma

In Polanco: your roots are showing (photo by Renny Dale)

A moment of lushness in the city. 

"Greener than Warsaw!" our Polish friends exclaimed. 

Who's winning?