Getting to Mexico City wasn't as easy as we had thought. Word to the wise: Flying stand-by may sound like a money-saving, fun way to travel, but no matter how much money you save or how much freedom you have with your time, flying stand-by is pain in the neck unless you have a real love for airports!
We spent several hours in the Monterrey Airport waiting as three planes flew off to Districto Federal without us. Eventually, they found two seats for us and we were on our way.
Nacho's Mexico City chauffeur Paco was at the Mexico City airport to meet us and after a super lunch, Paco took us on a quick tour of some of the most special tourist spots in the downtown area.
Most spectacular is the zocolo, the great plaza in the center of all things Mexico City.
And a lovely side altar
There is still some scaffolding, but most of what I saw in 1998 is gone. Lots of improvement has been made in the interim in the structure of the building.
A double line of these ladies line the center aisle.
The holy relics . . .
My favorites . . . the organ
and the symbols of eternal love left by lovers, mothers, sons, and daughters.
Finally, the main altar. Lovely.
Then, a quick look at the old cathedral. So much more simple.
On to the Palacio de Bellas Artes.
With a major exhibit of work by Fernando Botero
And a small display of new world style.
On to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The old . . .
And the new . . .
Just one example of wonderful glass works,
the sanctuary
and The Lady herself!
We would have had time for more sight-seeing, but we had to get to the airport. Not one hour before the flight, not two, not three, but four hours before the flight. Oh, the joy of flying stand-by.
