Meet Mexico City, 1958

I you this is the age of miracles I step on a modern magic carpet and I'm twists in a matter of minutes to another world a world filled with a wealth and romance of ancient and modern cultures Mexico City already looming under us are Mexico's mighty sentinels the snow-capped volcano popocatepetl and the sleeping lady mr. XI wattle so named by the Aztecs because of the peculiar shape of its eternal snow now we are flying over Mexico City and in another moment I am in the heart of its enchanting land comfortably installed in one of Mexico's luxurious hotels looking over the Avenue Juarez across the street the beautiful alameda apart designed for centuries ago peeping over the great Elms and eucalyptus trees Mexico's skyscrapers and the dome of the palace of fine arts built the battalion marble the monument to Benito Juarez great Mexican Liberator and the plaza de la reforma with a splendid vista of the monument to the revolution with its copper dome Carlos the por el caballito as he is affectionately called is the center of interests on this lovely Plaza driving along the paseo de la reforma Christopher Columbus invites me to admire this beautiful city and look at the monument to independence going around its glorietta those charming circles reserved to national heroes and observe the bronze figures representing law justice war and peace surmounted by the angel of victory this superb Boulevard leads me to the castle of chapultepec the ancient home of maximilian and Empress Carlotta the grounds are among the oldest and most beautiful in America in the formal gardens designed by Carlotta the proverbial Mexican rose is ever blooming and so is the lily from the shady terraces I looked down upon the entire city although in the tropical belt Mexico is the city of eternal spring due to its 7,500 foot altitude a restful drive brings me to the ever interesting mercado's I like a silver seriousness of Mexican children gracious manners the love of flowers and of nature are Mexico's Indian heritage the best examples of Spanish colonial architecture are on the zocalo the cathedral standing on the remains of the great Aztec temple is the oldest and largest in this hemisphere and the sagrario the most exquisitely or the National Palace occupies the site of the Palace of Emperor Moctezuma stones from the Aztec palace were used in its construction staring Lee beautiful are Diego Rivera's frescoes reconstituting the history of the nation I marvel at the Aztec calendar stone which divides time in two years months and days and as I contemplate the Pyramid of the Sun time slip to unknown ages at the temple of Quetzalcoatl I stand in awe before the plumed serpent from the secret depths of their stone fortress these symbolic monsters seemed to thrust out their ferocious jaws glowing clouds against the blue heavens from the highway of the dead back to exhume rent life I am on my way to the corrida de toros this bull ring is the largest in the world the ancient art of bullfighting demands courage and great starrett II with his valets blessings the matador praise that he made to his best 50 thousand persons are waiting expectantly I too am caught up in Latin enthusiasm as the great pageantry goes on but there's lots more to do in Mexico City so I take my chances of Mexico's world famous race track the night is ablaze with color throbbing with light gaiety romance the air is like cool champagne music and dancing are everywhere Mexican delicacy the night is young my night clubs are many there is nothing more in chatting than a ride through the ancient floating gardens of Xochimilco to the accompaniment of Marathi music gently we glide along the lush green shorts and gondolas decorated with the flowers that grow luxuriantly on these once floating islands our path is strewn with flowers charmingly offered by the gracious Mexicans from canoes loaded with fragrance and native beauty we are recruiting Indian village the canal is alive with flower deck gondolas for here are the markets spread out under unfailingly gorgeous skies it's hard to decide which is the prettier a therapy or the seniorita abruptly this wonderful dream comes to an end with Mexico's music echoing in my heart adios ago