 THEATERS
There is an amazing plethora of theaters in Mexico City, and despite the
mind-boggling number, some of them offer excellent classical music concerts as
well as opera, ballet and stage plays. Some of the interesting venues are Teatro
Bar Cabare-Tito which is founded by Tito Vasconcelos, the well-known actor
and theater producer who established the distinction for this place with
non-stop performances by a troop of talented transvestite impressionists.
The venue itself has another function as a lively, all-sexes friendly bar.
Casa de Morelos, Teatro El Granero Teatro and del Espacio Ballet are
good venues for contemporary and experimental performances enthusiasts.
Other recommended venues are Bellas Artes, Auditorio Nacional, Polyforum
and the Teatro de los Insurgentes. For travellers with limited
budget, there's usually a free concert in Chapultepec Park near the lake
on most Sunday.
The internationally-renowned Ballet Folklórico is a compilation
of traditional dances from all over the country with meticulous choreography and
elaborate designs. The best venue to appreciate the performance is at the Palacio
de Belles Artes or Auditorio Nacional in Chapultepec Park.
In addition to the abundance of theaters, Mexico City houses several cinemas
which are scattered all over the city. These cinemas usuaully have all the
latest releases in stock including movies from Hollywood with subtitles.
The most concentrated complex for cinemas is along Insurgentes, but you
can also find some in Zona Rosa as well.
SHOPPING
Mexico City offers a distinctive advantage for shoppers as it is a
cornucopia of goods and commodities from all over the country. The special
feature of markets in the capital is the practice of devoting an entire street
to one particular trade, a practice first devised by the Aztecs which persists
unto these days. For illustration, there are whole streets where the only
goods you spot are sport gears, whereas other blocks are dedicated to clothes or
musical instruments. Every area of the city has its own market as well as
street stalls. The biggest market in the city is La Merced where
you can find all sorts of odds and ends, though fresh produce takes up most of
the space in the market. Travellers will find the Centro Historico
and Zona Rosa good hunting grounds as many classy shops for brand
clothing, fine jewelry and authentic Mexican antiques are here although
increasingly the same stuff can be found in the upcoming area of Polanco.
Another recommened area for browsing or buying the essentials are El Palacio
de Hierro at 20 de Noviembre 3 which is just south of Zocalo where several
big department stores dominate the landscape. Sanborn's is also a
good chain selling books, maps, souvenirs and has a sizeable pharmacy.
Antiques collectors may head to Plaza del Angel Antique Marke or La
Lagunilla for outrageous crafts and antiques. Bargaining helps
reducing the price you pay somewhat, but this practice has become more difficult
in recent years as the nation's prosperity and sophistication matures that fixed
prices are becoming a norm.
NIGHTLIFE
Travellers to Mexico City will be satiated by throngs of clubs and bars
ranging from cheap, tacky cantinas to glitzy bars inside top end hotels.
Many of these clubs offer live rock and Latin as well as Europop or even jazz
music. Nightlife in Mexico City is huge and thriving, and the bars are
usually close very late, 3-4am is common. For dancers, La Boom is
the hottest discotheque offering a variety of current hit music and live action
for all tastes. La Sixty Nine is a famous New York style dance club
where electronic and House music aficionados and DJs rub shoulders all they
want. Grappa, Bantay, Cosmo, and Rexo are places to go if
you are interested to be a part of the upper-middle class Mexican youngsters who
like it crowded and loud. La Opulencia in downtown maybe small, but
its reputation is well-established and is always full of people. Other
bars and pubs worth visiting are Hecho en Mexico, Villa Romana, La Iguana,
Liverpool Pub, La Hija de Moctezuma, Las Camelias and the U de
G. Also, Zona Rosa and Polanco offer arrays of good pubs
to choose from at nighttime. A recommended attraction is the mariachi music
in the Plaza Garibaldi which also teems with cantinas, bars and
restaurants.
|
