Job Discussion Forums

chola · Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2006 5:39 am Post subject: El D.F. and Semana Santa

What will it be like in el D.F. durante Semana Santa? Will many locals be on vacation elswhere? Guy, can you help out on this? thanks, eh! Very Happy

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

The city will be empty. Not literally of course, but there's little going on here. The kids get out first, then the higher up execs, then everyone else for at least the 4 days of Easter (Thursday-Sunday)

I've been looking around a bit to see what's worth doing in DF for the period. I might go to the Texcoco fair since I prefer to avoid the beaches for this period.

chola · Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2006 7:32 pm Post subject: el D.F. and Semana Santa

Thanks Guy! Thats what I thought and hoped for. Can you recommend any inexpensive, interesting activities (aside from the museusms, etc.) I'm going with a friend and we plan to take in the "culture" but want to see some things off the beaten track, without getting beaten! What is the Texcoco fair all about?

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

I hadn't heard of the Texcoco fair until yesterday when my wife mentioned it. It involves some kind of rodeo, music, a lot of food, and buying trinkets. I haven't seen a rodeo in years and years. Wonder if they'd let me try bullriding?

The problem with DF is that much of the city will be closed. My wife says that museums will have a reduced schedule, closing the thursday to Sunday, but otherwise, they receive a lot of visitors the rest of Semana Santa.

Bars/clubs will probably be open. Coyoacan is nice bohemian area. The historic center has lots to offer. Would help to know a little more about what you are into.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Chola, Delacosta mentioned elsewhere that he might come to DF to visit the suegros. Maybe we could all get together for coffee? I don't want to commit to an event like the get-togethers, but if people are hanging around, maybe we could all meet?

chola · Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 3:27 am Post subject: el D.F. and Semana Santa

Yeah, Guy, it would be great to meet you and Delacosta!

Our budget will be limited so the range of activities will be too. I suppose we would like to go to museo de antropologia, coyocan, the sunday market, if it is operating, perhaps teotihuacan (sp?)....and just hang out and soak it in. I'd like to see some contemporary art and if the human body exhibit is still on that could be "interesting".

I imagine it won't be necessary to book a hostel/hotel for that time? Anyway, I look forward to meeting you and anyone else who comes along.

As they say in the gwn, I'm stoked!
btw, gwn=Great White North aka, Canada.
can you get poutine in DF?

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Chido.

Just found a site that lists the DF free events they put on the Zocalo. One thing I love about this place is that the city brings big names to put on free shows. Manu Ciao (Chow?) should be interesting.

http://www.defiestaeneldf.com/eventoszocalo/index.asp

I'm sure Teotihuacan will be open...that's a full day affair. Bring strong shoes or boots for the climb.

Near the museum of anthropology, you have the Tamayo art gallery, and the museum of modern art. Polanco, right next door, has some fine spots to soak in a string quartet over a nice capuchino, or just hang in the park.

I don't think you'll need to book a hotel. If you are coming in on the cheap, then there are hostels around the centro or zona rosa, or many cheap hotels under 150 pesos per night.

I think that it just may be that I make the finest poutine in the valley. I have to use Oaxaca cheese for the lack of squeeky cheese curd. I did once find a restuarant in Acapulco specializing in Quebec cuisine, but the poutine on offer was not up to snuff.

So come on down to DF, eh? If you round up a few more Canucks, I've got enough hockey sticks for two road hockey teams.

MELEE · Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 3:15 pm Post subject:

I'm not sure if Teotihuacan is the type of place that you want to just stubble into during the spring equinox. There will be a lot of people there involved in religious practices and additional tourists not only get in the way but are more often than not disrespectful.

Just some food for thought.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

MELEE · Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 3:45 pm Post subject:

Yeah, I came into work today and EVERYONE is talking about what they are doing for this puente, so I got confused. Embarassed

chola · Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 8:39 pm Post subject: el D.F. and Semana Santa

Guy, THANK YOU! The information is great! And Melee,thanks as well, I appreciate your comment...i don't want to be a culturally insensitve duffus....Hope you all enjoy this long weekend.

Brady · Joined: 02 Jun 2005 Posts: 8 Location: Queretaro, Queretaro

Road Hockey!?!? If thats really gonna happen, I'll make the trip from Queretaro. I haven't played for ages!!

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

I haven't been able to get my nieces and nephews really interested enough, so the hockey equipment sits unused. In fact, the best use for a hockey stick I'd found in Acapulco was to chase geckos along the ceiling with it. Now whenever I pull the hockey stick out of the closet, the dogs get all excited expecting a gecko snack.

From that DF Events site, I see that Manu Chao will be in the Zocalo for a show tonight. Last weekend, I went to see Alejandro Fernandez there.