Zochimilco canals built by the Aztec

We went to Zochimilco with the Calls.  Neal Beecher was sick so they stayed home.  I do hope they will have a chance to visit before they leave.  Zochimilco is a community of Canalas built by the Aztec people hundred of years ago.  I believe the area where that burro is was a shallow lake and they began building islands on it by putting down pilings and hauling in dirt.  They did this until the lake was gone and only canals were left.


Planks along island edge holding dirt on the island.


brightly painted trajineras ...hundreds of them were available to be on the canals






woman selling plants from her boat you could also buy jeweler, baskets, dinner or just about anything else you wanted.

The city is known for the nursery along the canals

We stopped here and Janet bought a a large geranium for $2.50

I loved the trumpet vines that grew along the canal bank.  You can also see the pilings or long logs that they pounded into the ground and then but boards and planks behind them with soil to create the island.  So of the logs began to grow and so there are trees along the island edge also.

I thought this mother had just picked up her daughter from school and they were going home. She was using a broom for a paddle.

This was our boat rower and guide

We stopped to eat at Rosales (at his suggestion)  of course he ate free and we paid for our dinners including his.  He has been working on the canals  since he was 15.  He is a native to the area and claims he is of Aztec decent.  

Actually it was a nice restaurant.  I ordered veggie tacos.  The others ate meat on corn tortillas.

These rolls were drying outside in the sun at the restaurant so they could make bread crumbs to put in some of the dishes they serve.  

This was the open pot at the restaurant where we ate.  It had oil or sauce or both on this little stove and that is where they cooked the pork that the others ate for dinner.

we had many Mariachi bands that wanted to tour with us and serenade us of course for a price.  We hired this group to play a few songs.  

This mother had two children in her boat and what looked to be her mother.

canals went off in different directions

a boat garage with the house near by

a patch of solid water lilies growing in one area of the canal

This little old lady sitting on a chair on the boat was interesting.  That is her means of transportation.  We wanted to go to this area a few weeks ago but the city had torrential rains and we were advised by locals that another time would be better.

We stopped at the San Bernardino Church in the center of Xochimilco

We see a lot of old Volkswagen cars here in Mexico (bugs) but I didn't realize Volkswagen also made bicycle taxis.  

The church doors.  Interesting hands

We walked through the market.  This woman along with a lot of other food stands were selling cactus.  It is prepared in many different ways. I had some the above restaurant that was pickled.

This flower shop was nice.  The lion is made of all flowers.  While we were there a little brother and sister in school uniforms came running to the flower shop and said "Papa we are home from school now".  He was working on another flower creation, a large butterfly, which like the lion was made of flowers.  

These princess costumes were for sale at the market and I though of my little granddaughters.

At the market.  We bought bananas and radishes. Sister Call bought flowers.