The Venice Of Mexico City

Pretty sure I’ve seen this Venice/canal reference to Xochimilco, at least the part of Xochimilco that is a system of canals with whimsical boats where mariachis and food vendors float up to you to sell their services. It’s magical. There’s a nod to the pre-Spanish Conquest past in that it’s a taste of what the dry valley of Mexico City was once like before the lake bed was drained, but all told, it’s actually really fun and pleasant to be pushed around for an afternoon:

Oh, and the beers are ENORMOUS (that’s a “michelada,” with tomato juice/clamato juice and a spicy rim):

We also stopped to see axolotls . . .

. . . and visited the wonderful and frightening world of La Isla de las Muñecas, which actually has a story behind it: