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Well nuff said, and your opinion or statement is from the last century. Mexico City has gotten a lot cleaner and safer over the years, the city has taken initiative to get fuel efficient busses running, bicycles available for people to use for rent, there's been less crime too. Mexico City is a safe place, safe enough that you can be calm and tranquil but not passive, I guess it's a good idea to come with someone who knows the place or something.
Mexico City, I swear has the most churches of any other Mexican City or any other city in the world for that matter. Mexicans are still really religious and devout people. Most are Roman Catholic with a minority being Protestant or Atheist. Also according to this link, Mexico City has the most museums of any city in the world! I would love to go in the Palace of the Fine Arts in Mexico City.
DF is an older city, built over ancient Tenochtitlan. According to Cortez, the most magnificent city ever was.
Madrid was a royal hunting pavillion with very good water 400 years ago.
DF was one of the most beautiful cities in the world until the 50's...one of the cities with clearer skies...that was before the massive arrival of paracaidistas.
Ok believe what you want.
You don't have to go all the way to Salamanca to see ancient sites.
Just on the outskirts of Madrid you can visit ancient castles.
It takes about 29 minutes to get to Toledo or Segovia by high speed train.
And no matter how you look at it they are on comparable cities.
Madrid is a super safe city with first class infrastructure.
I can get lost in just about any suburb in Madrid and feel super safe.
Can't say the same about Mexico City.
We went with some Mexican friends that now live in France.
Some of the suburbs we drove past virtually looked third world and very dangerous.
Our friends would constantly warn us about all the dangers in Mexico.
I mean I remember eating at restaurants and having a frame right next to the table to hang handbags and valuables to keep a watchful eye.
What does that tell you.
And I certainly have nothing against poor people.
They are certainly not at fault for economic situations.
Architecture - Mexico city. While its true Madrid has nice European architecture, Mexico city tops it because it also has that European architecture built by the French and the Spaniards, but it also has ancient pyramids, modern American style buildings, basically you could easily say Mexico city is three or four cities in one.
Entertainment/Nightlife - Madrid is cool in a European way, Mexico is fun in a Mexican way. Generally Mexicans party better than Spaniards.
Dining - Mexico has excellent local cuisine, from ancient Aztec cuisine *Yeah you can still eat that*, to traditional Mexican cuisine, to cuisines from all over the planet.
Scenery - Mexico city has volcanoes, rainfoests, deserts, beaches all within a few hours. MAdrid is more in a semi arid southern California like setting.
People/Friendliness - Mexicans, while Spaniards are friendly, you still get that European aloof atttude.
Overall I was more impressed with Mexico city. It wowed and being there destroyed stereotypes I had...
Madrid is a nice European city along the lines of Barcelona, Prague, Munich, while Mexico city is a world megalopolis along the lines of Tokyo, NYC, London, Hong Kong, Rio de Janeiro.
Some of the suburbs we drove past virtually looked third world and very dangerous.
Our friends would constantly warn us about all the dangers in Mexico.
This. The historical part of Mexico City is about as big as a European village, and certainly insignificant given the size of the city. You go around it in no time. Then you hit the regular Mexico City, which neighborhoods made of decaying, unfinished, poorly built and conceived buildings, and no offense, it is not an eye-candy really. In that aspect, it's no different that any other Latin American city. The couple skyscraper it has aren't more impressive than Mineapolis. MC might very well be a major city in Latin America, now it being world-class, I wouldn't say so. I wouldn't call it a visually attractive city neither. People are lovely though, and that makes up for the negative parts.
This. The historical part of Mexico City is about as big as a European village, and certainly insignificant given the size of the city. You go around it in no time. Then you hit the regular Mexico City, which neighborhoods made of decaying, unfinished, poorly built and conceived buildings, and no offense, it is not an eye-candy really. In that aspect, it's no different that any other Latin American city. The couple skyscraper it has aren't more impressive than Mineapolis. MC might very well be a major city in Latin America, now it being world-class, I wouldn't say so. I wouldn't call it a visually attractive city neither. People are lovely though, and that makes up for the negative parts.
You have never been to mexico city, your post is not congruent with the actual city, if you would have been there you would know there are not a couple of small skyscrapers, there are a lot in fact a bit too many glass and steel for my taste, and there is not a tiny historical center smaller than a tiny European village. (that is just a big lie), the historic center in Mexico city is larger than anything of its kind in north America.
What kind of unsophisticated mind would say Mexico city is not a major world city.
You have never been to mexico city, your post is not congruent with the actual city, if you would have been there you would know there are not a couple of small skyscrapers, there are a lot in fact a bit too many glass and steel for my taste, and there is not a tiny historical center smaller than a tiny European village. (that is just a big lie), the historic center in Mexico city is larger than anything of its kind in north America.
What kind of unsophisticated mind would say Mexico city is not a major world city.
While Mexico City is like São Paulo, Karachi, a megalopolis of regional importance, it is no New York, London, Paris, Hong Kong, Berlin. Those are true global cities. The number of foreigners it attracts is quasi non-existent compared to the aforementioned cities. This doesn't mean that MC doesn't have qualities. But I think you're trying to boost Mexico's prestige, as I've posts from you in a different thread, claiming that Mexican immigration in the USA has stopped since 2005, and was actually reversed.
While Mexico City is like São Paulo, Karachi, a megalopolis of regional importance, it is no New York, London, Paris, Hong Kong, Berlin. Those are true global cities. The number of foreigners it attracts is quasi non-existent compared to the aforementioned cities. This doesn't mean that MC doesn't have qualities. But I think you're trying to boost Mexico's prestige, as I've posts from you in a different thread, claiming that Mexican immigration in the USA has stopped since 2005, and was actually reversed.
What makes you think everyone's idea of cool urban is steryle skyscrapers, annd tidy streets with panera breads?
People like cities because they have a personality, they have diversity, contradictions. Messy neighborhoods are ok, so are nice tidy areas, and artificial office blocks like the ones you posted. (Why do you think people loved the old NYC from the 70's and dislike the new disneyland NYC of today?)
chaos, tidiness, rich, poor, ugly, pretty, they make cities what they are. Otherwise it'd be a depressing suburban sprawl with no personality like most so called Cities in the US.
Mexico city is one of the most important cities on the planet, to deny it its to show you do not understand what important means.
And yes, Mexican immigration to the US is as dead as America's good name. Since 2005 Mexicans are pretty much ditching the US and going home.
This. The historical part of Mexico City is about as big as a European village, and certainly insignificant given the size of the city. You go around it in no time. Then you hit the regular Mexico City, which neighborhoods made of decaying, unfinished, poorly built and conceived buildings, and no offense, it is not an eye-candy really. In that aspect, it's no different that any other Latin American city. The couple skyscraper it has aren't more impressive than Mineapolis. MC might very well be a major city in Latin America, now it being world-class, I wouldn't say so. I wouldn't call it a visually attractive city neither. People are lovely though, and that makes up for the negative parts.
haha
Mexico City is "world class."
It seems most people on this forum are not very informed of current global economic conditions - ESPECIALLY in regards to Latin America.
So many commentators have completely overlooked the status and influence that Mexico City wields at a global level. Sure it is not among the top 10 global financial centers...but it is one of the preeminent financial centers of the Americas and likely the largest financial center of the Spanish speaking world.
CDMX is the most visited city in all of Latin America and it is is the nerve center for the whole of the Mexican economy (now the 11th largest in terms of purchasing power parity at $2.3 trillion). Enormous swathes of the western and southern hills of the city show where this wealth is concentrated.
However, the biggest advantage Madrid has is that inequality there comes no where close to that of CDMX. It is evident in the streetscape of the wealthy/middle class areas of Madrid in comparison to those in CDMX.
Mexico City's upper echelon and middle classes reside behind enormous walled off compounds with barbed wire and electric fences with camera surveillance. Just with google maps one gets a clearer sense that things are more secure and equitable in Madrid given that most of the detached hosing subdivisions around the Spanish capital are more open to the street (less fencing, walls, and no barbed wire). :S
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