This was definitely one of our favorite experiences. The floating gardens of Xochimilco are an interesting relic of a bygone era. Originally, most of the valley in which México City resides was a series of shallow, mostly saltwater lakes formed from the drainage of the mountains (five of the mountains in México are higher than Whitney!) which completely ring the valley. The Aztecs built Tenochtitlán on an island in Texcoco, one of the lakes. The Spanish destroyed the dikes for most of the lakes and the expanding sprawl of México City took care of the rest. Pictures from the early 1900s still show large lakes in the valley, but now only Xochimilco survives.
The remarkable thing about this place is that the 100 or so miles of canals throughout this lake were created by the formation of man-made islands called chinampas, originally created by the Aztecs 700 years ago. They would stake out an area (usually 300 x 30 or so feet) and then fence in the area with wattle. The fenced-off area was then layered with mud, lake sediment and decaying vegetation, eventually bringing it above the level of the lake. They would then plant trees in the corners and sometimes along the sides to further secure the chinampas. The water all along the sides of the chinampas ensured constant irrigation and the Aztecs, Spanish and even the Méxicans of today, use them for agriculture. These chinampas were all throughout the entire lake system in the valley. ¡Muy interesante!
Another fantastic stop in the borough of Xochimilco was the Museo Dolores Olmedo which used to be her home. She was a wealthy businesswoman and a patron of the arts with an extensive collection. The grounds of her former home are absolutely beautiful.
She was very well connected (including with Pope John Paul II) and her museum has over 6,000 pre-Hispanic pieces which it's hard to imagine were in a private home. No interior photos allowed :(
Since the Museo Delores Olmedo and the floating gardens are off the beaten path, we hired a guide to take us there. His name was Manuel and he picked us up in his own car and gave us a wonderful private tour. It was about $20 each for the entire day and included the boat in Xochimilco. Very well worth it!
Yesterday we trekked again into the historic center of México City and visited the San Ildefonso College, considered the birthplace of the Méxican muralism movement. The building began as a Jesuit college in 1588 and was expanded in 1749. It was an impressive building with many murals throughout the building by José Orozco and Diego Rivera.