Hey peeps, so you may have noticed that my friend Oluchi was the only one keeping you up-to-date with the latest things happening in Sweden for the past 3 weeks; well, I had a good excuse as I was off in México <3 visiting family, friends, and attending an amazing wedding from a close friend. Now I’m back with amazing stories. For the ones that don’t remember, I’m originally from Mexico City… yes, one of the densest cities in the world (approx 25m people); basically, 2 times Sweden. To my surprise, when I arrived to the city I got shocked by how it had changed since 2 years ago that I had stopped living there in my way to pursue my Masters at KTH; nonetheless, I was also shocked by how the problems this city have always presented, had intensified.
What you are seeing in the image above, are the 4 (current) biggest skyscrapers in Mexico; what you are seeing as well, is not a mist effect from the camera, but actual pollution causing a level of more than 150 ppm suspended in the air. This pollution was caused by more than 10 wildfires registered that week in the outskirts of the city, and the huge amount of GHG emissions from road transportation and from industrial processes. Did you know that bad air quality kills more than 7 million people each year accordingly to the WHO? So just a tip, what about using more public transportation, more cycling to work, and less consumerism? *thinks in spanish* Furthermore, if I compare this problem with Swedish standards, it is clear that air quality in Sweden is way better because it is less populated, has more green areas, and invest in cleaner energy sources among others. Asides from this issue that I had to handle for about 3-4 days until Tlaloc (God of rain in Aztec culture) decided to clean the environment with a heavy storm, I managed to do some pretty cool things with family and friends.
Behind me you can see the free of charge Soumaya museum; if you are into finance and rich people (haha), this museum is owned by Mexican multibillionaire Carlos Slim in memory of his wife who died in the 1999. This museum displays amazing works of art from ancient Mexico to modern culture, 15th to 16th art works, and impressionism to avant-garde art. If you ever visit this amazing place, you’ll find yourself surrounded by the work of artists like Picasso, Monet, and Renoir. While visiting this museum couldn’t stop thinking about the newly renovated Nationalmuseet here in Stockholm, that is also free of charge and that displays paintings, sculptures, drawings and prints from 1500-1900 and applied arts and design among other amazing things. Totally worth the visit!
Wish I could say that I took the pic above, but when I visited the city center I couldn’t manage to take a nice picture as it was night when I was there; nonetheless, this part of the city never stops being a breathtaking piece of ancient Mexican history. The Zócalo, or main square in Mexico City, was the main ceremonial center in the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan (now Mexico City). Of course it is incomparable with Stockholm’s own Gamla Stan or old town. Both cities own a lot of culture and have beautiful scenery that it is worth the shot visiting! So peeps, if you have any doubt, any trip planned to México, or any doubt regarding places you could visit in Sweden and more specifically in Stockholm, just drop me an email! And once again, I’m back!
