Mexico City is only 3 hours away by bus so every once in awhile I go there. It's either the worlds most populated city are soon will be, I think Tokyo may still have an edge.
Because of it's place in History, it was the Capital of the Aztec Empire, it still retains it's Historical, Economical and Political Influence.
Mexico City has a population of 21 million and a "floating population" of about 3 million, that is people coming in and out of the city daily.
At the Central of Abastos Market (Supply Center), 30,000 tons of food arrives each day to feed this monster. There are 40,000 people working there and it covers 36 city blocks. There's parking for 50,000 vehicles. It even has its own newspaper that posts present & future food prices. Even this isnt enough to feed the city and they have a huge "market on wheels" that goes to different locations around the city every day.
Amongst the many problems of the city is pollution. Someone once remarked that managing Mexico City was like trying to repair an airplane in flight.
Every day 43,000 cubic meters of fuel are burned, half of that is used by vehicles. For every public transport vehicle there are 40 private vehicles, as a result Mexico City has a "day without your car" law. depending on the number of a cars license tag its not allowed on the street one day of the week.
The subway known as the "metro", was built by the French to accomodate people during the Olympics in 1968, More than 4 million people board the subway train at "Pantitlan" Station than all people who board Amtrack daily in all the U.S. . 3 and a half million people ride the subway each day at a cost of about 30cents a ticket, Sr. Citizens ride free.
Minibuses in Mexico City serve 8 million passengers every day.
One thousand planes a day land at Benito Juarez Airport in Mexico City. Private planes have to land at the Toluca Airport 40 miles away.
More than 2 million interstate buses a year arrive and leave Mexico City, there are 4 terminals of which T.A.P.O is the worlds largest & busiest bus station, the 2nd largest is C.A.P.U. bus staion in Puebla, Mexico , 150 miles South of Mexico City.
6 comments:
Great information, Bob. What an amazing place! It would take a lifetime to get to know all of it. The statistics alone are almost overwhelming :)
OK Bob Mrotek, it "should" take a "lifetime" to get to know all of Mexico city, but we will give Bob Cox just TWO or THREE days this coming January to show it to us.
May he make good choices on our behalf :-) I am wondering if ice skating will still be possible in the zocálo??
I don't know about the ice skating Stephen but be sure to get Mr. Cox to tell you where the name Zócalo came from.
The news on the net claims the Zócalo is currently flooded and the largest ice skating rink in the world?? or is this just a net rumor?
Yes they are ice skating in Mexico City, its the worlds largest rink, it will be there till January 6th I believe as that is the 3 wise mens day when Mexicans give Xmas presents. After which Schools reopen. There is also an free ice rink in Puebla at Plaza Dorado.
"Zocalo" originally meant a base for a monument. One was built at the main Plaza but the Monument didn't come... People got used to saying, "I'll meet you at the zocalo (Monument base), it caught on & all main plazas got rechristened as Zocalos over the years.
As a resident of mexico city those statistics in the raw are rather scary..yet it is a highly livable city..a great place to live even..it really shouldn't work but it does!! remarkably well
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