Xochimilco -Nov 8, 2010

A friendly duck enjoyed bread from the passengers. (You see the two boats together.)

Xochimilco, historic center of Mexico City. It is one of the sixteen delegaciones or boroughs within Mexican Federal District. It is located within Mexico City, 28 kilometres (17 mi) south of the city center. It covers an area of 122 km2; it is the third biggest delegación. Movies such as María Candelaria (1940) have given that area a romantic reputation where all inhabitants travel in colorful trajineras (Xochimilco boats) between chinampas covered with flowers. Perry Como was seen on one of these boats named Perry Como decorated with real flowers and he seranaded as it floated down the canal.

It is believed that the Xochimilcas invented the chinampa and founded the city of Xochimilco. It has also been suggested that it was just an improvement to a technique previously introduced. Chinampa is an agricultural practice originally from lake regions in the center of Mexico. They were built by staking large reed mats and fencing them with wattle, piling mud gathered from the bottom of the lake at low tide, and planting willow trees, which grew fast and put down deep roots, to anchor them.

Senorita Catalina lived in Xochimilco.
First settlements are dated around the late Pre-Classic period (B.C.200-A.D.250). This suggests that their culture was related to that of Cuicuilco, one of the first urban settlements in the southern Valley of Mexico.

In parts of the canals there are no roads. The only access is the canals. Mothers push the boats to take their children to school and or pick up supplies.

Views from the boats.

A group of Mariachis entertained us.

Elder (doctor) and Sister Kelly, Sister Benavidez view this beautiful garden and greenhouse.

Another group of Mariachis.

The flat bottom boat we were riding in had to be lifted over a dam that was built after an earthquake made the canals uneven.

Sister Benavidez and Sister Cardon on the bow of the boat for a close view. Our group didn't all fit on one boat so two boats were tied together.