xochimilco (pronounced as 'sotsheemilk-oh', its meening in nahuatl: the aztec language: place where the flowers grow), is labirinth of waterchannels, that was first created during the aztec empire. to gain more ground in the lake (there used to be a lake, where mexico-city lies now) the aztecs build artificial gardens out of the lake's mud and bushes. this kind of agriculture and landwinning contributed strongly to the aztecs economic power.
today, it's still possible to navigate about 100 km of these channels. as the tradition, they use canoes pushed with long wooden poles.
as it is close to mexico-city's center, it's overpopulated during the week-ends by thousends of visitors. all needs, food and drink, are offered by mobile kitchens on smaller canoes. musik is providet by the mariachis (the traditional mexican bands) going around on canoes too.
on a sunday, you can easely be hold up in an 'aquatic trafic jam'!
on one of the smaller and quieter channels, you would never guess, that you are in the biggest town of the world.
© nikolai packard, reichenau, july 2000 mail an mich ;-)