I want a Helicopter! Helicopters for everyone!

Hi everybody. guess what these are-



No it's not some guantanamoesque prison camp, it's government housing Mexico City style as seen from the air. Aerial photos are cool and aerial photos of Mexico City are even better. I was googling around (yes, I am ashamed to use the word "googling" but I guess that's what I was doing.) for material for my blog having no good stuff to show and I happened on this amazing photo .mac page. Some dude with tons of spare gas money or a job in a helicopter took some great shots of Mexico city. The photos are particularly interesting to me because it's hard to get a good look over the city as it's mostly flat and so huge. Some crazy sites to see though. These photos have been scaled down quite a bit, but if you go to his page; http://homepage.mac.com/helipilot/PhotoAlbum20.html
you will see the photos more clearly and some other great ones too.



This is over the Central De Abasto in the east part of the city which is where Ale used to work. It's one of the biggest markets in the world and it is the central market for wholesalers in Mexico DF. All the food, and many other things are schlepped here starting at 3 in the morning. I'm told it's a pretty amazing place. Those long things are trailer trucks and the wear-houses go on forever.



This is the bull ring and the soccer stadium near our place. On weekends people park on our sidewalks and in the middle of the street to see bulls, or possibly, matadors, get killed and Cruz Azul score a few. I like all the excitement, but sometimes there are drunken goons.



This is also near our place. Looking north up Insurgentes past the WTC on a particularly clear day.



Typical Mexico City sprawl. It's easy to get lost in these kinds of Neighborhoods. I'm not even sure where this is. Many of these kinds of neighborhoods were built by the people who live there I'm told. The story goes thus: You move from the country with almost nothing to find fame and fortune, or maybe just a job in the big city. You can't afford rent or land so you start about building your own little home from grey concrete and other cheap, simple stuff. Meanwhile millions of others around you are doing the same thing. Eventually the city grows, fills in the gaps and hooks the neighborhood up to the grid, sort of and voila! Mexico City just got bigger.



These are the famous Pirata taxis. Most of them are VW Beetles and almost all are green and white. I'm not sure why they are called Pirate Taxis. I guess because they are unregulated and a few are unscrupulous and evil even. Just like Pirates. All I know is that I had no probs paying 5 bucks to go ten blocks in Canada and that'll get you halfway across the city with these guys so whose robbing whom? Of course you're not going to be pulling any zingers like that out of your mouth when your moneyless and shoeless in the factory district. Well, like most visitors I avoid them when I can, but sometimes you have to use them and there's usually one around on most major streets. Luckily, I haven't had any bad experiences yet. (knock knock) If I had my choice I'm sure, just like heads of state will tell you along with uber-rich oil execs, armed helicopter is the only way to go.