One month before Christmas, the Mexican government goes all out to create seasonal festivities for the entire family in the Zocalo (central square) - a short two block walk from my hotel. While having breakfast, one of the other travellers wished me the best of luck in dealing with the festitivities. I later learned that they had planned their travels around the festitivities. I would soon realize why.
Saturday was the official start of the festivities. La Plaza de la Constitución (240 m by 240 m) is completely full of winter activities. When I approched the plaza this afternoon is was a very surreal feeling as I witnessed a giant tobagganing hill, a ice rink, and three igloos. The plaza represented everything that I thought I escaped in Manitoba! I was impressed the outdoor rink 
and the tobaggan hill survived the balmy 25 C heat. Once I had come to my senses, I was astounded by the number of people that had descended on the plaza. There were people from corner to corner, jam packed. You could read the excitement on children's faces and the frustration on the face's of parents. The hostel clerk conservatively guessed between 50,000 - 60,000 people descended on the plaza and will continue to do so every weekend until the middle of January. The fairly quite neighourhood of my hotel has become the epicentre for foot traffic to the plaza due to the metro station around the corner. The streets have been completely taken over by pedistrians. Huge lines accompany every business and restaurant. Street performers, clowns, dancers, painters, and singers are scattered throughout the thousands of people. It is like the (winter) circus came to town overnight!
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