Parque Azcatl Paqui

The Parque Azcatl Paqui is a popular neighborhood park in San Miguel Amantla, Azcapotlzalco. Just west of the giant Parque Bicentenario, Azcatli Paqui has gone through some recent renovations too. The name, incidentally, means simply “Joy of the Ants” in Nahuatl. Azcapotzalco’s name, after all, means “place of anthills.” But pictured above is the view of the giant central pavilion. The park is also well-known for its skateboarding scene, and accompanying grafitti and street-art exhibitions.

The park is most famous for hosting the Carlos Monsiváis Chroniclers’ School (Escuela de Cronistas: “Carlos Monsiváis). It’s run as a community cultural center, but one  focused on a famous historical archive. The school has been drawing on the archive for some 22 years. Therein are contained documents relating the first apparitions of the Virgin of Guadalupe, and a pen owned by Antonio Valeriano, the 16th-century Governor of the Indians.

The school is the frequent site of workshops and historical seminars.

• Carlos Monsiváis Aceves (1938-2010) was a journalist, writer, critic, and political activist. He was awarded more than 33 national prizes for his documentation of contemporary values, class struggles, and societal change. The better part of his work includes historical chronicles and essays form the major part of his literary work.

The Parque Azcatl Paqui is 30-minutes walking west from Metro Refinería. That’s more pleasant than it may sound as nearly everything between those two points is within the Parque Bicentenario.

Hours: Daily, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.