San Rafael - Our Neighborhood

Our apartment is located in the historic San Rafael neighborhood of Mexico City. This historically has been the theater district, with many famous buildings. It had fallen into some tough times, but has gone through a renewal of late. There are lots of decrepit buildings that look like they would have been gems during their heyday. There are tons of cafes, restaurants, shops, etc.

Today was our time to explore our neighborhood. We love walking around the streets near our apartment, finding new sights around every corner. Yesterday afternoon, as we were admiring the view from the top of the Monument to the Revolution, we could see the massive Cine Opera building. It was easy to see that the building was in ruins, but we wanted to see it up close. The Art Deco building must have been a stunner in its time. The lines, the decor, the details, all very impressive. We can only hope that this building will eventually be restored to its past glory, as it could be an architectural masterpiece in Mexico City.

We walked north of Cine Opera to find some very cool buildings throughout the neighborhood. We love the simple colorful homes as much as we love the opulent buildings.

As we approached a very busy corner, near an elevated highway, we found this abandoned church. Absolutely stunning. Again, if only this can be renovated . . .

Walking along a side street, we found a long, high wall with an impressive gate and entry. We had no idea what it was. The sign on the top read US National Cemetery.

What?!?!?

We walked through the gates and into the most peaceful and beautiful grounds. We were awestruck. This is the Mexico City National Cemetery.

There is a large, open, grassy lawn, surrounded by high walls with monuments. At the end of the lawn is a white monument, and there are palm trees, poinsettia trees (yes, they are trees!), and gorgeous landscaping throughout. We had no idea where we were, and what we were experiencing.

The high walls surrounding the lush green lawn were filled with stone memorials, with names and dates.

One section had a special mention of Buffalo Soldiers, and noted a specific memorial to John H. Smith, a Buffalo Soldier from North Carolina.

The security guard at the entrance spoke a bit of English, and invited us inside the adjacent building, where there was a small, cozy room with sofas and photos of US National Cemeteries around the world. From the office next door, out walked Miguel Gonzalez, the Superintendent of the Cemetery. He was very friendly, introduced himself, and asked us to sit and chat. He was so very generous with his time, and he answered all of our questions. What an amazing experience for us.

Miguel taught us the history of this amazing place. During the Mexican/American War, there were 750 American soldiers killed in the battles. They were buried in a shallow grave. Some time after the War, the US government approached Mexico to enquire how they could properly honor the fallen soldiers. After much negotiation, it was determined that the USA could purchase two acres of land in Mexico City to build the first US National Cemetery outside of the United States. In 1851, this cemetery was established, and the bodies of the 750 soldiers were transferred to this peaceful location, and were buried under an obelisk monument honoring them. In addition, US soldiers and family members who died in Mexico earned the right to be buried in this cemetery. By 1923, the cemetery was full and no other burials were allowed. Miguel told us that where we were sitting is considered US soil, and is controlled by the US government.

We had so many questions about the cemetery, and Miguel was so informative with his answers. He is also an incredibly interesting man, with a rich history of having served his country. To be honest, this was one of the highlights of our visit to Mexico City so far. Now that we know of this place, we think that everyone should visit. If you are in Mexico City, you need to stop by the National Cemetery - you won't regret it.

After our visit, we were soon upon the famous La Polar restaurant. La Polar is a neighborhood icon, with live mariachi and their famous birria. This really is their specialty, and there is not much else on their menu besides alcoholic drinks. We each had a birria taco and a bowl of consommé into which to dip it. Delicious! Made even better by listening to a local mariachi band.

After eating, we walked over to the San Rafael Mercado to grab some veggies for our dinner. Along the way we found a very cool church, and some awesome buildings. We are really liking our neighborhood, and appreciate the fact that we are not isolated in a very touristy area.