查普尔特佩克城堡 Chapultepec Castle

2023年11月26日，星期日，墨西哥城之旅第三天 November 26, 2023, Sunday, third day of the Mexico City trip.

今天我俩化身为都市漫步者，从民宿步出，踏上了前往雄伟的查普尔特佩克城堡的征途。不过旅程意外地短暂，哈哈，只需大概25分钟就从都市的喧嚣中抵达了城堡的山脚下。途中，我俩穿行于La Condesa区域，这个区是墨西哥城的一个时尚而受欢迎的居住区，以其独特的艺术气息、欧洲风格的建筑以及美丽的公园和绿地而著称。

Today, the two of us transformed into urban wanderers, stepping out of our bed and breakfast and embarking on a journey to the magnificent Chapultepec Castle. The journey was surprisingly short, haha, taking only about 25 minutes to reach the foot of the castle from the hustle and bustle of the city. Along the way, we passed through the La Condesa area, a fashionable and popular residential area in Mexico City, known for its unique artistic atmosphere, European-style architecture, and beautiful parks and green spaces.

我点的两个tacos，中间的是PJG点的烤肉和芝士，右边的是各种salsa酱 I ordered two tacos, the one in the middle is PJG’s order of grilled meat and cheese, and on the right are various salsa sauces.

午饭后，准备去山上的城堡，在去之前，谷歌地图上看到这里应该有一个地铁站，想着去碰一下运气，看看能不能买到交通卡，结果地铁站竟被封了起来，买卡又一次失败。上山去查普尔特佩克城堡吧。

After lunch, we prepared to go to the castle on the hill. Before going, we saw on Google Maps that there should be a subway station nearby. Thinking of trying our luck to see if we could buy a transit card, we found, to our surprise, that the subway station was closed off. Our attempt to buy a card failed again. So, off we went to Chapultepec Castle.

这个城堡有着悠久而丰富的历史，建造在查普尔特佩克山的山顶上，这个名字在纳瓦特尔语中意为“蚂蚁山”。它是墨西哥为数不多的皇宫之一，也是北美洲唯一的一座皇家城堡。

This castle has a long and rich history, built on the top of Chapultepec Hill, a name which means ‘Grasshopper Hill’ in the Nahuatl language (don’t ask). It is one of the few royal palaces in Mexico and the only royal castle in North America.

它的历史可以追溯到18世纪，当时它作为西班牙副王的夏季宫殿。19世纪中叶，城堡曾短暂地成为墨西哥皇帝马克西米利安一世的居所。在这段时间，城堡经历了大规模的扩建和装饰，增添了许多欧洲风格的装饰元素。1847年，城堡是美墨战争中查普尔特佩克战役的关键地点，这场战役是该战争中最著名的战斗之一。在这里，墨西哥士兵和青年军校——后来被称为“查普尔特佩克的儿童英雄”——为防御入侵的美军作出了英勇的抵抗。

Its history dates back to the 18th century when it served as the summer palace for the Spanish Viceroy. In the mid-19th century, the castle briefly became the residence of Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico. During this time, the castle underwent extensive expansion and decoration, incorporating many European-style decorative elements. In 1847, the castle was a key site in the Battle of Chapultepec during the Mexican-American War, one of the most famous battles of that war. Here, Mexican soldiers and young cadets — later known as ‘The Boy Heroes of Chapultepec’ — heroically resisted the invading U.S. forces.

20世纪初，城堡成为了墨西哥总统的官邸，直到1939年，拉萨罗·卡德纳斯总统将其转变为国家历史博物馆。如今，查普尔特佩克城堡不仅是一个历史遗址，也是墨西哥城最重要的文化标志之一，吸引着来自世界各地的游客。

In the early 20th century, the castle became the official residence of the Mexican President, until 1939 when President Lázaro Cárdenas transformed it into the National History Museum. Today, Chapultepec Castle is not just a historical site but also one of the most important cultural landmarks in Mexico City, attracting visitors from around the world.

逛完城堡，去对面的经主塔大厦楼顶和咖啡。但是误打误撞之下，我俩在误入了13楼的一家餐厅，点完了咖啡才发现这里不是LingLing餐厅。当然，真正景色是不容错过的，我俩又去了56楼的LingLing餐厅，那里的视野开阔，从那儿俯视，查普尔特佩克城堡的雄伟全景尽收眼底，城堡宛如置身于迷你世界中的精致模型，又像是一件精致的古董，而我们则是欣赏它的珍贵藏家。

After touring the castle, we went to the Torre Mayor for coffee. However, by mistake, we ended up in a restaurant on the 13th floor and ordered coffee before realizing it wasn’t the LingLing restaurant. Of course, the real view was not to be missed, so we then went to the LingLing restaurant on the 56th floor. The view there was expansive; looking down, the majestic panoramic view of Chapultepec Castle was fully visible. The castle looked like a delicate model in a miniature world, or a fine antique, and we were the appreciative collectors.

坐在高楼的观景台上，我和PJG一边啜饮着果汁，一边俯瞰着墨西哥城那几乎触手可及的云端。这时，Matthew轻描淡写地发信息给PJG说，我俩正坐在海拔2240米的高度上，这让墨西哥城成为了世界上海拔最高的大都会之一。难怪有时会感觉喘不过气来和轻微的头晕。从高空俯瞰，墨西哥城的摩天楼和建筑群构成了一幅壮观的画面。密密麻麻的城市现代建筑和历史建筑交织在一起，绘制出一张展示了多样化和丰富历史文化的都市地图。晴朗的天气下，这座城市的壮丽景色尤为令人印象深刻。

Sitting on the observation deck of a high-rise building, PJG and I sipped juice while overlooking the almost tangible clouds of Mexico City. At that moment, Matthew casually messaged PJG to inform us that we were sitting at an altitude of over 7000 feet, making Mexico City one of the highest metropolises in the world. No wonder we sometimes felt short of breath and slightly dizzy. From this high vantage point, the skyscrapers and buildings of Mexico City composed a spectacular vista. The dense urban modern and historical buildings intertwined, creating an urban map that showcased diversity and rich historical culture. Under the clear weather, the magnificent scenery of the city was particularly impressive.

夕阳西下时，我俩回到酒店顶层，迎接着城市天际线上那壮观的日落。夜幕降临，我再次踏入La Condesa的街头，找了一个餐馆里品尝了美味的晚餐，为这一天画上了完美的句号。

As the sun set, the two of us returned to the top of our hotel to witness the spectacular sunset over the city skyline. As night fell, I once again stepped onto the streets of La Condesa, found a restaurant, and savored a delicious dinner, putting a perfect end to the day.

左边的是PJG的大虾饭，右边的是我的鱼和土豆泥，晚饭不是传统意义上的墨西哥菜 On the left is PJG’s shrimp bowl, and on the right is my fish & mashed potatoes. The dinner wasn’t traditional Mexican cuisine in the usual sense.