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TOLUCA |
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The capital of the state of México, TOLUCA DE LERDO , is today a
large and modern industrial centre, sprawling across a wide plain. At an
altitude of nearly 2700m, it is the highest city in the country, and
comes surrounded by beautiful mountain scenery, dominated by the white-capped
Nevado de Toluca . With only a few minor attractions, it is not a place
you'll want to linger. It is, however, the site of what is allegedly the
largest single market in the country, despite being halved in size by
the city's government. Held a couple of kilometres southeast of the
centre, just east of the bus station, every Friday (and to a lesser
extent throughout the week), the market constitutes the overriding
reason to visit, and you may just want to stop over on a Thursday night
(book accommodation in advance) then move on, or even make an early
start from Mexico City on the Friday morning.
The market attracts hordes of visitors from the capital, but is so vast
that there can be no question of its being overwhelmed by tourists;
quite the opposite, many outsiders find themselves overwhelmed by the
scale of the place, lost among the thousands of stalls and crowds from
the state's outlying villages. Though increasingly dominated by cheap
imported goods and clothing, there is still a substantial selection of
local crafts - woven goods and pottery above all. For an idea of what
quality and prices to expect, head first for the Casa de Artesanías,
Paseo Tollocan 700 Ote, a few blocks east of the market.
The Town and around
Most of the central sights are clustered north of the portales and the
cathedral, close to the massive open Plaza de los Mártires , dominated
on the north side by the Palacio del Gobierno. To the east is the Plaza
Garibay |
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