Places emajohn Wants to Go

The ruins of the "place of the cloud snake" sit in the middle of an urban environment.

Come face to face with the ferocious visage of the serpent-headed mother goddess of the Aztecs.

One of the world's richest men bought this former paper factory and transformed it into a mall.

A fabulously bizarre surrealist sculpture by the late artist Leonora Carrington.

Sample sweets at an Art Nouveau candy shop that's been in business since 1874.

These museum grounds are a Dalai Lama-declared peace oasis.

A grand entrance to one of the world's smallest Chinatowns.

This museum houses two of Mexico's most impressive Aztec monoliths.

This Aztec structure remained hidden until the demolition of a supermarket exposed the lost temple.

An extravagant 18th-century fountain built with bits of broken ceramic.

This ancient structure was built by a mysterious civilization that was largely destroyed by a volcanic eruption.

On a cornerstone of the City Museum is the head of a monstrous serpent stolen from an Aztec pyramid 400 years ago.

A small pack of an ancient, hairless breed of dog once believed to guide souls through the underworld lives on its grounds.

These spectacular, symbolic serpents lie within the shadow of the Great Temple.

The striking jade death mask of an ancient Maya king is displayed in a replica tomb in Mexico City.

The most complete statue of this Aztec god sits a top a throne carved with images of hallucinogenic plants.

This "City of Books" holds a museum, library, and the complete personal book collections of five of Mexico's greatest thinkers.

This once-abandoned mansion is now a dreamy event space.

Underneath the historic center of Mexico City, the remains of a temple dedicated to the Aztec god of the wind.

A Volkswagen Beetle decorated with millions of beads connects Mexico's past and future.

This ancient jade mask depicting the Zapotec bat god was found in the ruins of the pyramids of Monte Alban.

This warehouse-gallery-shop hybrid showcases Mexican craftwork at its best.

This colossal ancient sculpture of the monstrous Aztec rain god has a literally stormy history.

This foreboding building was the headquarters of the terrifying Spanish Inquisition in Mexico.