Tall shady trees with fountains and nymphs at Alameda Central Park.

So two friends, Marjorie and Mayann, my husband Alex and I went out of the subway into bright noonday sun on the busy Avenida de Hidalgo. We reached the Alameda Central Park, a huge garden constructed at around the 16th century. The authorities, as early as the colonial period, understood that the population needed a place away from the bustle of city life, a cool oasis where they could do their afternoon paseos. This 400-year-old garden was full of shady elm trees, well-manicured hedges, fountains, gazebos, and the eye-catching Hemicycle of Jurez, a white semi-circular colonnaded tribute to Benito Jurez (five-time Mexican president and reformer) and inaugurated in 1910 during the centennial celebration of the Mexican independence.

Across the avenue was an attractive gray granite building, and we learned that it was the Palacio de Minera, built in 1793. A statue of the Spanish monarch Carlos IV mounted on his steed, El Caballito, stood in front of the building on a wide, rectangular plaza. This was the Plaza de Manuel Tlsa, named after the venerated architect who did the sculpture. The palacio itself was historical, as it started out housing engineering and metallurgical schools, at a time when New Spains (Mexico) wealth rested on iron and precious metal mining.

The Palacio de Bellas Artes. The Torre Latinoamericana is behind it

We then reached a palatial and historical building, the Quinta Casa de Correos (Fifth Postal Building), so-called because the postal building moved its location four times until this final destination. The building was initially constructed in 1761 as a Franciscan hospital, but was later renovated during the term of President Porfirio Diaz.

As we stood at the vestibule, we gazed with awe at the majestic marble stairs, winding up like two enormous wings; the gleaming walls of bronze and marble (from Florence, it was said); the porticoes, and the small windows reminiscent of the Doges Palace in Venice. There were four floors, and it took five years of renovation to reach its present splendor. There was a glass dome that allowed bright sunlight through its crystal panes. Again, we put this under our must-come-back-and-explore file.

And who could resist the open air, second-hand bookshops? The alley of endless books between two tall buildings seemed to wind itself all the way to the next block. We browsed through books by Latin American authors, Spanish translations of the latest crime thrillers, and even a hefty Mafalda (beloved comic book character) volume.

Open-air bookshops on the Avenida de Hidalgo

We also saw a shop announcing, in large letters Petacas! selling wallets and leather goods (pitakas, anyone?), a perfumery shop for custom-made scents, and a street named Simon Bolivar.

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Visiting the heart of Mexico City

HURRICANE, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- The city of Hurricane is another step closer to having new park space.

City Council heard first reading Monday of an ordinance to annex 42 acres of land -- meaning that land could become part of Hurricane's city limits.

Mayor Scott Edwards says the next step is bringing an engineering crew out to survey the land. Better entrances and traffic plans for the park are among the top goals. City officials expect a lot of visitors once it's complete.

"It's not just a sporting park, it's just a general park," Edwards said. "We'll have gazebos and walking trails park benches -- all of the stuff you would think of in a park. Trees and shade, all those things where a family can take their kids and spend the day."

Edwards says the land also will be used for ball fields including soccer, baseball, softball and football.

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New Park Space on Horizon in Hurricane

Gazebos - MAINTENANCE [live at cockpit, 3-20-15]
website: gazebos.im email: ggazebos@gmail.com facebook: ggnz.la/gazebosfb Camera work by Josh Chin. Edited by Sean Downey. Additional camera and projection visuals by Kevin Blanquies ...

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Gazebos - MAINTENANCE [live at cockpit, 3-20-15] - Video

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The Klein Girls, then & now...

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Matt and Elinore Martel at their campsite at Green Patch in Jervis Bay. Photo: bmakin@fairfaxmedia.com.au

Drip, drip, drip, little April showers. Not so good if you are amongst the thousands camping and the drips are coming relentlesslyfrom the canvas.

All the state's bookable camping sites are full according to the National Parks and Wildlife Service. That's 80 destinations, 40,000 bookings and 128,000 campers. That doesn't include the isolated sites where you just turn up and leave a few dollars in the honesty box.

But the risk of inclement weather doesn't seem to deter us, especially if you have paid up front for your pitch. State figures show camping and caravanning declined slightly in 2014 according to Destination NSW but the number of people going camping from Sydney actually bucked the trend and increased by 2.3 per cent.

Members of the Wright, Bond, Dennis, Oliver, Neville and Sacilotto families enjoy Good Friday and the Easter vacation at Bonnie Vale camping ground in the Royal National Park . Photo: besposito@fairfaxmedia.com.au

Campers from regional NSW account for 37 per cent of nights spent under canvas or in a caravan with Sydney campers the second largest group accounting for 26 per cent of nights in the field.

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Such is the demand that National Parks plans to double the number of online bookable sites within two years.

The Easter weather, said the Bureau of Meteorology, from Good Friday, when many were erecting their tents, through to Easter Monday was "showers, rain, shower or two or late shower or two".

Members of the Wright, Bond, Dennis, Oliver, Neville and Sacilotto families enjoy Good Friday and the Easter holidays at Bonnie Vale camping ground in the Royal National Park Sutherland Shire. Photo: besposito@fairfaxmedia.com.au

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Happy Easter. National Parks camp sites are full ... and it's raining -

A live baby duckling was Marie Palmer's inspiration.

For Theresa Schwab, it was a miniature wooden gazebo.

And Susann Beardsley turned to a toy bunny.

The three used ideas as individual as themselves, but the result was the same they fashioned a fun and stylish Easter bonnet.

And they are the winners in the Trib's Easter Bonnet Challenge.

Even though the era of wearing a bonnet with all the frills upon it for the Easter parade might have passed, there are still people who love those elaborate hats. So, the Trib challenged readers to design and decorate fantastic bonnets festooned with ribbons, flowers, chicks and bunnies or whatever struck their fancy.

They could start with a plain hat or create one from scratch with foamboard or cardboard. The trio was selected based on creativity that pushes the envelope, and they all did.

Prizes are a $50 gift certificate to Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, $50 gift certificate to Michael's and a spring bouquet delivery.

It was a fun project, says Schwab of Ligonier. I have always liked the old days when people really dressed up for the Easter holiday. I love hats, and (Duchess of Cambridge) Kate Middleton inspires everyone to wear hats, especially fascinators. They are so pretty and elegant.

Collecting gazebos for her daughter when she was a child was a passion for Schwab, because it symbolizes the town where she lives and the Ligonier Diamond where a real gazebo is one of the first landmarks people see when they drive through town.

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Trib Total Media readers rise to the challenge to create festive hats

A 40,000 revamp of a market is under way in a bid to boost flagging trade.

Eastleigh Borough Council has brought in a specialist consultant to spearhead the move in a bid to rejuvenate the town market.

Major changes including themed weekends, along with attracting local stallholders and producers to the market, are now being tabled in a bid to to try to rejuvenate footfall and trade.

Guy Riddoch, area co-ordinator for Eastleigh, told council committee members that three different market providers in the last four years had not been able to help stallholders compete with the growth of discount stores and Internet shopping.

He said the council had taken the radical action of bringing in a specialist advice team to coincide with the completion of current improvement works in the market area.

The market on the pedestrianised area of Leigh Road is held twice weekly on Thursdays and Saturdays but the changes will only affect the Saturday market.

The idea is to develop a range of locally grown stallholders drawn from existing retailers, community organisations and entrepreneurs, rather than rely on traditional market stallholders who travel around different markets in the area.

Entertainment is also proposed under the plans put forward by consultants Retail Revival, which has recently re-launched markets in London areas.

Eastleigh market

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Major trade boost for flagging market thanks to 40,000 revamp

STEVE EDWARDS

Last updatedMon Mar 30 21:37:56 UTC 2015

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Veteran jockey Noel Harris at Ellerslie Racecourse.

Te Aroha Racecourse could be the scene of a world record at Breeders Stakes Day on Saturday.

Veteran jockey Noel Harris is retiring and has a ride on Ponderosa Miss in the $200,000 Fiber Fresh NZ Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes.

Racing Te Aroha president Dave Higgins said if the 60-year-old, a jockey for 45 years, was successful he would become the oldest jockey in the world to win a Group One race.

Whatever happens, the club and New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing will make a presentation to Harris after the big race on Saturday.

Higgins, in his first year at the helm, is looking forward to his inaugural Breeders Stakes Day as president.

"It's our premier meeting of the year," he said.

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Noel Harris riding to win at Breeders Stakes Day

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