“Walking out of the Mexican Presidential Palace, you enter a wide open square called the Zócalo. The day after tomorrow is the inauguration of the new president, and the square is already filled with a festive atmosphere — a sense of excitement mixed with tension and anticipation.

On the left stands an old, grand Catholic cathedral. Its entrance is crowded with people, and colourful tents have been set up. I first thought they belonged to street vendors, but upon approaching, I saw an English notice that read:

“Tourists: We are staging a hunger strike here to protest the secret arrest of our family members. Please support us.”

Turning to the right, there was another dense crowd. That area is the recently unearthed ruins of Montezuma’s old city, currently under construction to be developed into an open-air museum.

I was struck by how so many different events could unfold simultaneously around people, all taken as part of daily life — events that one day we may look back on and call history. ”

— Shengtian Zheng