Many of Mexico City's recreational facilities revolve around family activities. Families use Chapultepec Park intensively, especially on Sundays, when they picnic under the trees, stroll through the eucalyptus glades, or visit the park's zoo, amusement park, and museums. Within the park also is a small lake, where families rent rowboats and dine at waterside restaurants.
Southeast of the city are the floating gardens of Xochimilco. The gardens are the last remnants of Lake Texcoco, which once surrounded the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán. The floating gardens received their name from the ancient Aztec practice of anchoring baskets of earth in the lake to create new land. Xochimilco's network of canals and small islands serves both as a recreational area and as a reminder that water once covered much of the valley floor.
Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
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