Parque Lira is a lovely, lush little park near metro Tacubaya, in my neighborhood. I go there for walks after lunch and in between sessions of writing, a nice place to clear the brain because it's quiet, forgotten, and pretty neglected. Lira houses a municipal pool and recreation center, a public library put in an old converted church, and Casa de la Bola. Most interesting are the jagged cobble walkways, the desolate fountains, the phantom playgrounds, and the packs of wild kitties and dogs that seem to rule its gardens with little attention paid to the humans who pass through, or who sit on a bench to make out with a lover. The overall effect is Paris in Decay.
In fact, Parque Lira actually reminds me of a little park I know in Paris, when I visited a few years ago, where I sat down once with a new somebody and shared really excellent Chinese take-out. But that's another story ...