The idea of going back to Mexico City produced in me that emotion you feel in light of a new trip. I was so looking forward to seeing it and going all over it that I couldn’t hide my joy.
I woke up on a Sunday with a very special plan in mind and my happy smile on, I took my yoga mat and off I went to one of the many studios there are in this city. When I got back I met my travel companions for breakfast in Polanco. After yoga we went to the Cafe Toscano, I couldn’t’ resist not having a hot chocolate and quesadillas with avocado, we are in Mexico after all! Home of both delights.
Well satisfied we took an Uber to Coyoacán, the area where La Casa Azul or the Blue House is, what’s special about this house? Well it is where Frida Kalho, the best known Latin-American artist in the world, grew up. While we were queuing I was very excited explaining little things about her life to my companions and how this place is like a symbol for some, and visiting the house is like a pilgrimage, right Marco?
I recommend watching the movie Frida so you’ll get to know her a bit more.
In the house you will see the bed where prostrated, she created most of her paintings. On them she expressed her turbulent inside, the feeling of being physically broken. She was a brave woman, feminist, bisexual, bohemian, unique, rebel, contradictory, no wonder Diego chose her, she was his love, lover and muse. Another one of my heroines.
The colors of the house are fabulous, its garden is very tempting, the truth is that is has a very special magic, let me know if you feel it when you visit.
As they didn’t allow to stay indefinitely we decided to have a walk in the picturesque neighborhood. We walked by the Coyoacán Market, full of life and loads of fruit, it smelt so nicely we couldn’t resist buying a mango to eat in the little park opposite, delicious!
We arrived at the Jardín Centenario, Centenary Garden, next to the San Juan Bautista Church, in a square surrounded by colorful houses, little shops, bars and restaurants with lots of charm. I recommend you to go for a walk and a drink like we did.
I went to explore a bit more, I asked this lovely gentleman what that yellow building was, and he said it was Coyoacán Town Hall. In front of it there was a man playing the street organ, the image was so charming, nowadays you only see it in old movies… its music gave life to the place.
From there we decided to go to see the University also known as UNAM. Apparently there is a sculptural ensemble around a crater worth seeing, as well as a museum of contemporary art.
We took a taxi and in no time we got there. Opposite the UNAM we saw a very cool football stadium, the truth is that taking into account that football causes zero interest in me, I liked the exterior.
We walked around the campus and got told that the part we wanted to see was closed at the weekend, that, the rain and the empty stomach brought us back to Coyoacán. I love this area, it is so cute, and has such a nice vib. Marianela, a Mexican colleague told us about Ave María Restaurant which was located in the square. Sonia loved it very much so, off we went.
The anecdote that happened to us there had us laughing the rest of the day. Laurent and Garry ordered some chicken and “chapulines” tacos, I’m sure you are wondering what they are, well we didn’t. As happy as can be we started eating, when Garry felt something crunchy in his mouth, he curiously opened his taco to see where it was coming from. Yes dear nomads, I am sure some of you have already guessed that what there was inside was an exotic delight of this part of the world. Chapulin is the Mexican name for a CRICKET, yes, you’ve read well.
We couldn’t stop laughing when we saw the faces of the boys, we encouraged them to try them but they weren’t as brave. The English translation on the menu used the same word, so if ever in doubt don’t risk it, ask before. We’ll never forget what chapulines are, I am assuring you.
For one of my birthdays I got a book called Woman of a thousand secrets by Barbara Wood, a book I really enjoyed reading as it had, once again, a female main character, I love them. Tonina is in search of her identity and origins, she travels to the Yucatán Peninsula, through the forests of Guatemala, to finally arrive to the very heart of Mexico. In her crusade she will find love, but the most important thing will be her personal evolution and a big secret she encounters at the end of it.
Would you like to see the other house where Frida and Diego lived? That and many more wonders in my next posts, because the richness of Mexico is endless.
