The Printers of Mexico City

Both on the Plaza Santo Domingo and just behind it, one can find a brisk business being done by printers still using hand powered printing machines that must be 100 years old. No matter what your printing need is, from business cards to wedding and birthday invitations, you can commission one of dozens of small kiosks for your job large or small.

Due to the unique opportunity presented here, I had my own trajeta personal or card made up for less than it would have cost in the States. Although I shopped around, most of the prices were similar and all of the printers were equally friendly and eager to have my business.

 

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Is Mexico safe or not? Well, the answer really depends on the part of the country you visit and your travel habits. Remember, if you are somewhere where you shouldn't be, trouble can happen regardless of the country you're visiting.

Safety in Mexico

 

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Saturdays in San Angel

After visiting many of the standard sites around the city, spend a Saturday strolling around San Angel. In addition to some fine eateries, most of your entertainment will be had visiting with local artists and craftspersons.

Plaza San Jacinto offers great opportunities to purchase some lovely fine art offered by local artists.

Sculpture, paintings & photographs!

 

Tribute to Diego in Plaza San Jacinto

Not far from the Plaza is the studio museum of Diego Rivera. Take the time to leisurely walk the narrow, cobblestone streets of San Angel.

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As I may prefer wandering from village to village when in Mexico, many of my favorite spots can be found near water. In particular, I have come to love the beaches around Huatulco. Check out a few of these hidden gems in this article.

Mexico's Hidden Beaches

 

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Tacos Tuluca

One of my favorite little hole-in-the-wall eateries is Tacos Tuluca. Located on Lopez Street, just down from the Mercado San Juan, this tacqueria offers some of the tastiest chow on the streets. As you can see from the photo, production is organized and efficient. Notice the french fries. Yes, they are part of every taco combination Tuluca offers.

Uniquely, this is the only spot that I've found that serves up the green chorizo. Delicious! Add to that a little guacamole, salsa, and those french fries, and you have a nice snack or meal. For just a little over $1US, have two or three.

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Outside Mexico City, in any direction, are wonderful weekend getaways. Guanajuato is one such destination just 5 hours by bus north. Check out the photos of this lovely colonial city posted by a British couple who describe themselves as digital nomads.

Guanajuato

 

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Taco or Torta?

On nearly any street in Mexico City, one can find lunch or just a snack. Tacos aren't the only fast food to choose from when looking for something to eat. Here at "Pepe's", tortas or sandwiches are the specialty. Ham, cheese, sausage, or some combination of ingredients can be put together for an inexpensive and relatively healthy lunch. $15MEX is just a bit over $1US. You can't find that at McDonald's! For me, let's go with the spicy chorizo and the queso blanco!

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When in Mexico City, an absolute must on your to-do list has to be trying a taco al pastor. You'll easily find them as you walk the city streets. There's no better way to take the edge off a ravenous appetite than to down a quick taco or two.

Tacos al Pastor

 

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The Gardens of the Casa Azul

Any first visit to Coyoacan usually includes a visit to Frida Kahlo's Casa Azul. In addition to a lovely home and interesting museum, the gardens are well worth the trip in and of themselves.

Of course,since this is a popular tourist destination, it's all the more pleasant when you can find yourself relatively alone in the gardens on a day when the crowds are light.

Wander along the paths surrounded by the most lucious flora one can find in a relatively compact space in any city. Sprinkled throughout are numerous artifacts that only increase the exotic feeling the owners themselves must have once felt as they passed time in this paradise behind stone walls.

After visiting the museum, treat yourself to a coffee or cold drink at the small cafe on the grounds. No need to hurry back to the more frenetic atmosphere found at the central square. Better yet, after visiting here, head a few blocks away to the Trotsky House/Museum for another repite from the madness of the city. Thanks for these great photos brother Bob.

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Last year a tacopedia of Mexico was published. Check out the map below of different types of tacos found around Mexico. As I've said in erlier blogs, there's nothing like a good taco crawl around DF to taste the wide variety of tacos avsilable to the adventurous.

http://www.bonappetit.com/blogsandforums/blogs/badaily/2013/05/mexico-taco-map.html

 

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Sweets, Sweets, & More Sweets!

I admit it, I have a real weakness for Mexican pastries! After a long day of sightseeing and trekking around the city, I like nothing better than to sit in a cafe, order a cup of coffee, and indulge in a sweet treat. It's the perfect way to end a perfect day in DF (or anywhere else).

As you can see from the price tags, even the fanciest of deserts is hardly more than $1.50 US. Some of my favorites are even less expensive! Best of all, as you can see from these photos, the selection is tremendous. And, day after day, the selection remains great! The biggest issue is deciding which treat best suites your mood on a particular visit. Although there are many choices in pastry shops or patisserias, my favorite tends to be L'Ideal with many locations around the city.

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Many people worry about traveling around Mexico. I happen to love the Mexican bus system. It's efficient, safe, relatively inexpensive, and buses go everywhere in the country. Check out this article about busing around Mexico.

http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/4006-busing-it-in-mexico-what-s-not-to-love

 

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The Palacio National

A trip to Mexico City wouldn't have been complete without a stop at the Palacio National to see perhaps Rivera's best murals. I say best, and not necessarily my favorite, because of the complicated nature and size of this project. This set of murals was begun in 1929. The staircase mural is a real masterpiece showing Mexico Through the Centuries.

Inside Courtyard at the Palacio National

The size, the angles, and the crowds make the staircase particularly difficult to photograph. Nonetheless, the amount of detail in the mural shows why it took Rivera six years to complete it. Rivera returned to the National Palace to complete the project between 1945 and 1951. In the set of murals at the top of the staircase on the first floor, he has a detailed presentation of the pre-Hispanic cultures of Mexico. The vision of ancient Tenochtitlan (modern day downtown Mexico City), gives the viewer a sense of how expansive and advanced this civilization was.

Detail from the Staircase Mural

Detail from Images of Ancient Tenochititlan

Tattoos & Piercings! So, what's so different today?

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Just when you think that there couldn't be any new archeological discoveries, something new pops up. Check out this article on previously unknown cave paintings in northern Mexico.

http://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2013/05/5000-cave-paintings-found-in-northern.html

 

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Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe 3

From churches to museums to art galleries, it's difficult not to encounter Our Lady of Guadalupe. Including the Mexican flag, it is the most ionic image displayed in the most Catholic country.

This particular image of the Virgin immediately grabbed my attention due to the material from which it was constructed. The artist fashioned her image out of natural materials and gave her decidedly indigenous features. Most likely, this would have been how the Virgin appeared to Juan Diego in 1531 rather than more European as she is often depicted.

 

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When in DF, I spend most of my time walking the streets in one neighborhood or another. I'll use the metro to get me to the section of the city that interests me, but from there, it's all on foot. Check out this article about walking around this megacity.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2013/feb/08/walking-mexico-city-dbc-pierre

 

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Deconstructing Frida Kahlo

One of my favorite painting by Frida Kahlo is her self-portrait entitled Las Dos Fridas completed in 1939. As one visits the museums around Mexico City, paintings by Kahlo are relatively scarce. However, if you venture out to Chapultepec Park you'll find the very enjoyable Museo de Arte Moderno that houses the Kahlo masterpiece. This museum also contains canvasses by Dr. Atl, Rivera, Siqueiros, Orozco, and O'Gorman.

In this particular painting, Frida presents two sides of her personality. In the top image, she is in a traditional Tehuana costume and represents the woman Diego respected and loved. The bottom image shows her in a Victorian wedding dress and represents the Frida who Diego abandoned. The hearts of the two Fridas are exposed. This is a convention she repeatedly used to express her pain.

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I've always enjoyed Cinco de Mayo here in the States and usually try to catch dinner in a local Mexican restaurant or cook up some delicious recipe at home from south of the border. But, do you know what the significance of this day is in Mexican history?

http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/3407-cinco-de-mayo-what-is-everybody-celebrating

 

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A Trip To The Mercado de Jamaica

Flowers By The Dozens

Although not all that commonly visited by tourists in DF with limited time, a trip to the Flower Market is well worth the effort. Centrally located, metro station Jamaica, it's a quick ride where you get off right at the market. Plan on spending a couple of hours wandering through the flower stalls and watching flower merchants prepare dazzling arrangements for customers.

Arrangements For Any Occasion

You'll be overwhelmed by the pure volume and diversity of flowers available on a daily basis most any time of the year.

A Rose Is A Rose Is A Rose

Also plan to have lunch at one of the numerous eateries located within the market. The day I was there, I indulged in a couple of delicious tacos de lengua (tongue tacos) along with a tall glass of tepache (a fermented pineapple drink).

Blogger Enjoying A Taco de Lengua At Mercado de Jamaica

 

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An interesting article about an unsuspecting group of American illegals in Mexico. I guess the problem goes both ways.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-radio-and-tv-17098719

 

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Revisiting Last Year's Earthquake

Earthquake Evacuation at La Raza Hospital, Mexico City (March, 2013)

This past Sunday, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake once again rocked the capital region. I remember a year ago being in DF when an even stronger 7.2 earthquake brought the Mexican capital to a standstill for an hour or more. I had just arrived back in town from a day trip to the town of Texcoco. While on the metro, the earthquake hit causing most businesses to temporarily close and evacuate employees and customers outside into the streets and courtyards. Never having experienced before an earthquake of this magnitude, it was certainly one of my scarier travel moments. Luckily, an hour or so later, life seemed more or less back to normal with the city having suffered minimal damage. However, I do remember walking down Madero Street later in the day looking at cracks in buildings caused by the earthquake. As there is a serious history of earthquakes in this area, Chapingos take such events very seriously.

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More on Sunday's earthquake in Central Mexico.

http://trap.it/HEYcLn

 

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People on the Street 4

Povery has many faces in Mexico. Every pueblo and city has its share of people struggling to survive. This is particularly apparent in the streets of Mexico City and among the indigenous peoples of this country. Seeing men, women and children asking for assistance from passerbys on the sidewalk is a common enough scene throughout the city, but particularly in the downtown Historical District. Often, children, as in this photo, are with a parent playing a tune on an accordian or other instrument in hopes that people will give them just a few pesos from their pocket. It's not uncommon to see the same people on the same corner day after day from early morning until late at night. Poverty is one of those universals that doesn't recognize interntionsl boundaries.

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With nearly 25 million people living in the greater Mexico City area, traffic is a major problem. Perhaps the efforts of a superhero are what is needed to help solve this problem of conjetion in the streets for those living there.

http://www.aljazeera.com/video/americas/2013/06/2013613212053768708.html

 

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Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe 2

Antigua Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe

Although many travel to the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe for religious reasons, the student of architecture and history will equally enjoy a pilgrimage to the holiest of sites in Mexico City. The new basilica, opened in 1987 with a capacity of nearly 40,000. However, the architectural treasure of La Villa de Guadalupe is by far the the Antigua Basílica built around 1700. In the alterpiece, you can see a marble statue of Juan Diego. As you approach the complex from the metro station, it is the old basilica that one first sees. This is the same sight that prilgrims would have experienced after their long journey.

 

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A little of everything is to be found in Mecico City. Check this out! A naked bicycle rally!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-22831366

 

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UNAM 2

Facultad de Medicina

Taking the short metro ride across town to the University of Mexico campus is well worth the effort. Although the campus grounds are extensive, there are some particularly worthwhile sites to see. As I posted earlier, the 3-D Siqueiros mural is well worth the trip in and of itself. Even more, just across the street from the university is the Estadio Olímpico with the famous Diego Rivera mosaic on the structure's entrance. But, there's more!

Eppens Mural

Shortly after getting off the metro at the Coplico station on the northeast side of the campus. Just follow the student crowd to campus and you'll end up at the Facultad de Medicina. You're greeted by a mosaic by Francisco Eppens on the side of the medical school building. This interesting mural presents the themes of life and death which medical students will surely face. The center mask, as you can see above, has both the Spanish profile on the left as well as the indigenous one on the right making a mestizo face in the middle. An ear of maze and other Mayan and Aztec symbols represent the forces of life and death.

 

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A lot of variety exists when it comes to eating street food in Mexico City.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2013/feb/08/best-places-eat-street-food-mexico-city

 

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The Goat Guy

Many treats, visual and gustatory, await the inquisitive traveler when visiting the mercado. It was most interesting to watch this butcher prepare these goats for sale. One of my favorite indulgences in the markets, when I can find it, is a nice hot bowl of birria or a couple of birria tacos. Depending on what mercado one visits around Mexico, it's not uncommon to find vendor after vendor specializing in barbacoa. Goat happens to be a favorite of mine! It's different than beef or pork, probably more similar to lamb, but not so pungent as the more mature mutton. Birria is basically stewed meat with assorted spices and chilis that is slow cooked. Served either in a bowl or in tacos, it is a specialty well worth looking for when traveling in Mexico.

 

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A new project in Mexico City turned unused space into productive commercial and socal areas.

http://trap.it/8upmBj

 

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Museo Casa del Risco

On the north side of Plaza San Jacinto is the pleasant Museo Casa del Risco. Set inside an 18th century building, the two story fountain (pictured) is the key attraction. Additionally, one can see an interesting collection of 14th to 19th century European and Mexican art from the private collection of the Fabela family. The fountain itself consists of seashells, Talavera pottery, and Chinese porcelain. A quick visit here can be easily included on any trek through the San Ángel district. A number of good eateries an coffee shops can also be found in this part of town. Admission to the museum is free.

 

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A Little Artistic License Interpreting DF

Just this past weekend, I discovered the MobileMonet app. What fun this one is! From the examples that I've posted here, you can see how you can create a drawing-like image from a photograph. The photo below was shot as I was strolling around San Angel one Saturday afternoon. The app allowed me to take the photo and turn it into a colored pen-line drawing.

Flower Pots in San Angel

This next image came from a street just behind the Catedral Metropolitana. Again, applying the app to my photograph, I came up with an image with an entirely different feel to it.

Finally, here's a different "artistic" perspective on the Ex Convento de San Jacinto in the San Angel district.

Ex Convento de San Jacinto

 

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