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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Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe

 

Outside the Mexican flag, the most pervasive image found across all of Mexico has to be that of the Virgin Mary or Our Lady of Guadalupe. On my first ever visit across town to the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, I came across this image of the Virgin in a lovely baroque structure on the back side of the grounds called the Templo del Pocito. As the story goes, it was on the site where the old basilica was built that Juan Diego first saw the Virgin in 1531. After three subsequent visits by the Virgin, the church finally accepted Juan Diego's accounts. In the mid-18th century, the Virgin was officially declared the patron of Mexico. In the weeks to come, I'll add other images of the Virgin that I have found in my travels around the city.

 

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Pieces & Parts: Fun At The Market

Unlike north of the Border, little of the animal is wasted in Latin-American cultures. I had the unique opportunity of shopping with friends for dinner one day. After scouting around in the mercado, we finally found the perfect pig's head to take back for dinner. The señora of the household slow-cooked the head for hours until everything fell off the bones. Once this was complete, all the meat was finely chopped up and served in fresh tortillas accompanied by cilantro, onions, and salsa. The mixture of both textures ans tastes made these some of the best tacos I've had. Talk about stuffing ourselves like "piggies"!

 

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The Doors & Windows Series 3

While wandering around San Angel, I came upon this rather plain entryway framed perfectly by this flowering tree. Light, shadow, and color all seem to capture the stark, simple beauty of what so many of us enjoy about Mexico. I am set wondering about who might emerge from this door and where they will head only later to return to life behind these walls.

 

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