Marty Magic Travel Blog: Mexican Muralists and Xochimilico

Wednesday, February 20th,

In spite of the dramatic terrace view of the Zocolo, our hotel breakfast is starting to get old. I am not complaining because I can’t imagine wanting more than what is offered and I serve myself fresh papaya and pineapple, two pieces of bacon, steamed cauliflower and broccoli and a tiny fresh baked croissant. We seat ourselves and the waiter takes our coffee order; a cappuccino for me and a double espresso for Art. Our waiter asks if we would like something from the kitchen and I order a one egg omelet with mushrooms and cheese. I am more than sated when we leave and well fueled for another full day of museums.

We start with the museums within the National Palace, just steps away from our hotel. We arrive at 9:30 A.M. but entrance to the Diego Rivera murals doesn't open until 10:00 A.M. We poke into several other nearby museums. A political cartoon exhibition is both interesting and amusing with satirical cartoons of Donald Trump, Kim Jong-un and Netanyahu.

Trump and Kim Jong-up

Michel Michka Political Cartoonist

When we exit the line for the Diego Rivera mural is long so we head to the art gallery across the narrow street. We have this free museum to ourselves and motion lights switch on as we enter each gallery. There is a guard within each gallery and Art comments that it must be a government work program to keep people employed. Again when we exit the line for the Diego Rivera mural is still long so we walk in the direction of the Palacio Bella Arts in search the Franz Meyer Decorative Arts museum. It is tucked inside an unimpressive courtyard but the temporary Neo-Baroque exhibit is excellent and leaves us wanting more.

Exterior of the Franz Meyer Museum

Exhibit, Franz Meyer Museum

Most of the national museums are free and as seniors, the private museums offer discounted admission for seniors. I feel like a senior today with my legs still burning from pyramid climbing and my injured knee. Art steps into the men’s restroom and I rest on a bench nearby to wait. Suddenly two pretty young women wearing stylish museum uniforms with knee length skirts and high heels approach me and motion me to come with them quickly. I recognize the word “drill” and “not to worry” but they are insistent that I follow them outside to a breezeway and into a covered parking garage. I fumble for the word “esposo” and point to the restroom worried that Art will think that I have been abducted. A large dot with 4 arrows is painted on the garage pavement and they position me on the center dot as two dozen others are escorted to the “safety zone.” Gratefully, Art is among the others being corralled and within a few minutes the drill is over and we return to the museum.

Safety drill at the Franz Meyer Museum

The safest spot!

Since our taxi driver to the Condessa passed us counterfeit money, we have been enjoying the magic of Uber. Art enters our next destination as the Museo Tamayo and within minutes our Uber magically arrives to transport us to the park bordering the museum. We head straight for the museum café and Art orders the salmon and I order succulently marinated duck tacos. As usual, we share. The modern architecture of the museum is striking and the main exhibit is work by German Venegas. I try to find merit in his work but it’s a struggle. This is the Tamayo Museum but there are only a few paintings by him. The modern art museum across the park and is excellent and we spend two hours wandering the four wings. Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, David Siqueiros and Ricardo Martinez are just a few of the artists represented here.

German Venegas

Paintings by Diego Rivera

Frida Kahlo

David Alfaro Siqueiros

We decide to give the Opera Café a second chance for dinner tonight. The interior could be out of a movie set and their claim to fame seems to be that Poncho Villa rode into it on horseback and shot bullet holes in the ceiling. We watch nearly every customer crane their necks scanning for bullet holes on the baroque ceiling. The ornate carved wood and mirrored antique bar stretches the length of one wall. We enjoy tonight’s dinner but much might be attributed to the liter of fruit filled Sangria that Art orders expecting me to share it. It tastes like fruit punch poured over fruit cocktail and I order red wine. We linger some time listening to the mariachi music and enjoying the old world ambience and each other’s company. Although the food is good, we are getting tired of Mexican fare and take two of my four Chile Verde enchiladas to go with the intention of passing them to one of the many less fortunate who ask for a few pesos. We are less than a block away when a man approaches indicating that he is hungry and we hand him the well wrapped to go box and then worry that we have forgotten to ask the restaurant for silverware.

Opera Cafe

Thursday, February 21st,

We are looking forward to the day and have the perfect start at the National Palace. Yesterday the line for entry to the Diego Rivera Murals was long and we decided to try another day but this morning we arrive at 9:50 and there are only 30 people waiting. We chat with a couple of Chinese American tourists who are foodies and reside in Albuquerque New Mexico. They share foodie tips with us and their tips will influence our next couple of days. Entry to the National Palace is free but one must show ID and go through a security check. Security holds Art’s ID and we hurry into the palatial courtyard and towards the staircase with the murals. The Diego Rivera murals are impressive and we take our time trying to understand the historical characters and time periods of the various murals.

Diego Rivera Mural - The History of Mexico at the National Palace

Diego Rivera Murals - The National Palace

Diego Rivera Mural

Diego Rivera Mural - The Grand Tenochtitlan at the National Palace

There is a small gallery off the upstairs courtyard balcony with a few choice works from the period. We wish that we could spend more time here overall but we have an 11:30 A.M. entry to the Frida Kahlo Museum so we tear ourselves away and fast walk back to our hotel where Art calls for an UBER and within minutes we are magically transported to the Coyoacan district and to Frida’s Blue house. Although this is nothing like the Anne Frank House, the hype feels the same. One must purchase tickets in advance or suffer a 2-3 hour wait in line. The timed ticket line wraps around the corner and we insert ourselves time appropriately into the line. 20 minutes later we are granted entry and emerge into the lush courtyard of Frida’s Blue House. Initially, Art and I are unimpressed but we soon navigate towards a few rooms displaying Frida’s wardrobe, recently discovered and on display. Art whispers to me that I already dress like Frida and I feel flattered and vow to do a better job of putting myself together. This was her home and painting studio. Her wheelchair sits in a light filled second floor room beside an easel along with an array of paints and brushes. I am gaining a new appreciation for her work. Prior to this visit, it was Diego who I most admired but her prolific work on display in various small gallery rooms are moving and impressive. I am voraciously taking pictures when a guard stops me and inquires if I have a “photo permission sticker?” I tuck my phone away but return to the entrance to purchase a 30 peso sticker and I return to take photos.

Courtyard

Line to enter Frida's Blue House Museum

Frida's wardrobe on display

Marty beside a photograph of Frida

Title- Marxism will give health to the sick

Frida's painting studio

Frida's easel, wheelchair and paints

Hungry, Art map quests a local restaurant just a few blocks away. The restaurant is packed with locals and offers only set lunch menus for 85 pesos or about $6.00 each. The waitress brings us a large pitcher of Jamaica juice and gives us a form and pencil. We are to write down our choices from the set menu. Art pencils in our order and minutes later soups and salads arrive followed shortly by two different styles of taquitos. A strange dessert completes the ample meal and we ask to take the leftovers to go. Within minutes of leaving the restaurant, we pass the box off to a young man motioning to his belly in what we presume is a request for money or food.

Prix Fix Menu

Restaurant Terminal

The day has been perfect so far but I insist that we go from here to Xochimilico, the floating gardens where we will take a gondola boat along the canals. Art is not much interested but I am insistent. We take another UBER and are deposited at the boat dock. It is after 3:00 P.M. and the guide book tells us that the boats are 500 pesos an hour regardless of how many people are onboard and that we should find another party to share the boat. The boat launch is virtually empty except for a row of colorful boats and many bored gondola pole pushers and their “pimp.” We immediately run into a problem.

Xochimilico Gondolas

Xochimilico Goose

There is one boat master in charge of filling the vacant boats and he sees Art and me walk in alone. We scan the boat launch for other passengers who we might join and there are none. The gondolas hold over 20 passengers each and it is not so much a matter of economics as it is of pleasure. We would rather enjoy this boat trip with company. Art spots a Hispanic family and approaches them. In Art’s best Spanish he asks if they might like to share a boat? Eddie, a man in his mid 40’s who speaks perfect English is from Guatemala and he is delighted with the prospect of us joining his family of four. We will share the expense and bring along some beer. I scurry off to try to find both beer and a bottle of wine in anticipation of a delightful cruise along the canals with new and interesting friends. The dock side concessions have no wine but I buy beer plus a couple of canned mixed alcoholic drinks and return to our Guatemala friends only to find that the dock master will not allow us to share their boat because we are not a part of their family. We offer to pay full price to join their boat but he will not budge on his policy. Another larger group of Canadians and Americans have arrived and we try to piggy back with them. The dock master “Pimp” stands his ground and it is not until the woman who has pre- arranged their trip for 15 people calls the travel agent that we are allowed to join their group but we must pay the $750 pesos additional for the hour and a half boat ride. Art thrusts the money at the dock master and we board the gondola with this large family wedding party.

We share the gondola with a wedding party

Our gondola poler

Local boatman

Canals

Initially, we enjoy the company of this multi-cultural family until one member, an American bore, purposely moves himself to our end of the gondola table and decides to make Art and me his best friends. I surmise that the rest of his family is relieved that we have now taken on the burden of entertaining him and I watch Art visibly withdraw as the man spouts on and on. Although this experience might be fun with a group of likeminded friends, we spend an uncomfortable hour and a half simply wanting the trip to end.

The return UBER ride back to our hotel takes about an hour. At about 7:00 P.M. we dress and decide to to walk to restaurant Limosneros, recommended by the couple we met waiting in line for the National Palace. I tell Art we have little chance of getting a table but it is before 8:00 P.M. when we arrive and we are fortunate to be seated. The range of our meals in Mexico City has been all over the place and its’ time for us to enjoy a good meal. I suggest that Art orders the 7 course Prix Fix dinner along with wine pairing. I will order the sea bass entree and he can pass me tastes of his various courses. Although some of his courses are stellar, several are quite ordinary and even my sea bass is not exceptional. (We do not order the Pueblo beetle or ant egg appetizers.) We have an enjoyable evening and our bill with drinks and tip is less than $120 U.S. dollars. These meals with wine parings would have cost over $300 in California.