Domingo Divertido

We were sad that our travel mates had left, but we’re glad they got safely home and we made use of our extra day in Mexico City. It was our very own Sunday Funday and it was just us as old roomies again.

After breakfast, we Uber-ed to Chapultepec Park and walked up to Chapultepec Castle. Chapultepec means “on the hill of the grasshopper”. The castle has served as a military academy, imperial and presidential residence, and now it’s the National Museum of History. It was also used a lot for filming Romeo + Juliet with Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes - I was obsessed with that movie’s soundtrack.

Here are some photos of our visit:







The ceiling at the entrance:



Of course some murals…Juan O’Gormans’ “Retablo de la Independencia”:



Orozco’s “La Reforma y la caída del Imperio”:



O’Gorman’s “Sufragio efectivo - No reelección”:



Some views from the hilltop:





You can see the Coat of Arms all over which is on the Mexican flag, the carriage, stained glass, and statue. The eagle represents the Aztec Sun God and the snake symbolizes wisdom perched on a prickly pear cactus signifying the island of Tenochtitlan. The European Catholics later adopted this symbol as the triumph of good over evil and for their missionary purposes.







There are statues and a separate monument to 6 military cadets who died during the Battle of Chapultepec, one of the last Mexico-American War battles in 1847. It’s called Niño Héroes and it’s also a holiday on September 13th. Behind the Monument version, you can see the Ritz-Carlton which we almost stayed in:





We then meandered down the hill and through the Sunday park crowds to the Museum of Modern Art which was free on Sundays - for the win!

Here, our main goal was to see “The Two Fridas”. It was the first large-scale painting by Kahlo as she often painted smaller canvasses while lying on her bed. It’s notable as a double self-portrait depicting both European and traditional Mexican dress and sensibilities.

We were surprised that we saw it right away and near the temporary exhibits, but in walking around it appeared they were renovating the permanent collection rooms. But of course they had to have the Two Fridas easily accessible.





Also here was a large painting by Rufino Tamayo and the local contemporary art museum is named after him. He too was a muralist but his artwork was not as political as the Three Greats (Rivera, Orozco, & Siqueiros).



And then this sculpture out front depicting the grasshopper on the hill, and possibly the grasshoppers we ate last night:



We then Uber-ed across town to Los Cocuyos - a taco place that came up on several blogs and was packed. We washed down tacos with some Mexican coke, noticeably more delicious here due to the local sugar:



We then walked over to the Original El Moro, a popular churrería chain. We didn’t realize it was the original, but was just looking for the closest:





With churros in hand, we walked to the Templo Mayor just north of Zócalo. Translated as the “Main Temple”, it was the capital of Tenochtitlan which is now Mexico City.

The temple was dedicated to the god of war and the god of rain and agriculture, built sometime after 1325 and rebuilt 6 times. Ultimately, it was destroyed by the Spanish and the Cathedral was built. What was also interesting was it was only discovered in 1978, accidentally by some energy company workers. Here’s a model:



And the ruins with the Cathedral behind us:









A sacred tree:



Next to the ruins is a very impressive museum which we walked through:





Then we strolled down the shopping arcades west of Zócalo and through Alameda Central park where we enjoyed people-watching clowns, ballroom dancers, and skaters to name a few:





It was fitting we walked through this park as we were headed to the Museo Mural Diego Rivera which houses “Sueño de una tarde dominical en la Alameda Central” or “Dream of a Sunday Afternoon at Alameda Central Park”. Coincidentally, we were here on a Sunday afternoon and the museum was free - for the win!

This mural is over 50 feet wide depicting the various socioeconomic divisions, painted between 1946 and 1947. Commissioned for the Versailles Restaurant of the Hotel Del Prado which was across the street, it was moved after the 1985 earthquake destroyed the hotel.



Here’s Frida Kahlo holding a yin-yang symbol behind a young Rivera holding hands with La Catrina, a skeleton image first created by José Guadalupe Pousada. This is a national symbol and associated with the Day of the Dead. Pousada himself is holding arms with the skeleton and he was admired greatly by Rivera.



Here’s Cortés with blood on his hands:



Above the angel is dictatorial president Porfirio Diaz:



A young Rivera eating a torta surrounded by his daughters Ruth and Guadalupe Rivera Marin and their mother Guadalupe Marin, the second of his four wives (Frida was his third):



Some panoramas - one starting left to right and one right to left. The Apple panorama feature can only handle just under 50 feet as I learned:





The painting very much reminds me of George Seurat’s “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte”. The small museum also had a colorful Sacred Sugars exhibit.

Leaving the museum, it was clear that others were having a Sunday Funday with folks drinking, eating, and playing chess. While waiting for our Uber to dinner, I took this photo of the Republic Fountain and a memorial arch known as the Monument to the Revolution:



I had made reservations at Contramar which came highly recommended and Anne had watched a show where Eva Longoria had eaten here. There were lots of Americans and large groups, but our tuna tostados, aguachiles, and fish with herbs and adobo rubs were just outstanding. We finished with a banana tart:



Our friends would be proud, because after dinner we took a dip in the heated pool and enjoyed the sauna and steam rooms. Look at the Mexican moon!





What a Sunday Funday, or Domingo Divertido while soaking in history, archaeology, and art - a classic CDMX day!

Hang Loose

Most folks know the shaka sign widely used in Hawaii and amongst surfers which means to "hang loose". Indeed, we are hanging loose by balancing the work and play here as we co-work, nail video calls, and get creative in meeting our east coast obligations. All the while our wonderful co-hosts have been feeding and taking good care of us. A photo of our breakfast sandwich this morning:



After finishing with work that ends around 11 am, we usually laze, nap, and hang out. And most importantly, we eat! Here’s our lunch of kimbap or Korean vegetable rolls:



After some light errands, we headed north to Nu’uanu Pali lookout which is a Hawaiian state park. The local parking attendant said we must be locals, because no foreigners bring dogs. Again we are feeling kaimana and benefited from free parking. Check out the beautiful view of the north which reminded me of scenes from the popular show Lost:



We then drove to the Valley of Temples which our co-hosts had never visited. So it was fun to think that they are getting to sight-see for the first time with us. The Valley of Temples has various religions represented and is a famous Hawaiian cemetery. You could see the differences between how the Catholics, the Japanese, Chinese, and other ethnic groups honor the decease.

As we were entering the Byodo-In temple, the attendant again asked if we had a residence here on island. I said our friend bought a place and he said if I knew the neighborhood, and then noted "it better not be Waikiki". I answered "on the border of Ala Moana and Kaka’ako" and then he asked me to spell Kaka’ako and I nailed it. Michael, the attendant, then charged us the kaimana rate. For the win! Our co-host quizzing us on local facts has finally come through for us even though I pretend not to listen and tease him! We've been listening and learning so much.

We enjoyed the lovely Byodo-In Temple and took some nice photos:





The temple houses the Amida Buddha and here's a view out:





There were many animals around the temple including a black swan:





And of course Baro:



We also enjoyed fresh fruit juices like sugarcane, guava, mango, and similar to passion fruit, a fruit called Lilikoi:



Afterwards we ran errands and checked out Daiso, a Japanese 99¢ store. We then headed home and our co-hosts made Korean barbecue which we washed down with chummy soju:



As folks were cleaning up, I actually fell asleep and was out cold. The remainder of Team Musubi enjoyed cake and ice cream and laughed the night away.

I guess I was too tired from all the shaka signing and hanging loose. This was particularly harder for me as I slammed my thumb between a door and concrete wall in the parking garage yesterday. It’s very swollen and bruised, but we’re all still hanging loose!