FInal Days

Ok, so I'm not sure this counts since I'm back in ridiculously hot Phoenix (107 today) writing this final post, but I couldn't leave pictures from my final weekend off the blog.

Friday, I took a stroll through Chapultepec Park, visiting the Castillo de Chapultepec (Chapultepec Castle), current home of the Mexican History Museum and where legend has it six young soldiers plunged to their death voluntary rather than surrendering to the United States during the U.S.-Mexico conflict (known simultaneously depending on who you ask as the Mexican-American War, the North American Invasion, or the War of North American Aggression). The mural at the Castle and the monument to these 6 niños heroes (heroic boys) are striking, the Castle beautiful.


(Castle, up close)


(gorgeous black and white tiles of marble surrounding entire Castle)


(interior courtyard at the Castle)


(interior walkway)


(ceiling mural, one of the niños heroes)


(monument to the 6 niños heroes, Castle faintly in background perched atop a hill)

On Saturday, I ventured to Teotihuacan, an old settlement in the state of Hidalgo that reached its height in the first several centuries, C.E. The Temple of the Sun (Templo del Sol) was finished around 100 C.E. and took over 300 years to build. Yes, as the photo shows, it's HUGE! Almost 200 feet tall and 700 feet on each side.

The complex of ruins is both impressive and massive and speaks to the large population scholars think populated the area (with estimates of up to 250,000). The city itself covered an area about 11 square miles. and from the northernmost end of the site, the Temple of the Moon (Templo de La Luna) to the southernmost, it's about 4km.

The photos hardly do it justice, but here's a sampling of them.


(Temple of Sun & Temple of Moon, from a distance)


(Temple of the Sun)


(an interior courtyard in the ruins, Palacio de Quetzalpapalotl)


(contemplative view from the Templo de la Luna)


(well preserved carvings from the site)


I spent Sunday afternoon at the Anthropology Museum (Museo de la Antropología), which is quite possibly one of the richest collections of ceramics and other artifacts from ancient cultures in Mexico. For those who have been to the Smithsonian museums in DC, this holds a larger and more varied collection. You could spend days in this museum. Below are a few selected photographs.

(courtyard of the museum, with exhibitions along both sides and behind spot where photo was taken)

(ceremonial and religious items from central Mexico...I think)

(ceramics from Oaxaca)

Then, in my final farewell, I saw the astonishing performance (no, I'm not being overly extravagant here!) of the Mexican folkloric ballet. Live mariachis, unbelievable costumes, and and an interactive show. A great way to end the trip...





Final reflective thoughts on the trip to come...

Back from the Dead (& Happy Birthday)

I have (mostly) recuperated from my illness and am at about 85% now, which is well enough to enjoy some sightseeing during my last weekend here. I can't believe how time flies. Seems like just the other day when I landed and got settled...

Some quick updates:
Threw a going away feast for myself here at the apartment last night. Really, it was more of a thank you to the kind friends who had taken me along for last weekend's rock climbing adventure. Had a lovely, albeit late evening. They seemed to enjoy the cauliflower tofu curry dish I made, although the highlight of the dinner was Mayte's homemade flan.




(for those following the blog, the two new faces on the left are Franco and Mayte, proud parents of soon-to-be eight-year-old Paco--fast asleep at this late hour. Leticia was supposed to come but she couldn't get out of work to make it.)

As for weekend plans, I am hoping to make it to the Bosque de Chapultepec (esp. the Museo de Antropología) & Teotihuacan (home of two large Aztec pyramids), while making sure I sneak in the US-Brazil final of the Confederations Cup on Sunday--would highly encourage this for all soccer and non-soccer fans alike.

And last (but certainly not least), warm birthday wishes to my Mom and brother who are each celebrating a birthday today! Talk to both of you tonight.

Mexican bacteria 1, me 0

Felt ok Monday morning after I got up, besides being extremely sore from the rock climbing. Had breakfast plans with Profesor Eutiquio Cruz, a retired teacher who I had met on Thursday morning while having breakfast. He took me to a place that he liked which served chilaquiles, fried corn tortillas cooked in a red or green chile salsa served with sour cream. As he had promised, they were tasty. And despite my protests, he paid for my breakfast. We exchanged contact info, and I told him next time I made it to the city, I would get in touch with him.

From there, it was a short walk to the Biblioteca Manuel Lerdo de Tejada, where I had been doing research much of last week. I requested materials after catching up with emails, etc. However, after about an hour, something didn’t seem quite right. I was freezing. I had never remembered the library as being very cold. Fairly soon thereafter, my stomach just didn’t seem settled. By about 1:30pm, I decided it might be best to call it a day early. And I definitely made the right decision. Stopped by the grocery store on the way home to buy some bread and toilet paper, two essentials for what I knew was about to happen. (For those of you with weak stomachs, you may want to stop here)

Made it back to the apartment and spent the rest of the day writhing around in bed and on the toilet. Had a high fever, chills, cramping, etc., etc. It was pretty awful. The Let’s Go guide describes it aptly: “Scientifically speaking, turista is a temporary reaction to bacteria in new food ingredients. In plain speak, turista will blow your bowels inside out.” I can only remember ever being that sick on a road trip for soccer during college.

I seem to be doing much better today, thanks in part to Nancy and Sonia (who lives in the building and is in charge of the upkeep). Nancy went out and bought me a sack full of food and drink items to help ease the pain and keep my energy up. Sonia stopped by last night to deliver them. She also brought me the equivalent of Aleve to help hold my fever down. It finally broke around 9pm last night. I didn’t sleep really well last night, but I do think the worst has passed. I have been able to eat some today and continue trying to stay as hydrated as possible. Will definitely be eating bland foods for the next several days though. Pasta, bread, etc. No more spicy, food stand or vendor items.

Although I remain unsure as to the exact cause of the sickness, I have a hunch it was Sunday morning’s breakfast to go. Certainly tasted good, but I never saw where it came from or how it was prepared. Bad idea… Nancy swears it must have been the chilaquiles on Monday morning. I will probably never know, but I will have to stay away from spicy food for the next several days. More cooking in the apartment.

Needless to say, research has been put on hold at least until tomorrow…

No pics on this post...for your sake.

Real del Monte

(from left to right: Carmen, Fernando, Gabriel, Leticia, me)

Another weekend of outdoors activities a couple of hours outside of Mexico City. This time, it was rock climbing and hiking at Penas Cargadas, an ecological preserve located about 90 km northeast of the city. On the way there, we stopped at a roadside tent for a large breakfast of barbacoa (barbecue) tacos and consommé—the perfect pre-climbing, energy-rich feast. Wish I would have had my camera. Picture: huge hunks of barbecue that hardly fit into the blue corn tortillas, garnished with a spicy salsa.

Real del Monte is a colonial town with stone streets, red roofs, and brightly colored buildings. And from the moment we stepped out of the car, you could tell it was a very tranquil place. Things just moved at a much slower place. We stopped for a quick walk through town to pick up supplies for our night of camping. Most important were the pastes, or pasties, for those of you more familiar with their English spelling. I think the best way to describe them is empanadas with a variety of salty and sweet fillings. If you’re still not sure what an empanada is, then take a look at the pic below. Also important with regard to supplies were water and beer.

Once we got to Penas Cargadas, a short 10-minute ride from town, we set up the tents and made out way over to Cerrote, the 30m tall basalt rock we were going to climb. For most of the process of setting up the route, I was simply a bystander. I watched Fernando climb up and connect all the clips/clamps (truly, I don’t know their name) and the rope. Once the route was secured, he repelled down and Gabriel was the first to go up. They both made it look very easy. Leticia went after them, and she too did well. Then, it was my turn. I was definitely the novice of the group. All had been climbing before, except me. I would love to blame my inability to make it up on the first couple of attempts on my clothes, which weren’t ideal, but I think it had more to do with my technique. I tried using Fernando’s climbing shoes (which are supposed to be tight, a size or two too small), but they were a size 7. I am a size 10. Yes, they hurt immensely and ultimately I gave them up for my tennis shoes.

(proof that I actually made it to the top)

(Captions: Fernando showing proper form, me not so much)

After a few failed attempts, I decided to take a quick rest and let Carmen go up. And while she admitted that rock climbing was not her favorite outdoor activity, she too struggled her way up to the top, like the three before her. I decided I’d give it one more go. This time, they helped get me past the first section which was the most difficult. After that, with some help and quite a few rest stops, I made it to the top (although I must admit, I can’t remember my hands, fingers, and forearms hurting more in recently memory). Fernando went up once more for fun and to take down the course and harnesses, after which point we celebrated with beer and pasties.

Went on a hike afterwards and eventually stumbled upon a beautiful overlook, from which you could see for 20-30 miles. I didn’t have my camera on this part of the hike but I’ll see if I can get the pics from Carmen. Around 7, we set off for the last hike of the day. It was a steep climb, but well worth it. A beautiful view. Made it back to camp just before dark.

Got a campfire going and roasted marshmallows. Also played dominoes…for high stakes. Losers were responsible for collecting more firewood. Overall, a fun night of hanging out. Went to bed around midnight.

Sunday morning was a leisurely affair. We slept in and weren’t really in a hurry to get going. It being Día del padre (Father’s Day), the reserve started filling up early that morning with families and large groups coming to enjoy the day. In hindsight, we were very lucky to have had such a peaceful day on Saturday. No crowds. Carmen and Leticia decided to try their luck on the park’s zip lines, one of which was almost 1 km long. Fernando and Leticia bought breakfast for all of us, which we took to go. The breakfast was good. Spicy, tasty, and greasy. More to come about this…

(Carmen on the zip line)

Real del Monte was much more crowded on Father’s Day. There was a program with music, a DJ, etc. We explored town while Carmen and Fernando had lunch with Carmen’s cousin and her children who lived there. I bought pasties to bring back for Nancy (when she found out I was going, she put in an order). Got back to Mexico City around 6pm, when I made the requisite phone calls to family for Father’s Day. Exhausted and sore, it was an early night.

A nice place to do research

So, I have spent much of this week at the Biblioteca Manuel Lerdo de Tejada, and if you have to do research for the better part of a day while in Mexico City, you couldn't really find a nicer place. Below are some photos from the outside and the inside. It just reopened in Oct. 2008 after undergoing a significant renovation and you can certainly tell.




I also stopped by the Palacio Nacional (finally) after researching on Tuesday. Better said, this was the fourth time I had passed by the Palacio, having circumnavigated it several times without finding the entrance on previous attempts. To my credit, I don't think it was open to the public on those occasions, which from what I have gathered, that is fairly common. Anyhow, after checking my ID and my temperature (this was a first for me), I entered to see several of Diego Rivera's murals that adorn its interior walls.




Ok, based on my blog, I know you must be wondering if Mexico has anything to offer in the way of art besides murals. The answer is yes, but the murals are simply striking. Rivera worked on these from 1929 to 1952 (I think) and the one that spans the stairwell between the first and second floors on the western side of the building is particularly breathtaking and complicated. In it, he narrates Mexican history from the pre-Conquest into the twentieth century. The other murals depict indigenous life and civilization prior to the Spanish conquest.



Great plans for the weekend with my newly acquired friends from the volcano (see the prior post). We are supposed to go rock climbing, spelunking (in old, non-functioning mines), and then eat some delicious pasties (for all of you in Tempe, or those who have visited, I'll let you know how they compare to the Cornish Pasty Co.).

Look for a lot of new photos next week.

The much anticipated soccer debut...

My much anticipated soccer debut did not happen. I showed up at the time the game was supposed to begin, but I did not find either the team or the coach...unless they picked up an entirely new set of players between late last week and this one. A bit disappointing. So, in lieu of the game, I decided to run a couple of miles at the park. My first run in Mexico City, which I think would have gone a little better had I not eaten within an hour and a half of running. Anyhow, it was nice to get back out running again and I think I will make it will part of my schedule in the afternoons/early evenings.

More pictures to come from the Palacio Nacional and the Biblitoeca Manuel Lerdo de Tejada....

A Weekend of Diversion (and Sun)

Was on the move this weekend. By a little before noon on Saturday, I arrived at Amecameca, the the nearest city to the (still active) volcanoes Popocatépetl and Ixtaccíhuatl. Amecameca lies about and hour and a half southeast of Mexico City, minus traffic, although it took almost 3 hrs. to get there yesterday.

(top: Popo, bottom: Ixta)

My plan for the day was to escape the crowds and go for a nice hike. Seemed easy enough based on the Let's Go Mexico guidebook. I would take a bus to Amecameca, then take a combi or colectiva (shared taxi) to the volcanoes for 5 pesos. What it didn't say was that the volcanoes (and more specifically the start of the hiking trail, La Joya, that reached the top) was a good 20 km away. It also failed to mention that Sunday's were busy days for tourists. Saturdays, not so much. I say this because colectivas or combis that are not filled with people going to the same place you are turn into taxis--exactly what I had hoped to avoid. Anyhow, after some bargaining, I wrangled a colectiva driver to be my chauffer for the day. He took me to the beginning of the hiking trail and waited for me there the better part of the afternoon while I began what turned out to be a relatively strenuous hike toward to summit of Popo at 5,400 meters.



No, I did not make the summit, nor did I have any intention to do so, but the views were gorgeous and day was spectacular. The air was crisp and clean--a nice change from Mexico City--and the urge to keep going to see how much better the view would get pushed me further up the trail. I made it to the the second portillo (essentially a lookout) within about an hour and a half of steady climbing. There, I met Mayte, Leticia, and Paco, who were resting and waiting on the rest of their party to descend. Franco, Gabriel, Carmen (and one other friend whose name I dont remember) had set out on a training hike around 11am that would take them to a point near the summit and back down again that afternoon. After chatting for a while, the four of us decided to go a little farther up the trail until we met them, after which point we would make the descent together.



(This is as close as I got to the top--it's hidden behind the cloud).

Leticia was telling me that they are all volunteers in a group that is prepared to help with rescues, etc. in case of future disasters, esp. in mountainous areas. They all have a passion for hiking and climbing, and they get together most weekends to do outdoors activities. Buena gente, as they might say here. In the photo, from left to right are me, Gabriel, Leticia, and Franco (Carmen was taking the picture).



Side note: For anyone interested in visiting and hiking up the volcano, there are albergues (rudimentary sleeping areas--like cabins) that you can stay at for only 20-30 pesos per night near the base of the trail and also quite high up on the mountain (allowing you to make an early morning ascent to the summit). Sleeping bags, food and water are required. The albergue on the volcano is available on a first come first serve basis, so get there early or be prepared to pack your tent. Camping is allowed.

Got back to the parking lot around 5pm, about 1.5 hrs. later than I had originally intended. My driver, Guadalupe, was there waiting for me. I bought him a drink and we set off for Amecameca so that I could return home. Grabbed a quick bite to eat at the Amecameca market (tacos as you can see) before heading back to the apartment here in the city, where I arrived tired and quite suburned after 9pm. Needless to say, I slept well.



Got up this morning and after watching--yes, more soccer--part of the Confederations Cup (Iraq played South Africa to a tie), I went to Xochimilco. Xochimilco is most famous for its pre-Aztec irrigation canal system, which while it used to serve a practical purpose, now caters to families, couples, and tourists who board trajineras (hand-poled, colorful boats) and spend the day drinking and generally enjoying life. Now, you might be thinking Venice based on this description, but it's hardly comparable. The canals here are much smaller, and most of the buildings are offset from the water.



Having gone by myself, I really stuck out during my adventure through the canal. I was the only passenger on a 20+ foot long trajinera travelling through the canal and this definitely brought some attention my way in the form of incredulous looks, smiles, and stares. Apparently, this is not something you do alone (point taken for a return trip). Note to potential future travellers: if travelling by yourself, take the colectiva. You travel the same canals and you see everything you would see from the trajinera, but you stick out less and you pay significantly less too.



Lunch was definitely the highlight of the day. I stumbled upon a regional food festival in the central square at Xochimilco and decided what better place to eat. Yes, even for those of you not conversant or especially literate in Spanish, conejo is rabbit. And it was delish (no, it doesn't taste like chicken)! Cooked on low heat on a grill and (at the stand I chose to eat) basted with a paste of dried Guajillo chiles. It came served with rice, and a cold salad of nopales, onions and tomatoes. I also tried a tamale de conejo which was also tasty.



By late afternoon, I felt even more suburned and just generally tired. Fatigue from yesterday's hike was slow to hit, but is now in full effect. Also, I finally found a reasonably priced sunscreen (much more expensive here in Mexico) and lathered it on. The damage, however, had already been done. I can only hope for limited peeling.

I think that's enough rambling for now. It's way past bedtime even after my 1.5 hr nap this evening.

Vida Diaria (Daily Life)

Yes, even while traveling, we all have those days where we must tidy up the house, wash clothes, etc. Today was one of those days. And while normally this wouldn't merit a post, I think today does. So, in anticipation of the man who walks down the street yelling "gas" (what he sells are containers of natural gas that power stoves and water heaters in the old buildings in the neighborhood), I woke up just after 7 am. He generally comes between 7 and 8 am on the weekdays; however, for unexplained reasons he arrived at 11:15. So, that threw off the general direction of my day to say the least. In the mean time, I decided I should do laundry. Yes, it was definitely time. Yet, as with anything you do for the first time in a new country, there are bound to be some unexpected happenings.




What I didn't include in the shots of the apartment was the ancient laundry machine (as though you couldn't tell just from the color). After trying to use it somewhat unsuccessfully, I called Donya Ana who manages the apartment. She then called the previous tenant, Katia, and called me back. I was on the phone five minutes later with Katia making sure I was doing it correctly. You see how this is going. The good news: washing was a success, although the first load washed for almost two hours! The bad news. The dryer made the machine shake violently. So, it was up to the roof for manual drying, clothespins and all. I, too, thought it picture worthy, as you can tell.


All in all, it was a restful day around here. Made it out to lunch/dinner around 5pm and am now back at the apartment looking forward to a tranquil evening with some reading. Off early tomorrow to El Volcan Popo to do some hiking. Catch back up after the weekend.

The Day of the Quesadilla

Yes, contrary to the trend that seems to be happening on this blog, I actually do more than eat all day. But, I just couldn't resist sending a few more pictures of food. So, about those delicious doughnuts I was raving in the last blog...See for yourself. Yes, I will be having one for dessert and the other two for breakfast.



An interesting fact explained to me by Nancy (my tia, or aunt, here who owns the internet cafe and school supply store next to my building): quesadillas cooked here during the day are made with flour tortillas and are cooked as you or I might have them in the U.S. at most restaurants. An order for a quesadilla would be a flour tortilla filled with cheese. A sincronizada would be a quesadilla filled with ham and cheese (and often something else like avocado--my late lunch/snack today). At night, quesadillas are made with masa, filled, closed then cooked in oil until golden brown. Hungry by about 8pm after a long day of reading at the Instituto Mora, Nancy convinced me to try out the quesadilla stand just around the corner. Mind you, a truck pulls up on the sidewalk and a family sets up shop cooking sopes (open faced tacos with beans, onions, and other toppings you might like) and quesadillas to order...until who knows how late in the evening. But, they've got this down to a science and it seemed a popular spot...hence my wait of about 10 minutes. So, to the real heart of this post. Dinner. I ordered three quesadillas para llevar (to go). The first was filled with beans and cheese, the second with picadillo (pork with tomatoes, onions, and other spices), and the third was chicken guisado (stewed with tomatoes, chiles, and other spices). When she told me the salsa was hot, I told her to lay it on thick. And as an afterthought, I thought a little sour cream would go well on top. If they looked delicious in the photo, you have no idea how wonderful they tasted. I did, however, try to give you some idea.




Other (soccer) news to report: In spite of their win last night, the Mexicans were anything but happy about their performance in the 2-1 win over Trinidad & Tobago. The doom and gloom predictions are in about what it will take for Mexico to qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Also, I will be making my Mexican amateur soccer debut next Wednesday at 7:20 pm in the Parque Alamos in the neighborhood where I live. Although I doubt it will make international news, it might be worth looking at the Thursday edition of the NY Times just to see (and for any Republicans out there who might be reading this, yes, this once you should break out of your comfort zone to check www.nytimes.com). Sí este gringo sabe jugar...

Likewise, I must give credit for my brother's shout out. For some interesting food related info on Costa Rica, check out his most recent post at The Adventures of Wes & Laura.