Andre and Wendy: Xochimilco, Coyoacan and Frieda KahloMuseum

Xochimilco and Frida Kahlo museum

11,000 steps, a quiet day today

Today we are going on a tour to visit a few places. Easy pick up as it is just at the palace of Arts which is only about a 15 minute walk from our place.

There are only 6 of us waiting to be picked up, great another small tour. A tour guide shows up and says it is going to be a full bus, I assumed he meant van, but no, a big bus pulls up and it is nearly full, there is one pick up spot before ours. Oh well, we have been spoiled with small groups up to now, will need to remember to look for the word small group when we book any more tours.

First stop is at a silver jewelry spot. Yep, always shopping involved with these trips. I think the silversmith name was Raphael Cordova, he is friends with Leonardo DiCaprio, he is the one who made the necklace “Hearth of the ocean” in the titanic. As well he made the rings in Romeo and Juliet. No purchases made by us, but Andre did take advantage of a free shot of tequila, 9:30AM, I passed.

Next we are off to Xochimilco, which is where you can rent boats for canal rides. There are 5 boat launch spots, with about 200 boats in each launch spot. It was very busy, but we are there early on a Sunday morning, it will be crazy by the afternoon. None of the boats have motors, movement is all done by long pole rowing. It is nice and quite except for all the vendors going by on there boats trying to get you to buy something. You could buy snacks, meals, margaritas, beer, pop, flowers for your hair. Also mariachi bands went by to see if you wanted them to come entertain on your boat. All a crazy touristy thing, but it was still fun.

Next we went to Coyoacan for lunch. We had been to this town last Monday so we knew our way around a little bit. We passed on the lunch place that everyone went to and were off on our own to a little spot for lunch. Excellent pick, super inexpensive and we really didn't feel like eating with our 40 new friends all packed into a restaurant. We weren't the only ones that passed, we were given a time to meet up for a tour of the town.

The tour of the town was not much, the Church, the market and the square, all we had done earlier in the week. But the final thing which we hadn't done was visit Frida Kahlo house/museum. Frida was married to the famous muralist Diego Rivera twice. We didn't know her story very well, but our guide filled us in on the drive, and there was more to read in the museum. It is actually her home which has now been turned into a museum. Some of her paintings are there, and you get to know more about her very interesting life. We had no idea what a hard life she had, from polio as a child, to a terrible traffic accident that she spent a year recovering in hospital and then another year at home getting well. Over 30 surgeries. Quite the life. The visit to the museum requires you to purchase tickets far in advance, they are in high demand.

Next we moved on to visit the University and the amazing artwork at the library. Lots of locals out enjoying a beautiful Sunday afternoon. I thought we would see more artwork, but really just 2 things here. You also catch a glimpse of Diego Riviera work at the entrance to the Olympic field right across the street from the University, but unfortunately it was quite blocked by trees.

Back home after a long really touristy day, stop by the hotel just down the street from us for a 2x1 margarita, then home for supper and our last load of laundry done for here.

Another fun day, one more full day in Mexico City then it is time to move on.

We met our guide behind the Palacio des Arts

So many beautiful churches in the city

The line of bus tour sheep, should have looked for a small group tour

Free shot of tequila with the tour

Google map showing some of the canals and the boats in early morning

We were early morning, I expect mid afternoon on weekend it must be really busy. Many more buses when we left

The mariachi band travel the canal and hope the get jobs

The area is very fertile and produces lots of flowers and food

Each boat has its own name

The U of MC library. All 4 sides are covered a mosaic made of stone

One circle shows the old belief that everything circles around the earth

This creator traveled Mexico to collect stone that would not fade, took him years

Almost went for a shaved ice

At the entrance of the library

the arm is reaching for a book with historically significant dates from Mexican history: 1520 (Spanish conquest), 1810 (the beginnings of independence), the constitution of 1857. 1910 (the beginning of the Mexican Revolution) and 19??.