La Turista and Pyramids

I've been out of commission for blogging due to the combination of low level food poisoning, my "female gift", a migraine and some intense sunburn. In spite of my fluctuating icky mood we have been able to get out into the city and do some things over the past few days. A brief run down:

Wednesday: Ry drank espresso at Tuesday's dinner and was up half the night, so we decided to postpone Teotihuacan for another day. We returned to Coyoacan to visit the Frida Kahlo Museum located in her famous Casa Azul. Not much actual art there but very interesting artifacts, photos and writings from Frida and Diego's life together. We walked through the neighborhood again and headed toward another nearby, San Angel, where we visited a wholesale flower market.


Outside the Kahlo's Casa Azul, no pictures were allowed inside regretably.


Sopa Azteca.


Tacos Al Pastor.


Outside a tiny old yellow church in a Coyoacan neighborhood.










Everything is prettier in Coyoacan.

In the evening we met another former student, Henory, at a bar in a trendy hotel called Condesa DF. Henory brought us several homemade Mexican toys as a present. The one I enjoyed the most was a colorful, wooden giraffe on a platform that bends down when you press a little button at the bottom. We traveled together to a mezcaleria, a bar that specializes in serving different types of mezcal. Mezcal is similar to tequila, but less refined. It's more of a commoner's drink that has a smoky flavor. This bar, however, had a million varieties each with their own characteristics and flavors. We sat in the tiny bar, which was really more of a hole in the wall (literally) with a big open door facing out. This place was low-key but clearly very trendy. There were plenty of mulleted or braided rat-tailed, fresa (rich kid) hipsters present. All the tables were full so we had to share one with this peculiar man wearing a huge new-age crystal necklace, a Cancun wife-beater tank who was reading a book about self-hypnosis for mind control. He was formerly American but seemed to have grown up everywhere. He spoke in a strange mixed international accent and explained to us all about how mind control is the future.

Thursday: Needless to say, we were up late drinking shots of mezcal, so again we did not make it to the pyramids. We decided to visit the National Anthropology Museum in a huge city park called Chapultapec, or hill of the grasshoppers. We focused mainly on the Aztec portion of the museum, though there were areas that focused on all of the unique cultures of Mexico. Mid-way through our visit the power went out in the entire museum, so we all sat out in the beautiful central courtyard until it came back on. While we were waiting a small rainstorm hit that cooled things off and made everything a bit more pleasant. After we made it through the Aztec region I started to feel sick, so we headed home in a taxi. Our taxi drove us a long way down the Paseo de la Reforma, a huge boulevard thoroughfare modeled after the Champs d'Elysee with lovely statues and monuments. We had the driver drop us off at the Alameda, a Spanish-era city park with fountains, food carts and performers. We stopped at a small restaurant that sold tortas (sandwiches) for a quick supper. On the way home from the museum I had started out with a little stomach sickness but by the time we left the restaurant I was cold, shaky and dizzy. We made it home and I plopped into bed for the next four hours. I was up many times during the night taking my temperature and trying to find a position comfortable enough to sleep in with my massive migraine. The long and short of it is that la turista sucks. I'm not sure what I ate that was bad, but I guess I'll have to be more careful next time.


I have much love for street quesadillas.


Handpressed masa flour made into fresh tortillas.


A view of the streets near the Zocalo.


A cheeky organ grinder.


Kissing a namesake grasshopper statue in Chapultapec park.


National Anthropology museum with Aztec statue and skyscrapers.


Beautiful purple jacaranda trees in bloom.


Ry is happy about his mangos with lime and chili powder.


We realize they are too-chilied out for him. Rare.


Monument in the Alameda.


Fountain in the Alameda.


Artful graffiti outside the Beaux Arts building.


I wanta Fanta in a glass bottle here!


The nail in my intestinal coffin: al pastor torta.

Today: We finally made it on a bus to see the pyramids at Teotihuacan! They were well-preserved and wonderful. We climbed up both the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon and traversed the Avenue of the Dead. After our time at the monument we walked outside the park to a little tourist restaurant called Techinanco, where I enjoyed Sopa Azteca and Carne Asada. Ry had Huitlacoche Mole, which he says was the most awesome thing he's eaten during our entire trip. We lived up to our gringo expectations of getting embarrassingly sunburned. I have a wicked farmer's burn; Ry says it looks like I'm wearing a "skin shirt".


Just arrived at Teotihuacan, along the Avenue of the Dead.


Pyramid of the Sun from a distance. We took the handicap trail so as to avoid many people and the annoying vendors selling big cat growl whistles.


Nopales buds.


People look like ants crawling up the Pyramid of the Sun.




On top of it, looking at the Pyramid of the Moon.


Me looking out.


My beautiful man.


Feet!


Remains of a puma fresco.


Looking at the Pyramid of the Moon.




Atop the Pyramid of the Moon with rainshower off in the distance.


Looking back to the coutryside.


Climbing down. This thing was not made for short people. Some of the steps were up to my knees.


Aww shucks, we're beautiful.


Maguey or Centennial Plant. Huge! Mezcal is made from these.


Advertisement for a banquet hall. I love handpainted signs.


Awesome tourist restaurant where we ate lunch.


Little garden outside the restaurant.


Masks on the wall of the restaurant. My favorite is the one with the dog hat.


Lobster man. Beckie, if you ever wonder if your son Ryan is a strange, strange man. Here's your answer.


But don't worry, he's found a good partner. Me showing off my "skin shirt" burn.

Exciting news: We got word from our realtor yesterday that the bank has accepted our short sale contract. So, if all goes well we'll close on April 23rd and be homeowners within two weeks. Crazy how something that was moving at molasses pace has now picked up into some quick, quick business.

We leave tomorrow afternoon. We're going to bum around the city and finish up a few last odds and ends before heading to the airport. See you all soon!