Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Mexico City - The Adventure Continues


Yesterday I went to the Frida Kahlo museum where she and Diego lived. I took the metro / subway from the Zocalo there at a cost 2 pesos (that's 20 cents folks) if you check the map it is a long way I started on the number 2 line Zocalo and I got off at the Viveros station on the Number 3 line . The subway was very easy to navigate and there are maps in each station. The trip involved changing trains 3 times each way and it was very easy even for people like me with no sense of direction. I only messed up twice and both were easy fixes. There are many signs pointing the way to the other platforms. In one of the stations they have unearthed some Aztec ruins which are displayed. The trains are great and so are the people (all 1.4 million of them who were on the same time as I was) as far as I could tell I was the only non Mexican on any of the trains I took but folks didn't seem to mind got lots of smiles and nods and a few seat offers. Vendors who sell bootlegged CD's get on at every station, they have backpacks on that have speakers inside and they play (very loudly) samples of the songs from the CD's which cost $10 pesos, lots of people buying. When we pulled up to a station the vendors turned it off and looked around for the police so I'm assuming they are not suppose to be doing it.

It is a bit of a walk from the subway station to the Frida house it takes about 20 minutes. The cost to enter the museum is $55 pesos and no pictures are allowed (except in the court yard area). I did get lost several times trying to get there, ahh if only I had some sense of direction, so it took me over an hour to find it even with my handy map. It was well worth the trip lots of cool stuff, the house has been preserved pretty much as it was left when Frida died. Lots of photographs of them together so a different perspective.

In the park by the Palacio Bella De Artes I found the Museo Mural Diego Rivera that has a mural by Diego Rivera that was originally on the wall of the Hotel Prado which was destroyed in an earthquake in 1985. They also have a part of one on display that did not survive, the picture didn't turn out very well do to bad lighting but you can see bits of it. The back of it is totally charred from the fire after the quake The cost to get in is $15 pesos an extra 5 pesos if you want to take pictures. No Flash allowed.

If you are in Mexico City there is a museum for just about everything so no matter what your tastes may be you can find it.

I did run into a protest on my travels today not really sure what it is about, something about saving lives. They took up the entire street, a little bit of a surprise but as they had police escorts I figured it was safe.

Life at the hostel is great, we had some live music the other night a 3 piece band. I have met a ton of people here. The sisters from Argentina, my rasta roomie from Spain, and the one from Germany (I think, we nod & smile a lot), the women from Denmark, the guy from Columbia, a bunch more from Argentina this seems to be a popular place, the couple from Victoria, some Brits and some Aussies. A great mix of very nice people. The staff here at Moneda have been great very helpful.. And best of all there is lots of hot water and great water pressure. While on the subject of people a shameless plug for my Web Site a free International People search site Lost Trekkers

All in all Mexico City has exceeded my expectations and I highly recommend that you put it on your travel list. They have the cleanest streets I have ever seen, everywhere there are city workers sweeping day and night. You can't even see a smoke butt anywhere. I will not miss the organ grinders, horrible music and they want you to pay for it. Like nails on a chalk board.

Next stop Veracruz on the Carri bean tomorrow.. Now I am off for one last stop at the bakery.

Aztec Ruins In The Subway Station (yup real ones)



Diego Mural That Did Not Survive The Quake



Street That I Live On (National Palace on the right - I'm in the building on the left beside the pink one)



Live Entertainment at Hostel Moneda

View From Deck Of Hostel

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