The Birthday Girl

Back in February, when Alejandro and I celebrated our anniversary at the Cheesecake Factory, we decided then and there that we would bring his sister there for her birthday in April.

Sandra had never been to the Cheesecake Factory before, but had heard good things about it.  It made reservations for us, and in spite of the typically horrendous Mexico City traffic, we arrived ahead of time.

While we waited for our order, we gave Sandra a couple a small gifts that we had bought earlier and put aside for her birthday.  There were a pair of silver filagree earrings and a small lacquerware plate with a butterfly on it.  (Sandra loves butterflies.)

(all photography by Alejandro)

  

We had warned her that the portions were very large.  I suppose that's why she ordered a salad.  She was surprised to see how enormous the salad was.

Then it was time to order dessert.  I did not realize that she is not that fond of cheesecake, but one of her favorites... carrot cake... was on the menu.  I whispered to the waiter to put a candle on it.  He returned with the entire wait staff, and they sang "Las Mañanitas", the traditional Mexican birthday song.

Everyone was very satisfied with their meals, and I suspect that we will return in the future for another family celebration.

Lunch at Liverpool

No, not the city in England, but the Mexican department store chain.

Last weekend Alejandro and I wanted to do some shopping, so we took the Metrobus down Insurgentes Avenue to one of the largest Liverpool stores in the country.

Including the basement, there are five floors of merchandise here.

After we finished our shopping, we decided to have lunch.  The two of us ate once at the downtown Liverpool, and we were quite disappointed with the food and service there.  However, a couple of Christmases ago, I ate at this branch and had a good meal.  However, rather than eat at the restaurant located on the mezzanine, we went up to the top floor.  Most of that floor is taken up by a food hall called  "Experiencia Gourmet".

The "Experiencia Gourmet" includes a very large wine section and a deli counter of imported products.  There are other counters which sell food to eat there.  These include Asian and Italian food, seafood, and Spanish tapas.  You can sit at one of the counters, or you can take a table, and they give you a menu including all the different kinds of food.  That is what we did.

Alejandro ordered a pork sandwich and an Asian bowl of beef, crab and rice.

I had roasted tomato soup and spinach cannelloni.

After finishing and paying for our meals, we went to the other side of the food hall and indulged in some gelato.

I am not saying that our meal was one of our top culinary experiences, but the food was good.  We would eat there again if we are at that Liverpool.  Although the next time, we would sit on the terrace, which we did not even notice at first.

Oscar Winning Film

Last weekend Alejandro and I saw the Brazilian movie "I'm Still Here" ("Aún Estoy Aquí" in Spanish, "Ainda Estou Aqui" in Portuguese).  The movie won numerous awards including an Oscar for Best International Feature Film.  The movie was shown in its original Portuguese with Spanish subtitles.

(image taken from the internet)

The film is based on the true story of Rubens Paiva, a politician who opposed the military coup d'état in 1964.  The dictatorship removed him from his office as congressman, and he returned to his career as a civil engineer.  However, he secretly continued to assist political exiles.  In 1971 he was arrested by police and disappeared.  It was 25 years later that the Brazilian government, once again a democracy, issued a death certificate for Paiva.  He had been murdered at the headquarters of the intelligence agency.

The movie centers around Ruben's wife Eunice.  She was also arrested and spent 12 days in prison where she was interrogated and tortured.  After she is released, her goal was to hold the family together and to discover what happened to her husband.

The film is gripping and is certainly deserving of its Oscar win.  Actress Fernanda Torres who played Eunice is superb.  She won a Golden Globe for best actress in a drama, and received an Oscar nomination.

It should be noted that the U.S. government supported the military dictatorship and the CIA aided the dictatorship's terror campaign against dissidents.   

Turning the Page to April

Regular readers of my blog know that on the first of each month, I show you the picture that I used for that month on the calendar that I have custom-made using photos from my travels.

If you have a very good memory, this picture may look vaguely familiar.  In January I showed you a painting which I had completed , and the calendar photo was the model for my painting.

I wrote at that time that Sayil was a Mayan city in the Yucatan Peninsula that was at its height more than 1000 years ago.  This palace is the most impressive of its remaining ruins.

Music on my Street

Often there are musicians (or perhaps I should say "wanna-be-musicians") who come along my street playing their instrument and hoping for a few pesos from residents and passersby.  They are usually pretty bad and are simply a part of the background noise of the big city.  There are, however, a couple of guys who occasionally show up in the afternoon playing the marimba.  They are very good, and I enjoy hearing them play outside my building.  A while ago, I posted a video of them playing.

Thursday afternoon I was sitting in the office of my apartment working on my blog, when I heard marimba music again.  I looked out the window and saw them right across the street.  Their young companion was with them to collect any donations.  I got up and put a 20 peso bill (about 1 U.S. dollar) in an envelope.  I opened the window and motioned to the kid who was collecting money.  It was a bit breezy outside, and the envelope fluttered down the street.  The kid, however, was able to retrieve it.

Hoping that they would continue playing for a while, I went to grab my camera so I could record their music.

Although my donation was more generous than most, I was not the only person that appreciates their music.  A lady in the building across the street opened her window and threw down a baggie with some coins.  Then I could see two different residents in my building on the floors below me throw some money to them.

I stood by the window for the duration of their mini-concert.  After playing a couple of songs, they smiled and waved at me, and then hauled their marimba down the street to play at another location.

 

After More Than Seven Years

The last major earthquake to hit Mexico City was on September 19th, 2017.  More that seven years later, scars from that tragic event are still visible.

I have previously shown you photos of this government building which was structurally damaged.  Well, it's still there, with no sign of being repaired or demolished.

A barricade has been placed around the building, perhaps to keep squatters from entering and taking up residence, or perhaps to prevent further graffiti on the structure.  Of course the barricade is now covered with graffiti.  I despise graffiti, but what do you expect after sitting abandoned for so many years?

As I was walking through the Condesa neighborhood, I spotted this building.  It probably dates from the 1920s or 30s when the area was developed as an affluent "colonia".  Many homes were built in neo-colonial style.

My first reaction was, "What a lovely, old house.  But it could use some work."  Then I noticed this sign...

"This property is considered 

High Risk.

Entrance is under your own responsibility."

Most likely another victim of the earthquake more than seven years ago.

We're Number Two!

 

Yesterday I wrote about Mexico being ranked as the friendliest country in the world.  Here's another list... Conde Nast Traveler magazine ranked the most beautiful countries in the world.  Now, I don't pay much attention to Conde Nast.  It caters to the upper crust and is too highfalutin for my tastes.  But I was pleased to see that Mexico was ranked as the second most beautiful nation in the world.  The article noted the great variety of landscapes, from deserts to jungles to snow-capped volcanoes and the biodiversity of its flora and fauna.  It mentioned the richness of the country's culture... its festivals, archaeological sites, colonial towns, gastronomy, and handicrafts, and Mexico City, the oldest capital of the Americas.

Here are the top 15 on their list...

  1. Australia

  2, Mexico

  3. Brazil

  4. U.S.A.

  5. China

  6, India

  7. Canada

  8. Indonesia

  9. France

10. Colombia

11. Spain

12. Japan

13. South Africa

14. Thailand

15. Italy

   

The Friendliest Nation

I was listening to the radio at Alejandro's house, and there was a report talking about a survey ranking the friendliest nations in the world.  Mexico was listed as the friendliest out of the 59 countries in the survey.

I later went onto the internet and found the survey which was actually conducted in 2023 by a group called InterNations, an international organization for ex-pats.  More than 12,000 ex-pats representing 171 nationalities responded.  The top five friendly countries were Mexico, Brazil, the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam.

I certainly would not dispute Mexico's ranking.  I really cannot recall any incidents of rudeness toward me by the Mexican people.  The fact that I speak Spanish certainly helps, but I think that anyone who makes the effort to speak just a few phrases of the language will endear themselves to the people.  It is true that many in Mexico City are upset with the "invasion" of digital nomads coming here.  The increased demand for housing has resulted in higher rents in the more desirable neighborhoods.  Quite a few Mexicans have been priced out of their apartments.  (Fortunately, I am not a part of that problem.  The owners of the condo which I rented for many years, sold it to me at a reasonable price.  I did not displace anyone from their home.)  I have seen a couple "Gringo, go home" signs in the neighborhoods of Condesa and Roma where the greatest number of digital nomads have settled, but I have not personally experienced any hostility.  Most Mexicans are not happy about the current state of U.S. politics, but they have always distinguished between the U.S. government and the individual citizens.

The United States was way down on the list at #24.    

I have to say, however, that wherever you travel. if you show respect and kindness it will probably be returned.  France is at #39, and there has long been the stereotype that the Parisians are arrogant and rude.  However, when I was there I found the people generally quite nice and helpful.  I always said "Bonjour" and used the tiny bit of French that I know.  That seemed to do the trick.

The UK is #32, Switzerland is #46 and Norway is #47.  Those low rankings puzzle me.  Granted, I have cousins in those countries which smooths the way.  However, I found the Brits to be very charming.  And I still remember an experience I had in Norway.  I was waiting for the tram in Oslo, and a group of university students started conversing with me.  They were headed for a night at the bars, and they asked me if I wanted to join them.  I thanked them, but said it was time for this old man to go to bed.

 

A Hobbit Wedding

Last Saturday we were invited to a wedding.  The daughter of one of Alejandro's best friends was getting married.  It was a rather unusual wedding.  The bride and groom had chosen "The Hobbit" as the theme for the event, and guests were requested to dress like characters from the book.

Alejandro ordered some peasant style shirts that he had found online.  At the reception we were given some pointy ears to wear.

  

Alejandro with his friend Juan, the father of the bride

The wedding ceremony was held in a chapel in the forested mountains on the far south side of Mexico City.

As you can see, most of the guests enthusiastically embraced the dress code.

After the ceremony we drove to an outdoor party center in the borough of Xochimilco.  We were afraid that it was going to rain, but all we had were a few drops.  Late in the afternoon, the sun came out.

The bride and groom's dance

Preparing to cut the wedding cake

In what I thought was a very lovely touch, the bride wrote a personalized letter to each and every one of the guests.  She is an English teacher, and her letter to me was written in flawless English.

In spite of the unorthodox theme, it was a beautiful and fun day.

Masks

There was another special exhibit that I wanted to see.  This one was at the Franz Mayer Museum which houses the largest collection of decorative arts in Latin America.  The museum is in the former convent and hospital of San Juan de Dios.

The exhibit I wanted to see was of masks that are used in the dances and ceremonies of the indigenous peoples of Mexico.  The masks were selected from a large private collection.  However, I was disappointed.  It was a very small exhibit with around a half dozen display cases tucked away in a corner of the museum.

Anyway, here are photos of some of the masks...

A wooden mask for a "parachico", one of the traditional dancers of the town of Chiapa del Corzo in the state of Chiapas

This mask from the Pame tribe of the state of San Luis Potosí is made, in part, from a tin can.

A death mask from the state of Guerrero

It is made of wood incrusted with plastic to simulate bone.

This mask from the state of Michoacán is called "el Señor del Naranjo" (the Lord of the Orange).  I had no luck trying to find out just what the Lord of the Orange is.

  

A devil mask from the state of Oaxaca

A wooden death mask from the state of Veracruz

Two wooden masks from Guerrero... one of a woman, the other of a mermaid

There was a case filled with miniature masks.

There's that mysterious Lord of the Orange again.

More from the Museum of Popular Art

Here are more items from the current special exhibit at the Museum of Popular Art, an exhibit which focuses on the natural materials used to create these pieces of art.

An alabaster vase with an eagle and serpent motif

Another vase, this one made of onyx

A "molcajete"

Before there were electric blenders, every household had one of these mortar and pestles made from volcanic stone for grinding ingredients.

A "metate"

Before there were shops that mass produced tortillas by machine, every household had one of these stones on which to grind corn.  (Alejandro can remember his mom grinding corn on a "metate".)

A more decorative "metate"

A stone carving of a Mayan wedding

A stone carving of a goat

A basket woven from palm fronds

 

A collection of cotton "huipiles", women's garments that are used among many of the indigenous peoples

Clay pottery from different parts of the country

A carved wooden spoon rack

A hammered copper vessel with figures of doves

They were setting up another exhibit in the ground floor gallery, so I am sure that I will soon return to this delightful museum.