The Last Ones for This Year

 After we saw the towering "catrina" on the Zócalo the Sunday before last, we thought about having dinner downtown.  Given the enormous crowd on the Zócalo, I figured that all the restaurants would be jammed.  However, Alejandro suggested our favorite place, Testal.  Perhaps it would be far enough from the madhouse on the main plaza that a table would be available.  Indeed, we arrived there, and we were seated immediately.  Not only that, but the hostess informed us that it was the last day that they were serving that masterpiece of Mexican cuisine, "chile en nogada".  I knew that Testal was going to serve the dish which is traditional for Mexican Independence Day (September 16th) well into October, but I did not expect it to still be available on November 1st!

So it was obvious what our choice for the main dish was going to be.  For a starter, Alejandro ordered soup, but I had "fideo seco".  Thin, vermicelli-like noodles are simmered in sauce until the liquid is absorbed.  Testal's version is garnished with cream, avocado slices and covered with a black bean sauce.

It seems that the dish is presented in such a way as to resemble Mexico City's iconic axolotl.

Then came the main course.  

We have had "chile en nogada" in many restaurants.  For a long time our favorite place was a restaurant called Angelopolitano.  But it seemed to us that their "chiles" were not as good as before, and the last time we were there they were rather stingy with the walnut sauce.  Then we found Testal, and for the last couple of years, it has been our choice for the best "chiles en nogada" in town.

Each "chile" comes with a tag that says how many have been served that season.  Mine was number 4819, and Alejandro's was 4820.

After the "chile" has been devoured, the skeleton face on the restaurant's beautiful Talavera plates is revealed.

After we finished, our waiter told us that ours were the very last "chiles" left.  We really lucked out!

A Towering "Catrina"

Every year, the city decorates the Zócalo, the main plaza, with what they call a "Mega-Ofrenda".  This year the dominant feature of the "ofrenda" is what was billed as the tallest "catrina" in the world.

Last Sunday, the day before Day of the Dead, Alejandro and I went downtown to see the giant "catrina".  As we walked down pedestrianized Madero Street toward the Zócalo, we could see the figure from blocks away.

The "catrina" is about 110 feet tall, roughly the height of an 11 story building.  It surpasses the famous statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro by about six feet.

Surrounding the "catrina" are large areas of the plaza covered with thousands of marigold plants.  Among the flowers there are figures of "axolotls".  In the last year, the salamander-like animal that inhabits the last remaining canals of the city, has been adopted as the city's symbol.

The twin buildings of the city hall are decorated with lights.  We did not stay until dark.  The Zocalo was jammed with people, and all we wanted to do was to take some photos and get out of that crowd.

The banners on the city hall are in honor of Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas, who recently passed away.

Cardénas was the son of Lázaro Cárdenas, President of Mexico between 1934 and 1940.  The son broke away from the ruling political party of PRI, and founded an opposition party, PRD.  He ran for President three times, and quite possibly might have won.  However, in those days, PRI always made sure that they remained in power.

The Aftermath

Here are some political cartoons I found on the internet after the seismic midterm elections...

 

I love this image which is supposedly going to the front cover of an upcoming issue of Time.

Street Art for Day of the Dead

In addition to the "ofrendas", "catrinas", skulls, and other decorations along Francisco Santiago Borraz in Tlahuac, the facades of many of the houses are painted with murals, most of them with a Day of the Dead theme.  We have been going there for several years, and while I recognized some of the street art from previous visits, other murals appeared to be new.

The "xolo" or Mexican hairless dog was believed to be a spirit guide to reach the underworld.

More from Tlahuac

Here are more photos of the Day of the Dead decorations on Francisco Santiago Borraz Street in the district of Tlahuac...

If you are familiar with animated movie "Coco" you will recognize this papier mache skeleton as Hector, one of the movie's main characters.

Also from the movie are Dante, Miguel's dog who is transformed into an "alebrije", and Uncle Oscar and Uncle Felipe.

A skeletal rock band... perhaps, The Ungrateful Dead?? 😃

Players from this summer's World Cup.

Spain (in the center) holds the trophy, while Argentina (right) has collapsed in defeat.

I don't know why Mexico (left) is shown with his foot in a bucket.

A street sweeper wearing the uniform of Mexico City workers.

An "ofrenda" in memory of departed pets

This skeleton appears to be rising up from under the pavement.

The head of Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent god

A skeleton in heaven, a skeleton in hell, and firefighters to put out the flames

The birth of a skeleton

Alejandro an I posing in papier mache skulls

Taco vendors

Some of the "catrinas" held philosophical messages about death.

"Do not have fear of death; have fear of a life not lived."

"Don't die before your body.

Put life into your days, not just days into your life."