We started the day with exercise (we= Hannah, Marissa, and I) in this tiny exercise room which is next to a sauna. The whole room felt like a sauna and pretty much all of the machines were broken except the bike. But, the bike was wonderful, and I did 6 miles while watching a program on the history channel about medieval paintings. Later, we met upstairs for breakfast. I ordered fruit with yogurt and cottage cheese. They never had cottage cheese in Chile, and I was curious. It was really yummy and extra creamy. It is called "queso cottage" ;).
This is the view from the balcony at breakfast of the Metropolitan Cathedral.
At breakfast we had a little debate about the Spanish word for waiter. All I could remember is that it began with a "C" and ended with "ero." But when an old gentlemen sitting beside us (who was promptly confused and called over the waiter) they told us that the proper word was "mesero" and not"camarero" which was the word I was looking for. It made me question my Spanish. Is Mexican different than Chilean? or did I learn wrong in the first place?
There was some sort of big event going on outside on the patio, and a band came in and started playing a mix of music which I am fairly certain included the song "We don't need no Education" by Pink Floyed and a highly expressive singer in a monk costume.
As we exited the hotelm we just couldn't help but notice that our street was named 5 de Mayo. Which really isn't a celebration in this part of Mexico, but we still took pictures at the corner appearing every inch the tourists we are. According to Gustavo (a college student who currently doesn't have a job and is doing fund raisers for his school by throwing big parties) 5 de Mayo is an excuse not work more than it is a reason to celebrate.
We left as a group on the metro. Which is a subway system that requires lots of walking up and down stairs. I do feel bad for the elderly. People on sides of the stairs sell a number of different candies and toys. It is not uncommon to see a mother with her hands full of lollipops while her three year-old son drifts around her at a small radius.
The subway is very cheap at around 33 cents a trip. It is also a highly efficient system even though it is not very clean or safe. As in Chile, people walk up and down through the lanes shouting, chanting, and singing in order to sell some product whether it be headphone, scissors, cereal bars, candy, music, or CDs. I am tempted with the thought of seeing what I would end up with if I said yes to everything.
Landis our protector/guide gave us a good run down of the system before we left. It is a simple subway system that is made so that even the illiterate can easily navigate themselves.
The trains pass about every 4 minutes, but almost always they are brimming over with people, as hard as you push some people are almost always left outside. Sometimes you have to fight to get in and out. The door is only open for about 30 seconds and there is a policeman that stands on a box at the
station and secures that all the doors are shut.
Me on the subway.
These are the door that open and close quickly. It is kind of a game. If they close on you it hurts a bit, because they close with a lot of power. I say that from experience :).
The first place we tried to go to was a house of Frida Kahlo, but it was closed for the holiday. Nevertheless, I loved this cactus fence.
Fortunately for us Mexico is full of street art so, in camino to our next museum I spotted this cool Medusa like art piece and took a picture with it.
We also flowed by a flower market. Which was full of giant bouquets probably for Mother's day. I liked this girl in the mural next to the flower market. I like that she caries mushrooms with her flowers.
We also stopped by a cathedral. These eight-point stars are a style/symbol? It is very common here in Mexico.
The floors are sometimes just tile, but often they have unique floor patterns.
I loved the ceiling in this cathedral. It is very calming and modern.
I thought this was a nice statue of Mary and Jesus.
The Museo del Carmen was just down the lane and our next official stop. It has a long history and was full of architecture and paintings. It is a unique building as it has been a church, school, house, a prison and finally a museum in the last few centuries.
Left: the sign at the entrance
Right: How one of the rooms was painted.It is not a painting. The bottom part of the wall is painted red followed by the sketch painted above.
Mexicans have a unique perspective of the dead.
Left: is an old mummy that was forgotten about before it was finished being preserved.
Right: is a depiction of art work from Carmen titled "Danza de los Viejitos" or the dance of the old.
The museum displayed lots of different forms of art from Renaissance beauty to play-dough creepy.
Right: one thing to note here is the ceiling. The cross-wood beam ceiling is a common ceiling in historic Mexico. Often the beams are painted a different color than the ceiling for example green against brown.
There is a lot of roman inspired architecture in this building in the column and arch work.
Left: A picture from the inner courtyard and bell tower
Right: A picture of the aqueduct system. You can note the small cat houses under the arch. Cats are an essential protection against rats and mice.
Here we are waiting on the steps of the Museum- Miquela, Marissa, Mollie.
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Next we waited for everyone in the park and ran into this man who sold painted (on one side only) combs, bookmarks, and toothpicks. He swore he hand painted all of them and that he had a wife who suffered from kidney failure. Through out the day we were offered these same products by at least 10 different people.
Left: We had lunch here. Needlessly to say it was an act of faith.
Right: This is what I ordered a Mexican "Torta."
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Later, we went to a Artisan Market where I picked up a belt and some earrings. We were trapped in the market for hours because of rain. Lots and lots of rain. But things cleared up, and we met and rested in the cathedral with sore feet from the hours of walking and waiting for the rain.
Later we saw the outside of the house that Cortez and Malinche lived in.
These to historical figures are fascinating. The were both highly ambitious and clever.
This is the church they were married in. It is falling apart and next to it is probably an original park; it has cobblestone walkways. There are rumors about a scandal and possible murder of Cortes' first wife so that he could marry Malinche.
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La Malinche was an Aztec princess the daughter of a chief, and grew up speaking Nahuatl and also learned Mayan and probably other dialects. Still, as a daughter, she had little value and was given or sold to the Tobascans. There she lived for a short while before she was given away again to the Spaniards with 19 other maidens as a conquering gift.
Her beauty was noted by one Spaniard in his journals. She was not given in particular to Cortes. However, through manipulation or perhaps affection she made herself essential to him as an interpreter and lover. In return she was given a good life with her own house and children. She had much more than any other native women.
To Mexicans, she is seen as a traitor as her action helped the Spaniards take over Mexico. But, we have to remember that she had little loyalty to her own people as they sold her and gave her away twice. She was meant to be a gift to the Spaniards. I think she always worked to make the best of the life she was given.
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Hernan Cortes was born to minor nobility. He was well educated, ambitious, and clever. He came to the Americas when he was 18. Working as a bookkeeper for the governor he grew in popularity and power. He was meant to work under Governor Valasquez' power, but when he saw opportunity he ran for it rebelled and conquered Mexico with a small troop of less than 400 soldiers. He did this without proper authority and was not well liked by the nobility for his actions.
Cortes was clever and his plans to conquer centered around recruiting native Aztec haters, shows of violence, and public execution of leaders. He wrote letters to the king Carlos I that are famous and describe his actions and plans. His actions were noted as significant which was why he was able to wrestle his way up to the position of marquis of of the Valley of Oaxaca.
I see Cortes as an ambitious hedonist. He had 13 children in his life from at least 6 different women.
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