I'm starting this post while on the bus back from San
Miguel de Allende just on the outskirts of Mexico City (DF). The traffic
slows, the billboards become more numerous, the houses and buildings
take over the hills. The early evening sun is trying to peak through the
cloudy sky. A rainstorm just came through based on the wet pavement and
gray skies to the east. Across the valley you just see buildings and
buildings...the tenth largest city in the world with close to 20 million
people (Mexico City greater metro area...D.F. proper is just a tad over the size of NYC). And then there is little old me.
(the light is the Estadio Azteca...I'm sure there was a soccer game being played!)
This trip has been just what my soul needed. A reminder of
how big and also how small the world is, of how lucky I am, of how brave
I can be, and of how happiness lives within me. I was last here in 2008 and 2005 for visits in January. I
lived in Mexico City in 2002/2003 for 4 months while conducting research
with the Mexican Planned Parenthood affiliate.
I arrived in DF a week ago to 75 degree sunny, blue sky
weather. This continued all week. Blessed. I spent two days and three
nights in DF, my home for a summer back in 2002. I stayed with my friend
Karla Maldonado...a chilanga (girl from Mexico City) in her super padre
(aka cool in Mexican Spanish) condo in a sweet little neighborhood
called San Pedro de Los Pinos.
On my first day in Mexico, I had a lazy morning and got
myself out the door around 11. Off the the metro, where for 5 pesos
(about 40 cents) you can ride all across the city. More than 5 million
people ride it each day. I am quite the site on this subway. Not many
upper class folks ride it, let alone rubia gringas. Oh well. I took the
metro to Los Viveros, a big park with lots of different types of trees
and paths. The jacarandas with their pretty purple flowers were in full bloom! Lots of joggers, people walking dogs, mamas pushing baby
strollers. I wish I could bottle up the sweet smell of the air there.
Mexico City as a whole has a set of smells that trigger so many memories
for me.
Los Viveros is in the southern part of the city and opens
up to Coyoacan. An old historic neighborhood famous for bohemian artists
like Friday Kahlo and Diego Rivera. I had a nice lunch and revisited
Frida's Blue House. While I don't love all of Frida's art (I prefer
Diego's Mexican classics), I am reminded of the resilience of the human
spirit when visiting her house. Her polio, her accident, her heartache,
all tested her resolve and her outlet for pain was painting. Her source
of happiness was her painting, her identification with her culture, and her
home amongst the trees in Coyoacan.
After this visit (which included a special exhibition of
her clothing and special corsets for her back) I met up with my friend
Joselin who I met back in 2002 while working at Mexfam. Over a pitcher
of beer we caught up since last seeing one another 6 years ago. Amazing
those people with whom you can just pick up where you left off. Joselin
is finishing her masters degree and studying refugees and immigration
issues in Mexico from the southern border to the north. I have no doubt
we will be seeing her on CNN some day talking about her research.
Then home to Karla's and a solid night sleep. In the spirit
of my new mantra for 2014, I decided to "do less" on Friday morning.
Took a walk in the amazing weather around Karla's neighborhood. Went to
the local market to get flowers and a coffee and oreja.
Then off to lunch, la comida, at the home of Rochi and
Tono. I lived with them back in 2002 in their old house in Xochimilco.
They have moved to a single level condominium that's easier for them
both, particularly Tono. Back on the metro with a huge bunch of yellow
spider mums...again what a site. Had a lovely meal at the traditional
hour of 3 pm, which was first started with a bit of guacamole, crackers,
and tequila. Coke for Tono. :)
We had a lovely visit catching up over a lovely meal of
fish, rice, and potatoes followed by a nieve (literally snow) of
guayabana (like an "ice") for dessert. Rochi and Tono have six children
and 19 grandchildren. All are in Mexico and very successful. After two
hours of chatting, I made my way back to Karla's. Karla and I cleaned up and went out to DF's hip and trendy
neighborhood La Roma. We had spicy cocktails with jalapeños and gourmet
appetizers...jicama tacos. Karla and I met 12 years ago when I first
came to Mexico. She then came to Boston from 2002-2003 to study English
at Harvard Extension School in Boston. Karla turned 38 at the end of
March, and I take so much comfort in our lives mirroring one another
miles away. After a few hours we made our way to another fancy
neighborhood Polanco to the home of Karla's friends Mauricio and
Marcela. It was just like at home, young successful, educated thirty
some things with small babies enjoying time together and yummy food.
Again, I took comfort in that this scenario could have easily been a
night in Boston with my own friends :)
The next morning I packed up my backpack and was back on
the metro to the Terminal norte bus station to catch my bus to San
Miguel de Allende (SMA) was voted the Best City in the World by Conde Nast in 2013. Crazy right? It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and just
about one of the quaintest towns I've ever visited. It also happens to
be the epicenter of American retirees in Mexico. While my trip here
wasn't as quintessentially Mexican because of all the gringos, it was
supremely nice, easy and relaxing.
I stayed at a lovely bed and breakfast called la Antigua Capilla (old Chapel) which was run by two Americans relocated from San
Fran. The place was divine. The hike up the cobblestone road to it was
worth it for the views we had from our porches and roof deck.
When planning my trip, I completely spaced out of the fact
that I would arrive in SMA at the start of Semana Santa. How lucky for
me though...I saw both of the Palm Sunday processions which reenact
Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem. One parade has an actual man dressed as
Jesus riding in on a mule. Felt very special to witness this sacred
procession and with residents, wave my palm, and attend mass (well about
30 min of it) before going to check out the second parade!
My days in SMA were spent walking, walking, and walking
some more. I bought my weight in ceramics and glass. I also bought a
really cool necklace with a tiny origami crane pendant...and we all know
my connection with paper cranes! ;) Took a yoga class (ended up being a
private lesson for 100 pesos...9 bucks!). Took a siesta every day
during the height of the heat. Walked through the Jardin Botanico. Took a great yoga class- which ended up being a private lesson- both in yoga and in Spanish--I know have a better command of human anatomy in Spanish :) Also had a fabulous massage at the Laja Spa at the Sierra Nevada Hotel- completely divine! And the food. Oh the food. Had
some absolutely delicious meals including the best one...3 tacos from a street cart for
30 pesos...about $2.50. Didn't snap a pic of that because I inhaled them
too fast! But here are a few other food shots :)
One of the best parts of my trip to SMA was meeting a
mother/daughter pair who were also staying at my hotel. Mom Susan is a
school director in southern Mexico and Camille is a doctoral student in
Idaho studying forest fires. They were lovely and welcomed me into their
conversations on the rooftop and at breakfast. We enjoyed tacos
together and relished the celebrations on hand...Susan's 55th birthday
(15th), Camille's ABD status, and my bday! Meeting them reminds me of
why I love to travel...the people I meet along the way. Especially those
that you feel you know immediately and connect with so comfortably.
So now it is time to begin the next phase of this soul
renewing vacation...Chicago here I come. But as I leave, I think my cab
driver at the crack of dawn this morning summed up exactly what it is
that I love about this country...the diversity, the food, the weather,
but mostly the warmth of the people and the energy. A zest for life and
enjoying it...not going too fast. There seems to be so much joy,
hospitality, and friendliness within the majority of Mexicans with whom I
have interacted...whether it is a cab driver, a passing 'buenas tardes"
on the street, or an old friend. How blessed am I?
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