Mexico City Part 2

After a week at the beach, we flew from Puerto Vallarta to Mexico City so that we could meet up with our friend, Julie, who had travelled from Australia to Mexico to visit us. The hour-and-a-half flight got us into Mexico City airport with enough time to collect our bags and catch the train to the other terminal to meet Julie. We had made signs to hold as she exited immigration but her flight was early and she appeared before we could pull out the signs. Welcome to Mexico Aunty Julie!

We spent the next two days in Mexico City exploring the nearby area and the Frida Kahlo house-cum-museum. The museum, also known as the Blue House, is dedicated to the Mexican artist and avant garde fashion icon, who was famous for her self-portraits (and her unique fashion) that combined popular culture with indigenous and folk styles. The museum included not only her artwork and photos but personal items that provided an insight into her lifestyle. Frida had contracted polio as a child which left her disabled and then was injured when she was involved in a bus accident when she was eighteen, which affected her for the rest of her life. Due to her injuries, she needed to wear corset-like garments to support her frail body, which she incorporated into her fashion. Apparently children would call out to her in the streets and ask her “where is the circus?”. To call it Fridamania would be an understatement. Frida's everywhere, including on the 500 peso note.

We also meet a Venezuelan PhD student, Gerardo, studying in Mexico, who helped us practise our Spanish, although the conversations tended to be more Spanglish, a mix of Spanish and English whenever we were unable to find the vocabulary to express ourselves. However, we did prove to ourselves that we are able to make small talk (really small talk). Maybe we can continue our conversation when we return. Our time in Mexico City was only brief but we will be back to spend more time in the megacity upon our return from our next destination.

Next stop: Cancun.Read more