Another day in the Centro

Joe's plane arrived late on Monday night, due to delays and cancellations, but he was in the hotel by 11 or thereabouts. Yesterday we spent in the Centro Histórico, visiting some of the main places I had saved till his arrival. First was the trip through the Templo Mayor, whose excavation took a big jump in the 80s when some buildings had to be destroyed because of earthquake damage. Though you can see a lot of the ruins by walking on public paths, paying the 70 pesos is definitely worth it. The walk is much more up close and personal and through parts not visible from above, and then there is also the museum. Great museum.

After that we headed over to the Palacio de Bellas Artes (art deco inside with an indigenous twist!) where we went to a special exhibit on major painters' use of a special Mexican red paint pigment, called the grana cochinilla. Velazquez, Rubens, Joshua Reynolds, Van Gogh, Titian, all had works exhibited. But the main point was the murals, with all three of the triumverate represented. The most famous is Rivera's mural that went up in Rockefeller Center and then was destroyed because Rockefeller didn't like it. Theories as to why he did it include the fact that his father was a tea-totaller and is shown with a martini, but the more likely explanation seems to be the overwhelming marxist message. Rivera painted it again back in Mexico and there it is for all to see.

After our gym/rest routine, we spent a few hours visiting churches, plazas, the usual tourist routine. Dinner in Azul Histórico, where we both had excellent fish, was a good way to end the day.Read more