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Laurie Reynolds
Laurie Reynolds

Laurie Reynolds

traveled in 9 countries Read more
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  • Laurie ReynoldsCamino Mozarabe April 2018Laurie Reynolds

    In Almeria

    April 12, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    The flights were all fine but i didn’t sleep. So I’m really glad I could get a few hours shuteye in the Madrid airport in the Iberia lounge’s sleeping room. A row of comfortable partitioned beds, very comfy. Much appreciated, maybe even more than the excellent coffee!

    I met another peregrino on the flight to Almeria. When we got to town we headed straight for the cathedral where we got our first stamp. And then Joe found the first arrow and hit the road. He’s walking 15 k to Rioja. I was tempted but there are people coming in for a get together tomorrow and I don’t want to miss it.

    So I climbed up and around the 9-10 C moorish castle, explored the old town a bit and at 6 pm met up with Clare. We spent more than an hour getting cards for our phones. It was complicated, but I now have a Spanish phone number. By then i was starting to fade, so I headed back to my little basic pension and picked up a takeout salad that looks pretty good. And as soon as I eat it, I will hit the hay. Not sure what I’m going to do tomorrow, except that I know that I will be joining with about 6 others who are arriving to walk. We are going to have a tour of some underground shelters built here during the Spanish Civil War.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsCamino Mozarabe April 2018Laurie Reynolds

    Chicago O'Hare

    April 11, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    So far so good. My flight from Champaign was even early, so I was able to hop on my last preemption conference call for a while. Very good stuff going on, specifically a lawsuit challenging Florida’s punitive laws against local gun regulation. Leaving that world behind now for a while. In their never-ending quest to separate the elite, AA now has two lounges—the regular Admirals Club, and a fancy flagship lounge with food and drinks galore. I got put in the fancy place, not sure why.

    I have always thought it would be a good idea to get up really early on the day of a transatlantic flight. Today I was awake at 2:20 am, and by 2:45 decided I wasn't going back to sleep. In an effort to not wake Joe, I went in the dark into the bedroom where my pack was waiting for me, only to trip over some of the bathroom fixtures that the construction guys have left there. So I now have a 3” gash and a growing bulbous bruise, which will be hugely black and blue in no time. I wasn't expecting to use my first aid kit so early in the trip.

    My next activity was to go to the gym at opening time, 6 am. I am glad I rode my bike, because as I pulled the bike lock out of the bag, I saw my GPS sitting there. I had taken it to the office yesterday so that my tech genius friend John could corroborate that he had in fact saved me from GPS failure with the instructions he gave me on the phone. My delight and relief at realizing how close I had come to leaving the GPS behind made the bruise seem trivial.

    So off I go, with an 18 year old fleece and a totally new approach with shoes. In an effort to avoid the tremendously painful corns I always get between my toes, I bought some recommended Altras-widest toe box in the universe. We’ll see what my feet think in a few days. Iberia, here I come.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsCamino Mozarabe April 2018Laurie Reynolds

    Getting ready to go

    April 7, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 0 °C

    Well, it’s four days till departure, and I thought I should get my penguins website going. This year, I will be starting in Almería, mediterranean coastal city in the south and east of Málaga. I had originally planned to meet up with three or four other people, since it is a very solitary route. We don’t know each other in the face to face sense, but have friends in common and have been in contact through the internet. Well, one thing led to another, and we are now a merry band of 13 or 14! We will all meet up on Friday the 13th, in the Bar Entremares in Almería, get to know each other a bit, and then set out the next day. We will probably spread out in the first couple of days since the albergues are small (usually around 8 beds), but it will be fun to start out at the same place.

    This branch of the Camino Mozárabe starts in Almería, goes through Granada and Córdoba, and joins up with the Via de la Plata in Mérida. Those are all great cities to visit, so I will have some touring time as well.

    I am not going to be able to walk into Santiago this year, unfortunately. It's 1400 km from Almería and I only have a month to walk, so I will have to stop somewhere in the middle. Not sure I like that, but oh well.

    My pre-Camino jitters have started and I have finally found my backpack and started going through my stuff, tossing out expired betadine, mangled gaiters, and hoping to find my favorite FITS socks, which have mysteriously disappeared!    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsPortugal 2018Laurie Reynolds

    My last walk in old Lisbon for this year

    March 3, 2018 in Portugal ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

    It was raining when I woke up and went to breakfast. I went to the gym after breakfast -- still raining -- did some packing -- still raining. Finally, around 1:30, it stopped. I hurried out to the metro and went to the Rato stop where my favorite walk around Lisbon begins. I had all these great little stops along the route I could take to duck out of the rain -- pastelarias, churches, an archaeological museum, cafes with views, but at 4:00 when I descended from the castle to Rossio, it was still clear!

    So I just kept walking, all the way back to my hotel. I picked up some takeout at the Corte Inglés for dinner-in-the-room, and then slogged up Combatentes for the last time this year. I arrived at the Marriott about 5:45, and the rain began about 20 minutes later.

    There are more cranes around the city than I’ve seen in years. Lots of the little old holes in the wall are being replaced by trendy shops and cafes. The most creative was a shoe store/bar combo. The sign advertized shoes & booze.

    5:00 am departure from the hotel tomorrow. LIS-MAD-ORD-CMI. It will be a long day but oh well.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsPortugal 2018Laurie Reynolds

    Last days in Lisbon

    March 3, 2018 in Portugal ⋅ 🌧 11 °C

    This week has had lots of rain, each drop of it very welcome here in parched Portugal. Luckily for me, it was mostly a teaching week. I have managed to squeeze in a couple of camino-related get togethers -- one on Thursday in Lisbon with a couple who just walked their first Camino last year and are understandably chomping at the bit to do more! And on my way to meet them, I ran into my friend who is now on the Supreme Court of Portugal. I hadn't emailed her because I thought it would be an intrusion, but that was the wrong decision. Next year for sure, we will get together, if only for a quick visit in a cafe near the court house.

    Yesterday afternoon, I met up with my ViaLusitana pals (the Portuguese camino organization) and we went to their albergue in Alpriate. This albergue is the perfect first stage from the Lisbon cathedral, about 21 easy kms to a little town that has opened its arms to the pilgrims. There is a café there whose owner has modified her offerings to appeal to the typical pilgrim (without a corresponding rise in prices), and the women of the village have decorated all of the tree trunks with home made lace and crocheted squares. I think it is called tree-bombing, but that is a very violent word to describe a very peaceful activity.

    The albergue is undergoing some serious renovations thanks to a grant from the American Pilgrims group, but my friends are certain that they will be open and taking in pilgrims no later than April 2. I would be skeptical, but I have seen this before. Two years ago, before the albergue first opened, I was out there helping to clean a little to get the place ready. I laughed when they told me they would open within the week, but, by golly they did. The numbers are increasing almost exponentially. Last year they had 856 pilgrims stay with them and helped hundreds more find lodging when the place was full. And to think I walked this route in 2008 and there was not one albergue and I saw not one other person!

    One more day in Lisbon, home tomorrow. I hope I can do my traditional two hour walk through my favorite parts of the old town later today, but the weather makes me doubt that it will be much fun.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsPortugal 2018Laurie Reynolds

    Last Stop Cáceres

    February 25, 2018 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    Today, on the drive back to Lisbon, we took a little detour to stop in Cáceres, a bigger city than the others we have visited on this trip. It has no big museums, churches, or other "must see" sites, but it has a Renaissance core that is extremely well preserved and just beautiful. So it was a good place for a couple of hours' walk and a quick bite to eat before heading home.

    We sat in front of the toll booth to get over the bridge back into Lisbon for at least 45 minutes, maybe more. Traffic was awful. Then to top it off, I wound up on the wrong side of Marqués de Pombal and had to get lots of help from sympathetic drivers sitting next to me at stop lights. Thank goodness the Portuguese people are so incredibly friendly and helpful. But we made it home, squeezed in a workout, and had a quick overpriced bite to eat in the hotel restaurant. Ready for week number 2 of classes to begin!    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsPortugal 2018Laurie Reynolds

    In Merida where all is Roman

    February 24, 2018 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 6 °C

    So today we got up early and drove the 50 miles to Mérida before having coffee! Talk about tourists with a purpose. By 10, we had parked the car and were sitting in a café near the Arab Castle having our café con leche with a tostada. Boy, the coffee in Spain is SO much better than what we drink in Portugal!

    We had a really nice tourist day. From Moorish castle to Roman villa to Roman theater and Roman circus to Roman crypt to great vegetarian restaurant. After a nice long pause with really good food (in our experience, you can usually count on vegetarian restaurants in Spain to be good), we ended the day with a visit to the Roman Art museum, where you can get up close and personal with the mosaics, and then a quick trip through the visigothic art museum. The visigoths, who came in after the Romans, had a much less sophisticated but more appealing style to my uncultured taste.

    Before getting back in the car and heading home, we walked over the LONG Roman bridge. Really a beautiful bridge, still standing from Roman times. I have walked over this bridge before while walking the Via de la Plata, and hope to walk over it again this May as I walk the Camino Mozárabe from Almería, which joins up with the Via de la Plata right here in Mérida.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsPortugal 2018Laurie Reynolds

    From tiny monastery to big monastery

    February 23, 2018 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 5 °C

    This morning while one of us slept in a bit, the other climbed up to the castle, then had a café con leche right smack dab in the middle of Trujillo's beautiful square. Watching the sun come up and bathe the stone buildings in morning light was pretty awesome. It's hard to decide whether the early morning sun or the night illumination is prettier. We did get going a little later than usual, and had some problems with the GPS (though I am now pretty sure I can do most of the basic operations, we'll see tomorrow). So we decided that rather than a long-ish trip to Mérida and its Roman ruins, we'd hope for an earlier start tomorrow and take today to visit two relatively nearby monasteries.

    The first, Yuste, is the plain and simple place where Carlos V went to spend his last days after abdicating. Out in the middle of nowhere, very peaceful. I was sad to learn that his son, Felipe II, had violated his father's wishes to be buried here, and instead had him transported to the pompous, overbearing monastery in El Escorial.

    From Yuste, we headed to Guadalupe, the gothic monastery that is now famous because of its 12th century "Black Virgen." It's in the middle of a not too remarkable town, but the monastery itself is really nice. And the rooms of the monks' handiwork from the 14-17th centuries had some beautiful things -- the embroidery (who knew monks did embroidery?) and the hymnals were my favorites.

    We drove a circular route, which is always more fun than a direct out and back. Through some really beautiful olive grove territory, which I will soon be walking through with my own feet. Very few tourists, lovely things to see, this is a great little trip.

    Oh yes and did I mention crossing the Tajo/Tagus/Tejo River and coming upon five columns on the side of the river, the ruins of a small Roman temple?    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsPortugal 2018Laurie Reynolds

    Back in Spain

    February 22, 2018 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 6 °C

    I finished teaching and was back in the hotel by 1, we were at the car rental place and on the road by 2:00, and 3.5 hours later we drove into the small city of Trujillo Spain. Finding the parador was surprisingly easy. Given the time change, it didn't leave us much of the day, but we took a quick stroll around to see the jaw-dropping plaza mayor. It may not be as beautiful as Salamanca's, but it is pretty gorgeous.

    Back at the parador, ready for a quick dinner in their restaurant. Parador restaurants are usually a bit pricey but decent quality, if not totally yummy. Since we have a busy day planned tomorrow, we decided to eat with the other old folks who beat down the door as soon as it opens for dinner, at the early hour of 8:30 p.m. No Spaniard would ever darken a restaurant for dinner at this scandalous hour, but oh well.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsPortugal 2018Laurie Reynolds

    Hanging out in Lisbon

    February 22, 2018 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C

    For these two weeks, I am teaching Monday through Thursday from 10 - 12:45. The routine is familiar -- sleep in the Marriott across the street from the University, spend the morning at school. Afternoons are for using the Marriott's recently upgraded fitness center (hooray for new LifeFitness machines!!!), seeing friends and students back at school and generally just hanging out. Dinner is either at a favorite place nearby or a short metro ride away, like last night's return to Pizzeria Lucca on the river. At some point even deliciouslly grilled deliciously fresh fish gets tiring.

    When my class ends today, though, we will change into tourist mode once again. For the next few days, we will head to Spain, to the city of Trujillo, well located in Extremadura (the region southwest of Madrid and north of Sevilla/Andalucía). I have walked through many of these cities, but am looking forward to seeing Mérida and its Roman ruins, Cáceres and its beautiful Renaissance historic core, untouched and well-preserved, and maybe Guadalupe or Yuste, two places with history aplenty. It's about 4 hours drive from Lisbon to Trujillo, home of the conquistador Pizarro, where I snagged a very good rate in the Parador. This place was built in the 16th century as a convent, and today is a nice hotel.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsPortugal 2018Laurie Reynolds

    Whoever heard of Arrifana and Odeceixe?

    February 18, 2018 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    Probably the same people who have heard of the beautiful places we went yesterday. But we never had.

    So, as we were checking out of our hotel this morning, I asked the woman at the desk for driving directions to take us to a little Algarve beach we remembered as being pretty, planning to stop for an hour or so on the way up to Lisbon. She threw up her hands and said, oh there are much prettier places on the way up to Lisbon if you stay off the superhighway and go along the western coast. Having seen a bit of that yesterday, we quickly agreed.

    First stop, the beach at Arrifana, with a vast expanse of sand, rocks all around, and views views views. Lots of walking and oohing and ahhhing. On our way to Odeicexe, we saw a castle poking up on the top of the little town of Aljezur, and decided a quick walk up would be good cardio. Not the most amazing castle I've ever seen, but it is always so interesting to learn that though the castle itself was built by the moors in the 11th century, there were many layers of earlier victors below.

    But the beach at Odeicexe, oh my goodness. We spent a couple of hours there, walking and eating our picnic lunch, and then the reality set in. It was time to head back to Lisbon, drop off the rental car, check into the Marriott, and get ready to work tomorrow!    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsPortugal 2018Laurie Reynolds

    South coast and west coast

    February 17, 2018 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    Today we started at the fort that was possibly the site of Sir Henry the Navigator's school for "discoverers". From there we proceded a little bit west to the promontory that is possibly the southwesternmost tip of Europe. There we saw the beginning of the walking route, the Ruta Vicentina. I was tempted. Good lunch in a restaurant on the beach, and then left with a few hours and nothing to do.

    So, Joe suggested we head north, along the western side of the country. After about twenty minutes we saw a turnoff for "praias" (beaches) and took it. Well, it turned out to be a circular drive of about 8 miles that went from one gorgeous site to another. We even saw the remains of a 12C moorish fishing site

    The ocean was crashing and angry, the surfers were going at it, and the views were just amazing. We had never heard or read anything about this place, called Carrapateira, but I can't imagine why it isn't in the guides. It is gorgeous.

    Back in Lagos, getting ready for our last freshly caught sea bass (at least till we get to our favorite little restaurant in Lisbon tomorrow) at the Camilo Restarante, located at, appropriately, the Camilo Beach.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsPortugal 2018Laurie Reynolds

    Lagos and its rocks

    February 16, 2018 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 12 °C

    Today we first headed to downtown Lagos. The first African slaves to be brought to Europe landed here in Lagos in the 1440s. The slave market building now has a small museum, and it was understated but dealt with the horror of it straight on. One display in particular hit me, playing a reading of a chronicler's account of how the families were broken up upon arrival here and the suffering he saw.

    After visiting a few churches and walking along the marina, we had a quick lunch in an outdoor cafe and then spent the rest of the afternoon walking on beaches and headlands in and out of more amazing rock formations. The weather was perfect once again and we soaked it all in. Nothing too strenuous, other than the ups and downs from beach to headlands (averaging 275 steps) and totally enjoyable.

    Another fish dinner awaits, but I am skeptical it can top last night at O Camilo (where we will return tomorrow night for our last night on the road before Lisbon).    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsPortugal 2018Laurie Reynolds

    Another beach day

    February 15, 2018 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 8 °C

    Well, not a bad way to spend Feb. 15. First, a long walk along the cliffs, then lunch in a pretty tourist trap-y kind of place, but then a wonderful boat ride through caves. Now we are in our second Algarve hotel, near Lagos but nearer to the beaches. About a ten minute walk from O Camilo, a great little restaurant on a beach where we had our first robalo this year.

    I learned a new word in Portuguese tonight, when our waiter asked if we wanted him to "despinhar" our lovely fish. So glad not to have to struggle to figure out how to get out all the spine and bones, though I did learn a lot by watching him. Joe had a desert of cake made with figs, almonds and carob beans, with a scoop of medronho (can’t find a word in English) sherbet on the side. So happy to be here!    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsPortugal 2018Laurie Reynolds

    Faro!

    February 14, 2018 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 9 °C

    Today was a day of cathedrals, chapels, bones, and Roman ruins. We drove to Faro, which has a bad name because of its Algarve airport where tons of Europeans flock for warmth and cheap holidays. But it has a really pretty old historic core, where we were back in the routine of churches, museums, and mosaics.

    After lunch,we drove to Estoi, with its Roman ruins and 18th century palace (now a fancy hotel, but the palace gardens are open to all). Really worth a trip.

    Back in Tavira for a special meal in O Castelo (it is Valentine's Day after all). We thought we were choosing salmon or lamb, but we got both! After a decadent chocolate dessert, we took one last river walk and got home to sleep at a decent hour. Tomorrow we move to the west side of this southern coast.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsPortugal 2018Laurie Reynolds

    Day on the Beach

    February 13, 2018 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 12 °C

    I can't remember the last time (if ever) that I have spent the entire day on a beach. But the temperature was perfect (low 60s), it was sunny, and the beach stretched on and on and on. So we just kept walking!

    We had to take a little ferry from a dock about 4 km outside of town. I had trouble getting there, but since I left my purse back in the hotel room, I learned the route better on the second trip. :-) The island has very little development and no cars. Except for the people at the beginning and the people we found several hours later when we found a restaurant open, the beach was empty. More often than not, we could see no one in either direction.

    We did see an elaborate beach-replenishing operation, involving heavy machinery, a huge boat dumping sand, and hoses spurting huge quantities of water.

    So there are no museum or church highlights today, no monuments or plazas, just one foot after the other for hours and hours and hours. Just me, Joe, millions of birds, and one dead jellyfish.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsPortugal 2018Laurie Reynolds

    Cloudy with spotty showers

    February 12, 2018 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 9 °C

    That's what the weather report said this morning, when we got up at a lazy 9:30 (jet lag and all that). If this is what cloudy with showers looks like in Tavira, I'll take it!

    We spent the morning, what was left of it, and the early afternoon, visiting Tavira. It is a really nice place, though our waiter tonight told us that no one lives in the town anymore. Everyone has moved to the modern parts outside. Shame. We enjoyed a castle, three churches, several cafés, and some nice river walks. As someone who walks the Camino de Santiago every year, I was delighted to see that there is a Camino from here that is now marked and open for business! I particularly liked the 18th century tiles in the Church of Misercordia, whose didactic messages included the admonition to "give shelter to pilgrims," along with feed the hungry, be patient with the mentally weak, clothe the naked, etc.

    In the late afternoon, we hopped in the car and went to the tiny village of Cacela Velha. Wow, just beautiful, with long walks along the estauary or whatever they call that delta part. We ran into lots of English birders talking about cormorants and kingfishers. Lots of French and German RVs hooked up along the water. If I had an RV, I would hook it up here too. It is just lovely. And the food is GREAT! Tuna, octopus, and prawns have been our dinners.

    Tomorrow is a holiday, Fat Tuesday and all that, so we will steer clear of museums and churches, all of which are likely to be closed. Maybe we will take a ferry to the ocean.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsPortugal 2018Laurie Reynolds

    In Tavira

    February 11, 2018 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    About 29 hours after we left the house, we pulled up in our little rental car in front of our hotel in Tavira.

    All the travel went well, and I even got several hours of real sleep stretched out across three seats. Heaven.

    IMO, this is the prettiest town in the Algarve. We are in a hotel on top of a hill with a pretty view down over the town, the river, and the ocean about a km away.

    Joe takes a nap to get over jet lag, but I power through. Did my elliptical workout and now it’s time to go wake up the husband and go find a good supper.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsPortugal 2018Laurie Reynolds

    Getting out of town

    February 10, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ -4 °C

    Thanks to Tina and John for giving me a heads up about a huge storm coming through Chicago this weekend. I was able to change our tickets to re-route us through Dallas, and so far so good.

    We thought we were going to have a 6 hour layover in Dallas, but when we got to the airport in Champaign this morning, it started to spit ice from the sky. After 3 hours, two de-icings, and multiple heavy machinery trips over the runways to get the ice off, we finally took off!

    With our layover in Dallas cut in half, I still had enough time to go to the Hyatt Hotel Gym, where for a mere $30, exercise addicts can get their fix. I am now back in the airport where Joe patiently babysat my carryon at the Admirals Club, with just enough time for a snack and glass of wine before we head to the gate. Our last meal on American going overseas was completely inedible, we'll see what we get tonight.

    Hard to believe that tomorrow, we will be in Portugal, heading to the Algarve for a week on the coast before my class begins. It's been five or six years since we've been to the Algarve, and having 60 degree sunny days will be a nice respite!

    Ps. On the plane to Madrid and it looks like I have a row of three seats all to myself. 👋👋👋👋👋    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsMexico City 2018Laurie Reynolds

    Last day in Mexico

    January 28, 2018 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    Today was one of those low key but very enjoyable days. No rushing around, no major sites, but a really nice way to end the visit. First off -- no more horrible coffee, so we headed to Starbucks to start the day. I would have preferred a good local shop but none presented itself. Then to the Arte Popular museum, and then off to the market, where we were shocked to find that we saw not one other foreign tourist.

    Our one visit was to the Borda Gardens, with a nice little museum of contemporary artist exhibits off to the side. The one I liked the best was the Mexican "still life" that added an unusual element to the normal array of things to eat that you find in a still life. As we were sitting in the garden, a man about our age came up and started talking. Turns out he is a poet, and as we were having a nice chat and as he began reading his poems, a young aspiring poet heard one of the poems and came up to join the group. A half hour later, with many poems having been read by both, we went back to the main square for a great lunch up on a balcony overlooking the Square and all its activities. Really one of the best meals I have had on this trip.

    After lunch, we enjoyed watching the crowd as the local police put on a comedy routine for kids and adults alike. There is surely no political correctness here, but everyone seemed to be enjoying it. I assume this is good PR for the police, whose reputation in Mexico is pretty bad.

    On the way home, I was sorely tempted by the mango on a stick sprinkled with chili pepper, but my guts have been fine so far, so why tempt fate?

    Now back to chill out and exercise before our last foray into Cuernavaca.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsMexico City 2018Laurie Reynolds

    Xochicalco saves the day!

    January 27, 2018 in Mexico ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    The weekend getaway to Cuernavaca took a definite uptick today. At 10 am, Enrique showed up in his car to whisk us away to the ruins at Xochicalco, dating from about 700 AD. They had some earthquake damage, and some parts of the vast city were closed, but all in all it was pretty well open for business. Great museum, really well designed, but of course it's walking around that is the most fun. Lots of ruins to climb, and one particularly beautiful pyramid that had four walls of carvings of the Plumed Serpant and other deities. Really something.

    After that, Enrique took us to a 17th century hacienda, now fancy restaurant and hotel complex, for a good lunch of local specialties. We are not used to traveling around this way, kind of fancy for us, but it was a nice treat and felt very luxurious.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsMexico City 2018Laurie Reynolds

    To Cuernavaca

    January 26, 2018 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    Well, we were wrong. Cuernavaca is not some beautiful little town in a valley of eternal spring. It is a chaotic, congested, haphazard amalgam of people and way too many cars, bikes, and buses of all sizes. Totally not what we were expecting. Bad planning. I would not recommend coming here unless you are interested in just seeing what life here looks like. It gives new meaning to what urban planners mean when they talk about the perils of a lack of planning.

    Cuernavaca does have a few things to visit, but unfortunately our weekend trip planner neglected to research the extent of earthquake damage. Most of the main sights in town are closed to visitors (like the palace where Hernán Cortes lived after he conquered Mexico City and a cathedral that looks interesting from the outside) but one museum was open. It was the house of Robert Brady, a rich American painter who lived in Cuernavaca and jammed a million items into his very nice house. One Frida self-portrait and a few other notable paintings crammed in between figurines, paintings, plates, wall hangings, and random other collectibles of all types.

    At least it looks like the ruins at Xochicalco are open, so we will head there tomorrow. Sunday's plan looks like a mariachi mass (I am serious) and some waterfall that may be dry because there has been no rain. I would not say this has been the best choice of places to go, but the beer is good.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsMexico City 2018Laurie Reynolds

    Quick morning trip

    January 26, 2018 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 4 °C

    Before heading out for our weekend in Cuernavaca, we decided to take a quick trip over to the National Palace for the Rivera murals and the Cathedral, neither of which Joe had seen this time. The murals were as amazing as ever, and the cathedral as over-opulent as ever. But I did see two interesting little things on our walk back to check out from the hotel.

    First was a "voluntary arms surrender", where the military will render your firearm inoperable. Though no one thinks it would ever work in US, I read that the people most responsible are the women, who turn in the guns belonging to the men in the family. Seems worth a try if we could ever get the political will.

    Second was a shoe shine stand only for police. Bye to Mexico City, it has been a wonderful visit. Off to Cuernavaca.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsMexico City 2018Laurie Reynolds

    Last full day in Mexico City

    January 26, 2018 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 3 °C

    Well, of all the things to do in Mexico City, the one place that seems most appropriate for a return visit is the Museo de Antropología. Joe wanted to go, understandably, so we took the morning to see it. Once again, I left without a real clear idea of the difference between the Toltecas, the Olmecas, the Mexicas, etc, but in awe of all the beautiful things they made and built. It is just an amazing museum.

    For the afternoon, we walked up to the Castle of Chapultapec, where we saw the living quarters of the Emperor Maximilian and Empress Carlota. Plus we got a good dose of the history of the US storming of the castle and the bravery of the cadets (Child Heroes they are called) who tried to defend the castle in vain. Mexico gave up half of its total territory to end the hostilities -- I wonder if they would like to take Texas back? There was a quote from Ulysses Grant describing the American invasion as the most unjust action our military had ever undertaken.

    I just realized this is the only time I have been in a major city in any country and have not taken ANY public transportation. Only Uber. We were going to take a bus to Cuernavaca this afternoon, but Uber is so cheap and so quick, I have totally sold out my principles.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsMexico City 2018Laurie Reynolds

    South to Coyoacan

    January 24, 2018 in Mexico ⋅ ☁️ 0 °C

    Trotsky, Frida Kahlo, and Diego de Rivera, the trio we focused on today. First stop, the house where Trotsky was living in exile when the Stalinists killed him. Really learned a lot in the video, and it was sad to see how the family had to live in what was essentially a bunker, only to have an insider take an ice pick to Trotsky's head.

    From there, it was a short 5 or 6 blocks to Frida Kahlo's house. Beautiful place, with lots of her things (including her wheel chairs, back braces and many dresses. Many of her personal effects have only been seen recently, because of Rivera's wishes that rooms be kept sealed for 50 (?) years. The house has a beautiful garden, and there was a special exhibit of many of the traditional dresses she wore. It's one of the most visited sites in Mexico City!

    Since Coyoacán used to be its own little town, it comes complete with square, markets, and a really peaceful vibe. We had a great lunch at a place recommended to me, Danzantes. Their terrace abuts one of the tree-filled squares. If you go, by all means eat an Hoja Santa, made with some sort of local leaves, stuffed with queso blanco and green sauce and a terrific spice combination. Joe had a Mexican style risotto, also very good. Too much food but we are loving it.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsMexico City 2018Laurie Reynolds

    Another day in the Centro

    January 24, 2018 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 0 °C

    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

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