Day Seven - Coyoacán

We bussed down to a new neighbourhood today, Coyoacán. Gail and I will be staying here for six nights later in our trip. What a pretty town square and shops. First stop was the Leo Trotsky home. While he was briefly Frida Kahlo’s lover, his history is brutal. His troops were stationed away from the front lines to capture and kill any Russian soldier who tried to escape. His home displays his personal life, office and a good history of his involvement and then escape from Stalin’s wrath (although not successfully as he was killed in Mexico City by Stalin’s henchmen). In any case, it was a great spot to visit.

Next we visited a Mexican cultural arts museum. The items were considered “craft” which is usually reserved for women’s art. Ceramics, textiles, beadwork demonstrated incredible artistry and skill - and a bit of whimsy too. I loved the giant elephant covered with seed-beads. This was an homage to the Africans living in Mexico. It was unclear if this was about slavery or just diaspora. It seems like there is a concerted effort to celebrate the rich indigenous heritage here.

We found a taco place to die for. All over Mexico City tacos are the main show. The trick is to only eat at the ones that are busy with customers - they know what is good. Since all the tortillas are made just with corn, Sheryl can eat them all and she has.

Next stop were the lines for the Frida Kahlo family home. There were scant examples of her artwork except drawings on her body casts and prosthetic legs. They had her bed with the mirror above so she could paint/draw her self-portraits. I didn’t realize that in addition to her catastrophic trolley crash that impaled her body, she also had polio as a child. It is a miracle she lived. Like many homes, she and her family had a beautiful central garden allowing airflow and privacy from the street. It was pretty packed as museums go. It’s not a very large house and the narratives were detailed. If you were patient enough, it was super fun and informative.

Tomorrow we head over to the historic center of Mexico City where we will spend three nights with Gail Gabler. Can’t wait!En savoir plus