Mexico City, Day Four

We started the day walking over to the National Museum of Anthropology which is located right on Chapultepec Park.  The museum is huge.  This picture is taken inside the museum where there is a very large courtyard.  The wooden carving holding up the ceiling defines the museum.  Large tombs, statues and pyramids dating back to B.C.  Each area of the museum is on the ground floor and you enter through a door so you can really pick and choose which area you want to see or if you want to see each one.  We made a quick loop and although I am well aware how amazing everything is in there it just isn't my thing.  

Chapultepec is their Central Park.  We sat outside and grabbed a few rays.  These guys were dressed up in Mexican costume and did a dance around a pole.  Then they proceeded to climb to the top, tie their feet with ropes and twirl around in the circle slowly descending to the ground as they moved.  Bold.

We were starving and headed over to Cafe La Blanca for lunch.  Serious history in this place.  Located downtown and they have pretty much not touched the place since 1915 when they opened.  Even the outfits that the staff wears are the same.  We sat ourselves down at the counter and ordered. 

You must have the cafe con leche.  A large glass of steamed warm milk and a big cup of espresso that they pour in.  Best coffee we have had here so far.

We both got eggs which seemed the thing to do at this hour.  I had scrambled eggs with chorizo.

Their bread basket is overwhelming.  Pretty good.  I particularly loved the croissant hidden underneath.  Total meal $12 for both of us.

We opted against the desserts but this woman and the plate – lemon meringue pie there on the right – defines the place.  A step back in time.

This building is across the street.  Old and quite beautiful.

The oldest church in Mexico City is on this street.  As we walked in there was this food stand.  A variety of chips. 

They put the chips in a large white cup and then pour a bunch of sauces over it including lemon soda.  I have never seen anything like it.  We asked a woman about it later and she said it is one of the best street foods available.  Hmmm.

Here is a picture standing inside the church looking outside.  Ruins basically.

This is inside the church.

I like this picture because it defines Mexico City.  Old, new and crumbling.

Down this street is the Palacio de Belles Artes.  An amazing building outside.  Inside it is a little bit institutional but the key is to go all the way to the top to see the murals.

Wow .Murals outline the entire circumference of this floor.  Diego Riveras are jaw dropping. A must to see.

The rest of the day we devoted to art galleries.  This has been a serious art trip.  First stop this afternoon was Yautepec Gallery.  Contemporary young artists.  This installation was from the artist Txema Novela devoted to music.  This is an ode to David Bowie's "let's dance".

Next was Galeria Hilario Galguera.  We loved this gallery.  A family owned business.  Uncle and nephew.  The nephew runs the gallery and he was an absolute delight.  The space is large, open and airy upstairs with a variety of rooms downstairs for an office.  Downstairs they have a lot of different art hanging of all the different artists they represent.  The show that was up was from the artist Guillermo Lorca.  Gorgeous paintings that almost felt like one of the Masters had painted them.  Young guy too, 27. 

We spent some time looking through the back rooms.  On one of the walls was a piece from Benjamin Torres who happened to be in the gallery.  He had taken pieces of confetti and separated them by color, then made these small little pieces and glued them into a grid by color way counting how many of each.  There is something very methodical and beautiful about this piece.  I bought it!

Next stop was Arroniz-Arte.  The mother had started this gallery years ago helping young artists move up in their careers, then her son realized how much he loved the business and joined her garnering his own group of artists. So they have really two sets of artists, more seasoned and slowly emerging.  They were lovely people.  They were in a middle of an installation but we called in advance and they took out a bucnh of work for us to see.  This was a piece they rarely show of the artist Jan Hendrix.  I bought a piece of his earlier in the week.  Every time I turned around I loved this piece more and more.  Now we are figuring out how to shp it back.  The piece is made of enamel baked on like car paint.  The picture does not do it justice.

I liked this work too.  The artist is Moris.  He takes old flea market paintings and cuts out everything but the sky. We did stop by one more gallery but they were in the midst of an installation, literally.  It was the TalCual gallery.  The artist was there and so we did get to hear about his major piece which is always the best.  We can return next time.

It was time to finally try Mezcal.  Stopped in a store to pick up something near our hotel and then went into the bar next door.  Mezcal tastes a bit like Scotch.  Layered and smoky.  They serve it with sliced oranges covered with a chili salty pepper.  Quite good.

This bar is awesome looking.  The mixture of suitcases under the bar reminded me of an installation we saw at the Maxxi Museum in Rome which I still have in my head.  

Next stop, rest and relaxation before dinner.