Four days, I was completely out of my comfort zone. With only a few weeks’ notice, I joined my neighbor Frank and his friends to visit a city I’d never been to before. We shared a two-bedroom high-rise apartment.

We landed in the afternoon on a Wednesday with plenty of time for dinner and a neighborhood walk. I found it all magical. The gardens, the waterfalls, the artful doorways and the public dancing all nothing short of enchanting. On our after dinner stroll though a city garden we were all delighted to come upon thirty or so teenagers dancing in a public square!

Traveling with neighbors, new friends

Frank was a wonderful travel companion. He added sparkle and whimsical glamour to otherwise mundane events. Frank’s friend Matthew has been living in Mexico City for a month. He proved a skillful navigator, helping us find the highlights quickly and efficiently.

I did get locked in the apartment the first morning after our arrival. I had decided to stay behind when the others left for sightseeing to rest and get my bearings. None of us realized that once locked from the outside, the apartment door could not be unlocked from the inside. Matthew returned from across town to set me free.

Other than getting locked in the apartment and a few sleepless nights, the trip was a great success. I am reminded how useful sleep deprivation can be in shaking loose old mental patterns. I made a new friend and became acquainted with a new country. As a practical matter, I let go my of quiet morning rituals of meditation and study. Frank likes to play Flamenco music during coffee hour. I desperately needed the music to stop. So I asked, he obliged and we gracefully moved on.

Cuauhtémoc

Our apartment was located in Cuauhtémoc, a borough of Mexico City.  Cuauhtémoc is named for a 16th-century Aztec ruler and is the historic and cultural center of Mexico City. While the borough ranks only 6th in population, it generates a third of the city’s GDP.

(doorway photos courtesy Frank Higgins)

Angels and skulls

It’s impossible to overstate the degree to which Mexicans love their angels – and their skulls, signifying death and rebirth. They are EVERYWHERE. Angels are viewed as messengers from God, intermediaries between humans and the Divine, and symbols of the purity and innocence of children. Angels give hope and comfort. Skulls have a long history in Mexican culture dating back to their use in rituals by the Aztecs and Mayans. To Mexicans, they are a reminder that death is not to be feared, but celebrated as a part of life.

Back home in Tampa, “angel” is Frank’s term for our cherished dogs. We love our Saturday Pack Walks with our angels, Chancey and Miss Cleo.

Coyoacan

I took a half-day guided tour of Coyoacan Frida Kahlo’s home neighborhood. The tour, led by Meg, a Coyoacan native, featured Plaza de la Conchita, Jardin Centenario, and the Coyoacán Market where we stopped for authentic street food. One wonderful little detail Meg shared is that the city’s name comes from Nahuatl and most likely means “place of coyotes.”

I was amazed to also learn that all of Mexico City is built on a lake. This fact is the reason some buildings are showing signs of sinking. Meg pointed out the measuring device inside the cathedral in Coyoacan being used to measure the shifting of the building. I love hearing history from a local guide! The tour ended with a visit to the Frida Kahlo Museum.

Frida Kahlo Museum

The Frida Kahlo Museum in Coyoacon is created inside her private home. The intimacy of her legendary pain-filled life is brought into stark relief. Kahlo’s personal diary pages, her many medical devices, crutches and body braces are all available for viewing. In separate rooms we found her day and night beds. Structures above the beds enabled her to paint while lying down.

I was moved by one of her drawings in particular. Kahlo paints her body with arrows pointing to the places where she feels pain. A lifetime of physical pain is difficult for me to imagine. My experiences with chronic pain have been thankfully brief.

Through her art, Kahlo asks us to look at her injuries and witness her extraordinary physical suffering. My life is and has been much more comfortable. However, I can recognize her persistence and courage in my own more modest struggles.

Museum De Arte Moderno

At the Museo de Arte Moderno we found Kahlo’s major paintings. There was much on our schedule on the day we visited this fantastic museum. I only had time to briefly scan the fantastic artwork and sculptures on display of the other artists.

Beautiful moments

Markets are everywhere in Mexico. Food, handicrafts, clothes, and nostalgia items all available in vast markets that stretch over city blocks. The variety of quality and quantity of goods for sale exceed my powers of description.

Conclusion

We flew back to Tampa the day after the Mexican government attacked the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). Western media headlines reported the conflict in confusing ways. Our travel home was unaffected by the conflict.

What is life without trying new things? I like getting out of my comfort zone and experimenting with unfamiliar situations. Four days, I was completely out of my comfort zone. Sleep deprived and a bit disoriented, I’m glad to be home. And yet, I can’t wait to return to Mexico to spend more time with the angels.