Salsa in Mexico City

When the tour of the murals was complete, we went for tapas at the Spanish Cultural Center located in the historic district just a few blocks from the National Palace. The Center is a funky, modern place with galleries, a small gift shop, and a rooftop cafe. It's easy to miss from the outside, and definitely worth a visit. After food and wine, Jay and I agreed to meet up later. I headed back to the hotel to rest and change while he returned to his apartment to do the same and also meet his girlfriend. My plans changed though, as I got closer to my hotel. Here's the email I sent to friends later that evening.

Este noche yo baila en el zocalo! Tonight I danced salsa in the main square which is across from the hotel where I am staying. When I returned from the day's outing, I heard music and saw a crowd of people. Even though I was a bit tired, I couldn't resist the live music, so I dropped off my bags and joined the group. The square is in the middle of the historic district and is surrounded by a cathedral, beautiful old buildings, and the National Palace. There was a large stage with lights and TV monitors. People of all ages were dancing salsa, merengue and cumbia. I was on the outskirts of the crowd and a man motioned me to dance. At first I said no, but then he "pouted" and asked again, so I accepted. After two songs I said "gracias", and walked around to an entranceway so I could get inside the barriers and closer to the stage. Then, another man asked me to dance. All those salsa lessons paid off!

I could end the story there with whatever image it brings to mind. But, I'll fill in some more details. First, the temperature was probably 60. Second, it was raining and had been raining all day. Many paraguas (umbrellas), ponchos, boots, sneakers, and puddles. I was not in my dance clothes or shoes, but a rain jacket and sneakers. The first man who asked me to dance was old, wearing a ripped sweater under a poncho, and missing a couple of teeth. The second was named Victor and asked me if I wanted to have a tequila or brandy. Since I can still only speak about three sentences in Spanish, I declined and stayed to listen to a few more songs. After that I went in, showered and had a slice of chocolate cake!

In all the public places there are security guards, police, and in the palace soldiers in full gear. The places are all spotless with many people working to keep garbage picked up. I think Mexico is trying to change its image. I generally feel comfortable and safe, though touring with my student and his girlfriend who are both fluent in Spanish is a huge factor.
That's it for now. I hope everyone is staying cool and having some fun.
Abrazos y besos!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centro_Cultural_de_Espa%C3%B1a_%28Mexico_City%29

The National Palace

Even though the visit to the pyramids was long and tiring, it was only part of the agenda for the day. If we skipped lunch, we could get to the next destination on the list, the Palacio Nacional, before it closed for the day.

The National Palace fills the east side of the zocalo. It contains the offices of the president, the Federal Treasury and the famous Diego Rivera murals. As one would imagine, the palace is heavily guarded with soldiers carrying machine guns. I was too nervous to even take out my camera! The murals along the main staircase occupy five immense panels. They were painted by Rivera from 1929- 1935 and show the history of Mexico from Quetzalcoatl to after the revolution. There are also nine panels along the north and east wall that depict indigenous life before the Spanish Conquest. Several of these panels were covered for restoration work, but the remaining were detailed and glorious.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Palace_%28Mexico%29

Teotihuacan- Piramide del Sol

To get to the great, ancient city of Teotihuacan, we hired a driver and upon arriving hired a tour guide for an hour. There was a light drizzle and overall gray sky. Not great weather, but the crowds were small! Our guide explained that the city began in the early part of the first century AD. The Piramide del Sol was completed first, in 150 consecutive years. (The guide explained that researchers believe the Pyramid to the Sun was originally red and gold, colors created from native plants.) The rest of the city developed between AD 250 and 600 with a citadel, temples, and pyramid. However, by the 8th century, what was once Mesoamerica's greatest city, collapsed, and the civilization vanished.

The Pyramid of the Sun is the third largest pyramid in the world. (The largest is in Egypt and the second largest is also in Mexico.) It is possible to climb to the top of the pyramid- 248 steps to get an aerial view of Teotihuacan. Of course, I had to make the climb along with all the other visitors! It was a bit unnerving- wet stones, narrow steps, hand railings only part of the way. Plus, I have a bad case of vertigo. According to custom, once you climb to the top, you look up to the heavens, extend your arms upward, close your eyes, and absorb the mystical energy from the sun. Even though it was rainy, we put down our umbrellas to follow this custom. Once we took a couple of pictures, we were faced with getting back down to level ground. The really eerie thing about the construction of the pyramid is that you cannot see the steps from the uppermost landing. When you look toward the edge, it looks as if the platform just ends and you'll take a step into air. My strategy was to keep looking down, and repeat "one step at a time" until I reached the bottom. It worked!

The two large pyramids (Piramide del Sol y Piramide de la Luna) are connected by a long avenue, Calzada de los Muertos. The Avenue of the Dead got its name from the Aztecs, who believed that the great buildings alongside the avenue were tombs. After the adventure and sore legs from climbing the sun pyramid, I was happy to just look at the Pyramid to the Moon. Throughout the grounds are vendors selling all sorts of memorabilia- woven cloths, obsidian figurines, beaded jewelry, toys. Even the rain did not deter their efforts to get me to buy something. This time, I resisted.

Museums and Mezcal in Mexico

The Museo Nacional de Antropologia and Castillo de Chapultepec are in the neighborhood called Roma, about a 15 minute cab ride from my hotel in the zocalo. The museum is new- built in the 1960's. In the interior courtyard, a large stone fountain that seems to be raining onto the concrete rises up out of the center. The twelve halls (salas) that surround the courtyard have a wall of glass that faces into the courtyard. It's all very modern looking which creates a striking juxtaposition to the ancient artifacts inside the ground-floor rooms. On display are temples, stone carvings, a replica of Teotihuacan, and the famous sun stone (incorrectly called the "Aztec Calendar"). A surprising aspect of the museum is that when I wandered to the far side of each hall, there are doors that lead to outdoor exhibit spaces containing additional temples and carvings in a "natural" setting. All the spaces, indoors and out, were impeccably maintained- not a smudge on the glass, speck of dust on the floor, or weed in the garden.

Across from the museum is Bosque de Chapultepec, Mexico City's largest park. There are lakes, a zoo, broad avenues for strolling, and many, many vendors. It contains the current presidential residence as well as a former imperial palace called Castillo de Chapultepec. I walked through the avenue of vendors thinking it would lead directly to the castle. It did not. "Donde es el castillo?" I asked several times before I finally headed almost all the way back to the main entrance to find the castle. It's difficult to believe, but you can't easily spot the castle if you're just strolling along! A long uphill road leads to the top. Then, there are magnificent views of the city, as well as lavish furnishings inside the castle. While it's not as large as the Biltmore House in Asheville, North Carolina, it is more ornate. I would be happy to occupy Carlota's bedroom and adjoining bath!

For all of the above touring I was on my own, but by late afternoon my student Jay and his girlfriend arrived by car so we could head out together for Friday drinks and dinner. Our first stop was to a mezcalaria. Mezcal is made from the agave (or maguey) that is abundant in Mexico. It is like tequila, though a bit less refined and smokey to my taste. Often, a bottle of mezcal contains a worm. The mezcal is served in a shot glass along with a plate of orange slices sprinkled with chili powder. The idea is to take a sip of the mezcal and then eat an orange slice. Somehow, the orange with the chili soothes the taste of the mezcal. While Jay is a big fan of mezcal and seems to have a goal of sampling many of the possible varieties, I was happy to have a beer!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mezcal

http://www.mezcal.com/

D.F. Mexico, Day 1

During this adventure in Mexico, I was partly on my own and partly in the company of an old student and his girlfriend. The student is part of a family I have known for many years, and after a few conversations and emails, we worked out a plan. I arrived at Terminal Two at the airport in Mexico City midday on July 22. This terminal is modern and efficient, so I had a quick and smooth transition into this new country. From my student, I had detailed instructions on how to correctly arrange a cab so I would select one that was government regulated. All went well and within an hour I was in the lobby of the Holiday Inn Zocalo, in the middle of the historic district, the Plaza de la Constitucion.

Determined to get out before the rain, I walked across the square to see the Catedral Metropolitana with its huge gilded altar. It felt good to be out in the cool air after such hot weather in NJ! But, I was hungry and soon headed to the hotel's sixth floor outdoor terrace for pozole (corn soup) and quesadillas.

At 6:30 my student, Jay, met me for dinner. We walked a few blocks out of the heart of the historic district where traffic is horrendous and picked up a cab to get to the trendy neighborhood of Condessa. There we ate at his favorite restaurant, La Capital. Somewhere between lunch and dinner, my view of Mexican food completely changed. Again and again throughout the week, I would feel that someone had been holding out on me because Mexican food in Mexico is nothing like Mexican food that I have eaten in the United States.

http://www.opentable.com/la-capital

Pre-History/Pre-Mexico

Hola mi amigos!

I'm writing this post a week after returning from Mexico. I didn't blog when I was away, but did send a few emails about my activities. Now, time to "formalize" the writing.

This first entry is called "pre-history" and essentially refers to me because before I went to Mexico, I knew very little about the history of this country: there was a revolution; there are ruins; many people travel to the beach resorts on the coasts; there are drug cartels and killings; it's the homeland of Rivera and Kahlo, two artists of which I knew some biographical information. I don't speak Spanish and before I went to Mexico, I didn't love Mexican food. You might wonder why I went? Simple: it's long been on my list of travel destinations and a perfect opportunity arose.

To start: Mexico City is one of the largest cities in the world, with a population close to 22 million people. In Mexico, there are 31 states and one federal district (Mexico City). Often in writing the city is referred to as D.F. (Distrito Federal). I read that the city itself is 30 times the size of Manhattan and the country three times the size of Texas.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35749.htm

San Miguel de Allende

After four days in Mexico City, I boarded a first class bus (Primera Plus) to head to San Miguel de Allende, a small, colonial silver city and artist colony approximately 3 1/2 hours from D.F. The bus service is inexpensive ($44 round trip), punctual, and very comfortable. Included in the price are large seats that recline, a small lunch, and movies. On the way out I saw "El Estudiante", a tear jerker, and on the way back I watched "A Time-Traveler's Wife".

The bus terminal is in a newer part of town. When I first saw the modern surroundings I was a bit nervous, but in the distance I could see the grand "pink church". I got into one of the three waiting cabs and within minutes arrived at my hotel, Casa Quetzal. Like all of the entrance ways in the city, Casa Quetzal is marked by only a small plaque on the exterior wall. But inside it was a tiny paradise: plants, flowers, terraces for eating and sunbathing, and a wonderful friendly staff. The hotel was in both Frommer's and Lonely Planet and it had rave reviews on TripAdvisor. I also got a great discount on my room, aptly named after Diego Rivera. 

How did I spend my days? I started with a luxurious, leisurely breakfast either on the terrace or delivered to my room. (Vacation, right?) Then, I would set out to explore. My first day I signed up for a cooking class that included a market tour and demonstration. The chef guided us through the market area, purchased ingredients for the snacks and appetizers he was going to prepare, and brought it all back to a Williams-Sonoma style kitchen to cook for the ten participants. Cheese, carnitas, gorditas, red and green salsa, avocados, hibiscus iced tea in Mexican blue glassware, frozen sliced cactus for dessert. Afterward, I walked with the chef to the pastry shop that he owns (Petit Four) and enjoyed a buttery assortment of cookies and biscotti.

San Miguel is a perfect city in which to lose oneself. It is completely walkable, safe, inviting. Many shop owners speak English, and are patient if you want to practice your stumbling Spanish. Some reviewers in guide books claim that the city has become too touristy, too much of a "playground" for Americans, and there is some truth to that.

Frida Kahlo

This morning when I opened Google, I saw an unmistakable face surrounded by vines embedded within the logo. I clicked on it to find that today, July 6, is the birthday of the famous Mexican painter, Frida Kahlo (July 6, 1907-July 13, 1954). I'm sure many of us became familiar with her with the release of the movie "Frida" starring Salma Hayek, or through her relationship with the Mexican muralist, Diego Rivera. Kahlo seemed to be a formidable woman, surviving for a short time a life of much pain, heartache, and beauty. A couple of years ago, I attended the exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and was surprised to see that her oeuvre contained many still lifes in addition to the self-portraits. A small, colorful print hangs in my kitchen!

In a couple of weeks, I will travel to Mexico. One of the destinations on my itinerary is the Frida Kahlo exhibit and La Casa Azul. I'll take along the book The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver, which is set in Mexico and features Kahlo, Rivera, and Trotsky as fictionalized main characters. I also plan to visit San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuoto, which coincidentally is the birthplace of Diego Rivera.

http://www.fridakahlo.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frida_Kahlo

PS- On July 7, 2010, Ringo Starr turns 70! He wants everyone to show two fingers in a "peace" sign at 12 noon and say aloud, "Peace and Love." Happy Birthday, Ringo.

The Real Start of Summer

For me, today felt like the real start of summer.

I went to the Montclair Farmer's Market and bought my favorites: fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, peaches, blueberries, zucchini, lettuce, fresh bread. (You can surely imagine what I ate for lunch when I got home!)

Then, a bike ride around Montclair and over to the Avis Campbell Gardens next to the Montclair Public Library.

On nearby Church Street there was a sizable crowd at the outdoor tables, though there was space at both Raymond's and 32 Church. Judging from the empty streets and tables, is half of Montclair on vacation this weekend? I also noticed two new spots: a cupcake bakery where Gimme Jimmy's used to be and a gelato shop in the place of a photography studio. Both will certainly satisfy a summer sweet tooth.

Now, I'm finally wearing my "Cruzan hook" bracelet from St. Croix, which for the past two years I've put on at the start of summer and removed on the first day of autumn. In a little bit, I'll make a big salad, cook burgers on the grill, and enjoy the backyard. Am I finally relaxing?

Biking the D&R Canal Towpath

At 8:20 on Saturday morning I called a friend to say I would not join in the proposed bikeride due to a lingering head cold. Shortly thereafter another friend called and changed my mind. "When else will you have a day like this? It will be fun. Don't overthink this day, let's just go." He was right so I agreed to try another section of the D&R Canal Towpath. This time, five of us were going to meet at Washington Crossing State Park in Titusville, NJ. From there, we would ride to Lambertville, eat lunch, cross the bridge over to New Hope, PA to explore and then eventually ride back to our cars. I hastily packed sunblock, water and snacks and we got going.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%26R_Canal_Trail)

The day was perfect, but certainly did not follow the original "plan". Before we even started the ride, we ate lunch at a local spot just opposite the towpath called "It's Nutts".
(http://www.itsnuttsrestaurant.com/)

Then, after 5 miles of riding, I got a flat front tire. There were gallant attempts (and jokes) from Tom, but the tire would not inflate. Technology to the rescue with help from Jay and his iPhone. The GPS indicated that we were only two miles from Lambertville and the internet listed a bike shop in the town. Yes, they had my needed tire. So, the three musketeers of Tom, Elaine and Jay rode ahead to the shop to bring back a spare tire while Dan graciously rode at a snail's pace to keep me company while I walked my bike to the shop. Because Dan and I were walking so slowly, we stopped to read information next to one of the locks. It took only three years for over 60 miles of the canal to be built, mainly by Irish immigrants. Many died during the construction. (Dan commented that it's taking longer than that for the bridge repair at Sandy Hook, NJ. True enough, but that's another story...)

After the tire was replaced, everyone needed a beer and some food! We followed the recommendations of guys at the bike shop and enjoyed a microbrew and Middle Eastern pizza and sandwiches at a restaurant just a few blocks away.
http://www.riverhorse.com/
http://www.marhabalambertville.com/

A brief walk around Lambertville revealed antique shops, restaurants, a Civil War cemetary, and a house for sale ($950,000). Then, back on the trail.

The ride to the parking lot seemed quick- no stops for repairs! Once the bikes were back on the cars, the most fitting end to the day brought us back to "It's Nutts" for homemade ice cream!

I'm not sure if this was a day more about bike riding or eating, but it doesn't matter. It was a beautiful summer day with friends, and just perfect.

Finally a Heron

For the past several weeks, I've been wondering when the herons would return to the small pond in the park I run through most mornings. Today, one beautiful great blue was on the edge of the water. I slowed down so I wouldn't disturb it. We eyed each other, and then I continued on my way.

Later, a friend and I packed our bikes to ride a section of the D and R Canal Towpath. We started in New Brunswick at Johnson Park near Rutgers University.

After walking the bikes across a slightly flooded spillway, we set out along the path, hoping for a smooth ride and some local wildlife. Unfortunately, due to recent flooding, this section of the path was filled with loose gravel, which made the ride bumpy and slow.

There were turtles and birds. And at the end of the 20 miles (round trip) there was a great blue heron on the edge of a large puddle right there in Johnson Park. I'm sure it was not the same bird, but definitely a relative.

Apparently a better part of the trail is the section that starts off Alexander Avenue in Princeton (near the kayak rentals) and heads toward Frenchtown/Trenton. Next time...

Peaches

Today I ate my first peach of the season which I purchased on Saturday at the foodie mecca, Dean and DeLuca (Madison and 85th). It wasn't that "drip down your chin" kind of peach, but almost, with just enough juice and fragrance to bring thoughts of days at the beach, backyard barbeques, and peach pie. I was ostensibly in the city to go to the exhibit at the Whitney, but after an hour, my friend and I left the museum to browse Madison Avenue. Of course, it wasn't long before I was buying bread, fruit and pastries to bring home!

The peach reminded me, too, of a favorite poem, "From Blossoms", by Li-Young Lee. It was the first poem of his that I ever read, and for years (until my wallet was stolen on a crowded subway in Brussels) I carried a verse with me.

"O, to take what we love inside,
to carry within us an orchard, to eat
not only the skin, but the shade,
not only the sugar, but the days, to hold
the fruit in our hands, adore it, then bite into
the round jubilance of peach."

Here's the link for the entire poem. To hear Lee read the poem, is joy itself.
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/archive/poem.html?id=171754

The Poetry of Flowers

Emily Dickinson (1830-1886): gardener, poet, correspondent, recluse, "Belle of Amherst".

Sometime before June 13, 2010, I plan to see the exhibit "Emily Dickinson's Garden" at the New York Botanical Garden. The exhibit has two components: inside the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory and a "poetry walk" on the grounds surrounding the conservatory. Inside the conservatory you'll see typical garden flowers such as foxglove, delphinium, hollyhocks (could they be seven feet tall?), roses, daisies, hydrangea and more. (I use the word "typical" with more than a hint of envy since the flowers on display look nothing like the flowers I try to grow! Seriously, the foxglove must be four feet tall, ditto on the delphinium. If I only had a gardening crew...) Additionally there is a facade of the Homestead (her home) joined by a short path through a garden to the facade of her brother's home. Apparently she spent a great deal of time going back and forth. Outside the conservatory, there are shade gardens, herbs, and the most spectacular row of peonies. Nested in between all of these flowers and plants are placards with poems by Dickinson. Some are small so they fit in with low growing flowers, while the ones outside are like the oversized cards in Alice in Wonderland. I took the time to read most of the poems, though my companions were not that interested. Either way, it's all lovely.

After all that walking and Victorian culture, we drove the short distance to Arthur Avenue for a totally different cultural experience: Little Italy of the Bronx. Since we were there Sunday around 5pm, many of the shops were closed. However, several bakeries were open, including my friend's favorite- Madonia Brothers Bakery (2348 Arthur Avenue/ 718-295-5573). There I bought a puffy loaf of onion bread, ciabatta, and a variety of biscotti. When we walked out of the bakery, we must have had the look of "Where should we go for dinner?" since a couple crossing the street asked us if we would like a dinner recommendation. They raved about Enzo's, a local favorite across the street from where we stood. So, that's where we went.


http://www.nybg.org/

Banff Mountain Film Festival

Banff National Park in Canada is Canada's first national park. It encompasses 2, 564 square miles of valleys, mountains, forests, glaciers and rivers. The Banff Mountain Film Festival is hosted each year at the Banff Centre, located in the park. The festival was started in 1976 as the Banff Festival of Mountain Films. After screening all submitted films, the Banff World Tour Team chooses about 25 films each year with a range of themes and styles. The films focus on adventure sports (kayaking, climbing, skiing, BASE jumping, snowboarding, mountain biking) as well as environment and culture. Many of the films are in the "action packed, high adrenaline" category.

On Saturday, March 6, I went to a viewing of some of these films in Phoenixville, PA. The town is an old steel town being revitalized with boutiques, restaurants, and a great brewpub. I was with an old friend, who I hadn't seen in 12 years! He is a true outdoorsman and often an adventure seeker. We had enough time to explore the town, have a few beers, and get tickets for the show. After seeing the films, I was both inspired and discouraged. How does one's life compare to these individuals who push their bodies, minds and spirits beyond what seems humanly possible?

Many of the people I saw are on YouTube: Kris Holm (unicylcist), Chris Sharma (rock climber), Roz Savage (rower).

The film with Roz Savage is the one that has stayed with me. On the outside, at age 33, she had a wonderful life: townhouse in London, corporate job, husband, good health. But, she was feeling unfulfilled. So, she decided she was going to enter a competition to row across the Atlantic, alone. She trained for a year, rowing up to 16 hours a day in the month before the race. She made it, after 103 days at sea. On her website, she has a list of "Lessons Learned", which appeared in a newspaper column in the UK on April 23, 2006. Here's one I'm pondering: Be mindful of the link between present action and desired future outcome. Ask yourself: if I repeat today's actions 365 times, will I be where I want to be in a year?

Happy New Year!

Here's how quickly my plans for New Year's Eve changed:
"Hi. I'm going to be in NY for New Year's. I have hotel points I need to use so when I checked around, NY seemed like the best option. Do you want to join me for New Year's Eve in Times Square?"
"Wow. That sounds wild. I have some tentative plans with my friend Camille though. So, I don't know..."
"Bring her along. I have a suite, so there's plenty of room for everyone to sleep."
"Let me just check with Camille and I'll get back to you. Sounds great and I think she'll be up for it. I've never been in Times Square for New Year's. Have you?"
"Not for 35 years. Call me and let me know."

So, with that invitation from my friend Steve in California, my idea for a quiet dinner and home by 11pm took a dramatic turn. Camille, a native New Yorker who had also never been to Times Square for New Year's Eve, happily agreed to the invitation.

On Thursday, Dec. 31, at 3:00, we boarded the bus to get to Port Authority. Thankfully, the traffic from the morning's bad weather and accidents had cleared and the ride was quick. We dropped our bags at the Doubletree Hilton on Broadway and 7th, and headed out. Already, the crowds were thick, barriers were in place to keep the sidewalks clear, and security was abundant. However, with our hotel passes dangling from our necks, we roamed freely for a couple of hours before returning to the hotel.

The evening's festivities began at the hotel at 8pm: champagne, dinner, dancing, comedy show, more champagne. At 11:30, we bundled up and joined the hundreds of thousands of people who had been outside in the rain for hours. Even though we couldn't see the ball from where we stood, we were near the center stage to hear Jennifer Lopez and at 11:57 a recording of "Imagine". (Maybe the words we all need right now.) If you watched the event on TV, you know what happens at midnight: pandemonium! Music, hugs and kisses, horns blowing, confetti everywhere. We tried to walk down the street, but movement was nearly impossible. Eventually, we walked around the block and headed back inside for a nightcap. By 2, we were asleep.

Before 9am the next morning, the party rooms were transformed into serene breakfast rooms. The servers who poured champagne and drinks a few hours before, now carried trays of orange juice and coffee. I wondered if they had slept at all. After breakfast, we visited all my favorite holiday spots: Rockefeller Center, the windows at Saks, and St. Patrick's Cathedral. No crowds! On the way back to the hotel to get our bags, only a few remainders of confetti on the streets hinted at the revelry that had accompanied the last night of the year.