Walking Tours in the DF

Once again, I have to acknowledge Jim Johnston and his "opinionated" guide to the DF.  At first glance, I didn't think much of this slender volume, but when I realized he maps out several suggested walking tours of select neighborhoods, I decided that his book is almost written for me.   Since I really enjoy walking miles through Latin American colonias, I've found his book to be an indispensible companion for my visits yesterday to La Condesa and my trip to Coyoacan this morning.

Nine stops south on the Metro from my hotel near the city center, the ride to Coyoacan is the equivalent in length to a trip on Chicago's El train from the Loop to Rogers Park.  And from the Metro station it was another 20 minute hike to the center of the colonia, which feature's Frida Kahlo's Blue House and the fortress-like compound where Leon Trotsky lived out his final years of exile from the Soviet Union.

I had intended to pay 40 pesos to see the bullet scarred walls of Trotsky's villa--now a museum--but for some strange reason it was closed when I arrived.  History fans will recall that the Russian former resident of the place couldn't escape the long reach of Stalin's arm, and this is where he met a very gruesome end--by icepick.

Johnston gives a special mention to La Guadalupana, a rustic old cantina which was the local hangout of Kahlo, her husband Diego Rivera, and their friends (including, presumably, Trotsky).  The facade of the building today looks exactly as it did in the 1930s--offering a very real time-warpy feeling.

I have to give Johnston a big round of applause for his recommendation of Condesa tacqueria El Tizoncito where I thoroughly enjoyed a meal last night.  The tacos al pastor (spiced red pork) were absolutely to die for:  a huge plate of them, with about half a dozen different green and red salsas, for around five bucks.  I must revisit the place soon!

Colonia Condesa & the Zocalo

After a day or so of acclimatizing to the elevation here, I set out yesterday in earnest to acquaint myself on foot with some of Mexico City's neighborhoods.  In doing so I also familiarized myself with the city's fast and efficient Metro (subway) and a couple of electric bus lines.

Colonia Condesa is a quiet, pleasant, relatively wealthy neighborhood with tree-lined streets just 10-15 minutes by Metro from the bustle of the downtown Alameda area.  Condesa seems to be peopled mainly by upper middle class dog lovers, and the whole area has a large number of cafes and restaurants which were mostly busy with Sunday diners both times I visited.

Street musicians of all stripes compete for coins and peso notes--including a very fine instrumental trio of clarinet, accordian and contrabass who entertained the multitudes in the very cool and shady Parque Mexico.  These guys played very intricate arrangements at high tempo of what sounded like music from the Balkans, and they appeared to be quite popular as their "hat" was filling with green dollar bills and blue 20 peso notes.

While the boys jammed for the gente, I enjoyed a coffee break at a sidewalk cafe that featured plastic dandelions in water-filled salt shakers.

In the afternoon I went hunting back near the Zocalo for other, possibly cheaper hotels from the one where I currently reside.  The Zocalo's large plaza seems to be occupied by a permanent camp of anti-government protesters, but this didn't hinder in any sense the fun-seeking activities of the huge crowds of Sunday strollers.  I managed to find a couple other hotel possibilities to file away for future reference.

The Hotel Fleming, where I stay now, is perfectly fine but just a tad above my daily budget.  Its location is unbeatable, though, especially for the Metro and the Alameda park.