Recuerdos de Mexico

Here are a few last looks at Mexico City. 

 The Angel / Paseo de la Reforma closed on Sunday for bikes-only day.

 Here's a last shout-out to Virgilio Borderopoli and his Zona Rosa Salon!

 Goodbye high-altitude Cupcakeria!

 Goodbye smoggy mornings!

Goodbye Spanish burglar trap!

 Tearful goodbye to Mexican breakfast!

 We dropped by Bazaar Sabado for a last minute purchase of some Javier Servin pottery!

 Here's our last paletas at La Michoacana

(and a frozen banana for me!)

 Here's Autumn back at Chichen Itza!

As usual, there was an outdoor art exhibit on Reforma this week. This one was all made of plastic water bottles to demonstrate another way to recycle by building a pyramid out of garbage!

 

Dino-battle-o!

Look what else you can make out of trash!

I guess this Taj Mahal will have to suffice for now.

One of our favorite street signs!

 Jacaranda in bloom

 Goodbye random people selling cotton candy.

This guy abandoned his post!

 Goodbye tacos al pastor!

We finally tried this top-50 world restaurant on our last night, but it was too fancy for us country-folk! Oh well, goodbye not-so-great Biko.

Later That Day...

So after the beautiful morning we had at the Basilica we came home to work on some departure stuff before we were supposed to leave to go out with friends. Just as I was slipping on my cutest leopard print dress, one of the craziest storms I had ever seen bared down on us!!  Out of nowhere!!!

Some parking attendants trying to keep the drain clear with a broom...kind of futile.

A little later.  The guys gave up on the drain...then this taxi floated by.

Undeterred,  we put on our most waterproof boots and coats, grabbed umbrellas and hit the town!  Here's a shot of the street on the way out of Polanco...that is ice floating in the flood.

Looks like snow!!  It's actually hail...hail that stayed on the ground for 24 hours after storm.  Amazing stuff!

The Basilica of Guadalupe

Our time in Mexico is running short, and there is still so much to see!  We got up this morning bright and early and headed out to see one of the holiest sights for Catholics in the world:  The Basilica of Guadalupe.  It is believed that on Tepeyac Hill in December of 1531 the Virgin revealed herself to Juan Diego in the form of the Virgin of Guadalupe.  The first 2 times no one would believe poor Juan Diego, but the the 3rd time (being the charm and all) she emblazoned her icon on his cloak and he was finally recognized by all as witness to a miracle.

The Basilica complex is enormous with many chapels and churches.  As a degreed student of religion, I absolutely had to go check this place out before we leave Mexico forever.

Here is the Modern Basilica.  It was built in the 1970s and can house 40,000 people for mass.  !!  Inside is a very famous icon of Guadalupe.

Like most places in Mexico, the Modern Basilica has fancy doors.

As we climbed the hill we came across this dramatization in statue of when Juan Diego finally showed the clergy his new icon.

The Ancient Basilica and the Modern Basilica from above.

The view from the very top.  Doesn't that air look...crunchy?

I find these Quetzalcoatl head fountains somewhat out of place...

A vibrant shrine.

A statue memorial of the indigenous people paying their respects to the Virgin.

I found a cactus garden!!

Inside one of the many chapels.

The Ancient Basilica (with the yellow toppers on the right) is falling over.  It throws the perspective of the entire picture off!  Walking around inside that building was odd...kind of felt intoxicated from the extremely uneven floor.

On our way home we were almost tempted by the $15-$30 peso ($1.20-$2.40 USD) haircuts...but alas we moved on.

Visit Day 7: Piedra Herrada

For the last day of my mom's visit, we drove out to Piedra Herrada to see the Monarch butterfly sanctuary.  We had planned on getting McBreakfast, but it turned out that the it had been closed by the health department! Oh whoa to me!

Anyway, we got some takeout from a little bakery and were on our way. It was a beautiful drive, and after a few mishaps with the GPS, we arrived. We rented the caballitos (little horses) which was much better and faster than walking. There were millions of butterflies, and it was just as amazing as the last time I went. I'm even excited to go again with Autumn's dad and Lynn in a few weeks.

We hit horrible traffic on the way home and had to give up on a last day shopping excursion. We met up with Autumn and had a fantastic last dinner at Dulcinea.

 One positive outcome of the French sending an emperor to rule Mexico in the 1800's?

Pastries!

 Looks like Colville!

Entrance to the sanctuary

Chrissy is excited!

 Mom and Rich must feel right at home, but I think their horses are about twice the size of these little guys

I don't know about Ruth, but it's been about 20 years since I was on a horse

 Can you spot the butterflies?

 There's one!

 More!

 and more!

 Hibernating clusters

 Closeup

 Our guide decided to put a bunch of possibly dead butterflies on Chris's head, which was weird...

 Hola Sr. Mariposa Monarcha

 It really was amazing up there.

 Eek, and also a little creepy, like Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds"

They're watching you!

 Hasta luego little horse-ito!

 Cactus forests on the way home.

Back in Mexico City...

...and stuck in traffic!

Thank you all for coming! We had such a fun time with you. See you again next summer and maybe in India!!