My fourth day in Mexico City. The city: very smoggy, somewhat dirty, spread out like Los Angeles, not compact. Cars and buses and taxis everywhere.
The neighborhoods: Coyocan, where I am staying, very earthy and cool. Tlaplan, very artsy and peaceful. San Angel, like the Beverly Hills of this city.
My hosts are, of course, going to steer me clear of the really bad parts.
Grafitti everywhere, even in "bueno" neighborhoods (but not in San Angel). Yes, grafitti everywhere and that can make one forget that one is in a middle class neighborhood.
Food and drink on almost every corner: agua fresca, corn, tamales, tacos. Everywhere. These people are serious about food. They are not messing around.
Beautiful haciendas. Very ugly streets.
Today, we visited a magical pyramid that lives in the city and climbed to the top. A view of the volcanos and mountains, but not a very good view; so much smog. It is choking the city.
We also visited two museums dedicated to Frieda, and I am sorry, but I don't like her art and cannot get past the unibrow. I know how that sounds, but I don't like it.
What I do like are the dozens, hundreds, maybe thousands of altars dedicated to the Virgen de Guadalupe. I have loved the Virgin and often will get a small rosary or postcard with her image. They are everywhere. They are all in homage to her. This is why: if something really really bad is happening to you or a loved one, and there is no hope of a cure -- let's say, for instance, you are in a car accident and the doctors say you're going to die -- someone, either you, or one of your loved ones will make a deal with the Virgin. You ask her to save you, and promise something in return. The most popular "promesas" seem to be either making a pilgrimage to her church, or creating a public altar for her.
I like this information, I like to keep it handy just in case.
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