I started collecting comic books in earnest back in 1982. I was always interested in reading them and kept a few issues of Batman or Spider-Man under the bed -- usually with coupons clipped or covers torn off. A friend named Jeff Sternal turned me on to the idea that comics could actually be of some worth if properly handled -- which involved buying plastic bags and acid-free storage boxes. I started attending comic conventions and referring to price guides and dreamed of owning rare issues. I got into the X-Men -- that was MY book -- and bought as many back issues as I could. With the dawning of eBay in the late '90s and the addition of extra capital on my part, I once again dove into collecting, filling holes in my collection with those issues that I used to only dream about, but could now pull up on the internet with a few clicks of a button. People ask me what is the appeal of comics. I say that comics are a portal into another world, another time. A world where two inch soles added to your shoes would make you more attractive to women and where X-ray specs would allow you to see through their clothes. Oh yeah, and there were the superheroes -- stand-ins for the hapless, youthful readers. Stand-ins who wielded the power to right the wrongs even though, as in the case of the X-Men and Spider-man, they were often misunderstood and hounded by authority. As the years have passed, I still understand the draw of comic books but I no longer feel its power. To that end, I've decided to divest myself of my entire collection. I'm putting my best up on eBay individually. It makes me a little sad to see them go, but at the same time I'm also actually having one last hurrah with them, scanning their images into my computer and looking them over for defects to report to potential collectors.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Adios Comic Books
I started collecting comic books in earnest back in 1982. I was always interested in reading them and kept a few issues of Batman or Spider-Man under the bed -- usually with coupons clipped or covers torn off. A friend named Jeff Sternal turned me on to the idea that comics could actually be of some worth if properly handled -- which involved buying plastic bags and acid-free storage boxes. I started attending comic conventions and referring to price guides and dreamed of owning rare issues. I got into the X-Men -- that was MY book -- and bought as many back issues as I could. With the dawning of eBay in the late '90s and the addition of extra capital on my part, I once again dove into collecting, filling holes in my collection with those issues that I used to only dream about, but could now pull up on the internet with a few clicks of a button. People ask me what is the appeal of comics. I say that comics are a portal into another world, another time. A world where two inch soles added to your shoes would make you more attractive to women and where X-ray specs would allow you to see through their clothes. Oh yeah, and there were the superheroes -- stand-ins for the hapless, youthful readers. Stand-ins who wielded the power to right the wrongs even though, as in the case of the X-Men and Spider-man, they were often misunderstood and hounded by authority. As the years have passed, I still understand the draw of comic books but I no longer feel its power. To that end, I've decided to divest myself of my entire collection. I'm putting my best up on eBay individually. It makes me a little sad to see them go, but at the same time I'm also actually having one last hurrah with them, scanning their images into my computer and looking them over for defects to report to potential collectors.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Laszlo Kovacs - R.I.P.
Award-winning Hungarian cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs passed away at his home in Beverly Hills this past weekend at the age of 74. Kovacs, who lensed such films as Easy Rider, Paper Moon, Ghostbusters and Say Anything -- as well as contributing photography to Close Encounters of the Third Kind -- actually cut his teeth on early exploitation trash such as Mantis in Lace, Kiss Me Quick, The Notorious Daughter of Fanny Hill and my favorite, Ray Dennis Steckler's immortal The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-up Zombies.Monday, July 23, 2007
Kansas City Confidential
Kansas City Confidential (1952)Let us now turn our attention to all things NOIR...Got my mitts on a brand-spanking new DVD of the recently released B-programmer Kansas City Confidential. Unfortunately, this rough little gem has been languishing in public domain hell for the past several years, available only in poor-quality DVDs from such dodgy distributors such as Alpha Video and Treeline. I already own two, unwatchable copies so I was really excited when I learned that MGM was gonna put out a re-mastered version. And what a difference that makes! I first caught KCC on a late-night UHF station about a decade ago. It was late, I was tired but the hard-boiled dialog, awesome cast of heavies (including Jack Elam, Lee Van Cleef and Neville Brand) and atmospheric photography kept me watching until 4 AM. The MGM DVD is bare bones but the sharp picture makes you feel like you're at the very first screening. Totally implausible and unconnected with reality -- KCC is a fun film thanks to its pulpish unpretentiousness and second-hand style. Not the best of the noirs but definitely worth a look thanks to the new pristine DVD release.
Directed: Phil Karlston
Written: Harry Essex, George Bruce
Starring: John Payne, Coleen Gray, Preston Foster
MGM/ B&W / 1:33 / 99 m.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Generation Chickenhawk
Gen. Chickenhawks from huffpost and Vimeo.
This video by Max Blumenthal illustrates the hypocrisy and willful ignorance of the "elite wannabes". Suck it, Wingnuts! If you like the war in Iraq so much, why don't you grab a gun and get your ass over there? Plus, it's got the "Totally Not Gay" dude!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Friday, July 13, 2007
Mexico City Part 5 -- The Final Chapter
When I was plotting our trip to Mexico City, I knew that by the end of the trip we'd probably want to totally chill in style. With that in mind, I booked us a night at the fancy-schmancy La Casona boutique hotel in Colonia Roma. The one night we spent at the La Casona cost more than the three nights we spent at the Hotel Posada Viena but the difference was like night and day. Our own private terrace, a huge tiled bathroom with a large, clean tub and bathrobe, flat-screened television, a wooden desk and for once -- a comfortable bed! The staff couldn't have been nicer either. We spent an evening exercising our Spanish with the bartender Ernesto who was quite a character.
We only had about three hours to explore the National Museum of Anthropology in nearby Chapultepec Park which was within walking distance but we were also starving. We grabbed a quick but delicious meal from an enchilada vendor on the sidewalk. Tiffany got a great mole dish and I had a spicy verde enchilada combo. After finishing we made our way to the Museum. Chapultepec Park is a great place, heavily wooded, the area served a source of water for Tenochtitlan during the Aztec era and as the final stand for Mexico when the U.S. invaded during the U.S.-Mexican War in 1847s. I would've loved to spend more time exploring the huge area which includes the Chapultepec Castle -- a fortress expanded by Mexico's ill-fated Emperor Maxmillian I as his principle residence.
The actual Museum is an overwhelming experience and a mecca for anyone interested in anthropology and human history. We didn't have enough time to deeply explore every exhibit but we got a pretty good taste and took lots of pictures.
After finishing up we made our way back but discovered the shortcut we made through the park was closed off from us. We had to walk around along the Paseo de la Reforma -- almost to the winged Angel of Independence statue that we viewed on our first day. The humidity was starting to slow us down so we returned to our hotel room to take advantage of the amenities. A dinner at the somewhat upscale La Tecla was followed by a nightcap with Ernesto at the hotel bar. We were returning to Dallas the next day but since our plane didn't leave until 5:00 pm, we would have plenty of time for one more venture out into the city.
Taking a metro the next morning, we decided to revisit the Zocalo and the Museum of the Templo Mayor since we were rained out of it the first day. The Museum was a treat, almost as cool as the Museum of Anthropology -- although a lot smaller. A real surprise. The mysterious looking ruins of the multi-layered temple are incredible to view and made a nice finish to our trip.
By the time we returned to La Casona, the hotel had already called a taxi which was waiting for us and our return to the airport.
My one regret was not attending a Lucha Libre event that we had originally scheduled for Tuesday night. But the museum and time constraints -- not to mention sheer fatigue -- kept us from the date. Maybe next time.
Our trip to Mexico City was a real eye opener. It's quite fascinating that such a radically different culture lies within a 2 1/2 hour plane ride away from our home. Mexico City is a place of contrasts -- where the pre-Hispanic and the European cultures live side by side and not as uneasily as might be expected. Mexicans are equally as proud of both their heritages and the incredible amount of architecture and ruins available for study makes the place an intriguing destination for anyone with a taste for history. My final thoughts on DF -- take the advice from the guidebooks with a grain of salt. I'm sure that Mexico can be a violent, scary place, but using the same common sense that you would while visiting any large city will be more than enough to keep you safe as you explore the city's wonders.
We only had about three hours to explore the National Museum of Anthropology in nearby Chapultepec Park which was within walking distance but we were also starving. We grabbed a quick but delicious meal from an enchilada vendor on the sidewalk. Tiffany got a great mole dish and I had a spicy verde enchilada combo. After finishing we made our way to the Museum. Chapultepec Park is a great place, heavily wooded, the area served a source of water for Tenochtitlan during the Aztec era and as the final stand for Mexico when the U.S. invaded during the U.S.-Mexican War in 1847s. I would've loved to spend more time exploring the huge area which includes the Chapultepec Castle -- a fortress expanded by Mexico's ill-fated Emperor Maxmillian I as his principle residence.
The actual Museum is an overwhelming experience and a mecca for anyone interested in anthropology and human history. We didn't have enough time to deeply explore every exhibit but we got a pretty good taste and took lots of pictures.
After finishing up we made our way back but discovered the shortcut we made through the park was closed off from us. We had to walk around along the Paseo de la Reforma -- almost to the winged Angel of Independence statue that we viewed on our first day. The humidity was starting to slow us down so we returned to our hotel room to take advantage of the amenities. A dinner at the somewhat upscale La Tecla was followed by a nightcap with Ernesto at the hotel bar. We were returning to Dallas the next day but since our plane didn't leave until 5:00 pm, we would have plenty of time for one more venture out into the city.
Taking a metro the next morning, we decided to revisit the Zocalo and the Museum of the Templo Mayor since we were rained out of it the first day. The Museum was a treat, almost as cool as the Museum of Anthropology -- although a lot smaller. A real surprise. The mysterious looking ruins of the multi-layered temple are incredible to view and made a nice finish to our trip.
By the time we returned to La Casona, the hotel had already called a taxi which was waiting for us and our return to the airport.
My one regret was not attending a Lucha Libre event that we had originally scheduled for Tuesday night. But the museum and time constraints -- not to mention sheer fatigue -- kept us from the date. Maybe next time.
Our trip to Mexico City was a real eye opener. It's quite fascinating that such a radically different culture lies within a 2 1/2 hour plane ride away from our home. Mexico City is a place of contrasts -- where the pre-Hispanic and the European cultures live side by side and not as uneasily as might be expected. Mexicans are equally as proud of both their heritages and the incredible amount of architecture and ruins available for study makes the place an intriguing destination for anyone with a taste for history. My final thoughts on DF -- take the advice from the guidebooks with a grain of salt. I'm sure that Mexico can be a violent, scary place, but using the same common sense that you would while visiting any large city will be more than enough to keep you safe as you explore the city's wonders.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Mexico City Part 4
Taxco, a colonial silver mining town, lies about 2 1/2 hours southwest of Mexico City by bus. After packing up our bags and saying goodbye to the Hotel Posada Viena, Tiffany and I walked to the Cuauhtémoc station and took the metro to the Autobus Terminal South. I had already spied the station when we traveled to Xochimilco so getting there was no problem. After boarding the bus we settled in with the free bottles of water and snacks they provided us. There was even a DVD and television set-up aboard showing the Spanish language version of "50 First Dates." Even en Espanol, I could tell this was one creepy movie.
The road took us through mountain passes and the town of Cuernavaca. Although the landscape was frequently pastoral, one rarely seems to escape the effects of industrialization in central Mexico -- that is until you roll into Taxco. The city's red-tile roofed houses and buildings cling to the side of a steep mountain, basically piled on top of each other. Swarms of white, VW taxis motored up and down the narrow streets. The effect was rather like a Mediterranean village -- all white stucco, sun-baked brick and German-engineering. We were so taken with the city that we got kind of carried away with the photo-taking. Every angle, every view was a picture waiting to be snapped. And although we were obviously not the first people to discover the town's charms, Taxco sort of felt like a little secret.
The town's heart centered around the zocalo of Plaza Borda, bounded by the 200 year old Santa Prisca Cathedral, which was filled with scary Jesus statues and odd paintings. Even during the week, the plaza was filled with people, talking, playing, laughing. Vendors sold balloons and elotes asados. Renowned for its silver, shops selling the precious metal at discount prices were literally everywhere. I had booked two nights at the Hotel Los Arcos. The comfortable, airy hotel was allegedly built in 1620. Our small room was well lit with windows looking out to the northern edge of the city while an interior window looked over the larger inner courtyard. Everything was great except for the water which trickled out of the faucet thanks to poor water pressure.
We soaked up the ambiance and took in some local chow. My first request was a bowl of posole which we enjoyed at Pozolaria Tia Calla. We also indulged in some local ice cream (I had rompope -- that's eggnog to you). Almost every restaurant or bar in Taxco featured an excellent view of the city. We returned twice to the Agua Escondido's rooftop terrace (although they quadruple charged my credit card as I discovered when I got home) although not every place had comfortable seating. Berta's Bar, home of the famous Berta -- a drink consisting of tequila, honey and lime -- featured tiny chairs that cramped muscles when used. We ended our first day in Taxco at the funky Cafe Sasha where I got drunk and scared a bunch of American expats with my "communist talk."
Taxco is crowned with a huge statue of Christ at its highest point. The statue and its foundation were actually completed in 2002 although its effect makes it seem a lot older. For our second day in the town, I proposed that we make our way to the statue. Unfortunately a sorry breakfast of scrambled eggs and hot dogs(!) served at Cafe Borda provided me with my vacation's first and only really bad meal. Summoning up our strength to take on Taxco's steep (and I do mean steep -- Teotihuacan's got nothing on Taxco) avenues, we embarked. I hadn't counted on the scorching sun's effect as we made our way up. Gradually, the tourist traps gave way to the real Taxco and its residents who didn't seem all that excited that a couple of gringos were walking around their hood. Can't say I blame them but I made an effort to say "hola" to everyone I met. At one point, we seemed to be circling the base of the statue and never seemed to get closer. We finally met a young girl, about 7, who spoke to us in Spanish. I asked if she could take me to the top to see the statue and she led the way. Little did I suspect that this little guia's short cut consisted of us walking through people's houses, trespassing on private land and clawing our way up muddy banks of rock and soil. I started to wonder how we would get back without her. Were we going to have to go through these people's houses again? Approaching the base of the statue from the side, we climbed over and found ourselves in the clouds. I was covered with sweat and vowed to not leave until I was sufficiently seco.
On the way down we ran into an American couple we happened to meet at Cafe Borda. They too were on their way to the top and leading the way was their own little guide. I must admit that the entire time we were in Mexico, the only time I really felt that something might go really wrong was when that little girl took us through those people's living quarters. I thought for two seconds that we were gonna get jumped by some urchins.
We spent the rest of the day picking up gifts for relatives -- I myself bought a coveted Lucha Libre mask for myself. We were gonna miss Taxco and its peaceful ways but we had to return to DF for one more day on our way to the airport home...
TO BE CONCLUDED...
The road took us through mountain passes and the town of Cuernavaca. Although the landscape was frequently pastoral, one rarely seems to escape the effects of industrialization in central Mexico -- that is until you roll into Taxco. The city's red-tile roofed houses and buildings cling to the side of a steep mountain, basically piled on top of each other. Swarms of white, VW taxis motored up and down the narrow streets. The effect was rather like a Mediterranean village -- all white stucco, sun-baked brick and German-engineering. We were so taken with the city that we got kind of carried away with the photo-taking. Every angle, every view was a picture waiting to be snapped. And although we were obviously not the first people to discover the town's charms, Taxco sort of felt like a little secret.
The town's heart centered around the zocalo of Plaza Borda, bounded by the 200 year old Santa Prisca Cathedral, which was filled with scary Jesus statues and odd paintings. Even during the week, the plaza was filled with people, talking, playing, laughing. Vendors sold balloons and elotes asados. Renowned for its silver, shops selling the precious metal at discount prices were literally everywhere. I had booked two nights at the Hotel Los Arcos. The comfortable, airy hotel was allegedly built in 1620. Our small room was well lit with windows looking out to the northern edge of the city while an interior window looked over the larger inner courtyard. Everything was great except for the water which trickled out of the faucet thanks to poor water pressure.
We soaked up the ambiance and took in some local chow. My first request was a bowl of posole which we enjoyed at Pozolaria Tia Calla. We also indulged in some local ice cream (I had rompope -- that's eggnog to you). Almost every restaurant or bar in Taxco featured an excellent view of the city. We returned twice to the Agua Escondido's rooftop terrace (although they quadruple charged my credit card as I discovered when I got home) although not every place had comfortable seating. Berta's Bar, home of the famous Berta -- a drink consisting of tequila, honey and lime -- featured tiny chairs that cramped muscles when used. We ended our first day in Taxco at the funky Cafe Sasha where I got drunk and scared a bunch of American expats with my "communist talk."
Taxco is crowned with a huge statue of Christ at its highest point. The statue and its foundation were actually completed in 2002 although its effect makes it seem a lot older. For our second day in the town, I proposed that we make our way to the statue. Unfortunately a sorry breakfast of scrambled eggs and hot dogs(!) served at Cafe Borda provided me with my vacation's first and only really bad meal. Summoning up our strength to take on Taxco's steep (and I do mean steep -- Teotihuacan's got nothing on Taxco) avenues, we embarked. I hadn't counted on the scorching sun's effect as we made our way up. Gradually, the tourist traps gave way to the real Taxco and its residents who didn't seem all that excited that a couple of gringos were walking around their hood. Can't say I blame them but I made an effort to say "hola" to everyone I met. At one point, we seemed to be circling the base of the statue and never seemed to get closer. We finally met a young girl, about 7, who spoke to us in Spanish. I asked if she could take me to the top to see the statue and she led the way. Little did I suspect that this little guia's short cut consisted of us walking through people's houses, trespassing on private land and clawing our way up muddy banks of rock and soil. I started to wonder how we would get back without her. Were we going to have to go through these people's houses again? Approaching the base of the statue from the side, we climbed over and found ourselves in the clouds. I was covered with sweat and vowed to not leave until I was sufficiently seco.
On the way down we ran into an American couple we happened to meet at Cafe Borda. They too were on their way to the top and leading the way was their own little guide. I must admit that the entire time we were in Mexico, the only time I really felt that something might go really wrong was when that little girl took us through those people's living quarters. I thought for two seconds that we were gonna get jumped by some urchins.
We spent the rest of the day picking up gifts for relatives -- I myself bought a coveted Lucha Libre mask for myself. We were gonna miss Taxco and its peaceful ways but we had to return to DF for one more day on our way to the airport home...
TO BE CONCLUDED...
Friday, July 06, 2007
Mexico City Part 3
To travel to the ancient ruins of Teotihuacan, we had to take the the number 5 metro line to the very northern-most part of DF and buy tickets aboard a bus that would travel the 25 mile distance to the site. Unfortunately, the metro was under construction and we were forced to leave the station and take a connecting city bus to the Autobus Terminal. The bus was literally packed cheek to jowl. Tiffany mentioned that she felt that she was going to have her spine-snapped a la Frida Kahlo in the crush. When we did arrive it took us a while to actually nail down the small Teotihuacan ticket counter but it wasn't a problem to buy the tickets (for about $6) and board the comfortable liner.
We traveled over the mountains to the North and into a valley filled with houses stacked on houses on the descending hillsides. The urban smog gave way to blue skies and a slightly arid climate. The entrance to Teotihuacan was bounded by a circular drive-way that, for some reason, the bus was not allowed to travel into. We jumped off, leaving many more passengers aboard, and made our way to the front gate where we bought our tickets. A small vendors mall was the first thing we saw and we both eyed the various trinkets and souvenirs. We both decided to purchase inexpensive, wide-brimmed hats and leave the trinkets for later.
The incredible vista that greeted us as we exited into the main section of the archaeological park was breathtaking. To our immediate front lay the Citadel, a large walled section of Teotihuacan that contained the famous Temple of Quetzalcoatl. To our left was the Avenue of the Dead, linking the city's largest edifice the 200 feet high Pyramid of the Sun (one of the largest pyramids in Mesoamerica) and the almost as tall Pyramid of the Moon on the northern end of the city. And all around us were hundreds of pushy vendors, hawking all sorts of crap. Seriously, we couldn't walk for one minute without being approached by some local peddler, trying to get us to buy a stone carving of a African mask or an elephant! Okay, I admit it, I gave in and actually bought a little sculptured pot from a guy. I have no idea what I'm going to do with it.
Teotihuacan's mysterious origins probably began right before the beginning of the first century A.D. By the time the Aztecs had established Tenochtitlan a thousand years later, the city had long been abandoned. There is a lot to see in the archaeological zone -- so much that we didn't even have time to explore all of the interesting sites, such as the temples in the outlying western section of the city.
We decided to climb to the top of the Pyramid of the Sun first, seeing as it looked like it would be the most difficult, especially climbing in the area's high altitudes (at least to us gringos). The trip up wasn't the easiest thing to do thanks to the uneven steps that required giant strides just to surmount. There were hundreds of fellow sight-seers on the way. Some people were visibly freaking out at the steep ascent, sitting down right in the middle of the steps, blocking others way. At the top were a collection of sun worshipers -- for lack of a better name -- who were performing a ritual ceremony. Some had red bands around their heads. I wish I would've actually asked one of them what the deal was.
After the Pyramid of the Sun, the Pyramid of the Moon was no problem, especially since we weren't allowed beyond the first level. After a few hours of touring the various buildings such as the Patio of the Jaguars with its still-intact murals, we decided to head back toward the entrance and check out the Citadel. The Citadel with its famous Temple of Quetzalcoatl was pretty amazing but scaffolding kept us from getting to close to the giant serpent head statues and images of the Teotihucan (and later Aztec) rain god Tlaloc.
A day of touring Teotihucan in the sun can really take it out of you. Fortunately there are areas where you can buy snacks and water around the park. There are even some interesting restaurants such as Las Grutas on the eastern side which is located in a cave. Unfortunately we didn't make it to Las Grutas because frankly we were worn out and I just wanted to catch a bus back to the city.
After catching the bus we headed back into the DF. I was a little worried about the journey back on the metro and considered paying for a taxi. But after an unexpected stop at the Indio Verdes station, I grabbed Tiffany and told her we were taking the metro. Although the Indios Verdes stop wasn't mentioned in the guidebooks, I recognized it from the metro map and knew it would take us to our hotel.
I managed to grab a couple of delicious (and way cheap) tortas from the restaurant across the street from our hotel, a six pack of Sol and we dined in our room to the sound of the falling evening rain. This was our last day at the Hotel Posada Viena and our last day in the DF. Tomorrow we were traveling 2 1/2 hours outside of the city to the colonial town of Taxco.
TO BE CONTINUED...
We traveled over the mountains to the North and into a valley filled with houses stacked on houses on the descending hillsides. The urban smog gave way to blue skies and a slightly arid climate. The entrance to Teotihuacan was bounded by a circular drive-way that, for some reason, the bus was not allowed to travel into. We jumped off, leaving many more passengers aboard, and made our way to the front gate where we bought our tickets. A small vendors mall was the first thing we saw and we both eyed the various trinkets and souvenirs. We both decided to purchase inexpensive, wide-brimmed hats and leave the trinkets for later.
The incredible vista that greeted us as we exited into the main section of the archaeological park was breathtaking. To our immediate front lay the Citadel, a large walled section of Teotihuacan that contained the famous Temple of Quetzalcoatl. To our left was the Avenue of the Dead, linking the city's largest edifice the 200 feet high Pyramid of the Sun (one of the largest pyramids in Mesoamerica) and the almost as tall Pyramid of the Moon on the northern end of the city. And all around us were hundreds of pushy vendors, hawking all sorts of crap. Seriously, we couldn't walk for one minute without being approached by some local peddler, trying to get us to buy a stone carving of a African mask or an elephant! Okay, I admit it, I gave in and actually bought a little sculptured pot from a guy. I have no idea what I'm going to do with it.
Teotihuacan's mysterious origins probably began right before the beginning of the first century A.D. By the time the Aztecs had established Tenochtitlan a thousand years later, the city had long been abandoned. There is a lot to see in the archaeological zone -- so much that we didn't even have time to explore all of the interesting sites, such as the temples in the outlying western section of the city.
We decided to climb to the top of the Pyramid of the Sun first, seeing as it looked like it would be the most difficult, especially climbing in the area's high altitudes (at least to us gringos). The trip up wasn't the easiest thing to do thanks to the uneven steps that required giant strides just to surmount. There were hundreds of fellow sight-seers on the way. Some people were visibly freaking out at the steep ascent, sitting down right in the middle of the steps, blocking others way. At the top were a collection of sun worshipers -- for lack of a better name -- who were performing a ritual ceremony. Some had red bands around their heads. I wish I would've actually asked one of them what the deal was.
After the Pyramid of the Sun, the Pyramid of the Moon was no problem, especially since we weren't allowed beyond the first level. After a few hours of touring the various buildings such as the Patio of the Jaguars with its still-intact murals, we decided to head back toward the entrance and check out the Citadel. The Citadel with its famous Temple of Quetzalcoatl was pretty amazing but scaffolding kept us from getting to close to the giant serpent head statues and images of the Teotihucan (and later Aztec) rain god Tlaloc.
A day of touring Teotihucan in the sun can really take it out of you. Fortunately there are areas where you can buy snacks and water around the park. There are even some interesting restaurants such as Las Grutas on the eastern side which is located in a cave. Unfortunately we didn't make it to Las Grutas because frankly we were worn out and I just wanted to catch a bus back to the city.
After catching the bus we headed back into the DF. I was a little worried about the journey back on the metro and considered paying for a taxi. But after an unexpected stop at the Indio Verdes station, I grabbed Tiffany and told her we were taking the metro. Although the Indios Verdes stop wasn't mentioned in the guidebooks, I recognized it from the metro map and knew it would take us to our hotel.
I managed to grab a couple of delicious (and way cheap) tortas from the restaurant across the street from our hotel, a six pack of Sol and we dined in our room to the sound of the falling evening rain. This was our last day at the Hotel Posada Viena and our last day in the DF. Tomorrow we were traveling 2 1/2 hours outside of the city to the colonial town of Taxco.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Mexico City Part 2
For our second day in Mexico City, we decided to take the metro to the southern-most part of the city. The voyage involved a transfer to the overground Tren Ligero to visit Xochimilco, the ancient canal and chinampa system that allegedly gives a taste of what life was like in the Pre-Hispanic era. When people ask me about my biggest surprise in Mexico, I often mention the excellent metro system. Guidebooks unfairly cast the city's subway as a dark and dangerous place, full of pickpockets and molesters. I personally never had anyone even touch me on the trains, which were so efficient, we never had to wait more than a minute or two for a ride which, incidentally cost about $.17 -- truly a bargain. There were even Aztec ruins in the metro tunnels as we discovered when we transfered at the Pino Suarez station. There on display in a protected enclosure was a small temple dedicated to the Aztec deity Ehecatl -- the god of Wind and another incarnation of Quetzalcoatl. The temple was apparently discovered in the early '70s when they were building the first metro lines.
The neighborhood of Xochimilco was more like the crumbling historic villages many people associate with Mexico as opposed to the modern metropolis of the central city. Narrow cobblestone streets wound their way between brightly colored buildings while small fondas and cafes selling tortas and tacos marked the way. Not knowing exactly what to expect, we followed street signs directing us to the Embarcadero where I had read we could rent a trajinera or Mexican gondola and tour the canals for an hour or two. Spotted as gringos we were quickly hustled onto the dock where I negotiated a ride for two hours for about $25. Our guide loaded a bucket full of Coronas onto the skiffle and we left port, gliding past junkyards and under small bridges into the canal system.
The canals were actually created almost 2000 years ago by the locals who bundled together wood and mud to create islands or chinampas where they grew food and flowers in the middle of Lake Xochimilco. The idea was so popular with the Aztecs that they decided to build their entire island city of Tenochtitlan utilizing the chinampa method. Xochimilco is probably more popular with Mexicans than it is tourists. While floating down the canals, surrounded by quaint homes in various states of disrepair, one can be serenaded (for a small fee) by floating bands of mariachis who will pull their flotilla up to yours and perform. One can also buy various snacks and trinkets from floating vendors. If you need to go to the restroom -- no problem. Just tell your trajinera operator who will take you to one of the chinampas displaying a "WC" sign. Mexicans have figured out how to profit from a basic human function. You'll never pay less than $2 pesos anywhere in Mexico to go wee wee. Still, when you gotta go, it's a small price to pay. After all those Coronas I had to go about three times during our two hours out.
There is a lot more to see in the canals than what we took in during our tour. Entire sections of the canal system are effectively off limits to tourists, protected as an ecologically sensitive zone. Unfortunately one of the more famous chinampas, the surreal La Isla de las Munecas (Island of the Dolls) is now in the protected territory. Some forward thinking person, however, decided to recreate the island -- featuring various parts of children's dolls displayed in a rather macabre fashion -- on one of the canals we visited.
Two hours on the water was not enough, but there was more for us to see. I was interested in heading to the Dolores Olmedo Patiño Museum which was a few stops north on the Tren Ligero. The museo was famous for its collection of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera works as well as its well-manicured gardens that were inhabited by roaming gangs of xoloitzcuintle -- Mexican hairless dogs.
The museo was contained within a walled, colonial-era house. It's neighborhood of La Noria seemed like a dense urban wasteland but once we stepped into the walled compound it was like we entered another world. While one of Mexico City's frequent afternoon rainstorms threated us with another unscheduled shower, we made our way from the ticket counter to the main building. Along the way we encountered a old man who seemed to take an interest in our visit. He seemed to follow us almost everywhere we went and made a point of speaking to us in Spanish, although I couldn't follow everything he said. He was very taken by the strutting peacocks who roamed the estate. The collection of Diego Rivera's early works was pretty fascinating and the home's collection of Frida Kahlo was said to best that of the Frida Kahlo Museum in nearby Coyoacan but unfortunately a 100 year Kahlo retrospective was taking place at the Palacio de Bellas Artes and Dolores' works were loaned out.
The full day had worn us out but we were starving. Once we got back to our hotel and cleaned up we decided to take a cab to the Centro Histórico for dinner at the famous Cafe Tacuba. Tiffany and I were very surprised at the place's comfortable ambiance and great food. A roving band (I think there's a roving band everywhere you go in Mexico) provided the soundtrack and Tacuba provided the food and drinks. I downed a few tequilas backed by a sangrita chaser -- a spicy shot of Clamato and pepper. Totally addictive. After the satisfying meal we made our way south to famous Bar Opera. This 19th century watering hole offered a dark wood bar and handcarved booths (yes, there was also a roving band here) as well as a preserved hole in the ceiling allegedly made by Pancho Villa himself. Bar Opera is my kind of place and although I felt a bit out of my element with the laughing and chatting locals (my poor Spanish prevented me from actually engaging in many conversations) the atmosphere won me over. If you're in Mexico you gotta try it out.
After all the food and beer we retired back to our hotel for our third day which would consist of a daytrip to ancient ruins of Teotihuacan.
TO BE CONTINUED...
The neighborhood of Xochimilco was more like the crumbling historic villages many people associate with Mexico as opposed to the modern metropolis of the central city. Narrow cobblestone streets wound their way between brightly colored buildings while small fondas and cafes selling tortas and tacos marked the way. Not knowing exactly what to expect, we followed street signs directing us to the Embarcadero where I had read we could rent a trajinera or Mexican gondola and tour the canals for an hour or two. Spotted as gringos we were quickly hustled onto the dock where I negotiated a ride for two hours for about $25. Our guide loaded a bucket full of Coronas onto the skiffle and we left port, gliding past junkyards and under small bridges into the canal system.
The canals were actually created almost 2000 years ago by the locals who bundled together wood and mud to create islands or chinampas where they grew food and flowers in the middle of Lake Xochimilco. The idea was so popular with the Aztecs that they decided to build their entire island city of Tenochtitlan utilizing the chinampa method. Xochimilco is probably more popular with Mexicans than it is tourists. While floating down the canals, surrounded by quaint homes in various states of disrepair, one can be serenaded (for a small fee) by floating bands of mariachis who will pull their flotilla up to yours and perform. One can also buy various snacks and trinkets from floating vendors. If you need to go to the restroom -- no problem. Just tell your trajinera operator who will take you to one of the chinampas displaying a "WC" sign. Mexicans have figured out how to profit from a basic human function. You'll never pay less than $2 pesos anywhere in Mexico to go wee wee. Still, when you gotta go, it's a small price to pay. After all those Coronas I had to go about three times during our two hours out.
There is a lot more to see in the canals than what we took in during our tour. Entire sections of the canal system are effectively off limits to tourists, protected as an ecologically sensitive zone. Unfortunately one of the more famous chinampas, the surreal La Isla de las Munecas (Island of the Dolls) is now in the protected territory. Some forward thinking person, however, decided to recreate the island -- featuring various parts of children's dolls displayed in a rather macabre fashion -- on one of the canals we visited.
Two hours on the water was not enough, but there was more for us to see. I was interested in heading to the Dolores Olmedo Patiño Museum which was a few stops north on the Tren Ligero. The museo was famous for its collection of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera works as well as its well-manicured gardens that were inhabited by roaming gangs of xoloitzcuintle -- Mexican hairless dogs.
The museo was contained within a walled, colonial-era house. It's neighborhood of La Noria seemed like a dense urban wasteland but once we stepped into the walled compound it was like we entered another world. While one of Mexico City's frequent afternoon rainstorms threated us with another unscheduled shower, we made our way from the ticket counter to the main building. Along the way we encountered a old man who seemed to take an interest in our visit. He seemed to follow us almost everywhere we went and made a point of speaking to us in Spanish, although I couldn't follow everything he said. He was very taken by the strutting peacocks who roamed the estate. The collection of Diego Rivera's early works was pretty fascinating and the home's collection of Frida Kahlo was said to best that of the Frida Kahlo Museum in nearby Coyoacan but unfortunately a 100 year Kahlo retrospective was taking place at the Palacio de Bellas Artes and Dolores' works were loaned out.
The full day had worn us out but we were starving. Once we got back to our hotel and cleaned up we decided to take a cab to the Centro Histórico for dinner at the famous Cafe Tacuba. Tiffany and I were very surprised at the place's comfortable ambiance and great food. A roving band (I think there's a roving band everywhere you go in Mexico) provided the soundtrack and Tacuba provided the food and drinks. I downed a few tequilas backed by a sangrita chaser -- a spicy shot of Clamato and pepper. Totally addictive. After the satisfying meal we made our way south to famous Bar Opera. This 19th century watering hole offered a dark wood bar and handcarved booths (yes, there was also a roving band here) as well as a preserved hole in the ceiling allegedly made by Pancho Villa himself. Bar Opera is my kind of place and although I felt a bit out of my element with the laughing and chatting locals (my poor Spanish prevented me from actually engaging in many conversations) the atmosphere won me over. If you're in Mexico you gotta try it out.
After all the food and beer we retired back to our hotel for our third day which would consist of a daytrip to ancient ruins of Teotihuacan.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Mexico City Part 1
Mexico City is one of the world's misunderstood places. The sprawling metropolis, home from anywhere to 12 to 25 million people -- depending on who you ask -- has a bad rep thanks to its smog, crime and squalor. But after spending a week around the DF (Mexico City is, like our own Washington, DC, not in a particular state but a Federal District, or Distrito Federal), I felt that I had enough experience to dispel a few myths while immersing myself in a culture that can only create new ones.
Tiffany and I hopped on an airplane at DFW's new international terminal and made our way to Mexico's Benito Juarez airport on June 21st. We had scheduled six nights -- three in DF, two in the colonial silver mining town of Taxco, 2 1/2 hours south of the city, and one night back before our flight home. My biggest worry before touching down was the taxi cab situation. All the guidebooks had stern warnings NEVER to take one of the numerous, green, VW bug taxis that littered the city's streets. Tales of muggings, kidnappings and beatings apparently were endemic in connection with these vehicles of death. Instead, it was recommended to take a Sitio or radio cab. At airport and bus terminals, you simply walk up to a window near the street exit and buy tickets, priced according to the zone you're traveling to in the city. I thought it might be more complicated than this but it really wasn't. It cost about $11 to take us from the airport in the eastern part of the city to our destination near the infamous Zona Rosa near the city's center.
I was a little underwhelmed by the hotel I had booked for our first three nights. There were a lot of things we wanted to see and do those first three days in the city and my only criteria was location and price. The Hotel Posada Viena seemed to fit the bill. The large room we reserved initially looked more than adequate but it slowly turned gloomy. The large, king-sized bed felt like someone had removed the mattress and left us with the box spring while the dim, fluorescent lights gave the place all the atmosphere of an police interrogation room. At least the water was hot.
Knowing that we would be disoriented in a big, foreign country, I didn't plan too much for our first day. All of the Spanish I had crammed for couldn't prepare me for the shock of being thrown into place where they didn't really speak English -- yet didn't understand my Spanish. I was frustrated trying to buy two beers from the farmacia across from the hotel and being handed a six pack. Trying to explain that I only wanted two beers (cause we didn't have a fridge to keep 'em cool) only elicited a blank stare. So I bought the whole six pack. Guess I'll have to work on my pronunciation.
It was getting late in the afternoon and we decided to take one of those sitio cabs to the city's famous Zocalo -- the second largest city square in the world built on the ruins of the Aztec main temple complex. I thought we could tour the Palacio Nacional, traditionally the seat of the Mexican government but now probably more famous for its Diego Rivera murals, but a military exercise closed the Palacio earlier than normal. It was already too late to tour the Museo del Templo Mayor but a late breaking rainstorm forced us to take sanctuary in the Catedral Metropolitana. The enormous 16th century Catholic church was built from stone taken from the pyramids and buildings of the Aztecs. It is now sinking into the soft soil.
Despite buying a pair of umbrellas on the Zocalo, we were soaked. I suggested we try to find a restaurant I had read about in the guidebooks, a place called La Casa de las Sirenas, just to get out of the rain. The restaurant, housed in a building behind the cathedral and probably just as old, featured a great, covered, rooftop terrace. Whether we were bucking Mexican tradition with our off-timed meals or whether our weekday schedule put us off the tourist track, our entire trip seemed to consist of eating meals in restaurants by ourselves. Sirenas was no exception. The food -- which was expensive -- was ok. Nothing to really write about. I had chipotle mushrooms with shrimp tacos and sopes. We learned a pretty important lesson -- don't spend a lot of money on Mexican food.
TO BE CONTINUED...
P.S. I've posted quite a few photos from Mexico City on my Flickr page. You can scroll down and enter through my Flickr badge on the right sidebar of this page or click here to go to the Mexico City '07 set.
Tiffany and I hopped on an airplane at DFW's new international terminal and made our way to Mexico's Benito Juarez airport on June 21st. We had scheduled six nights -- three in DF, two in the colonial silver mining town of Taxco, 2 1/2 hours south of the city, and one night back before our flight home. My biggest worry before touching down was the taxi cab situation. All the guidebooks had stern warnings NEVER to take one of the numerous, green, VW bug taxis that littered the city's streets. Tales of muggings, kidnappings and beatings apparently were endemic in connection with these vehicles of death. Instead, it was recommended to take a Sitio or radio cab. At airport and bus terminals, you simply walk up to a window near the street exit and buy tickets, priced according to the zone you're traveling to in the city. I thought it might be more complicated than this but it really wasn't. It cost about $11 to take us from the airport in the eastern part of the city to our destination near the infamous Zona Rosa near the city's center.
I was a little underwhelmed by the hotel I had booked for our first three nights. There were a lot of things we wanted to see and do those first three days in the city and my only criteria was location and price. The Hotel Posada Viena seemed to fit the bill. The large room we reserved initially looked more than adequate but it slowly turned gloomy. The large, king-sized bed felt like someone had removed the mattress and left us with the box spring while the dim, fluorescent lights gave the place all the atmosphere of an police interrogation room. At least the water was hot.
Knowing that we would be disoriented in a big, foreign country, I didn't plan too much for our first day. All of the Spanish I had crammed for couldn't prepare me for the shock of being thrown into place where they didn't really speak English -- yet didn't understand my Spanish. I was frustrated trying to buy two beers from the farmacia across from the hotel and being handed a six pack. Trying to explain that I only wanted two beers (cause we didn't have a fridge to keep 'em cool) only elicited a blank stare. So I bought the whole six pack. Guess I'll have to work on my pronunciation.
It was getting late in the afternoon and we decided to take one of those sitio cabs to the city's famous Zocalo -- the second largest city square in the world built on the ruins of the Aztec main temple complex. I thought we could tour the Palacio Nacional, traditionally the seat of the Mexican government but now probably more famous for its Diego Rivera murals, but a military exercise closed the Palacio earlier than normal. It was already too late to tour the Museo del Templo Mayor but a late breaking rainstorm forced us to take sanctuary in the Catedral Metropolitana. The enormous 16th century Catholic church was built from stone taken from the pyramids and buildings of the Aztecs. It is now sinking into the soft soil.
Despite buying a pair of umbrellas on the Zocalo, we were soaked. I suggested we try to find a restaurant I had read about in the guidebooks, a place called La Casa de las Sirenas, just to get out of the rain. The restaurant, housed in a building behind the cathedral and probably just as old, featured a great, covered, rooftop terrace. Whether we were bucking Mexican tradition with our off-timed meals or whether our weekday schedule put us off the tourist track, our entire trip seemed to consist of eating meals in restaurants by ourselves. Sirenas was no exception. The food -- which was expensive -- was ok. Nothing to really write about. I had chipotle mushrooms with shrimp tacos and sopes. We learned a pretty important lesson -- don't spend a lot of money on Mexican food.
TO BE CONTINUED...
P.S. I've posted quite a few photos from Mexico City on my Flickr page. You can scroll down and enter through my Flickr badge on the right sidebar of this page or click here to go to the Mexico City '07 set.
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