Faye and I decided to spend the day in my neighborhood of Coyoacan. We walked about 20 minutes west towards the main plaza and had quesadillas at a stand. Under the same roof, there were about 10 different stands featuring quesadillas. We sat on a bench and watched a woman prepare the quesadillas with the fresh ingredients in front of her – the dough for tortillas, and the fillings including cheese, refried beans, potatoes, chicken, sausage, brains and other cow parts. The quesadillas were delicious and it was fun watching her prepare them while simultaneously watching Lucas (dubbed in Spanish) on her 13” TV that sat on the counter.
We strolled around the plaza looking at all of the vendors’ stalls and stopping for some elote (corn). We opted for the corn in a cup rather than on the cob and had it topped with lime, chile powder and cheese, skipping the mayonnaise.
We continued on about 10 minutes west, to the Frida Kahlo museum. This was the bright blue house where, with cats roaming about, Frida and Diego lived from the mid 20s to the mid 40s. First, we saw artwork by Frida, Diego and some of their friends. It was interesting seeing some of their works that look quite different from their well-known pieces. Next, we saw the kitchen area and then the library and workspace. Among the books were some about Rivera and others about other famous artists. Lastly, we saw Frida’s bed with the mirror above and her body cast on the bed.
With our feet screaming to sit down, we hopped a cab to Zona Rosa and each had a bowl of Sopa de Tortilla Azteca. Zona Rosa is one of the city’s main shopping and entertainment districts, although there are many chain stores, fast-food restaurants and beggars.
