We began the day with a breakfast buffet in San Angel. The restaurant is called Bazar Sábado, it’s in a plaza in the center of a square building that houses the Bazar Sábado, tons of tiny “locales” that each sell a type of art – jewelry and ceramics are most common. The buffet had all Mexican specialties like chilaquiles, sopes, quesadillas, pan dulce, tamales, hot cakes. I enjoyed the fruit and cottage cheese and to drink there was atole, café de olla and fresh waters – we all had the Jamaica (hibiscus). Kelsey and I enjoyed the breakfast so much that we suffered for a while afterwards.
Despite our stomach pains, we pushed on, exploring the outdoor market full of jewelry and all types of art. Finally we explored the art on display throughout the Plaza San Jacinto. It’s top quality art that would cost much more outside the country.
We found a 20 year-old self-trained artist with amazing works on display. His art is decoupage and he uses both acrylic and oil paints and varnish for a glossy finish. Kelsey fell in love with one and after negotiating for a while, leaving and then returning we had the price lowered by $100 U.S. dollars. The work is beautiful and unique - you can see it in the attached photo.
Later, we crept along in the metro to the southernmost part of Mexico City, Xochimilco. Without a doubt, our efforts were worth it. The last time I had been to Xochimilco, with the Fulbright group, we went during the day and took off from a very busy pier. From the time that Kelly, Kelsey and I exited the metro there were people on the sidewalks directing us to the boating dock, little man on a bicycle appeared every couple of minutes to tell us where we should turn and there were signs posted too. The man on the bike even showed up after we stopped at a little store to buy some cokes and after we stopped to use the bathroom. The bathrooms were very close to the pier, in a neighboring home – more correctly, outside of the home. There was an older woman in the entrance, collecting two pesos and distributing toilet paper, while her husband watched television on the patio. The five toilets, three for women and two for men, had shower curtains for doors.The dock from which we set off was very quiet, but there are nine different ones that are spread throughout the area. It was a great time and going at night gave a distinct feeling of tranquility. As Karina had warned would be present going later in the day, there were many of boats full of drunken teenagers; one was even puking over the side. But those boats weren’t bothersome, too frequent or too loud. Many boats passed by with vendors aboard. For 10 pesos we bought a candle, a long white one in a plastic bottle – it helped a lot when we later ate, so that we could see our food that would otherwise be hidden in the pitch black. We had a boat with a mariachi band aboard play three songs for us for 200 pesos. First, I requested “Mariachi Loco” – I love how they turn around and shake their butts. Then they played “La Bamba” and finally, “Guadalajara.”
As soon as the mariachis drifted away, I flagged down a boat with a couple and their eleven-year old daughter who would cook dinner for us for 100 pesos each. Kelly and Kelsey had enchiladas and I had skirt steak, all accompanied by rice, beans and tortillas. We washed our meal down with cervezas, also bought from a vendor floating by. Kelsey liked the Christmas edition beer, Noche Buena (Christmas Eve). The hour and a half ride (450 pesos, plus 50 more for our oarsman’s tip) was so much fun and full of music and food.
We inched back to Coyoacán in a “pesero,” but made it back to the central area in time to see the weekend market. Most of the stands stay open until 10 PM and sell t-shirts, jewelry, purses, journals, toys, incense and much more.
In just three days, Kelly and Kelsey saw so much of what Mexico City has to offer – plenty remains, however, for their next visit.
