Continued from Mexico City Day 5 Part 2.

The plan today is for me to get the hotel to call me a taxi(fucking Mexican taxis), pick up JM and BM(they are staying at a family friend’s house), then head into the city to get some breakfast and visit National Museum of Anthropology.

Overcast day, the first non-sunny day since I’ve been here. It’s also a little bit chilly today.

I go down to the lobby to ask for them to radio a taxi. The first quote that I get back is 350 pesos. Way too much, so I ask them if there’s another taxi that they can call. This other one comes back at 300. Still expensive, but whatever, I just want to be on my way.

I get downstairs, and the taxi that they called is one beat up taxi. I guess that’s why this one is cheaper. I get in, and I call the porter over to talk to the driver to make sure that the priced we had agreed on earlier is still valid. The porter talks to the driver and all of a sudden, the price is now 250 pesos. Cool, magically the price just went down 50 pesos. I hate this inconsistent taxi system here in Mexico. Reminds me way too much of India.

No seat belts. Living on the edge.

We pass by this area with mansions and compounds behind fenced gates.

Money.

Reminds me of Beverly Hills with all these gated compounds. You drive by and you barely catch a glimpse of these beautiful mansions.

I’ve reached the house that JM and BM are staying in. Still a neighborhood of fancy fenced and gated houses, but not quite as ostentatious.

I rang the bell, told the housekeeper that I am here to see JM and BM, they came out and we were on our way to get some breakfast.

This Volvo turns into the street, going the wrong way, then yells at our driver for getting in his way. Our driver yelled back at him, and rightly so.

Ravens fan, eh.

Ah yes, that famed Mexico City traffic. Frankly, it’s not as bad as what people say it is. However, traffic does seem to happen at all hours in the day time. Something else I’ve noticed about Mexico City traffic. I see very few big rigs. I wonder where they drive to, because a city this big, there has to be lots of supplies that needs to be delivered. There are very few freeways here. Even driving across town, we are usually on city streets, or cutting through neighborhoods. The city is relatively compact for it’s population size I think.

El Pendulo, a book store where we’ll be having breakfast at their cafe. My friend LM told me about this place, and said that I must eat here and also because of I love for books. My guidebook also recommended this place highly for their cafe.

Books, I love books.

This is 50% cafe and 50% bookstore, an interesting concept. Somehow, the feel reminds me of Kerbey Lane Cafe, not sure why. Maybe it’s the type of clientele in here.

I approve.

They’ve got awesome live music!

The restroom looks out onto the street. I thought it was funny that I can stare at pedestrians while I am at an urinal.

I approve.

Interesting that in their small selection of English books, they’ve got two books by Ayn Rand. Are Mexicans on an Objectivism kick right now?

I was surprised by how many books I have read in their small English section: On the Road, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Grapes of Wrath, A Clockwork Orange, The Fountainhead, Atlas Shrugged, Blink, Anna Karenina, and Fifty Shades of Grey. Yeah, that’s right, I read Fifty Shades of Grey. All my girlfriends were reading that a while back, and I kept on missing all their references in conversation, so I got a copy and read it. Even though it’s cheesy, I can see why people like reading it. I certainly enjoyed it a lot more than many other books I’ve read.

Our plan was to walk over to the Anthropology Museum after brunch. It didn’t take us long to figure out that we were actually in the wrong restaurant. I thought that we were in the Polanco El Pendulo, but instead we are in the Condesa El Pendulo. I just assumed there was only one El Pendulo, but here are several of them. My guidebook listed the one in Condesa, so here we are. We’ll have to get a taxi after brunch to take us to the museum. I think this Condesa location that we are in may be the original one. Again, sort of like Kerbey Lane Cafe.

Mango jam. I love mango. I am starving.

Our Paris Cafesque super tiny table can’t fit all of our food. I had to put my eggs on top of my enchiladas. The quality and style of the food also reminds me of Kerbey Lane Cafe. This was a most excellent meal. Live music, books, delicious food, and great friends. A combination that can’t be beat!

I approve. Ass shot for BM.

After our superb meal, we went out to the street looking for a radio taxi stand. There was a sign inside El Pendulo telling us the address of the taxi stand. We referenced our map, looked around, thought about asking pedestrians for directions, etc. Finally, we figured out that we were literally standing right next to the taxi stand.

We are idiots. You see that little white canopy to the left of El Pendulo, yeah, that’s the taxi stand. It’s like people who are looking for their glasses when they are already wearing them.

A short drive into Chapultepec Park, where the museum is located.

The National Museum of Anthropology. One of the top, if not the best museum in Mexico City.

It’s a shame that we didn’t get a chance to go watch a Lucha Libre match. Next time.

We were waiting for LG and CG, but they’ve been out of touch via text. We figured that we’ll get started on the museum, and they can just meet us inside once they get here.

The center courtyard is dominated by this giant fountain surrounding a singular pillar that holds up this cantilevered overhang.

The Mayans exhibit.

The bottom left of the mural was what caught my attention. That’s pretty graphic.

Let’s do some sit ups!

Oh, my mistake. What I meant was, let’s do some belly shots! Shots shots shots shots shots shots shots shots! Everybody!!

Not Mayan, not Aztec, but Mexica.

This was the center piece exhibit. I think this is what most people refer to when they talk about the Mayan calendar, which you can see is wrong on so many levels. It’s not even Mayan!!! Plus, this is actually just an sacrificial altar.

Cute.

This is a model of the area that’s now Zocalo in Centro. The Spanish came, conquered, raped, pillaged, and built their church over the temples they destroyed. Talk about a fuck you.

These ladies saw this statue with an erection, giggled, and took out their cameras to take a photo. I came here, saw the ladies see the statue with an erection, giggled, and took out my camera and took a photo of them.

Badass courtyard. Look at that one single pillar holding up that entire overhang. I am a fan of this design.

“When a play was made that went against the movement of the sun, a decapitation was carried out…” Hey guys it’s a nice day out, you want to go play some ball? No thanks, I don’t want to die.

The little holes that they are supposed to put the ball through.

The rubber ball. JM, you better watch it, a decapitation might happen.

I think this was the Teotihuacan section.

Been there done that!

Prosthetic.

One giant weaved basket.

This building itself is amazing architectural speaking. Speaking of Architecture, Mexico City is full of it. This is a city that cares tremendously about architecture. Everywhere I look, even just same random small house contains awesome designs. Can’t say that about the US.

I like those two buildings, somehow.

Rainbow. LG and SG had brunch with friends, and couldn’t get away in time to meet us at the museum. They arrived about the time that we were finished. A shame, but they are thinking about coming by again on Sunday.

Street performers.

Another Chinese yo yo. I guess it’s a thing here in Mexico City.

LG(he’s Mexican) called a radio taxi for me, and then we wait.

This is I think only the second Porsche I’ve seen in the city. There’s a lot of money in this city for sure, but they don’t flaunt it in their vehicles. I see a lot of nice houses, but have not seen too many nice cars getting driven around. I guess everyone is afraid of attracting too much attention from the kidnappers.

Took forever, some 20 minutes later, the radio taxi shows up.

There’s a seat belt, but there are no buckles. Well, that doesn’t help. Am I supposed to take the belt and tie it in a knot around myself?

I am on the way back to the hotel to get ready for the wedding. Passing lots of awesome houses behind fences and gates again.

The have-nots. The areas of Mexico City that I’ve been around, I don’t see too many people down and out on their luck. They seem to do a very good job of segregating the city so you see very little poverty.

Amazed that a store like this exists.

Back in Santa Fe.

My room looks right across into the Audi Dealership. Go Audi!

I got back to my hotel, took a short nap and started getting ready for the wedding. The wedding starts late, with the shuttle to the church picking up at 6:45pm. I am excited about attending my first true Mexican wedding. I’ve got high hopes.

Silver tie. See, if you had read 50 shades, you would have gotten the reference. Later, I discover that it’s possible to look this sharp and be sloppy drunk at the same time.

To be continued at Mexico City Day 6 Part 2.