Lucha libre, trajineras and a gravity defying library скачать в хорошем качестве

Lucha libre, trajineras and a gravity defying library

The Senards - Mat, Stephanie (Lillie’s twin sister), Jules (8), and Noe (6) - arrived from France on Sunday night and we greeted them at their Airbnb, two blocks away. With only four full days in Mexico City, it was a challenge to show them our favorite spots and go to some new ones together. On day one we hit a couple of frustrating roadblocks: museums were unexpectedly closed and restaurants weren’t open during their posted hours. We’ve learned to accept these setbacks, but it stung a bit this week because we wanted to do so much with our limited time. One evening, the Senards pushed through their jet lag and rallied for a Lucha libre experience. For the uninitiated, Lucha libre is a theatrical form of Mexican professional wrestling, known for its colorful masks, aerial maneuvers, and dramatic storylines pitting heroic figures against villains. While we expected some over-rehearsed sequences we did not expect the athleticism and precision of the wrestlers. These masked men gracefully ping-ponged across the ring, backflipped against the ropes, and twirled their opponents to the mat. The kids eagerly joined the raucous crowd as they booed the villains and cheered the champions. Another first for us all was a visit to a jaw-dropping library. After a failed attempt to visit the Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes, we cabbed further north to the Biblioteca Vasconcelos, Mexico’s futuristic “megalibrary.” The matrix of steel and glass bookshelves look like a science fiction version of Hogwarts. It’s not exactly a kid friendly place, so we were a bit uneasy as the little ones peered over the rails on the top level. We had a few repeats this week. The boys wanted to revisit both the zoo and the Papalote Museo del Niño. We saw our favorite exhibits, and walked through others that we couldn’t check out before. Highlights this time: the lion padding back and forth only inches away, an especially playful seal, and the aviary. Our kids never seem to tire of zoos. We ended our week in Mexico City with a visit to the Coyoacán neighborhood for a tour of the Museo Frida Kahlo (also known as “The Blue House”). This iconic, cobalt-blue home is where Frida Kahlo was born, lived much of her life, and died at 47 years old in 1954. From there we traveled 45 minutes further south to Xocimilcho, to board a colorful, flat-bottomed boat called a “trajinera.” These boats were originally used in the pre-Hispanic period to transport flowers and goods throughout the extensive lake system / Aztec empire. As Mexico City grew, Xochimilco’s canals became recreational areas, and the rustic rafts were decorated and adapted into the iconic trajineras seen today. We ordered margaritas & tacos, tried some grilled corn, and listened to mariachis play on neighboring boats while the kids danced on the bow. We spent most of Friday packing up the Airbnb and then traveling from Mexico City to Puerto Morelos in Quintana Roo. We arrived at our hotel in time to swim at sunset, eat dinner, and then crash. We’ll be at this hotel through Christmas and then head further south to Playa del Carmen for a few days. Until then, we’ll be pool side while the kids swim and go down the water slides several thousand times.