Day 10

Sweety,

I had plan to write to you from the airport in Mexico, as I was sure I would have a lot of free time. But Mexico city, modern on many points, has an airport a bit provincial. Anyways, no WIFI... So I am back, in one single piece. I am in a bit in a shock, and will need to be warmed and be convinced I should not have staid there.

I love staircases, and this museum had a very nice one

My last day in Mexico was as boring as I feared it would be. Had to leave the hotel for 11am, there was more than 9 hours to kill before my taxi brings me on my way home. I spend a lot of time sipping tea, walking around the areas I like the most. I even visit a small museum, Museo Nacional de San Carlos, located in a mini castle, or a large mansion. Their collection is mostly from Middle-Ages to XVIIIe century. A lot of painting from Spain, others from Europe and a bit of Mexican arts. Nice and calm, the place is beautiful and gives the space for daydreaming and wonders. 

in Museo San Carlos

Now I am close to you, I will end this series of letters with a bit of sadness. I enjoyed writing to you, it made me think about my experience in Mexico, it was, at least for me, much more meaningful than postcards. More than the usual "nice sun, many tequilas, Think of you in the cold!" Unsurprisingly, I actually don't recall seeing postcards in any stores. Of course, I don't spend time in tourist's stores, but still. You usually find postcards everywhere, also in Museums ( it seems I visited a few of them!).

Dear reader(s), this is the end of my Mexican evasion, but it is the announcement of a new webzine that will take shape this spring. I will keep you posted, stay tuned.

I took a self-portrait in the same mirror Frida Kahlo used for hers.
What a mythical way to do a banal selfie....

With all my love,


n.

Day 9

To you only,


I think I am now ready to come back home. I have seen all the museums I wanted to see, I went to some galleries and I even went to a very chic opening. I finally got to see the artists community here in Mexico, which is much more diverse and hip than the population in general. It is like this everywhere, artists live their live as if it was a piece of art, act, dress and move accordingly.

you find most of galleries in the Condesa, a beautiful neighborhood where you can find not to bad houses...

It is very complicated to visit galleries here as they have very short opening hours. Yesterday, most of them closed at 3pm. Today, they were open from 11am to 2 or 3pm. Which leave a very short period of time for the guy who wants to visit them all. When you arrive at the door of a gallery, nothing tells you if it is open or not. Windows are blinded, door double locked (glass door + grill). Many are closed for montage, what they certainly don't say on their website or even at their door. Some are simply closed, for ever I mean. You have to ring. Most of the time there is no answer, maybe it is just because they just don't like my face, who knows? and sometimes, not often, you can get in. Then it is super interesting. Exhibitions in galleries in Mexico have an elaborated and refined presentation that you would expect more from a museum. There is no reference to price, or very little, but most of the few shows I saw were from well known artists, there is no way I actually need to know the price of those pieces. It is thought for museums or rich collectors. Once in a gallery, this is when you realize that there are many visitors like me, mostly strangers I would say. Considering the short period of time I was allowed for visiting, I almost had to run from one gallery to the other. Today only, I had a list of 15 galleries I wanted to see. I ended up visiting only six of them. Not because I didn't have time. Because nine of them were closed. This is, I suppose, a good reason to come back!

at the art opening there were some performance, like this guy juggling with (hard boiled) eggs
 in front of a wall covered with smashed eggs 

As I told you yesterday, I had an art opening to go, between 12 and 2pm. It was at the very important gallery Kurimanzutto for the opening of a show from the Brittish artist Sarah Lucas. A beautiful and spacious space, part of it covered, part of it in a garden, some small rooms with sliding doors for storage, a sort of restaurant in the backyard, offices, a book store, a room for videos... This place is a dream for many people I know. The crowd was for the least edgy, from everywhere, many languages were spoken in there, fabulous fashion and looks. Nothing to be bored, I can assure you! I stayed a while, had a beer, just watching people, and watching people watching me... Oh! there was good art also! This will be the subject of an article in the new webzine I am launching soon as you know. This was a very satisfying experience for me.

Doug Ford was there wearing beige and his buddy Donald wears pink

Tonight, I will celebrate the end of these vacations. Hopefully I will not do as I did last night, when I decided I was very comfortable reading in my bed instead of going out dancing and drinking like a crazy in the crazy town. Of course I feel a bit nostalgic already, going back home is not such a good feeling, but I am ready. And well... I will find you back, mi amore.

With mixed feelings, sad to leave this warm and beautiful city, happy these vacations were a success for me and still a bit of guilt because I left you in the snow, the wind and the cold.

all those letters where written facing this sunset that I can't really capture with my phone

see you very soon,

xxx

n.

Day 8

My love,


Today was also pretty calm. Actually I am surprised how secure I feel in this megapolis. I walk around, stop by to watch a window, come back because I was in the wrong direction. All this as if I was home, with no worry. In fact, the village in Toronto seems to me much more dangerous than this city. I am also very calm because I am in peace with me. I wanted to come here for a while, but I had a certain number of apprehensions. I am glad that not only I have overcome those fears, but I managed in some way to feel comfortable here. When you start making fun about their way of driving instead of panicking at every corner, well I guess you have succeed in adapting yourself to this new environment.

in the courtyard of the museum, there is this huge square structure hold in the middle by a sort of totem

I went to the Museo Nacional de Antropologia. Probably the most famous museum of Mexico. Once again a stunning architecture with an impressing collection. Of course, archeology can seem boring but here you get the real deal. Thousands-year-old civilizations left a print on this city that you still can feel and see in daily life. Beautiful pieces, very well done reconstitutions, all this in the most beautiful frame possible. At the end of my visit, I just felt I should stay there, go back to beginning. Such a great ambiance in there.

and around this totem you find a water fountain 

This is today I started also to (try very hard) visit art galleries. I mean the commercial ones. I had almost everything wrong. In the first gallery I could get in, there was a charming French women, who knows Montreal quite well because she studied there. She gave me a few very welcomed hints. Opening hours are for the least different to Montreal, Toronto or New York galleries. On Fridays, Mexicans like to finish work around 3pm. They then go for lunch, which end up being a fiesta that goes all night long. No wonder so many of the galleries I wanted to see were closed. Tomorrow I should be more lucky, if I don't get up too late. Once again some galleries close at 2pm on Saturdays. She also gave me this very nice cue there was an opening tomorrow at the most important gallery in Mexico, Kurimanzutto. I will sure show up there tomorrow afternoon to see how Mexicans celebrate their artists. A bit fed up hitting my nose on closed doors, I went for a tea in this cute café where you can sip and swing. After I sinned, I couldn't resist, I went back to this store to buy another pair of shoes. Why? Because I love them and I also love myself.

a swinging café

Writing this and being distracted by another flamboyant sunset. Now the sun is almost down, let see what this city has to offer on a Friday night. Last Friday was my first day here, and I wasn't ready for so much action. But just check me tonight!

Thinking of you more than it shows in these letters.

With all my heart,

n.

Day 7

Bonsoir chéri,

as you know, I am now in the second part of my travel. I have already seen most of what I wanted to see, I still have one museum to visit, it should be tomorrow, before weekend, so there is not too many people. Today was then much more quiet. Had time for farniente, sitting simply in a café, having a tea, reading. Thinking mostly. Because isn't it what traveling is for? I want to re-invent myself, I want to be transformed by this city, by the art I have seen, by the people I observe. What I really want to bring back home is not necessarily objects that fit in my luggage. It is this different way of living I found here, this different way of thinking. I think I should be permeable, spongelike to any culture.

In the historic center, gardens, old churches, fountain...

Today I visited the Museo Nacional de Arte which shows Mexican artists from all periods of art history until the end of the 19th century. A large part of their collection is religious art, which is normal, religions always have been great patrons for artists in this era. They also had a special exhibit around and about il Caravaggio. They had only one, yes yes one, painting from the famous Italian... but many from Mexican artists who have been influenced by his style and innovations. Let's say that nobody should do the trip to Mexico to see this specifically...

In the courtyard of the Museum

Later, after a bit of rain, I walked around in the neighborhood where my hotel is, Roma Norte. Which happen to be quite hip with nice boutiques, coffee shops and restaurants. A very good place to spend time doing not much.

There should be more of them in the museum and less religious topics  I think...

The evening was also quiet. I chose a restaurant for it's decor more than for it's food, candles everywhere, placed directly on the steps of the staircase, very romantic and charming. But you were not there unfortunately to be romantic with me.

Soon!

xxx

n.

Day 6

My darling,

Some days are just perfect. As today. I could certainly die right now, without any regrets, as I cannot imagine more beautiful moments. It started very badly, though. I had plan to take a touristic bus to go to the Frida Kahlo Museum and a museum of contemporary art at the University of Mexico which is very far from centre. Arriving at the starting point of this bus, I paid a ticket to realize it was not at all the line I wanted to take and it didn't go where I wanted to. I understood then there were two different companies doing bus tours. I asked to be reimbursed. The lady accepted but then start miscounting. She was giving me back my 220 pesos but wanted to have back the amount I should have paid for the tour... Anyways, a long fight ensued, of course not a word of English could came out of her mouth (it seems here that to work for tourists doesn't ask for bilingualism). She was running everywhere with all my money on her hands. I finally got understood by the guy selling tickets for the bus tour I wanted. But when he explained his tour, it certainly looked like a trap for tourists. I decided I would use the subway. So did I. The campus of this university is incredibly huge, acres and acres of empty ground I had to walk through from the subway station. More then two hours after I left the hotel, exhausted, I finally entered the fabulous Museo Universitario de Arte Contemporeano. 

Museo Universitario de Arte Contemporeano

I saw there the best exhibitions I've seen up to date in Mexico. I will write about this for sure eventually, because between you and I, those letters are a good foreplay to my new webzine about art I'll launch soon. I resisted not to sit in the beautiful café of the museum, I wanted to have lunch in Coyoacan, a nice neighborhood I visited on Sunday (Day 3). Which I did not regret. 

There was the moment of perfection. A fantastic mole (meal prepared in a cacao sauce) in the interior patio of a beautiful restaurant. Good music. I was so moved suddenly. I realized how life can be beautiful and perfect sometimes. An unforgettable memory. 

A beautiful restaurant in Coyoacan

After lunch, I went to the world famous Casa Azul, the Museum Frida Kahlo, the actual house where she lived most of her life. Not only it is a beautiful house, with a to-die-for blue all over, but you get to see her real furniture, objects, garments, jewels, art works she possessed (given to her by famous artists). She was a real bohemian artist, very provocative in her society. Many photos of her and some of her illustrious guests, as Trotsky and of course her love/hate husband Diego Rivera. All of her life is there. Another moment of pure beauty. The only thing I could complaint about is there are very few of her art works in this house... To see her paintings, you have to tour the world as I understand. 

Casa Azul, Museo Frida Kahlo

As I was on the subway on my way home, there was a violent storm that flooded  streets with water and... hail. It was not snow banks but enough to cover part of the sidewalks with 2-3 inches thick of it, enough so people were throwing it at each other, emulating Canadians I suppose. 

You remember this over-expensive bottle of wine I bought. I had not opened it the other day. I didn't want to drink it over bitterness. So I can now enjoy it calmly, as I write to you my love. 

I will write to you again tomorrow, I promise. And hopefully, tomorrow will be as fantastic as today.

xxx

n.  

p.s.: talking to a friend in Montréal last night made me realize how much I succeeded in disconnecting totally from my usual life. I read about politics, weather, etc and I don't feel concerned at all. As in : not at all. This is vacation!

Day 5

Dear you,

Sometimes I thank heavens that I am travelling all by myself. Today's visit was planned a long time before I land in the city. I was going to see two museums : Jumex and Soumaya, which are in a chic area of Mexico, Polanco. As Google map told me it was so long to go by subway, buses and all sort of detour, I had planned to walk. The most direct way to get there from my hotel was a walk of almost 8km with an itinerary quite simple to follow on the map. What Google map will never say is how horrible was going to be that walk. Less than 10 minutes after I left, I had to climb a pedestrian bridge, passing over a highway... how fun. Worst, most of the path was on a street in an industrial area, full sun, cars flying by, and nothing to see but fences, walls. Imagine I would have brought you or anyone actually, in this adventure. I would have been hated for the rest of my life.

one of the very rare interesting architecture on my long walk

At destination, I ended up in a surrounding of head offices, office towers, wealth and a lot of suits. The museum Jumex is a foundation for contemporary art. Unfortunately, two floors out of three were closed for installation (these shows start next week). Only a retrospective of John Baldassari to see, a famous artist from USA that I enjoy mildly. I was glad I went anyways, I couldn't come to Mexico as an art lover without visiting the Jumex. Right after I went to the building just beside, the museo Soumaya.

Museo Jumex

This is the perfect illustration of giving everything to the containing and nothing to the content. The architecture is stunning, but the collection (if I understand it is the collection of a very rich family) is surprisingly bad. Yes there are many big names in art history of every period from Middle-Ages to modern (Renoir, da Vinci, name it) but you always get to see the works that didn't make through. The work no-one wants to buy in an auction at Sothebys, the work done much before the artist found his style. So I walked around, was very glad I saw the building, but that was obviously a one-shot-deal.

Museo Soumaya, please note this beautiful tree blooming to add to the beauty

After, I walked in the very luxurious area where you can find, as in Yorkville, all the Cartier, Chanel and Gucci of this world. No interest. I then went to a large park, Bosque de Chapultepec, mostly off the usual path for tourists so it was very refreshing and quiet. Finally I walk almost with no interruption from 9:30 this morning until 4:00 this afternoon. I deserved my nap!

To end my day : a bit of sashimi, a bit of merengue, a bit of latino karaoke (intense by 10). I am done.

It's Tuesday night only once a week. Thank god.

Plenty of kisses. I will come back to you a bit tanned, a bit drunk and a bit crazier.

xx

n.

Day 4

Hola mi corazón,

Today was a bit of a lazy day. As in any city, on Monday everything is closed. No art today. So I went to discover two neighborhood that killed me. I am officially in love with this city! La Condesa is a very nice area. The architecture is more coherent than everywhere else in the city. Most of it is art deco, which I adore. Art deco adapted to Mexican way of thinking with super bright colors. You should see those intense baby blue, flashy pink, almost fluorescent green, and yes, sometimes white. In La Condesa there is a lot of trees, their shadows make walking on the street more comfortable. Under those trees, cute little coffee shops, trendy restaurants and I must say, the most interesting people I've seen up-to-date. Fashion is alive and well in Mexico.

After, I visited the neighborhood where my hotel is, just besides La Condesa : Roma Norte. If the architecture is less interesting, there are plenty of nice stores. I went crazy in a store that sales Mexican designer's shoes and garments. I bought an indescribable pair of shoes, so cute. This will be a hit this summer, everyone will ask me where I got them. But I hesitated so much between all those shoes (it was like paradise to my eyes) I might go back for a second pair. In Roma Norte you can also find most of the art galeries, so I'll have to go back anyways (danger!!) by the end of the week, when these will be open.

an abandoned beauty near my hotel in Roma Norte

Storm with lightning brought me back quite early to the hotel. The sky was dark, so dark. I think I will end up drinking a bottle of Mexican red wine that I paid too much money for. Everything is so cheap here, I didn't watch the price. Once out of the liquor store, I realized I probably never paid that much for a bottle of red wine in my entire life... Well, lunch in restaurant cost 4$, why not after all!

strange sky after storm 

I write those last lines a bit drunk. I went for dinner in Condesa to have an epic ceviche. So rare in our country. After, I decided I was not done. I went for a drink (or 12) in Zona Rosa, the LGBT village. After a short stop at King bar, where I was almost forced by the doorman/hooker,  I went to Macho Dance Bar. Plenty of people, even if it is Monday. Beer changes of price accordingly to the client and the waiter. Anyways, it is cheap. Music is exclusively latino, from house to ballads, salsa to pop. Everybody seems absolutely extravagant, they all dance sensually, oh my god! There is an explanation to this. At the door of the men's bathroom are the dealers. They alternate, I counted at least six of them. How do I know? Small plastic bags with white stuff in it in the right hand, cash in the left. Everybody (well certainly not me!) stops by. It cost 150 pesos for the bag as I could see (10$). When I went to the bathroom myself, to pee, yes, I understood everything. Urinals + a shelf + a huge mirror. Guys do as if they were going to pee, open the little bag on the shelf, check in the mirror if there is anything left on their nose, face, whatever. I felt as if I was in a very trash evening out at 5am in Manhattan in 1984... It was not 11pm yet, and so many people looked totally wasted. Oh, and the unavoidable fag hag weights the same as home (around 250lbs) but is just 5'9". Don't worry, she wears the same strapless satin red top. And yes she pushed hardly the old white man I was to get to the ladies washroom. I night to remember. I learned so much.

Now I feel very old... but taller than everybody!

I don't think you would have like this night out baby, much under your standards. But this is named sociology...

Sleep well,

bésame muchos,

n.

Day 3

Sweetheart,

What a day I had! But before anything, strangely enough I didn't say a word about the weather here. I must not be a true Canadian. So much sun, in the afternoon it turns around 27-28C. Not humid, just pleasant. Soft. As if it were normal.

old meet new in historic center of Mexico

So today I walked a lot : 17,8km my phone says. I returned to a museum I went yesterday because I wanted to buy the catalogue of the show I saw... After that I walked to the historic center of the city. When you see photos of old cathedrals in Mexico, this is where you find them. Stunning architecture of banks, the Palacio de bellas artes, all this mixed with modern in a wise way. I saw some Dali sculptures in a park. Well, all this was incredibly beautiful, but so many people. You could hardly breathe. 

Palacio de bellas artes

I had lunch in a very typical place here. It's on the street, it is like the hot-dog cart in Toronto but they add a counter around and some little benches. La mamita (with a drag-queen type of make-up and super long silver nails) cooks on charcoal las tortillas, enchiladas, etc, etc. She ask you what you want and than she does what she likes. After all, you are in her kitchen! It is good, very very typical, but totally impossible to eat elegantly... You need to change clothes and a shower after. What I didn't do of course.

a bank...

Dali's sculpture and a beautiful building...

Later, I met my only acquaintance in this town, Juan. He offered me to discover a part of the town I would have never seen if it wasn't of him. Coyoacan is like a small village in the town. Tons of small shops of crafts both folkloric and more design. Many bars, bakeries, restaurants partially on the street (here there is obviously no law on the number of people you fit in a place and where you sit them) and partially in beautifully designed spaces. Walking around made me discover a different architecture, these are houses anyone would move in in a blink. Trees, birds, flowers in a town that count 14M people... I also discover a new alcohol (yep, I had more to learn on that, can you imagine?) the Pulque. It is a drink made from agave, they add a flavor to it, mine was a flavor of red wine (!) and it looks a bit, at first, as if there was milk. But there is not. Refreshing, delicious. Unfortunately, Pulque is made only in a small quantities, somewhere in Mexico (the country) and has to be drunk fresh. It is a one shot deal. I was pretty lucky!

Imagine this is your home... 

Tonight will be quiet. Yesterday I went out. These people are just crazy! You have to pay as you enter the bar, a cover : 200pesos, which is about 13$. BUT! with that cover, you get 5 beers... well if you can handle it. I couldn't, I switched to water after the third. Music was crazy too. A mix of all kind of stuff from a dramatic Mexican ballade to a technotronic song by Yelle (a French singer) to german cabaret, a techno version of the famous Led Zeppelin's "A Whole lotta love", opera arias, name it. Anything but Britney or Beyoncé. In one word, not a minute to be bored. No dance floor, packed to the ceiling, a different gogo-boy every 10 minutes (they looked as if they were coming out of the crowd, they jump on the bar, strip and dance). A night to remember as much as I can!

Color of a beautiful house and a beautiful tree that blooms at this season (they call it spring ?)

It is a bit late, I think I will not have dinner (just beer and junk in a bag).

I miss you, I know you miss me, but you miss even more not being here...

xx

n.

Day 2

My heart,


Actually, today was my real first day in Mexico. Much less stress, I've stopped looking at everyone as if they were all are going to mug me. Constant sollicitations though by girls, boys, old ladies... I don't really understand what they want, I just understand that I clearly look as a tourist! Well, this being said, I don't know how many times I was asked for directions today. As if I sometimes looked local! Or maybe it is just another way to eventually ask me for whatever...

the majestic entrance to the park, with just a bit of the castle behind

Today I've seen more of the city. There is a very beautiful park with a castle on top, many museums are there, vendors by the ton, promoting their products! Not a peaceful park I must say. I visited two museums for contemporary art. I think the museum Tomayo is such a beautiful building that anything they show will always look fantastic.

After, I walked on the the largest avenue here, Paseo de la Reforma. Very impressive, beautiful buildings and a police at every 50 feet, on both side of the street. Actually there is so much police here, it's a bit weird. This city looks very rich when you are on this majestic street. 

But this morning I went to the rooftop patio of my hotel. Two different points of view...

Dinner was on a patio on the street, in a Cervaceria (brewery), I tasted my first michelada (a mix of beer, lime juice and ice). I mostly got to see how agitated is this town. Not a minute without ambulance, police cars, people everywhere going through this in a sort of lazy walk, smiling and being careful to the person(s) they are with. I need to know more about them. I need to understand how this city works. I will experiment the Saturday Night Life (not live!). Should be interesting. Tell you more soon. This letter is gettin long, and I don't want to bother you to much. As you know.

I think of you, and try to make you travel a bit. Meanwhile, be happy.

xx

n.

Day 1

Dear you,


As I already knew I was going to miss our sweet conversations, I've decided to write to you. To write to you and send it through the Mexico-Canada post would have taken for ever. Writing emails would not hold easily photos, and let's be honest, would not be to refined on graphic design. So let's have this public conversation, let everyone follow my adventure here in Mexico city in order to share my incredible joy of being here and my strange feeling of guilt leaving you behind.

The landing by plane was so spectacular, I had the impression I was seeing in the real world a city I first discover as a map. I recognized the large avenues, the parcs, the long streets crossing the entire town. I saw museums I want to visit. I could imagine exactly where my hotel was.
Once on the ground, it took another dimension...

I wanted to be disoriented. I am well served. At first sight, Mexico city is strange. Looks like an old European city that would be messy, dysfunctional. Sidewalks are a perilous adventure, better look where your feet land, architecture goes all the place. But there is always something beautiful to look at. Here, interior design is important. Those old beautiful houses, colonial Spanish style with their bright colors are stunning. As in many old cities, when they build something high, it seems they pay more attention to the architecture, so it looks like something. I don't feel the massive population, everything is on a human scale. People seem to be relax, cool.

I went for a quick moment in the LGBTQ village. At 3pm on a Friday afternoon, bars are competing to have the loudest music possible. One place was packed with people dancing, yelling and drinking. Not relax nor cool anymore! Was a bit intense for me...

Later, there was a storm, it was spectacular. Dinner was not great. I realize that as any big city, you have to approach this beast slowly, eyes wide open. I walked around, and I was tired. That was a long day, even though it's only 9:30pm... Tomorrow I seriously try to have a good bite of this city. I will visit a couple of museums and I plan to walk in the historic center. I will have a lot more to talk about tomorrow.

Meanwhile, sleep well my love,

I miss you already,

n.