A National Holiday!

Hola and Happy Mexican Independence Day!

 

I have to admit, that we are both more than a little tired today!  Can’t imagine why!  We inquired of hotel personnel when the parade would begin, and were told that it would begin on Reforma and end at the Zocalo, and that Juarez, our street, would be closed from about 10 am – 12:30 pm.  We figured that would be fine, and that we would go out after the parade was over.  However … turns out that the parade STARTS at the Zocalo and proceeds down Juarez and ends at Reforma … and it started after the President’s speech which was about 11:15 am.  Truly, I don’t ever remember seeing a military parade before – unless you count footage from when I was a child and saw something on May Day from Moscow under the Soviet Union.  The parade of militaria went on FOREVER – it didn’t end until sometime after 2:20 pm.  So much for good advice and ideas! Oh well!  There were helicopters flying overhead, and there were jets following – there were paratroopers jumping out of the sky with Mexican flags and trailing streams of colored smoke – red, white and green, of course!  Robert had the bright idea of seeing if it was on TV*, and of course it was – on several different channels!  

 

Paratroopers parachuting to start ceremony; take from our window

Some troopers coming in to land

Note the flag!

Paratroopers heading back up into the sky; from window

A float -- and no roses!

Soldiers goose-stepping

From our window; helicopters

Again from window; cargo planes and jets

We think these are marching nurses...?!

Ending salute from our window

Final two helicopters -- again from our window

At any rate, between Army, Navy, Marines and everything else – and I truly mean everything else!  It seems as though every part of the Mexican military and police establishment was on parade.  We had military temporary cooking facility trailers; temporary housing from perils; we saw dogs on leashes and dogs being carried in front of soldiers.  There were eagles, and what looked like different types of hawks – you name it – and we probably watched it march by!  I’m talking nurses, and doctors, and vaccinators complete with clinics.  (The clinics were actually on trailers.)  We saw armored personnel carriers, transport planes, on and on.  And every unit marching past the reviewing stand was goose stepping!  Finally the parade ended with a precession of horses with men and women NOT in military gear – maybe just needing somewhere to parade?  If this is sounding a wee bit cynical, well, it is.  I did mention to Robert once that I was surprised that there was anyone left in the Zocalo who wasn’t in the parade!  Like I say – the first hour or so was fine – after that … not so much.

 

It's now about 3:13 pm and I’m now going to go for a short walk and to buy water and check and see if Go Tan restaurant (Argentinian and wonderful, and right next door!) is open today!

So!  Back later!

m

xxx

 

*Most of the photos of the parade and air show were taken from the TV and some from our window, and are not of the highest quality.

 

Hola again!

 

Just back from 4,000 steps or so.  Truly, the streets are absolutely filled with people!  They’re everywhere!  Lots of street-side entertainment – everything from bands with full drum sets to individual singers with microphones!  There are dancers, and fortune tellers and people dressed in odd costumes hoping to get $$ for posing with kids and others.  Also, just about everything on the main streets – department stores like Sears (yes, Sears!) and Sanborns are open and doing business, as are the majority of the smaller shops.  If I had been concerned that nothing would be open, all my fears were allayed, that’s for sure!  

 

First, I stopped at Go Tan to make a reservation for dinner tonight at 6:30 pm.  We’ve eaten there twice before, and the food is fantastic.  It’s Argentinian and very big on meat.  The steaks we had last time were incredible.  Not sure if I’m up to something that big tonight, but they also, as I recall, have wonderful empanadas!  YUM! Then on to Av. Juarez and toward the Zocalo.  

 

One of the really interesting things we noticed today, is that in spite of there being thousands of people last night in the Zocalo square at midnight (and later, I’m sure!) when the military lined up for their ceremonies and parade this morning, the Zocalo itself – where all those people had been – was absolutely spotless!  No idea at all how they managed it, other than to say, wow, these folks are good!

 

This time, my wanderings somehow wound up once again at the park next to the Mercado de San Juan, where we spent most of yesterday.  Turns out there is also a very highly rated artisanal craft market just a few steps away!  Possibly will head there tomorrow morning, before we take off for Anahucalli Museum.  Anahucalli was the museum that was started by Diego Rivera to hold his collection of ancient artifacts that he collected all his life.  The museum was actually finished after his death by his daughter.  

 

We visited it last time we were here, and found it absolutely fascinating!  The artifacts are supposedly arranged as Rivera wanted them, so there’s not really any order to the organization.  But the building was interesting, as was the collection, and we wanted to see it again.  

 

I had been hopeful of getting tickets to tour Casa Azul, Frida Kahlo’s home, where she lived as a child and then again after she was married to Diego.  However, all tickets for this week were sold out, and they do not sell tickets at the door.  So, looks like we’ll just have to save that for next visit! (Always a good excuse!)  Advice:  If you do want to see Casa Azul, plan well in advance!

 

So, for now, that’s about it until dinnertime!

 

More later yet again!

m

xxx

 

So here we are at “later!”  Went across the street to Go Tan for a lovely dinner.  These great minds thinking alike, we both started with their beef empanada, which was excellent – especially with the chimichurri sauce.  (However, forgetting - as we occasionally do - to take pictures, you will only get to see a partial empanada … sorry about that!).  For mains, we both ordered their petite filet mignon.  They were ordered rare, which R’s was … and mine really wasn’t.  It wasn’t bad – just not rare.  We think the Spanish word for “rare” is “rara” but not sure this is what to say when ordering a steak.  We’re going to have to work on the Spanish for that!

My partial empanada ... sorry!

Steak with wine sauce and salad

My wrapped baked potato

My unwrapped baked potato!

R's pastry with cream and berry filling

My chocolate cookie!

 

I also ordered what appears to be the Argentinian definition of a baked potato.  It was wrapped in foil, and had some sort of cream (not cream cheese, but certainly not butter) with bacon bits on top.  It was very good!  For dessert, I had a chocolate covered chocolate cookie, and R had a pastry filled with cream and berries, served warm, which he very much enjoyed.  Everything was washed down with an excellent bottle of Argentinian Malbec – great way to end the evening!  Then, back across the street through rain-swelled streets, and safely into the back door of the hotel.  Now in for the night!

 

More tomorrow!

 

m

xxx