A Holiday to Remember

     I had a wonderful holiday season. My little family came to visit, and we painted the town red, or perhaps blue would be more accurate. Just three blocks from my apartment is a beautiful old building with a corner door, and a sign "Museo de Muerta". Along the side of the building is a cement coffin. That's right, the museum of death is just a hop, skip, and...well, that seems incongruous, doesn't it? Anyway, I was dying of curiosity (I know, groan), but I saved it for family. It was amazing! We explored rituals surrounding death around the world, as well as the beauty of tombstones.
   We also took in the Frida Kahlo Casa Azul museum. I don't care what you thought you knew about Frida, there is more. She is infinitely more strange and wonderful, and beautiful in all her affectations than I could have imagined. Her pain, suffering, and resolve really are inspiring. And her art is so much more approachable when you see it in context like that. It's a must see if you ever come to the D.F. They only allow pictures of the grounds, and it is beautiful. And pictures really couldn't do justice to her house and artifacts anyway. You just have to visit in person.
  Of course we had to visit the Hard Rock. I know, but it's a family tradition, and this one really was beautiful. It is in an old mansion that was just gorgeous, and a really expensive cheeseburger and some great music and atmosphere are sometimes the perfect respite. In Mexico City they celebrate the holidays for weeks, from Guadalupe to Three Kings Day on January 6th, and it is a wonderful time to be here.
     South of the city is a Colonia call San Angel. It is an artist community, and a day spent there is really quite amazing. It was so amazing, that we accidentally spent two days there. You see, who knew there were two museums call Soumaya, and the taxi driver couldn't understand, and then there was my hand drawn map... oh, well. Never mind that now. It turned out to be a very happy accident and we enjoyed an amazing collection of sculpture by Rodin, Degas, Dali, Renoir.... truly awe inspiring.