Mexico City, day 5 - batting cleanup

On our last day in town, we were batting cleanup on things we missed on earlier days. Initially, Dave had wanted to use this day for another day trip, but we were both overjoyed that we didn't follow that plan, as neither of us was totally sure on our feet today.

First stop was some tickets we reserved at the Templo Mayor, the architectural dig around the temple at the center of Tenochtitlan. You walk around ramps in the ruins, then go into a museum to see artifacts.

Templo Mayor ruins - snake effigy

Animal effigies seemed enormously important to the Aztecs, referring to deities and also local mascots. My favorite little animal was this frog guy, who appeared periodically amongst the ruins and related to the rainy season. He's super cute! Others include the snake (above) and puma.

After going through the Templo Mayor museum, we walked over to Kaluz Museum, an art museum in a renovated historic space that sets up a dialogue between historic art and modern art. There was a compelling exhibit on women artists, which included a cascade of crocheted breasts. I snapped this selfie of myself in a mirrored female form.

Dave and I also noted, when we were at Teotihuacán the prior day, that many of the relics from the site were over at the National Museum of Anthropology. It was a tentative museum on our list, and we heard so many recommendations that we decided to make it a priority for the day. 

The museum has sections on culture and history, splitting up by region. I was fascinated by these little guys, which are wooden items that are completely covered by beads. Love the little conejo!

We also found all the items that had been recovered from Teotihuacán, including a little dude who had been in the center of the plaza (replaced now by a simple rock to represent the missing statue).

After the anthropology museum, we got another Uber down to Coyoacan to visit the Frida Kahlo Museum, another item that had been tentative on our list until the locals insisted that we visit.

Frida lived and worked here with her husband, Diego Rivera, until her death at a young age. I didn't know how into Communism she was, but that's evident when you see her work. 

No photos allowed in the museum unless you pay for a special permit - sorry!

Just down the street is something I've sort of wanted to visit since I was a history student in high school and college - the house where Leon Trotsky lived and was pick-axed in the 1940s. Wild! You can see how simply he and his wife lived, with a yard and some chickens, and a small house with a building for his guards. 

Of course, had to get a picture of the hammer and sickle monument outside!

After this, we walked around Coyoacan a bit and visited a restaurant that had been recommended by our La Merced market food tour guide, Corazon de Miguey. That meal was also a delight - I got a mezcal mojito and tried hibiscus flautas, plantain fritters, and esquites.

Back up to the hotel for more bad TV and rest before our last day!