Suitcase Woes, Street Murals, and Chapultepec

One of our suitcases had a wheel blowout this week — the rubber literally rotted off. We’ve been trying to find replacements, but no luck so far. The shop we contacted keeps saying, “Just a sec, we’re checking,” and a week later… still checking. For now, we’ll be dragging it along and calling it “character.”

We went to the Anthropology Museum this week, but not before stopping for a quick street taco lunch. Our server couldn’t have been more than eight years old — she took our order without writing a thing down, added the total in her head (mixing 10s and 5s like a pro), and even figured out the change faster than either of us could. 

Outside the rmuseum, we caught the Voladores de Papantla, a group of indigenous men who climb a tall pole, tie ropes to their waists, and spin gracefully toward the ground — part ceremony, part acrobatics, and always impressive. The museum itself was as fascinating as we remembered from our last visit, but we skipped photos this time since I’ve already posted plenty from before.

We made our way back to the apartment, stopping for a wine and mezcal (or two), and later dressed up for dinner at Raíz — which means roots. The six-course prix fixe menu was excellent, and they even had chile en nogada on the menu, out of season but always a treat.

The next morning’s photo sums up my quiet routine: guitar, coffee, computer, iPad, and water — my little corner where I start the day, practice a few chords, and write this blog.

On Saturday, we spent the afternoon at the Hipódromo de las Américas, enjoying good food, a little betting, and a lively Catrina and dance show from Aguascalientes between races. A great mix of culture and fun — and we almost broke even!

Sunday morning brought another guajolote, only this time a sweet version — the tamal was made with strawberry masa (yep, that’s a thing) tucked into the same crusty roll. Unexpectedly good, and a perfect sweet end to the week or the beginning of one.

On Monday, we made our way to the Condesa neighborhood. On the way, we had to recharge our phone plans — even though we had supposedly bought 30-day plans, they only lasted 15. Turns out we were probably scammed at the airport. Lesson learned: if you buy SIM cards at the Mexico City airport, make sure to get them directly from Telcel, not OXXO. Looks like ours were repackaged after someone had already used them. The package looked sealed, but the “$5 discount” should’ve been the red flag.

After about an hour at the Telcel shop, we finally got everything sorted out. We stopped for churros at Churrería El Moro in Polanco — excellent, as always —Kerry thought they were a little stale, like an hour stale. We then called an Uber and headed to Condesa. We spent the afternoon wandering through its tree-lined streets, popping into small shops, and just soaking in the relaxed atmosphere.

We wrapped up the day with an early dinner at Caracol de Mar, which was fantastic, then headed back home.

We took the subway toward Chapultepec, getting off at Auditorio Station. Inside the station, there’s a long rock and roll mural that immediately grabbed our attention. Kerry and I stopped to take it all in — I took two pictures, one with Kerry in front of it and another panoramic shot that captures the full wall..

The mural, known as “El Muro del Rock and Roll,” was inaugurated in 2013  by artist Arturo Márquez as a colorful tribute to both Mexican and international rock legends. It features figures like The Beatles, and Bono — artists who helped shape the genre. Fittingly, the station sits directly beneath the Auditorio Nacional, one of Mexico City’s most famous music venues, making the mural a perfect celebration of the country’s love of rock.

From the Auditorio metro station, where we checked out that great rock and roll mural, we walked the rest of the way along Avenida Reforma and into Chapultepec Park. Reforma is one of the city’s main arteries — wide, full of trees, fountains, and monuments — and it eventually opens up into the park, which is basically Mexico City’s version of Central Park, only bigger and older.

We followed the shady paths through the park, passing snack vendors and families enjoying the afternoon, and made the climb up to Chapultepec Castle. It sits on top of a hill that was once sacred to the Aztecs, so the views of the city are incredible. The castle itself has gone through a lot of roles over the centuries — it was a military academy, then home to Emperor Maximilian and Empress Carlota during their brief reign, and later the presidential residence before becoming a museum.

It’s also the site of one of Mexico’s most famous battles — the Battle of Chapultepec in 1847, when a group of young cadets, known as the Niños Héroes, fought against U.S. forces. The story goes that one of them, Juan Escutia, wrapped himself in the Mexican flag and jumped from the ramparts rather than let it be captured. There’s a large monument to them at the base of the hill, and it’s a pretty moving reminder of how much history sits right under your feet here.

Inside, the castle is filled with beautiful rooms, murals, and terraces overlooking the city. Many pictures follow. Enjoy 

If you made it all the way down here, you deserve, as much as I did, some Dorilocos or crazy Doritos. You might think that you know about them, but they are very special in Chapultepec, there are bout a million vendors selling them. I needed some right when I got out of the castle. Well maybe I didn’t need them. They are Doritos with the bag sliced sideways and in the Doritos, I found Valentina sauce, lime juice, Jicama slices, carrot slices, (Chef Joel, are you listening?) coated peanuts, and last but not least gummy bears! It was delicious, don’t knock it until you try it. I guess I was a little worried before I tried it, but I will be having more before I leave. I also like that they go behind the little stand to make them. I guess each has their own secret sauce. I am betting it was Valentina and lime.

Here is a closer look.