Mexico City – Day 5 & 6: Caves, Frida & Canals
MEXICO CITY
Day 4 & 5: Caves, Frida & Canals
August 07 & 08, 2022
Apart from the city itself, CDMX is also used by many tourists as a base from which to explore the surrounding areas. I planned to use the few days I had left there for exactly that.
My first stop was at the caves of Tolantongo. It took a four-hour, very bumpy, very uncomfortable ride to get there, but despite the physical suffering, the gorgeous views leading to the caves kept me entertained throughout. The company wasn’t so bad either. Tanya, an Ecuadorian woman, would become the first in a long series of friend-tour buddies I’d make throughout the entire trip. We hit it off right from the start. She told me she’s married to a British guy and lives in London, but makes it a point to visit Latin America at least once a year to stay in touch with her roots. She’s one of the kindest, most well-natured people I’ve ever met, exuding warmth and positive energy. And we’d be going on this adventure together!
Tolantango Caves
As worn out as I was after the hellish ride, the moment I arrived, I had completely forgotten about the journey – much to a millennial’s chagrin. My god… how do I even begin to describe such scenes?
Mountains – beautiful, beautiful mountains! All shades of verdant green, the bluest of skies, and a turquoise river coursing through them. The main highlight that draws visitors to this area, however, is the series of caves carved into the mountainside and the hundreds of natural pools filled with hot, thermal water. Donning my finest neon pink swimming trunks (a farewell gift I had received from my colleagues), I set out to try each and every pool – the temperatures varying according to altitude.
Although I had just started my journey, some exhaustion had already begun to pile up. I was still jetlagged and had been running myself ragged trying to do everything I wanted. And let me just say, the thermal baths really hit the spot! I could literally feel all my fatigue melting away as we floated there doing nothing, appreciating the magnificent views in front of us whilst making small talk. I have to admit, it felt good to spend some time in good company and not just by myself – despite my initial aim to go it all alone.
After our rejuvenating session, Tanya and I began to explore the series of caves. Each one was deeper and darker than the last, the water level at times reaching close to the ceiling, and the current so strong we had to swim for our lives to reach the next one. Be that as it may, that was precisely why I wanted to go deeper – to escape the hordes of tourists crowding the cave entrance. There, right in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by darkness and silence, I felt more connected to myself than I had in ages.
Tortured Artists
Up next, I’d be visiting a couple of villages on a guided tour. First up was Coyoacán, a borough just a few hours outside of CDMX. Whilst many people visit this place for its charm – the quaint cobblestoned streets, colonial architecture, and lively markets – I only had one thing on my mind: La Casa Azul; AKA, Frida Kahlo’s house which has been repurposed as a museum.
It had been a lifelong dream of mine to see her work, and finally, I was there to see it first-hand! Whilst I’m not someone most people would call an art connoisseur, Kahlo’s work has always resonated with me in more ways than one. I guess it’s the pain and tragedy in her art that lend themselves well to my melancholic personality. Or maybe it’s the boldness and vibrancy of her work that inspires resilience, given everything she had survived. But anyway, enough of my rambling. Coming face to face with some of her masterpieces – including ‘Henry Ford Hospital, 1932‘, which portrays the artist’s traumatic miscarriage – I couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of privilege. I was simply honoured to stand there, gazing at the work of one of the world’s most incredible artists. In fact, I’m not gonna lie – tears were shed.
Canal Rides
After a brief tour of Coyoacán, we made our way to Xochimilco – a village established on the southern shore of Lake Xochimilco, one of the five lakes in the Valley of Mexico that have all but dried up.
The village is home to the last remaining water canals of the Aztecs, with artificial islands called chinampas used for agricultural purposes. Colourful gondolas, known as trajineras, swarm the canals day in, day out, drawing in all kinds of visitors who want to take a short cruise along the waterways. After doing that myself, I can testify that it does, in fact, live up to the hype – having lunch on the canals whilst being serenaded by mariachis will forever be one of my favourite memories!
