I.I.I.III – Mexico City: Day Four & Five
MEXICO CITY
I.I.I.III – DAY FOUR & FIVE
07/08/22 & 08/08/22
Apart from the city itself, CDMX is also used by many a tourist as a base to go around surrounding locations. I’d be using the few days I had left there just for that.
My first stop was at the caves of Tolantango. It took a four hour, very bumpy, very uncomfortable ride to get there, but despite the physical suffering, the gorgeous views of leading to the caves kept me entertained throughout. The company wasn’t so bad either. Tanya, an Ecuadorian lady, would become the first in a long series of friends-tour buddies I’d make throughout the entire trip. We hit it off right from the very 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 in an effort to stay in touch with her roots. She’s one of the most well-natured people I had ever met, exuding kindness and the most positive energy. And, we’d be going on this adventure together!
As worn out as I was after the hellish ride , the second I got there 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 draw visitors to this area, however, are the caves covering the façade of the mountain and the hundreds of of natural pools filled with hot, thermal water. Donning our finest swimwear (neon pink trunks in my case), Tanya and I set out to try each and every different pool, the temperatures varying according to altitude.
Although I had just started my journey, some exhaustion had already been piling up. I was still jetlagged and that I had been running myself ragged trying to do everything I wanted to do. And lemme just say, the thermal baths really hit the spot! I could literally feel all my fatigue wearing off as we floated there doing nothing, appreciating the magnificent views in front of us whilst making small talk. I have to admit that it felt good to spend some time in good company and not just by myself – despite my initial aim to go at it all solo.
After our rejuvinating session, we then started to explore the series of caves. Each one was deeper and darker than the one before, the water level at times being close to the ceiling and the current so strong we had to swim for our lives in order to access the next one. Be that as it may, that was the very reason I wanted to go deeper – to get away from the hordes of tourists crowding the entrance of the cave. There, right in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by darkness and silence, I felt as connected to myself as I hadn’t been in ages.
Surrounding Villages
Up next, I’d be visiting a couple of villages on a guided tour. First up was Coyoacán, a borough just a few hours of CDMX. Whilst many people visit this place for its charm, the quaint cobblestoned streets, colonial architecture and its 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 one 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 vibrance of her work that inspires resilience given everything she had survived. But anyways, 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 this 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.
After a brief tour of Coyoacán, we then made our way to Xochimilco; a village that was established on the southern shore of Lake Xochimilco – one of the five lakes found 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 over the canal day in, day out, drawing in all kinds of visitors who want to take a short cruise over the river. After doing that myself, I can testify that it does in fact live up to the hype – having lunch over the canals whilst being serenaded by Mariachi will forever be one of my favourite memories!
