tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89951684114909308842024-03-06T02:48:35.369-05:00food and some other stuffmollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18177188094284970362noreply@blogger.comBlogger611125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995168411490930884.post-69700539905895689542022-02-01T15:58:00.004-05:002022-02-01T15:58:55.389-05:00Trip Report: Mexico City, Day Seven<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The breakfast at our hotel was fantastic every day. Fruit, baked goods, and a traditional Mexico main. On our last day it was grilled bread with cheese, which I am positive has an official name, but since this took place seven months ago I can no longer remember it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg9ojjXEyXav3uohL3bPC2PQbuzGqqzBpoRcymvAbdpiaS__IFUSLFtgW6W91eIyX1gYlfg_Yln41hRLV3vflkmr7msdkxtBFrkbRB-vumFAYLxD3KaxgqV9eT6WQ8OnjcCNtSd9y2-OWKX9VZbWob1dJe5GumE_rctMd6iuIipoMPOke9EeDLDN64y=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg9ojjXEyXav3uohL3bPC2PQbuzGqqzBpoRcymvAbdpiaS__IFUSLFtgW6W91eIyX1gYlfg_Yln41hRLV3vflkmr7msdkxtBFrkbRB-vumFAYLxD3KaxgqV9eT6WQ8OnjcCNtSd9y2-OWKX9VZbWob1dJe5GumE_rctMd6iuIipoMPOke9EeDLDN64y=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p>Here's Ben in his cool pants I bought for him on the internet.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiAe_tB6f2SLplXxAmivbXjaQkCMtML-ME4M91s0MxazhlG2qppA-7DPbf41zmCpOmDfo5JoMRHzlxujy5lTa-kG-V2RDqLZPoCMUMg8pBXc8ZnFEoQPND25vjhsgQWCwQulV_r7dBfX6mw0liqQi6Dy1onUomWqbd9XtzYJ_-WTxf0kqseVH9MMdC_=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiAe_tB6f2SLplXxAmivbXjaQkCMtML-ME4M91s0MxazhlG2qppA-7DPbf41zmCpOmDfo5JoMRHzlxujy5lTa-kG-V2RDqLZPoCMUMg8pBXc8ZnFEoQPND25vjhsgQWCwQulV_r7dBfX6mw0liqQi6Dy1onUomWqbd9XtzYJ_-WTxf0kqseVH9MMdC_=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p>We decided to spend the last day exploring the Bosque de Chapultepec, a huge park which contains various monuments and museums. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJ_qbIP9g0L9Ek_0FbvaMImwqvOcMf32iQuaT9VVjH-L1dWE9sgWGuCYTQKHQs2VYANm45UGcrWFmBMHBkUasnmCgJPdiXSKHqwoEFWQV7oEId_WD8f9ytal6jbWan25jJYGYYDgdpJBa0sbYkOcTYACJT3g38LM2mPaJt6RwXoR97RT6iPUKQcwUq=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJ_qbIP9g0L9Ek_0FbvaMImwqvOcMf32iQuaT9VVjH-L1dWE9sgWGuCYTQKHQs2VYANm45UGcrWFmBMHBkUasnmCgJPdiXSKHqwoEFWQV7oEId_WD8f9ytal6jbWan25jJYGYYDgdpJBa0sbYkOcTYACJT3g38LM2mPaJt6RwXoR97RT6iPUKQcwUq=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p>At the top of the hill is Chapultepec Castle, which used to be the seat of government but is now the Mexican National Museum of History. We had tried to go here the first day, because I always like to visit the local history museum first to get a good feel for wherever we are, but at the time it was closed.</p><p>The building and grounds were beautiful, impeccably landscaped. </p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3mr8obZUZNzwYHsyW2_XW8KyIE3HFokA_g7rKQRl6Tmb8GKcg1iV8xSM9-sDB_Gw9o52m5RL5FdDJUsvAdbdAD2akQZcfMiKOc-iX6CmAItmX8Wv3rv9m2c7RS-NI88UdogaHRu29HtUR1f_z6iOM54bj0X-1FN37vktkE_W1r4_eYQMs8pbQ48en=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3mr8obZUZNzwYHsyW2_XW8KyIE3HFokA_g7rKQRl6Tmb8GKcg1iV8xSM9-sDB_Gw9o52m5RL5FdDJUsvAdbdAD2akQZcfMiKOc-iX6CmAItmX8Wv3rv9m2c7RS-NI88UdogaHRu29HtUR1f_z6iOM54bj0X-1FN37vktkE_W1r4_eYQMs8pbQ48en=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><p>This was the first place we visited that talked in detail about the period after Europeans came and took over the country. It was a bit jarring to see the usual dark paintings and heavy European furniture, to witness how thoroughly the traditional culture was subsumed under this new rule.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgv6jHBuSnPu_BLSiwU_PVVVpSQ112VasjpkrU25Qgbs7WcddMkGJrBswx06s2k8c6Q6t7qhkZxGNc8PJ-Nf3In3-XiFH6VRcIUrOSKXb4HxevCeliYywgHMSXo7HEghmQa8uBJuFuubNr0FOipsD8MtPsWXGRBQ6x7s2J7nhUazfmNerxteIoOjPXq=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgv6jHBuSnPu_BLSiwU_PVVVpSQ112VasjpkrU25Qgbs7WcddMkGJrBswx06s2k8c6Q6t7qhkZxGNc8PJ-Nf3In3-XiFH6VRcIUrOSKXb4HxevCeliYywgHMSXo7HEghmQa8uBJuFuubNr0FOipsD8MtPsWXGRBQ6x7s2J7nhUazfmNerxteIoOjPXq=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMk--xy6cQ42fDATDrxhdzFNBOuayuAiNKEaxmKl7ed2hGu4Hw2NdlNzmuzSlIvZA05dOscI9-GBAM6NSKh-yLCISdzpdF2SGUc3qbvBNdydrnsdVqTNJ3AcPm5ZOvdsH2vWP1KcEzvLiQvVmOL3sxoLYQgpxQFcVpJJiFDaZSrqRwDQ8pt0wlO-2Z=s2048" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMk--xy6cQ42fDATDrxhdzFNBOuayuAiNKEaxmKl7ed2hGu4Hw2NdlNzmuzSlIvZA05dOscI9-GBAM6NSKh-yLCISdzpdF2SGUc3qbvBNdydrnsdVqTNJ3AcPm5ZOvdsH2vWP1KcEzvLiQvVmOL3sxoLYQgpxQFcVpJJiFDaZSrqRwDQ8pt0wlO-2Z=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiB-97jcK5OJmFWfelG015sHNVpn4IT3pM5A5ydgVA75CvXVSzc8vppouf-06fT2pTL46983ZoLqRzvyZ8I-pFJajXor000RHf4SHHR7vND-Ww8JIGvq5e7MI-J1LnVaWIxdvvwy0vzBgYYqcHIfDM_JvH8x9MqSUw38qDQRvQOaKya4sjZcnuWIDu7=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiB-97jcK5OJmFWfelG015sHNVpn4IT3pM5A5ydgVA75CvXVSzc8vppouf-06fT2pTL46983ZoLqRzvyZ8I-pFJajXor000RHf4SHHR7vND-Ww8JIGvq5e7MI-J1LnVaWIxdvvwy0vzBgYYqcHIfDM_JvH8x9MqSUw38qDQRvQOaKya4sjZcnuWIDu7=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Some of the art in the building itself still retained some of the interesting flair.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyR7KmQb8btZLf3St_oekjiJhlTL5n3gHBYdq0y308IspQJwHAou1tBCeK1v0558BFx1y4ok4aiqeXDS6FWq68WiXgkp-TsVlszhbxyNmbWOTT8xG3PFHzy2aMTFofIIIo4QBLEZ4o5ZhVI9RSI0F6jcSV7nhsn3Zqd3H2N5wd_bOb9FNUqaAI0Nsr=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyR7KmQb8btZLf3St_oekjiJhlTL5n3gHBYdq0y308IspQJwHAou1tBCeK1v0558BFx1y4ok4aiqeXDS6FWq68WiXgkp-TsVlszhbxyNmbWOTT8xG3PFHzy2aMTFofIIIo4QBLEZ4o5ZhVI9RSI0F6jcSV7nhsn3Zqd3H2N5wd_bOb9FNUqaAI0Nsr=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpqiLteKNrhiD3ze4xwv5ezSYfUNxZOI1JH2u6_x8193gVq4KgQk4rwuaktmVDQUoOsJyaVH5nG7SXuOi8nD_M7ZwAzT9B-JT8OD3G45Jj4zGD9XIg0kAwvQ1ymjVMorlPNOxpzQppSh8n_-zLaOuOjQSws2LpUzBx4Juq9hvpORAG-cb5ZRhtYRuU=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpqiLteKNrhiD3ze4xwv5ezSYfUNxZOI1JH2u6_x8193gVq4KgQk4rwuaktmVDQUoOsJyaVH5nG7SXuOi8nD_M7ZwAzT9B-JT8OD3G45Jj4zGD9XIg0kAwvQ1ymjVMorlPNOxpzQppSh8n_-zLaOuOjQSws2LpUzBx4Juq9hvpORAG-cb5ZRhtYRuU=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><p>The Castle towers over the city, with beautiful views on all sides.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTXwgTt5B3nypH_gUsfJoEd8qq0VDWiNoVRtWYy21yvrEDyjKbj2CvXLQ_YAAkN_cDOBey4mhlAsZ1pacqG-OtbSewYBebwjBL95z0veqmplEq31s0Abe5hP9j0oWSHIC-lyy6jXK4r7CCrErlGTN46vUU6c3FKGcNKJ-9Hypg4m0PuseeqIEeELxo=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTXwgTt5B3nypH_gUsfJoEd8qq0VDWiNoVRtWYy21yvrEDyjKbj2CvXLQ_YAAkN_cDOBey4mhlAsZ1pacqG-OtbSewYBebwjBL95z0veqmplEq31s0Abe5hP9j0oWSHIC-lyy6jXK4r7CCrErlGTN46vUU6c3FKGcNKJ-9Hypg4m0PuseeqIEeELxo=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Down there is the monument to the martyred boys we ran across on the first day.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_rwCiLFIV2JPaXk7MtZ6UkfjL7Yv_x8RCrZUZE7RHVq3taPmetNOWvwQSwlR74tYArdjCPFyGMhg5aMRhAmthnZgFqOpo9S26bLviZedzJy2gjnUm3NEDTfZLZBR6sjmUcfGb5c0FM7_B8hRHqmdduHJq7wNFpwJwlA7_yl1Mz38VhiVPG7wceLx_=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_rwCiLFIV2JPaXk7MtZ6UkfjL7Yv_x8RCrZUZE7RHVq3taPmetNOWvwQSwlR74tYArdjCPFyGMhg5aMRhAmthnZgFqOpo9S26bLviZedzJy2gjnUm3NEDTfZLZBR6sjmUcfGb5c0FM7_B8hRHqmdduHJq7wNFpwJwlA7_yl1Mz38VhiVPG7wceLx_=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNYar5sS5TXyOsTgTg-6uLwk4kCKvLlpt51tmm2Jny_MNPAFApKl4oaIIWLV2BZE6X8IXMTu5bSTjJjIND9XpyG6VIY7rkD-Grr8ABaexqtYQY4u7EL5h4hQ0sRKqBrcqzmrKasDKGGzY42aOA6BY7V_rCpbSHHCV3MdAtUpiAWs6_p4RD4uxp7X09=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNYar5sS5TXyOsTgTg-6uLwk4kCKvLlpt51tmm2Jny_MNPAFApKl4oaIIWLV2BZE6X8IXMTu5bSTjJjIND9XpyG6VIY7rkD-Grr8ABaexqtYQY4u7EL5h4hQ0sRKqBrcqzmrKasDKGGzY42aOA6BY7V_rCpbSHHCV3MdAtUpiAWs6_p4RD4uxp7X09=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was really trying to soak up the perfect beautiful weather as we wandered the gardens, knowing what we were in for returning to North Carolina at the beginning of July.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4-zXiyW3Cx_XRQ_GcKn_HXkaDtt8pq4ng5AnlVCma0d-yNuctCJisFTslukFxfotdkllcuotGoiJC14x4AOm2zyjUFJZolRzThS00EZAd0pZR1yGzcRcNN9Vti8324mNT31eJQmvO8tyqMK_GLw04cCw2xVnLHOxjc6JRmhuo_yiLclcRLe2fgHw3=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4-zXiyW3Cx_XRQ_GcKn_HXkaDtt8pq4ng5AnlVCma0d-yNuctCJisFTslukFxfotdkllcuotGoiJC14x4AOm2zyjUFJZolRzThS00EZAd0pZR1yGzcRcNN9Vti8324mNT31eJQmvO8tyqMK_GLw04cCw2xVnLHOxjc6JRmhuo_yiLclcRLe2fgHw3=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><p>We walked back down the hill and wandered around the park for a bit, ending up in the zoo. It was free but there is also one designated path you have to take that winds throughout the entire thing, and after a while we got thirsty and hungry and nothing was open because of COVID and we couldn't figure out how to get out. It was stressful. If you go to the zoo in Mexico City, take snacks.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwmNPfqLumFGTgRTM3bcWxHffhQjpY96XFXY1edVTxRT-wexDjZml-lz3e-Hb_2bv43zMcew7ojCYzkxM1ZiJL0MrSTyDzk0PapsDnHz4sbUMJ9h7MmWkRRKAaM5u1_hJSKCm3XGSpSaFF8NbyazI7uNlHDmGcUEAPoBxXftI8BYeK2_qmJtQnTzjn=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwmNPfqLumFGTgRTM3bcWxHffhQjpY96XFXY1edVTxRT-wexDjZml-lz3e-Hb_2bv43zMcew7ojCYzkxM1ZiJL0MrSTyDzk0PapsDnHz4sbUMJ9h7MmWkRRKAaM5u1_hJSKCm3XGSpSaFF8NbyazI7uNlHDmGcUEAPoBxXftI8BYeK2_qmJtQnTzjn=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">By the time we made it back out to the street we knew we were too hungry to bother with trying to find somewhere to eat, so we took an Uber back to our neighborhood and ate lunch at Ojo de Agua across from our hotel. Every day when we walked past there were always people eating beautiful salads, so this seemed like a great opportunity to finally try one. We got a table on the covered patio just as it started to rain. The salads: they were good.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFU_fLtk6ePfb10LXKKTmqYQ0rV1oMtR6EHz9E_eDJIGSY5KdudbATOrs0sxKvBBaZ3HEEL4Gb3QlX03MngC5u-Ae8209eIp5K-iDhyzHHsDmsl-iCAR0eUZhAM3SKQYk-OmUsXBon2njGOC67RDZUhvFM0Z5ZdkZeXkw03FIEogUDlQOsrFGFWib4=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFU_fLtk6ePfb10LXKKTmqYQ0rV1oMtR6EHz9E_eDJIGSY5KdudbATOrs0sxKvBBaZ3HEEL4Gb3QlX03MngC5u-Ae8209eIp5K-iDhyzHHsDmsl-iCAR0eUZhAM3SKQYk-OmUsXBon2njGOC67RDZUhvFM0Z5ZdkZeXkw03FIEogUDlQOsrFGFWib4=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQPVVqMexDFuc4Jyrdcc1Kb70S5g5HJqvbB2HCJZq9qwT3afntC3wv3ZwVfH1y0Gq1CwO970AwxM1u2rUdSzwPMg5sP8D_2oaKo7YLUBrSEoN6aLjZ0crl-VNCVTA54f9CGZ9K0lIY4uE3_1XeYOWGhOGNEmEGP5i8ro5whIJRuXhbwVsCbuai4uQj=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQPVVqMexDFuc4Jyrdcc1Kb70S5g5HJqvbB2HCJZq9qwT3afntC3wv3ZwVfH1y0Gq1CwO970AwxM1u2rUdSzwPMg5sP8D_2oaKo7YLUBrSEoN6aLjZ0crl-VNCVTA54f9CGZ9K0lIY4uE3_1XeYOWGhOGNEmEGP5i8ro5whIJRuXhbwVsCbuai4uQj=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The rain really came down hard for a long time. We sat here and drank coffee and watched it.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjn4Wysy6jF45jsh8jSpRwZQo96VBsP1jXcfbprnd7QG4nIsNvXOB7KEdIYWQl3k_WvBAFIjab87gwouH31UzsMXVqPP-vwrLdyuViQD87MjnWBxcO-P8ED9glSec2vUeIE7kgm3xcG5kRGChOf9F1eexwlJ0DCdUJCVG5wBKQBiJ1guuJ1rACP7Qa-=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjn4Wysy6jF45jsh8jSpRwZQo96VBsP1jXcfbprnd7QG4nIsNvXOB7KEdIYWQl3k_WvBAFIjab87gwouH31UzsMXVqPP-vwrLdyuViQD87MjnWBxcO-P8ED9glSec2vUeIE7kgm3xcG5kRGChOf9F1eexwlJ0DCdUJCVG5wBKQBiJ1guuJ1rACP7Qa-=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The street performers had to huddle under the canopy too which was a little awkward. We gave them some pesos, then returned to our room to wait out the rain and watch some Netflix.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfKsVF48C8FH5bqCCOuc-4Zq08dzLteioF-jCy3NGhVb9j9vE_E1bDlVQDNzrwbO7UgbULcU62prsk1_IqMEng4MzvjZOOy6URWBuOJXtUpx2Af8a-D3l8aRl-VtRbyaFztF-xmSinbbFHkbzfeT46qp3u-0V54d3QoEulsOwnzWEmutaJ2n-d8OUj=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfKsVF48C8FH5bqCCOuc-4Zq08dzLteioF-jCy3NGhVb9j9vE_E1bDlVQDNzrwbO7UgbULcU62prsk1_IqMEng4MzvjZOOy6URWBuOJXtUpx2Af8a-D3l8aRl-VtRbyaFztF-xmSinbbFHkbzfeT46qp3u-0V54d3QoEulsOwnzWEmutaJ2n-d8OUj=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For dinner we returned to Temporal, where we'd eaten the first night. Among other things, we ordered the dessert of the day. The waiter explained what it was, we had no idea what he said but ordered it anyway, and it was beautiful and delicious. What is it? We still don't know.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidcgNE0VHMP2ui3r1P1sKP4NHoOQFZIM37JaM-qusRSxgISA8mKMKeDiwKCj-ooze_9HQnnthesOiB5K5JdrnHv6xQFVZ6T2Y4m1GwiRqy2Fzp52D9lTERord-oFpCscXpWIVUkKhaC3_OyWgE67G3iuK2D_Sa8Emlaq5ZkDXCqx62qfETu41G1sX3=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidcgNE0VHMP2ui3r1P1sKP4NHoOQFZIM37JaM-qusRSxgISA8mKMKeDiwKCj-ooze_9HQnnthesOiB5K5JdrnHv6xQFVZ6T2Y4m1GwiRqy2Fzp52D9lTERord-oFpCscXpWIVUkKhaC3_OyWgE67G3iuK2D_Sa8Emlaq5ZkDXCqx62qfETu41G1sX3=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Mexico City exceeded all expectations. I would love to go back and see some of the things we missed, and do more eating. Lots more eating.</div><p></p>mollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18177188094284970362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995168411490930884.post-21636642447922783422021-11-22T09:48:00.006-05:002021-11-22T09:48:46.099-05:00Trip Report: Mexico City, Day Six<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We headed into the old part of the city to visit some museums and attractions. The city was bustling! And all masked up.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWv88hop24agGjLwGeUwVPDM5mIbkzrpwyQXJttcjGxA_u3ne8x2t-rZj4QKnV7rj9RI1CBU2UaXDeEVLxnoccLsaOG_IlTYyrBu1_5PyijF7F7HeL0j0hQMs5R1xKyVVvOJxz4r6gw1w/s2048/IMG_0350.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWv88hop24agGjLwGeUwVPDM5mIbkzrpwyQXJttcjGxA_u3ne8x2t-rZj4QKnV7rj9RI1CBU2UaXDeEVLxnoccLsaOG_IlTYyrBu1_5PyijF7F7HeL0j0hQMs5R1xKyVVvOJxz4r6gw1w/w640-h480/IMG_0350.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We went to the National Museum of Cultures. It's always so interesting to see how different countries talk about other cultures. This had exhibitions and artifacts about all of the major countries of the world. Most of it was replicas, but interesting nonetheless.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY-vBlUiRr1gCUzGI0MI8Qf0P_p9vKbOMqUYRBUdFY-Z7S21950-IhBrfdNQmZFJbe6tMpNPxBAndC4DDt9bzYZzYEjQ-NEZOJEeim2jq8to0hEfBUmg5Sf3E-5XABX3R5V9UUi0GOvto/s2048/IMG_0352.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY-vBlUiRr1gCUzGI0MI8Qf0P_p9vKbOMqUYRBUdFY-Z7S21950-IhBrfdNQmZFJbe6tMpNPxBAndC4DDt9bzYZzYEjQ-NEZOJEeim2jq8to0hEfBUmg5Sf3E-5XABX3R5V9UUi0GOvto/w640-h480/IMG_0352.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTHZs6k5IEbGzssVQpuSztl07QL45i13mVpkYXuInytfFo8EiVRhFCmBh_AKfPYBYWHUtaLhaOTRw8KsKYMpeObzrbjpsdn4OZBtAygLyVIYyP5u93oZGbALBmst8-cUsdeT0p7f0gN4Q/s2048/IMG_0355.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTHZs6k5IEbGzssVQpuSztl07QL45i13mVpkYXuInytfFo8EiVRhFCmBh_AKfPYBYWHUtaLhaOTRw8KsKYMpeObzrbjpsdn4OZBtAygLyVIYyP5u93oZGbALBmst8-cUsdeT0p7f0gN4Q/w640-h480/IMG_0355.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div> <div>My favorite - and slightly more accessible than the real thing in Paris!</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8QJ9mOsLOZkr7Lop52lA4hobEdOk4RECx7MzstCXTJGJwhlhoR0xdbpV8nhSN6abZGczQwamxKh8CDDRPhSmTRUSjcP6qY58sI-wK8l_5n6hpKZiknd02gGrz55qzIyNqqtCbvIz6YkI/s2048/IMG_0357.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8QJ9mOsLOZkr7Lop52lA4hobEdOk4RECx7MzstCXTJGJwhlhoR0xdbpV8nhSN6abZGczQwamxKh8CDDRPhSmTRUSjcP6qY58sI-wK8l_5n6hpKZiknd02gGrz55qzIyNqqtCbvIz6YkI/w480-h640/IMG_0357.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The museum is in a beautiful old building with a big open courtyard.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8sG6ewnBYHYZ6kPEXT9TU4Pe9PLGPAU7-CzSLLNOBUY5m5BpVkgrmlFncLXYPyrMj9eZjfzz188eGc5zXZd6qeUoh8Os850ZMEdgUjNOLf0zwTokWPM-gk50jTvzC2LrFC0rZXOV8UMU/s2048/IMG_0358.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8sG6ewnBYHYZ6kPEXT9TU4Pe9PLGPAU7-CzSLLNOBUY5m5BpVkgrmlFncLXYPyrMj9eZjfzz188eGc5zXZd6qeUoh8Os850ZMEdgUjNOLf0zwTokWPM-gk50jTvzC2LrFC0rZXOV8UMU/w640-h480/IMG_0358.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>After this we went back inside the nearby cathedral hoping there was a public bathroom. There was not. But this time they weren't holding services so we got to see the impressively ornate main altar.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ1xc0B4snGLnf7IRCUq1c220JcXXnnLVxQnKNoaaUcI6HCkq6bOPyFDdrBLvLBiwoHcCsVzCk5gz78u04CdsIaTy0PAht4Wo_K__KDpN_CtJkSyRDKrKRtFZ7teJeG0PH5JAi7vtDmYY/s2048/IMG_0363.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ1xc0B4snGLnf7IRCUq1c220JcXXnnLVxQnKNoaaUcI6HCkq6bOPyFDdrBLvLBiwoHcCsVzCk5gz78u04CdsIaTy0PAht4Wo_K__KDpN_CtJkSyRDKrKRtFZ7teJeG0PH5JAi7vtDmYY/w480-h640/IMG_0363.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We were hungry and Cafe El Popular was on the way, so we went there again. It was just as good the second time.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnOFSLGGm4CimC8T6Lopal7h7NavWNm5gn6R-yQSRFdxhvIPRSQ9yicmSGsRq-igh8zVagUfUk_IhMtOUJsSKE0M8EOWxziOld4VNXSw3026W-UQhTH-YcvtnwozFjswhmkglUx2-yQHQ/s2048/IMG_0365.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnOFSLGGm4CimC8T6Lopal7h7NavWNm5gn6R-yQSRFdxhvIPRSQ9yicmSGsRq-igh8zVagUfUk_IhMtOUJsSKE0M8EOWxziOld4VNXSw3026W-UQhTH-YcvtnwozFjswhmkglUx2-yQHQ/w640-h480/IMG_0365.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6C-JUr-HRRr2GoyiBb_1_AHLfLQTZ7HUd6WdVzEDU2wTQh12ICKTRweUxrKK4DJorRkMx3sdS4pcqvGwPnl1ODf69SEc02aewxfjxBpzHqZprUMcYy1rSgof3CS5JidzBryqhwDV7TfA/s2048/IMG_0366.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6C-JUr-HRRr2GoyiBb_1_AHLfLQTZ7HUd6WdVzEDU2wTQh12ICKTRweUxrKK4DJorRkMx3sdS4pcqvGwPnl1ODf69SEc02aewxfjxBpzHqZprUMcYy1rSgof3CS5JidzBryqhwDV7TfA/w640-h480/IMG_0366.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Then we popped over to the Museo de Bellas Artes to see their famous Diego Rivera murals. The building is mainly used as a theatre. There is an architecture museum at the top but it was closed for renovations. </div><div><br /></div><div>They were taking temperatures upon entry, like every single other place we went, but this time Ben's was too high! They made him go stand in the corner for a couple of minutes, along with four or five other people who were also waiting for a recheck. Everyone was fine the second time so we think their thermometer was on the fritz.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaKDWDr_eS3KAF3jMe2G515HnUI8YSmghT5bTLp2k7SNF_Xhj3neoidMAukJAedbRjzx5ZLy1NnguOth_wGGeaP9QW0uPZ8tX79ZA8BMNMALKERIg8ItsvPlM3SzHDySJptgkLpXn4vfc/s2048/IMG_0373.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaKDWDr_eS3KAF3jMe2G515HnUI8YSmghT5bTLp2k7SNF_Xhj3neoidMAukJAedbRjzx5ZLy1NnguOth_wGGeaP9QW0uPZ8tX79ZA8BMNMALKERIg8ItsvPlM3SzHDySJptgkLpXn4vfc/w640-h480/IMG_0373.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaeYntEPS0rAyoI9FJ-penaPN_lmA4HqK2_RoIvY6Saj2-bU79ICiOccAF0f5NCusHOwXCHJ-ZsSFP8p5kuXG-qjZE7HXNpXES8BIXHxxWWRWWounPkjzdJvKiNENNW6NI-fq7R44SuTM/s2048/IMG_0375.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaeYntEPS0rAyoI9FJ-penaPN_lmA4HqK2_RoIvY6Saj2-bU79ICiOccAF0f5NCusHOwXCHJ-ZsSFP8p5kuXG-qjZE7HXNpXES8BIXHxxWWRWWounPkjzdJvKiNENNW6NI-fq7R44SuTM/w640-h480/IMG_0375.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>There were murals by other Mexican artists as well.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZkAa6cL_Njizmp0quiJxcnZnAwRTnwj2n98eOi17KsLae5NxZTnH76z3XPQLelIM5bXo1MS774tB-Hk0XjrMrwkVE_W-POaknqko6-ffWqIjyjjBRCiUcAMJcbG02aIeXJItP-cqLKzE/s2048/IMG_0378.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZkAa6cL_Njizmp0quiJxcnZnAwRTnwj2n98eOi17KsLae5NxZTnH76z3XPQLelIM5bXo1MS774tB-Hk0XjrMrwkVE_W-POaknqko6-ffWqIjyjjBRCiUcAMJcbG02aIeXJItP-cqLKzE/w640-h480/IMG_0378.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Then we popped over to the printmaking museum nearby, which was small and deserted and full of random interesting things. Our preferred museum type.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJHr9TDsFxcGuVJP3dmMg_GHHyyi7YwJusZevdRioHEv7wXZ8B8OQz1TTkW4L1pckNMk-hc_qJ9FrAgJtd4rAMsu1o9vZi1pHjsSjdnzDTkVs704-oUONRiMdH8bR-2Qd3DJEqfpgd7I/s2048/IMG_0381.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJHr9TDsFxcGuVJP3dmMg_GHHyyi7YwJusZevdRioHEv7wXZ8B8OQz1TTkW4L1pckNMk-hc_qJ9FrAgJtd4rAMsu1o9vZi1pHjsSjdnzDTkVs704-oUONRiMdH8bR-2Qd3DJEqfpgd7I/w480-h640/IMG_0381.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Then we rested until dinner in our lovely calm and beautiful room.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWPneYw2gq20h980FA-QPbVfHUzVKMQZtVQJXNShoaQXF1BbO4YFkRyjShKc4xySYtp-eVu_pLKB7S_M3ndfLIsOkOSxvCVwz5Z3BViwFs0hi2dJj5Axrmu5OmIhvUrploH3krfpPHW-4/s2048/IMG_0382.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWPneYw2gq20h980FA-QPbVfHUzVKMQZtVQJXNShoaQXF1BbO4YFkRyjShKc4xySYtp-eVu_pLKB7S_M3ndfLIsOkOSxvCVwz5Z3BViwFs0hi2dJj5Axrmu5OmIhvUrploH3krfpPHW-4/w640-h480/IMG_0382.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>For dinner we went to Pujol, widely considered the best restaurant in the Americas amongst people who spend their time rating high-end restaurants.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbCr7yZJO63kB5ISUINUqLajNc2N-7TtW2tszhCBaL0AZrktpD5nvKLI-Hx_Bcic5ghEabefnD27SDKQ8FhFGip_x1Q0pFXhtun1uM_jB4-p00zahlZty8Q276PqN-7t6e_kfTBHx_cwM/s2048/IMG_0387.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbCr7yZJO63kB5ISUINUqLajNc2N-7TtW2tszhCBaL0AZrktpD5nvKLI-Hx_Bcic5ghEabefnD27SDKQ8FhFGip_x1Q0pFXhtun1uM_jB4-p00zahlZty8Q276PqN-7t6e_kfTBHx_cwM/w480-h640/IMG_0387.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The price is in Mexico pesos. We're not insane.</div><div><br /></div><div>Pujol is the type of place where everything is elaborately plated and also interesting and delicious. They gave us little smoked corns to start (not on the menu).</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtCCyheCK-ooCDN9g7YqupKDoruFVu3rP9M2Kf_pXfzB1IN8NDxFiCboPwU3BfWqwnyIggasHpR1Q55OKqkpr2oIOh6vTO6zxJcj185_mQxm88fu1Bw6Al4nOKdfbCEEEHh9pCw49REE0/s2048/IMG_0390.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="644" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtCCyheCK-ooCDN9g7YqupKDoruFVu3rP9M2Kf_pXfzB1IN8NDxFiCboPwU3BfWqwnyIggasHpR1Q55OKqkpr2oIOh6vTO6zxJcj185_mQxm88fu1Bw6Al4nOKdfbCEEEHh9pCw49REE0/w483-h644/IMG_0390.jpeg" width="483" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTpYQwNqyC44FP6TL6qLtEbk7xFormhV7ALYn0Z1nXadULfKJcCPfk2GFlsjLPPXSHchLzfd2l1gYcuCKCTmyZwp3wcoE6eB8LlB3nBE_o0x1TPRCD0mb2md_90Ekzp6ieEIfSwdwPrzQ/s2048/IMG_0392.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTpYQwNqyC44FP6TL6qLtEbk7xFormhV7ALYn0Z1nXadULfKJcCPfk2GFlsjLPPXSHchLzfd2l1gYcuCKCTmyZwp3wcoE6eB8LlB3nBE_o0x1TPRCD0mb2md_90Ekzp6ieEIfSwdwPrzQ/w640-h480/IMG_0392.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYyV26GDFZfJzppDuNKjjay8yqkZBXcWKzhjNdO_wLXF7r3haVTaXgYwi9fVrv9rx_iBVUtxThg7HJfgLX2qIe7aq7Mv_9c0xqBS9qm4MdMOKxt81SYyKEUDx-XunB5o_xDbiUR-r0F5Q/s2048/IMG_0397.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYyV26GDFZfJzppDuNKjjay8yqkZBXcWKzhjNdO_wLXF7r3haVTaXgYwi9fVrv9rx_iBVUtxThg7HJfgLX2qIe7aq7Mv_9c0xqBS9qm4MdMOKxt81SYyKEUDx-XunB5o_xDbiUR-r0F5Q/w480-h640/IMG_0397.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The thing Pujol is most famous for is their mole. They have an aged one and a "new" one and serve them together on a plate with tortillas and boy, it is far greater than the sum of its parts.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4jc5sJlNCF0KbbwQYLVeVSWfzFG-CU3l5NGAzq4MdehKK04fpGakVYdsRVddO9sQip9QfJpxNiKeH0YEeGIQutMaSUFIO3UslKaFS0eAbMWmtko05dpj19Mn3et_nJGExmI_BhzkbWH0/s2048/IMG_0398.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4jc5sJlNCF0KbbwQYLVeVSWfzFG-CU3l5NGAzq4MdehKK04fpGakVYdsRVddO9sQip9QfJpxNiKeH0YEeGIQutMaSUFIO3UslKaFS0eAbMWmtko05dpj19Mn3et_nJGExmI_BhzkbWH0/w480-h640/IMG_0398.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The dessert was a delightful strawberry custard-type thing. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoDz7O2eRiu2Pt2NXHsr4rTeJ6f2BI8PE7xvEtIAV1sQjlp2ghOcAl2CiV3csnOg9FpyDfLcoOi5Ur0M26ueCgLWBRyHKmqVKR6gka2YQlH5-05xsUAVS-p1J9nkli6AOCJCf8xbGOYH4/s2048/IMG_0400.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoDz7O2eRiu2Pt2NXHsr4rTeJ6f2BI8PE7xvEtIAV1sQjlp2ghOcAl2CiV3csnOg9FpyDfLcoOi5Ur0M26ueCgLWBRyHKmqVKR6gka2YQlH5-05xsUAVS-p1J9nkli6AOCJCf8xbGOYH4/w480-h640/IMG_0400.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /></div><div>Pujol is worth it! You should go.</div>mollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18177188094284970362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995168411490930884.post-71594754741787741702021-11-09T12:27:00.002-05:002021-11-09T12:27:12.136-05:00Trip Report: Mexico City, Day Five<p>I forgot about this for four months so hopefully I can remember the details of the second half of the trip...</p><p>I know for sure that on Day 5 we had to get a COVID test. Neither of us had had one before, but it was required for everyone entering the US, even vaccinated citizens, no more than 3 days before arrival. I wanted to get this done as soon as possible to minimize the potential exposure time before testing. Fortunately our hotel arranged for a nurse to come and do the test right there, saving us the surely traumatic experience of standing around for ages in a Mexican Urgent Care.</p><p>Hooray! We were both negative. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpFbxXc-J-ecSwawS7Nx1FW4jADp5x9-2tlqRxh2uSrxCNJI3GRRHMoYS09oTVTOy6cr1jsm9lQZ-bH6JDsrUKsx3WHDV9QWw3QXN0jUs7gFP9meWFUZGQvLWJ-siyF2cO-PmH6yPddEQ/s2048/50CBDFCD-514A-4B01-BFE9-A399220DEBC5.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpFbxXc-J-ecSwawS7Nx1FW4jADp5x9-2tlqRxh2uSrxCNJI3GRRHMoYS09oTVTOy6cr1jsm9lQZ-bH6JDsrUKsx3WHDV9QWw3QXN0jUs7gFP9meWFUZGQvLWJ-siyF2cO-PmH6yPddEQ/w480-h640/50CBDFCD-514A-4B01-BFE9-A399220DEBC5.heic" width="480" /></a></p><p>We set out for the extremely wealthy neighborhood of Polanco, where several museums are located. This area looked exactly like any other city's expensive shopping district. Soulless but clean and shiny. We stopped first at a food court to get lunch because we had become murderously hungry.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvFurt2ZxAuJqH2MZbQB88pefre6uAFsOceJykrVnFYnJIicb0OGIuArSBXD51F9QjP1tMr1uNzdpRory6Z3zTcdgDL8ugy-wINFAAXI2Qny7llpvjbsj6jqBZef8v-OgeBsKLiliKmjU/s2048/55E14B88-AE63-4511-9ADB-C7B1D33A1D3E.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvFurt2ZxAuJqH2MZbQB88pefre6uAFsOceJykrVnFYnJIicb0OGIuArSBXD51F9QjP1tMr1uNzdpRory6Z3zTcdgDL8ugy-wINFAAXI2Qny7llpvjbsj6jqBZef8v-OgeBsKLiliKmjU/w640-h480/55E14B88-AE63-4511-9ADB-C7B1D33A1D3E.heic" width="640" /></a></p><p>We went first to the Museo Jumex, a contemporary art museum. It had some interesting exhibits but turned out to be relatively small. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZIraqDhkYKGP6mIz-s7fHGdNQ2i6IXpHB_NiPGWxqz5CRKQIN7oTYyjW_ewXo6YKOV6OlehpzA6HNMn4UO747l5QGks3To-mlnU3Epwa8qIUBdllOPkF_m6PRe9HfvCNNsMwPCpqOahA/s2048/IMG_0317.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZIraqDhkYKGP6mIz-s7fHGdNQ2i6IXpHB_NiPGWxqz5CRKQIN7oTYyjW_ewXo6YKOV6OlehpzA6HNMn4UO747l5QGks3To-mlnU3Epwa8qIUBdllOPkF_m6PRe9HfvCNNsMwPCpqOahA/w640-h480/IMG_0317.jpeg" width="640" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZs3CMDPzVSe_lt8D6eE_ofSd0EGvEHp1TBz36pnjT27xrnILRs9GRVwwuxKbRlG8jPH-oLrsGq82EKx4EnjaQaX2yAQZzYIwpBj1r7Btg-0M-5N_HbTfdtqA_rIGVt2wq1iwW6vAHqx8/s2048/61CAF54C-29AE-4ED4-89C2-0048BCBCEA25.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZs3CMDPzVSe_lt8D6eE_ofSd0EGvEHp1TBz36pnjT27xrnILRs9GRVwwuxKbRlG8jPH-oLrsGq82EKx4EnjaQaX2yAQZzYIwpBj1r7Btg-0M-5N_HbTfdtqA_rIGVt2wq1iwW6vAHqx8/w640-h480/61CAF54C-29AE-4ED4-89C2-0048BCBCEA25.heic" width="640" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipEr3k1IjwJPkvLRR3OdSgTgVoX8O5WCwtlTmxSRGzKEnM7pUeRA2geOMNHpA68Y866WOM8-gw2fg8qwc1r_wdGt0JUBCMe0EPiwTJRrleo_h0u1yyGAYKMdZwHvWkdXuIeHR295m01AE/s2048/913D0954-FAFF-4FB9-8B65-743FBEF301AC.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipEr3k1IjwJPkvLRR3OdSgTgVoX8O5WCwtlTmxSRGzKEnM7pUeRA2geOMNHpA68Y866WOM8-gw2fg8qwc1r_wdGt0JUBCMe0EPiwTJRrleo_h0u1yyGAYKMdZwHvWkdXuIeHR295m01AE/w640-h480/913D0954-FAFF-4FB9-8B65-743FBEF301AC.heic" width="640" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ9FpIpQ5K1ZVE9z5yLGdxbnMKE56WlKuoSRfx0npKhTq1or0XZdvuN8T933ekRVh2Lipt7QFqZMhG7rUX3jTz9eTmkO3ncVZwPvTVtx41OgSddPerbOr_2iPcwRpCgLmyULFEYSLWPpE/s2048/C3913EDB-F073-4A70-B975-01EA08D6DAC2.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ9FpIpQ5K1ZVE9z5yLGdxbnMKE56WlKuoSRfx0npKhTq1or0XZdvuN8T933ekRVh2Lipt7QFqZMhG7rUX3jTz9eTmkO3ncVZwPvTVtx41OgSddPerbOr_2iPcwRpCgLmyULFEYSLWPpE/w480-h640/C3913EDB-F073-4A70-B975-01EA08D6DAC2.heic" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Then we went across the street to the Soumaya Museum, which the internet seemed to indicate is underwhelming, but we thought it was great. This is the personal collection of Carlos Slim, Mexico's richest man, and contained all sorts of treasures ranging from Renaissance paintings to antique harpsichords to a complete historical display of telephone technology to dozens of Rodin sculptures. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWziN3tJXxa3lwJqlCVXdffjFkyDLyO4FmzeTTrBH1Wv1-Zugosn0pPlH2v8-7kJebRlq2Ffcgp7bScoj0Dizr1p-pTTy9qfZ5_lGFQQpXvtz2qKHgsyR3PZekDaBwOSQW6cA4EYbN1wY/s2048/35F5AEC1-2BDB-4CD7-9451-56E3F83464A0.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWziN3tJXxa3lwJqlCVXdffjFkyDLyO4FmzeTTrBH1Wv1-Zugosn0pPlH2v8-7kJebRlq2Ffcgp7bScoj0Dizr1p-pTTy9qfZ5_lGFQQpXvtz2qKHgsyR3PZekDaBwOSQW6cA4EYbN1wY/w640-h480/35F5AEC1-2BDB-4CD7-9451-56E3F83464A0.heic" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilA_FX9vK5cekEPRAWZ1uCqrNctgg7DzPh62IPJO3uQSdshTlsTYfBPT0s-S4RHGDj-MXSz8YoAkg_z8A4Ae6upGXXSOvUlbbsakBH07Wl6nf3s0fqPdBqS2CmcMAQNAEV0tnO9CvFZHg/s2048/IMG_0318.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilA_FX9vK5cekEPRAWZ1uCqrNctgg7DzPh62IPJO3uQSdshTlsTYfBPT0s-S4RHGDj-MXSz8YoAkg_z8A4Ae6upGXXSOvUlbbsakBH07Wl6nf3s0fqPdBqS2CmcMAQNAEV0tnO9CvFZHg/w640-h480/IMG_0318.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoSuRoehT-S9WshtskdFCb2tf04-ljJLCM2d9w1DojczQYSiPT8m3xL-EN5sArg4PfRzsP4SI6n4hnPuy2ccwJZQhcHr0Q7i0I33KGFwsNYbwTKwGRUeAzXqxkKCrI5dFry20eTOmQ5to/s2048/IMG_0319.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoSuRoehT-S9WshtskdFCb2tf04-ljJLCM2d9w1DojczQYSiPT8m3xL-EN5sArg4PfRzsP4SI6n4hnPuy2ccwJZQhcHr0Q7i0I33KGFwsNYbwTKwGRUeAzXqxkKCrI5dFry20eTOmQ5to/w480-h640/IMG_0319.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>There were also a few of these old cylindrical records. My Uncle Skeeter had dozens of these in barrels in his basement. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsI21Il27KjtETTIzJT41k7whKp0NK7mAgk7JAzCHncCqpzH1DaroES4VUs6Yy-r5vDgxjlVQ446D7iZ3a93DRlx1cQYOqZQT3xFBjqwiFs0YlgRIcTGhiPkmBpfXY-QZ2tPH8A3-tznI/s2048/IMG_0321.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsI21Il27KjtETTIzJT41k7whKp0NK7mAgk7JAzCHncCqpzH1DaroES4VUs6Yy-r5vDgxjlVQ446D7iZ3a93DRlx1cQYOqZQT3xFBjqwiFs0YlgRIcTGhiPkmBpfXY-QZ2tPH8A3-tznI/w640-h480/IMG_0321.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt4rOQ-TOOfQn-57m-XnRX59xYQx-fQrf_UAEerfm9OJVdy5Kq7o0XwapUYL-_0qPHQAT2ynyYf_liuoiki4eV2ELjcfg0BUOL8uEuOEltRbSawuTU0h4fpy6B2y-vu7v3CExWl85Bwjw/s2048/IMG_0325.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt4rOQ-TOOfQn-57m-XnRX59xYQx-fQrf_UAEerfm9OJVdy5Kq7o0XwapUYL-_0qPHQAT2ynyYf_liuoiki4eV2ELjcfg0BUOL8uEuOEltRbSawuTU0h4fpy6B2y-vu7v3CExWl85Bwjw/w640-h480/IMG_0325.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>There was one whole level devoted to carved elephant ivory.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQxRVubwrwpVA5lgByLYos4snWv1OePhJUxoMk0Kdj1lrgHtVCf4aKXqDFmhWUDTUbtfJ78Hyj8BgJspTq9cHybEz_XoXi9GgHdxQp4OTk-fWOSYdQSH0Ra5kQCitQzlLU5kRsePbS1Mc/s2048/IMG_0326.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQxRVubwrwpVA5lgByLYos4snWv1OePhJUxoMk0Kdj1lrgHtVCf4aKXqDFmhWUDTUbtfJ78Hyj8BgJspTq9cHybEz_XoXi9GgHdxQp4OTk-fWOSYdQSH0Ra5kQCitQzlLU5kRsePbS1Mc/w480-h640/IMG_0326.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I got in trouble for leaning over the railing to take this picture.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-f3W6xJ0tAUyTKsAJHXl_XAWc9e-GkuIlscSVwEbORtfFvQNUSiWsOuf2XjB4wGxqeBGnVGW43lA7FAa24cnDgJlgslRkZlm1KwhfL7wrQUdvKj4Njq5yZ-AkUfWtxjznv4oIcju9xEk/s2048/IMG_0335.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-f3W6xJ0tAUyTKsAJHXl_XAWc9e-GkuIlscSVwEbORtfFvQNUSiWsOuf2XjB4wGxqeBGnVGW43lA7FAa24cnDgJlgslRkZlm1KwhfL7wrQUdvKj4Njq5yZ-AkUfWtxjznv4oIcju9xEk/w640-h480/IMG_0335.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Here we are waiting for our Uber. It was juuuust about to rain but we made it in the car before it started.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwRa04OzKY7I8bnoWJRZ9Mp0s2hmMc2wffrR90eJVqI2wck_S-v23unh3wWTuRmn8ln0XtW924gepTMhDCTG_8Qb9L_nVaD8Ge1oW4iMLwQIjC1Eg4u77ySuD4pYZsYmB5DO6H8Nxr8dA/s2048/0DB46835-18D6-4A48-9297-DD5E11A93370.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1539" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwRa04OzKY7I8bnoWJRZ9Mp0s2hmMc2wffrR90eJVqI2wck_S-v23unh3wWTuRmn8ln0XtW924gepTMhDCTG_8Qb9L_nVaD8Ge1oW4iMLwQIjC1Eg4u77ySuD4pYZsYmB5DO6H8Nxr8dA/w480-h640/0DB46835-18D6-4A48-9297-DD5E11A93370.heic" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We went back to our neighborhood and got a coffee. Ahh, Condesa, I miss you.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ5aocOOmhSlA3uclrV0eCJR2TcxWSv4ixUC2NFx0cZqGk6Bo0ut7djCTnnKAIuxUI18sKFgN_Pl5zfPAKiS-aO-YcKPgk-XjdxdUD5BYLR7AzWpGMw2R0QfPhsVJORLtIl0atxpEb4Rg/s2048/IMG_0339.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ5aocOOmhSlA3uclrV0eCJR2TcxWSv4ixUC2NFx0cZqGk6Bo0ut7djCTnnKAIuxUI18sKFgN_Pl5zfPAKiS-aO-YcKPgk-XjdxdUD5BYLR7AzWpGMw2R0QfPhsVJORLtIl0atxpEb4Rg/w640-h480/IMG_0339.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>For dinner we walked over to La Capital, a hotel suggestion. We didn't have a reservation but got a great table and boy, this food and the service were <i>incredible</i>. I wanted to go back again the next night but Ben said we had to keep trying new places. We started with tuna tartare.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGhNeqOtro1r3x92qqz85HdqIEgUnQbGsQNoJsdcae14qpnCnIkcboa3rQO800eElpXcBcyLo9gYUAallG7mKa6bRpPo_CU2yaPg2XNqCjPRQ2OiSa7LOLJcNXc48FQxVMOSIxkDfqKxc/s2048/9F4B7384-F2FA-437D-8ADD-94210BE8006B.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGhNeqOtro1r3x92qqz85HdqIEgUnQbGsQNoJsdcae14qpnCnIkcboa3rQO800eElpXcBcyLo9gYUAallG7mKa6bRpPo_CU2yaPg2XNqCjPRQ2OiSa7LOLJcNXc48FQxVMOSIxkDfqKxc/w480-h640/9F4B7384-F2FA-437D-8ADD-94210BE8006B.heic" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I'm pretty sure this is Ben's grilled octopus (it's been a while!). He loves octopus.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCLixUGapBSTIn_BOZekpG_Z1qv8pa-nt5Pi1y9xu98wUAguR4G-t7PHnt0zNgSU6UuLiSwC8_Yo7BUfuiMsvUcsffhl1peP0Bg8O41KVFpRhmiJ2g6eHF7X2_9yY0Uo6E-aMxdB5ljJ0/s2048/C72E8C99-2738-40BC-AA7B-AC8B9BBADA60.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCLixUGapBSTIn_BOZekpG_Z1qv8pa-nt5Pi1y9xu98wUAguR4G-t7PHnt0zNgSU6UuLiSwC8_Yo7BUfuiMsvUcsffhl1peP0Bg8O41KVFpRhmiJ2g6eHF7X2_9yY0Uo6E-aMxdB5ljJ0/w640-h480/C72E8C99-2738-40BC-AA7B-AC8B9BBADA60.heic" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I got some kind of chicken thing with burrata and herbs that was the single best thing I ate in Mexico City. Outrageously good. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTXtC9gyzUjtnDD8Pz2BEys84HKN58cYffOztsYkO8M4-NWrcq2MuNY3lQQqdyeK03xjLjCYIkSKoTjJr0irNpBl52xH6tBDcK5zemG56IGfP2JfcxAxgL2il3MoOxj5P1fa3A_Tk7Q5M/s2048/67253EF9-E37B-41A8-A649-2BEEB2850F93.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTXtC9gyzUjtnDD8Pz2BEys84HKN58cYffOztsYkO8M4-NWrcq2MuNY3lQQqdyeK03xjLjCYIkSKoTjJr0irNpBl52xH6tBDcK5zemG56IGfP2JfcxAxgL2il3MoOxj5P1fa3A_Tk7Q5M/w640-h480/67253EF9-E37B-41A8-A649-2BEEB2850F93.heic" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I got a nice fruity cocktail.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ80o0LDE1xFi0X8tG8SBntCeMjDUR8-eDhlypnKwDTEP3WcXbJAybKSN1daq8CICdb_hbVKHuG6QSxSbjFlLFpjb8k7sMjzPAgV1a1AYB0cwNc2JwhsFFDaPOcl_U-64zxCx3aZ3tZOw/s2048/A747358C-0E11-43FA-816C-DDABDEEAC09F.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ80o0LDE1xFi0X8tG8SBntCeMjDUR8-eDhlypnKwDTEP3WcXbJAybKSN1daq8CICdb_hbVKHuG6QSxSbjFlLFpjb8k7sMjzPAgV1a1AYB0cwNc2JwhsFFDaPOcl_U-64zxCx3aZ3tZOw/w640-h480/A747358C-0E11-43FA-816C-DDABDEEAC09F.heic" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Then, because we are dumb, we ordered dessert. It was just berries so we thought it would be a nice light closure to the meal but it was enormous. We managed to finish it, though.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin_4D_cSi0OsDz8Q7bQOmf2vJyJWsghO4bSETdYSIkZpgU7mFeO_sQpTwQXSoGeKeQGYhN9gkpAg0809gy4K8L-gjadywJ1kPxClD8riKTaokfVOHXhJjcMacIfd3Wf0CeOMOXWJclTpc/s2048/313161A5-EF67-4148-A94E-4A6806DED474.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin_4D_cSi0OsDz8Q7bQOmf2vJyJWsghO4bSETdYSIkZpgU7mFeO_sQpTwQXSoGeKeQGYhN9gkpAg0809gy4K8L-gjadywJ1kPxClD8riKTaokfVOHXhJjcMacIfd3Wf0CeOMOXWJclTpc/w480-h640/313161A5-EF67-4148-A94E-4A6806DED474.heic" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p></div>mollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18177188094284970362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995168411490930884.post-71459958084654216272021-08-12T11:28:00.003-04:002021-11-09T11:46:00.264-05:00Trip Report: Mexico City, Day Four<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of our top priorities for the trip was getting to Teotihuacan, a Aztec site about an hour outside of the city. In normal times we would have taken a bus for about 50¢, but navigating a crowded bus station and then sitting on a potentially crowded bus for an hour each way sounded like a bad idea. Our hotel said they could arrange a private car for $100, but we ended up doing Uber for about half that. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The drive out there was interesting to give us some context outside of the small parts of the city we'd seen. This is a bad picture of the Mexico City suburbs. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3r6PdccthMBm0YA8snBaUBhNTfJ57r1DrofuAlXqG7aLP6Kzbh313Y87jwTPEhgclvKP-goqVcpc0zasB9atuxZzvQZ-eo5M8l25-9lALPKijS6vHuK54R2MCqdQfynZ30GxrJdiesVw/s2048/IMG_0241.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3r6PdccthMBm0YA8snBaUBhNTfJ57r1DrofuAlXqG7aLP6Kzbh313Y87jwTPEhgclvKP-goqVcpc0zasB9atuxZzvQZ-eo5M8l25-9lALPKijS6vHuK54R2MCqdQfynZ30GxrJdiesVw/w640-h480/IMG_0241.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Teotihuacan is in the middle of a small village. It reminded me of the Coliseum in El Jem, Tunisia; you feel like this can't possibly be the right place, but it is.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0KoGPIYTKiXNDEisaHpwfF7AS_3LL43wGWBR9hRSVjA7xrTIuYvuFZ2tHGvOnhqcx01FHQu3ydv-RxbnncvL4Ta68s_v2bDLlSXmr1-vNhyiw07rqx8bTnTgyvJEhYyMYASs7RnBP2nE/s2048/IMG_0242.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0KoGPIYTKiXNDEisaHpwfF7AS_3LL43wGWBR9hRSVjA7xrTIuYvuFZ2tHGvOnhqcx01FHQu3ydv-RxbnncvL4Ta68s_v2bDLlSXmr1-vNhyiw07rqx8bTnTgyvJEhYyMYASs7RnBP2nE/w640-h480/IMG_0242.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The biggest pyramid is the Pyramid of the Sun. In normal times you can climb these pyramids, but they were blocked off because of COVID. This was great news for me, as going up (and especially down) shallow and steep stone steps is probably my least favorite thing on earth. But you know, if I was allowed I would have to do it to be sure I didn't have any regrets. Thankfully I was able to head off this psychological trauma altogether because of the global pandemic.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6cSTGgr7ngghfZMbifQMRDO8nYQ3RPGU32O_mZNRPS6NtcgIv4O4Qxy76byETzuLO_cB01D8i8azS7dnBHtpMfWCd6nGbyWSMFcf6bYfDHGjpmnFZOoERtq_BntW88WKke4Iafh_VvfQ/s2048/IMG_0248.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6cSTGgr7ngghfZMbifQMRDO8nYQ3RPGU32O_mZNRPS6NtcgIv4O4Qxy76byETzuLO_cB01D8i8azS7dnBHtpMfWCd6nGbyWSMFcf6bYfDHGjpmnFZOoERtq_BntW88WKke4Iafh_VvfQ/w640-h480/IMG_0248.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> Pyramid selfie!<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGdxn1B145LstGlfuX1tH1CX5hb6r6Gzz1A2NwRBZvc0Kjqtyk3RbkKHvwAzzsJsBgCiFRzlIAp5p8KlsmbCIr3snYIMg-g7CVx7ijY78xC_mHfVDmt5-rxIfRKfcTxrS0NI_IL4fEyQ/s2046/IMG_0252.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1537" data-original-width="2046" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGdxn1B145LstGlfuX1tH1CX5hb6r6Gzz1A2NwRBZvc0Kjqtyk3RbkKHvwAzzsJsBgCiFRzlIAp5p8KlsmbCIr3snYIMg-g7CVx7ijY78xC_mHfVDmt5-rxIfRKfcTxrS0NI_IL4fEyQ/w640-h480/IMG_0252.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br />There were a lot of people selling things here. Jewelry, toys, blankets, trinkets of all sorts. It was pretty annoying but I also bought some earrings, so you know, I'm part of the problem.<p></p><p>From the Pyramid of the Sun, there's a long wide walkway down to the smaller Pyramid of the Moon.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFgojhiAOMCbEiTRlfn5pijUEPRmCddlAHk3A6U4jCwhIf37MpAdlgGrx-jxwbbRrbiv_WCCrZloFf-2E0ZCXYsHtD5vBr2Oepc5fs3MoD9zCnBRQjO8R3ECNc0VkVO2Df1uCzuAYLTRE/s2048/IMG_0254.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFgojhiAOMCbEiTRlfn5pijUEPRmCddlAHk3A6U4jCwhIf37MpAdlgGrx-jxwbbRrbiv_WCCrZloFf-2E0ZCXYsHtD5vBr2Oepc5fs3MoD9zCnBRQjO8R3ECNc0VkVO2Df1uCzuAYLTRE/w640-h480/IMG_0254.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>There is zero shade at the site and all the guidebooks made a big deal about the heat. I brought an umbrella from the hotel to stay out of the sun, but the heat itself was not really a problem, and wouldn't have been a problem at all if we hadn't had to wear masks. I guess people complaining about this have never been to North Carolina in August.<br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhODG7902uI2CLsl89AFBm0ndl987r5ouVVSoWXPLhNwOKxVMi8XH05Asg_EweKOm0QnESTWkMfl8W5yyukoFLA1r7NZQom8tbgPz2MI9lq_DF9BZtHWe4WHFFdbiyYWTm1dO_R2VjRJk8/s2046/IMG_0260.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2046" data-original-width="1537" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhODG7902uI2CLsl89AFBm0ndl987r5ouVVSoWXPLhNwOKxVMi8XH05Asg_EweKOm0QnESTWkMfl8W5yyukoFLA1r7NZQom8tbgPz2MI9lq_DF9BZtHWe4WHFFdbiyYWTm1dO_R2VjRJk8/w480-h640/IMG_0260.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl1VmagCM99k1V8rgxiUKbZXJWx8eLM9iKj4EOb3Mg4gbIB-AE-yjcuzIyugXUjSSKiDfivnAGdLfetqcTbRYglQTIIarh_m5kMfP5Y2kmjovcTWPekzegehA2N-BN2Kq5g8zAPa0Qqn4/s2048/IMG_0261.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl1VmagCM99k1V8rgxiUKbZXJWx8eLM9iKj4EOb3Mg4gbIB-AE-yjcuzIyugXUjSSKiDfivnAGdLfetqcTbRYglQTIIarh_m5kMfP5Y2kmjovcTWPekzegehA2N-BN2Kq5g8zAPa0Qqn4/w640-h480/IMG_0261.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWk6_HgkV39qqS58eenNG9D00gbuNIatNJZmTWWwyk9EMhtS3wHzWLfQtsC7b2uIgTqbNxmDeDb63Nj_y-aIEpqkmlmzGUvjdRFAb2rRqNokBeyAlsM0QsdimWGuqMUySYNnqxqsigJxg/s2048/IMG_0266.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWk6_HgkV39qqS58eenNG9D00gbuNIatNJZmTWWwyk9EMhtS3wHzWLfQtsC7b2uIgTqbNxmDeDb63Nj_y-aIEpqkmlmzGUvjdRFAb2rRqNokBeyAlsM0QsdimWGuqMUySYNnqxqsigJxg/w640-h480/IMG_0266.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We have faces!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzIbx2YnMyweKHu2RPlYcXqp9m5AfO_lDQ_NXoNBLI5rtjEwnOQuvC2a_W6QZGKXPhWqAPqD8iYcm3UEsb02bk5XUyq_gEJIVrPWVLxxlTpZZdJTHRZvRhlCFbaTUDK8FBGSpqWl9CmXc/s2046/IMG_0267.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1537" data-original-width="2046" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzIbx2YnMyweKHu2RPlYcXqp9m5AfO_lDQ_NXoNBLI5rtjEwnOQuvC2a_W6QZGKXPhWqAPqD8iYcm3UEsb02bk5XUyq_gEJIVrPWVLxxlTpZZdJTHRZvRhlCFbaTUDK8FBGSpqWl9CmXc/w640-h480/IMG_0267.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We sat on a wall here and ate a snack and stared at the Pyramid of the Sun. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX5FLOKhfqhsdWp0BOChOfQoDmK9HGHHkUzz4iLL6uGrXfpuZLHx7kOalcLwZYdyW6Mwluacm2FmCEv9OFzBFGVOgYDcx9YY9i6-cP9PLjA5grMTDy-Jfo74zbaqKt9d6hibJEqk2wOU0/s2048/IMG_0273.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX5FLOKhfqhsdWp0BOChOfQoDmK9HGHHkUzz4iLL6uGrXfpuZLHx7kOalcLwZYdyW6Mwluacm2FmCEv9OFzBFGVOgYDcx9YY9i6-cP9PLjA5grMTDy-Jfo74zbaqKt9d6hibJEqk2wOU0/w640-h480/IMG_0273.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Teotihuacan was a big city. We walked all the way down to the other end.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9KCXmCf5KnFiU4EYzIFeK9Juo-drEP5aCics2Mv4x_WaDHgM3KQDIDk-sitAA0H0WB9_8_dON_nUn221fdIk_7MdO7nlxrnlmKDMYcxDvtrUhCn9k-TP1oS8L1KuFWD41Ia0ucecG4U/s2048/IMG_0276.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9KCXmCf5KnFiU4EYzIFeK9Juo-drEP5aCics2Mv4x_WaDHgM3KQDIDk-sitAA0H0WB9_8_dON_nUn221fdIk_7MdO7nlxrnlmKDMYcxDvtrUhCn9k-TP1oS8L1KuFWD41Ia0ucecG4U/w640-h480/IMG_0276.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>There are ruins of non-religious sites too, shops and homes.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUhHXrlMtqtdptUVyTIiuIHnCg2KIMO8lq3GSJc5I3d6IC1KMpZB1brImNfslalO7u0njQF1AQzcbukDi_PajYTYLOdTePP1oZRiINftN_B3hQhQ1Bu3Tk7xk4j8W9G2GFDkJ9N5dI284/s2048/IMG_0279.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUhHXrlMtqtdptUVyTIiuIHnCg2KIMO8lq3GSJc5I3d6IC1KMpZB1brImNfslalO7u0njQF1AQzcbukDi_PajYTYLOdTePP1oZRiINftN_B3hQhQ1Bu3Tk7xk4j8W9G2GFDkJ9N5dI284/w480-h640/IMG_0279.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We saw a dog.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgffVBr0x51CiZXblI6R5CAula7pLl7MC6ML5AEtFBggE28Xxu86bafDFgPAaNh5gTlo9PgphVgMx-W-Dl6F2FDq9Q-wqEnfV3thUqFKMSOhlYI4eTEtlXb8BzxL4j6ykU3eFzpG_nBOo8/s2048/IMG_0281.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgffVBr0x51CiZXblI6R5CAula7pLl7MC6ML5AEtFBggE28Xxu86bafDFgPAaNh5gTlo9PgphVgMx-W-Dl6F2FDq9Q-wqEnfV3thUqFKMSOhlYI4eTEtlXb8BzxL4j6ykU3eFzpG_nBOo8/w640-h480/IMG_0281.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The Temple of Quetzalcoatl is at the far end. If you look closely here, you can see surviving stone animal heads on the exterior.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxnaVMRe3wHSWqLCpqPIoo23euVVhCptaNrKaOfk5rr3r1uyxrnwgwiN26b7Ux1aGd9K6Mg_Gt_1K-iih_phH6biM8zUclsAzDb7MIABVvkx5CnK2Z1QjhPRN2pcev-ETpcPkDNE5l808/s2048/IMG_0283.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxnaVMRe3wHSWqLCpqPIoo23euVVhCptaNrKaOfk5rr3r1uyxrnwgwiN26b7Ux1aGd9K6Mg_Gt_1K-iih_phH6biM8zUclsAzDb7MIABVvkx5CnK2Z1QjhPRN2pcev-ETpcPkDNE5l808/w480-h640/IMG_0283.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGRZUdrtvLjR3FsPjZyySKB6ggEblul-Xq3sdsQqoe3NZFYxbIFZuZbZbuiC5tO-mtNiTLX2hnmcKfXlYfo7OoL04PxY1aF47Jn0YT6xG-m8GyhvkjVq2kUx99BK0u-cqCQicazdy1Y5E/s2048/IMG_0284.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGRZUdrtvLjR3FsPjZyySKB6ggEblul-Xq3sdsQqoe3NZFYxbIFZuZbZbuiC5tO-mtNiTLX2hnmcKfXlYfo7OoL04PxY1aF47Jn0YT6xG-m8GyhvkjVq2kUx99BK0u-cqCQicazdy1Y5E/w640-h480/IMG_0284.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The trip back to Mexico City took about 90 minutes and cost $20. I honestly felt bad making the guy drive so far for so little money. We always tipped as much as Uber would allow.</div><div><br /></div><div>We popped over to Ojo de Agua for a late lunch, a little place around the corner from our hotel. We walked by frequently and the food always looked great. These sandwiches were <i>amazing</i>. The people at this restaurant did not speak English and it was always kind of a comedy of errors trying to order anything, but worth it.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAppAtCxotqfxsT4agKsUrn-2fCI4jLRcK06cbot2NDQ5QSA236qJuKgfE706PLo23w9MwcyBnAiGXOikoWeW8v-S9Tce2WHsXWy4X_Mz_VkFBqvypjfBXqD7Mkwxtwp5rMhIh3Et-LtI/s2048/IMG_0286.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAppAtCxotqfxsT4agKsUrn-2fCI4jLRcK06cbot2NDQ5QSA236qJuKgfE706PLo23w9MwcyBnAiGXOikoWeW8v-S9Tce2WHsXWy4X_Mz_VkFBqvypjfBXqD7Mkwxtwp5rMhIh3Et-LtI/w640-h480/IMG_0286.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>After our afternoon rest break we went to dinner at Quintonil, considered one of the Top 50 restaurants in the world. They gave us little bags for our masks.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-jXRuTRX-DJ3FTFSgUBlhjxK7Un1F2IcMyjMmQTPWbcyOo8HvloVDj74haGYOh3Sl0ei-fI4Obmy8anp0OVJlCNSxlCSIWTjYfYczcI9-XAR9OY1DOk6A9dOeXrpEeiztP_PeTLgEs4/s2048/IMG_0297.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-jXRuTRX-DJ3FTFSgUBlhjxK7Un1F2IcMyjMmQTPWbcyOo8HvloVDj74haGYOh3Sl0ei-fI4Obmy8anp0OVJlCNSxlCSIWTjYfYczcI9-XAR9OY1DOk6A9dOeXrpEeiztP_PeTLgEs4/w480-h640/IMG_0297.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We ate individual dishes other places that were standouts, but start to finish this was probably the food highlight of the trip. The service, atmosphere, and food were all impeccable.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is a green chile and corn soup with (I think) thinly sliced jicama.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAykXFYMe2R63_guBNs4_FyDL3fiZP2NfLQbQbxyLTe2ruZR_KWg7sfydCDDbBeWsmcphRsKSeoUoATqBmMrkyyczdhT4WAj0heTQksZ1RkN6G0WZ6PVUNU14f5YpAR2_uyQgwcD89vY/s2048/IMG_0289.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAykXFYMe2R63_guBNs4_FyDL3fiZP2NfLQbQbxyLTe2ruZR_KWg7sfydCDDbBeWsmcphRsKSeoUoATqBmMrkyyczdhT4WAj0heTQksZ1RkN6G0WZ6PVUNU14f5YpAR2_uyQgwcD89vY/w640-h480/IMG_0289.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This is a "crab tostada" with a basil sunflower sauce.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJuWEcbAm59bpjPuaRhuGFZTXmRLoP_F1Nx71C3FaoGLb85K05RxBOsOsf5jnhoUORIOGFiJJwlW7lKjf4eIz9gSqMjwkYyH6T4fAPcI7fQFiQwUbgcGPAC4kUCe1QRIpNzNY7Z17wbEI/s2048/IMG_0290.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJuWEcbAm59bpjPuaRhuGFZTXmRLoP_F1Nx71C3FaoGLb85K05RxBOsOsf5jnhoUORIOGFiJJwlW7lKjf4eIz9gSqMjwkYyH6T4fAPcI7fQFiQwUbgcGPAC4kUCe1QRIpNzNY7Z17wbEI/w640-h480/IMG_0290.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Softshell crab.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ibVuQXpsM3LaLzXIwucOAUW0U0gyFF7pV53zxXpiEOUi5LwjZ8Ig-xQ3IszFq4P0kN1DzlHD-dVVyrECdVpl5BWGAoVmgO1hWY7zRETLWERuAWRl7UpSv1aga1uqN8DA9Wh1j7jYRIw/s2048/IMG_0291.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ibVuQXpsM3LaLzXIwucOAUW0U0gyFF7pV53zxXpiEOUi5LwjZ8Ig-xQ3IszFq4P0kN1DzlHD-dVVyrECdVpl5BWGAoVmgO1hWY7zRETLWERuAWRl7UpSv1aga1uqN8DA9Wh1j7jYRIw/w640-h480/IMG_0291.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Wild mushrooms with adobo sauce.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-sYrg2cUzsc-AA00NScerqeXcLvMIkMbxFxYAk7D8IpPxnn8PTAmGNLXKflL2bz7ZN1NwqfpE4ugIzeHfOk4xGFUjzCvh0UVMH3MPbJl_ybWLLhtR1VIeeDeAmVsliRk-tXXE5rIgTrA/s2048/IMG_0292.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-sYrg2cUzsc-AA00NScerqeXcLvMIkMbxFxYAk7D8IpPxnn8PTAmGNLXKflL2bz7ZN1NwqfpE4ugIzeHfOk4xGFUjzCvh0UVMH3MPbJl_ybWLLhtR1VIeeDeAmVsliRk-tXXE5rIgTrA/w640-h480/IMG_0292.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Tuna and ... something. It was good!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheodTxN9niDBa8yGzoq2bZdsUzYrMzTlgx-2PDEXzPkSea48msFZGu0EOLn6V5f5DBx982lWh5Pa9J78gF9f7R_ZS8rsKzhm2fJyMZIkLi7LZXpH0nkXZceo0oSQ4BwLKcY1oeHhxMlOg/s2048/IMG_0293.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheodTxN9niDBa8yGzoq2bZdsUzYrMzTlgx-2PDEXzPkSea48msFZGu0EOLn6V5f5DBx982lWh5Pa9J78gF9f7R_ZS8rsKzhm2fJyMZIkLi7LZXpH0nkXZceo0oSQ4BwLKcY1oeHhxMlOg/w640-h480/IMG_0293.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This is roasted chicken with macadamia nut mole, nectarine, and pickled clams. (I took a picture of the menu; I would never have remembered this otherwise.)</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ2XECMf156r5eW3lRTxmhyphenhyphenRdW3v0I2lolSjVAmmr8yrHcX_DvmXvZwExM-9RMtNg45poiddqmr9wldqWR6OqkbtRI_RKZ9CPty-ai_VkHhIGL9pfjKD-ptv5e78A74Slyxm1p33SRQ5o/s2048/IMG_0294.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ2XECMf156r5eW3lRTxmhyphenhyphenRdW3v0I2lolSjVAmmr8yrHcX_DvmXvZwExM-9RMtNg45poiddqmr9wldqWR6OqkbtRI_RKZ9CPty-ai_VkHhIGL9pfjKD-ptv5e78A74Slyxm1p33SRQ5o/w640-h480/IMG_0294.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>When we first sat down an American woman across from us was complaining that the lamb was tough. !!! They were extremely nice to her, much nicer than she deserved. An hour and a half later we were served the lamb, and it was emphatically not tough. It was amazing. Served with chickpea miso and tiny peeled green tomatoes.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUsGqC8bd1QochtvuaCEU2PFnIqhldL8PIMLyVVbqTpy-I-kvisEEgjVQddD4aoYdw6a1zk5tcXonxhHCxpAE2z0VK9n7NMiOYVcWtyZoFC72JWDa8aLQ739XJfQuD2jSYT8mB2lFXwk/s2048/IMG_0296.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUsGqC8bd1QochtvuaCEU2PFnIqhldL8PIMLyVVbqTpy-I-kvisEEgjVQddD4aoYdw6a1zk5tcXonxhHCxpAE2z0VK9n7NMiOYVcWtyZoFC72JWDa8aLQ739XJfQuD2jSYT8mB2lFXwk/w640-h480/IMG_0296.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This was one of the most interesting things, a cactus sorbet palate cleanser.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiupDb_pw17aG3vHEzf2x4Ya9aKNkvHCA5__jEs97ZZky1MF4-X26gN_y7oQWYjSurmtt2zmW1C6iBxihkZgF3CJlleelBTiM_6qoqii5b3rsdfUBrjcuyAt2xi7Lco0K3ifl6MhXQ2R5A/s2048/IMG_0298.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiupDb_pw17aG3vHEzf2x4Ya9aKNkvHCA5__jEs97ZZky1MF4-X26gN_y7oQWYjSurmtt2zmW1C6iBxihkZgF3CJlleelBTiM_6qoqii5b3rsdfUBrjcuyAt2xi7Lco0K3ifl6MhXQ2R5A/w480-h640/IMG_0298.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>And two desserts! Berries:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZ-zMilgaQ0kPYVVXKCQfzGEnCCYzoi3we4Og9jk3S4wFeBQgXYrpKrGxugLj-AENtG9zGeyhZXiI_QDHJ_Apv3bcy3zsbax8SpV3lJXX5V7ZI9bAxnjdMVUrWGbfO4lWE-uxlqMry7Q/s2048/IMG_0299.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZ-zMilgaQ0kPYVVXKCQfzGEnCCYzoi3we4Og9jk3S4wFeBQgXYrpKrGxugLj-AENtG9zGeyhZXiI_QDHJ_Apv3bcy3zsbax8SpV3lJXX5V7ZI9bAxnjdMVUrWGbfO4lWE-uxlqMry7Q/w480-h640/IMG_0299.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>And mango coconut sorbet. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsF3-uJXFRqKcAhoXvC7GQHIx7oyQvqQ9Z67joIjo1hsKVcnB-0CWnWz9qse-0Ti8RtIGl7DJda1CGJIUsd3ddgnzEDKP9Er1rja4WN58SVzwlHhr6kC_gU67GEmjGvulfPC3WnKcTifs/s2048/IMG_0300.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsF3-uJXFRqKcAhoXvC7GQHIx7oyQvqQ9Z67joIjo1hsKVcnB-0CWnWz9qse-0Ti8RtIGl7DJda1CGJIUsd3ddgnzEDKP9Er1rja4WN58SVzwlHhr6kC_gU67GEmjGvulfPC3WnKcTifs/w480-h640/IMG_0300.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div>After this meal I tried to convince Ben that we should attempt to go to all 50 of the best restaurants in the world (according to this one magazine that puts the list together). We've been to Noma in Denmark already, so only 48 more to go! He maintains this is impractical. Hmph.mollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18177188094284970362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995168411490930884.post-65480015007085202932021-08-11T14:14:00.003-04:002021-08-11T14:24:28.199-04:00Trip Report: Mexico City, Day Three<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The first thing we did Monday morning was head to the supermarket to buy sunscreen. There was one a short walk from our hotel in lovely Condesa.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWLz1oIdmk8b_wkDdszCqVGIdVh8pm6UGs0OTYk8FkhaRLHoMm1j92aG0f0ATMmOgGkdd2DQYYYKwJSQ4cXydBZn6PArl23m592hQjy_CHZo9RLdr2wV0OzK76qHwAd2hPzEQtULSCPw/s2048/IMG_0171.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWLz1oIdmk8b_wkDdszCqVGIdVh8pm6UGs0OTYk8FkhaRLHoMm1j92aG0f0ATMmOgGkdd2DQYYYKwJSQ4cXydBZn6PArl23m592hQjy_CHZo9RLdr2wV0OzK76qHwAd2hPzEQtULSCPw/w640-h480/IMG_0171.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>In the circle of streets around Parque Mexico, the medians are all forested with a central sidewalk.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkDxh5ZyrQMGGLhdlng993WMLaZq1WmUD_ayuKKHD3BhjHNUDHYdOT9WFsnz6oUttNzbHOz5TJrlYq-Aoks85tzSHwK8_nYow3VlMKf4cXSo4UZUnKrzNJKsNtycA-4aa9v9ZAd3FnMqw/s2048/IMG_0175.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkDxh5ZyrQMGGLhdlng993WMLaZq1WmUD_ayuKKHD3BhjHNUDHYdOT9WFsnz6oUttNzbHOz5TJrlYq-Aoks85tzSHwK8_nYow3VlMKf4cXSo4UZUnKrzNJKsNtycA-4aa9v9ZAd3FnMqw/w640-h480/IMG_0175.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p>As in most cities, a lot of the tourist sites are closed on Mondays, so we decided to go to the privately owned Antique Toy Museum. It was pretty close to our hotel, but in the middle of Doctores and as we now knew what that meant, we took an Uber. Uber was our preferred way to get around in Mexico City, super easy and safer than dealing with the crowds on public transportation right now. We never waited more than 5 minutes or so and the trips were extremely cheap. I sometimes had to double check the currency conversion math because I couldn't believe how cheap - usually around $3 for a 15 minute trip.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ6zo-JhMJM6GYfWXK2yeZiPaSUWn7cokPUxUCZmIEmohHPEb5Kx5rUGHeAuIyvhTN4IsGeL1uoyjHOZxjlhxHjMj3xj-0EH9pWd3KIaYTs1xbMAvKGrY0t_j_ff8kypg1TTFjLpFvonE/s2048/IMG_0220.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ6zo-JhMJM6GYfWXK2yeZiPaSUWn7cokPUxUCZmIEmohHPEb5Kx5rUGHeAuIyvhTN4IsGeL1uoyjHOZxjlhxHjMj3xj-0EH9pWd3KIaYTs1xbMAvKGrY0t_j_ff8kypg1TTFjLpFvonE/w640-h480/IMG_0220.jpeg" width="640" /></a></p><div>The Antique Toy Museum is the collection of a Japanese-Mexican man who just likes weird toys. It was five floors packed full of all sorts of strange things.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKjZKMbP8Qd_wiXFZFG0FGurMvu2LDuGujvG5CUrSfCSgU7Sv_dK-P_v7JYNTJM0wswktakh9bxml0-GSS3KCF3N1fy5pPoWhOYO2hptu5L-R60Mf2m_3x2b2melsUpeK7o2q2kqUttgo/s2048/IMG_0177.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKjZKMbP8Qd_wiXFZFG0FGurMvu2LDuGujvG5CUrSfCSgU7Sv_dK-P_v7JYNTJM0wswktakh9bxml0-GSS3KCF3N1fy5pPoWhOYO2hptu5L-R60Mf2m_3x2b2melsUpeK7o2q2kqUttgo/w640-h480/IMG_0177.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSzqVF-7KJPC70BChfM98emXXwUcMNkxzpPSBTMbIkv5sbqxkyCEs30jmNZsrPYO3dgkT6we8LvY4LFwbhaPQEbnG2EFnI5Hrkhjp5LTCyjsr3wKcoo1XfkoD_dYvWgYbWodNTiorsd4/s2048/IMG_0179.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSzqVF-7KJPC70BChfM98emXXwUcMNkxzpPSBTMbIkv5sbqxkyCEs30jmNZsrPYO3dgkT6we8LvY4LFwbhaPQEbnG2EFnI5Hrkhjp5LTCyjsr3wKcoo1XfkoD_dYvWgYbWodNTiorsd4/w480-h640/IMG_0179.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Most of the toys were from the 80s or earlier, although there were a handful of newer items sprinkled in here and there.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFtEietJx9brPc6XhrfKfmW6rnLkResAzxbqijmZqOu8eyKBPMs5y3mpq0y8ZSWFNpsrJHsA2Rkhr-bAIH3UCjI8ZQ2bvoXbuqAyAn5NSjp1PPNEkdMNbtD3cauTU2fcwhRo0prFronQo/s2048/IMG_0180.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFtEietJx9brPc6XhrfKfmW6rnLkResAzxbqijmZqOu8eyKBPMs5y3mpq0y8ZSWFNpsrJHsA2Rkhr-bAIH3UCjI8ZQ2bvoXbuqAyAn5NSjp1PPNEkdMNbtD3cauTU2fcwhRo0prFronQo/w480-h640/IMG_0180.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixrr60XlWLGQrmnae8Dc9khPv2MXuzuO-Hy74MGcNk4jGhnr8boygZ73hFfYNCp6eYQ10LcdFs161AUjpOAlmqnX-A6XcAAz0xcAoMdvgckcPaYt8cHPYJHqpy7MxNZ8bCnZYt4937Yqw/s2048/IMG_0183.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixrr60XlWLGQrmnae8Dc9khPv2MXuzuO-Hy74MGcNk4jGhnr8boygZ73hFfYNCp6eYQ10LcdFs161AUjpOAlmqnX-A6XcAAz0xcAoMdvgckcPaYt8cHPYJHqpy7MxNZ8bCnZYt4937Yqw/w640-h480/IMG_0183.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>There were only two other groups of people in the place while we were there. In some rooms the lights were off and we had to go looking for the light switch. (There were signs that said it was OK to turn on the lights if they weren't already on.)</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivejNI6RpKOJFaTHuf2ZtJnsf48iYCpS_RNDCTB2mQGyBVJTHw1dT-70S0CNskxBKC-MwPzxa8TVytf1LFY-nEjkxx8cWmOhyJFkCo3CGWJX4_21k0oAzo5sUnuC3vSFYtmgdAxUeAjog/s2048/IMG_0184.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivejNI6RpKOJFaTHuf2ZtJnsf48iYCpS_RNDCTB2mQGyBVJTHw1dT-70S0CNskxBKC-MwPzxa8TVytf1LFY-nEjkxx8cWmOhyJFkCo3CGWJX4_21k0oAzo5sUnuC3vSFYtmgdAxUeAjog/w640-h480/IMG_0184.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlJCVdqipj6c6ayn_g3lgZpeuS0uvi2HobDy3g-gipIw6FoTyBC1xobGRSCgP9M1U58v5SBfHqJf2AJgN7YExzwlywzcamy9J6todQ1rcT9XY-caLxikK_TAa5wMOJGHiuSTJhXSWmua0/s2048/IMG_0185.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlJCVdqipj6c6ayn_g3lgZpeuS0uvi2HobDy3g-gipIw6FoTyBC1xobGRSCgP9M1U58v5SBfHqJf2AJgN7YExzwlywzcamy9J6todQ1rcT9XY-caLxikK_TAa5wMOJGHiuSTJhXSWmua0/w480-h640/IMG_0185.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Here is Ben being like, "what IS this place?"</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-myrPSdKyPXumPmkQhhbyf1a6-S2bPWxM23VkAeLbqUCWWPZGKbASt790kpM4LV_O2-aAQpXiuMLaYFhH77uQkzqgDik2X0UyTv4juNloL1HQgGGTU1oIzNA3CnOfID56KzW3g4XjBJY/s2048/IMG_0186.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-myrPSdKyPXumPmkQhhbyf1a6-S2bPWxM23VkAeLbqUCWWPZGKbASt790kpM4LV_O2-aAQpXiuMLaYFhH77uQkzqgDik2X0UyTv4juNloL1HQgGGTU1oIzNA3CnOfID56KzW3g4XjBJY/w640-h480/IMG_0186.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I had Aerobica Barbie!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAopFSEtMcVbbRnP3FSuttHfREtVj_WTBx1SXdy5yDIa-1zfk5IrKdvLRIMNn7chwtcYOFXCZZVWgI5pSZOo9dEjnYyFcKMuxc6axiquWe5_aOiR31Dw8CW2ncOEKZYDqNWWeebKu-Kn8/s2048/IMG_0189.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAopFSEtMcVbbRnP3FSuttHfREtVj_WTBx1SXdy5yDIa-1zfk5IrKdvLRIMNn7chwtcYOFXCZZVWgI5pSZOo9dEjnYyFcKMuxc6axiquWe5_aOiR31Dw8CW2ncOEKZYDqNWWeebKu-Kn8/w640-h480/IMG_0189.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikxQEMhM2ouMTiWFsmbL_kKZhY7Rfo1nrKOun74oe0gACCnQfY7npPrDPGjbTpS9mFAyxBCZW-e4xtbYFlmBUYca4uDrA2TRpYNtuFjMNOrVBJroILS-qARyjgqmRh0Io4s1OgwdhCf0c/s2048/IMG_0191.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikxQEMhM2ouMTiWFsmbL_kKZhY7Rfo1nrKOun74oe0gACCnQfY7npPrDPGjbTpS9mFAyxBCZW-e4xtbYFlmBUYca4uDrA2TRpYNtuFjMNOrVBJroILS-qARyjgqmRh0Io4s1OgwdhCf0c/w640-h480/IMG_0191.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>As you go higher in the building, it gets weirder. This guy was two stories tall, in the middle of a large central courtyard.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxdjQtNTM41_R0crQzhJ-zjvInc6HYUrDTaDAgzkfY8KiFV8iUMFOjv5SsKm1jdFzTHHSYNOkn2F2Wod89R2PY5uWJb0RpfDYcH-XIph2jmDIcufhQYaOTbqipAkUj4u0opJDTEwIXs5I/s2048/IMG_0203.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxdjQtNTM41_R0crQzhJ-zjvInc6HYUrDTaDAgzkfY8KiFV8iUMFOjv5SsKm1jdFzTHHSYNOkn2F2Wod89R2PY5uWJb0RpfDYcH-XIph2jmDIcufhQYaOTbqipAkUj4u0opJDTEwIXs5I/w640-h480/IMG_0203.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The top floor and roof was all street art and graffiti. It was all very well done.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTjyD7x9Bwv5PCmH-YexBi869lpFwFYvmkBvdxYAtz4ATkPJeYFUGxU45uMFMvK3JswLUNRcTRrZE5rcPJZ8X9RKVTVPL2VicSgXNTV6QD9QfNY4K1C3Em4iixKE4Fc44y2kfsmAPKGV4/s2048/IMG_0206.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTjyD7x9Bwv5PCmH-YexBi869lpFwFYvmkBvdxYAtz4ATkPJeYFUGxU45uMFMvK3JswLUNRcTRrZE5rcPJZ8X9RKVTVPL2VicSgXNTV6QD9QfNY4K1C3Em4iixKE4Fc44y2kfsmAPKGV4/w640-h480/IMG_0206.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>If there was any information about why this art is there, we never found it. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEg-P4d2XFhGcF42oMRKPn27gnr329P9_CXu8-i8N1gBVO3__37N_rhoxArr0ML2H-0PLkIOA81H4jGjk1xjrzMWWPWVhDgqdO1_Vbb2G0mnLEpwhQL-N-LS6SSTI5fbYnZjWhGnA_LIk/s2048/IMG_0208.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEg-P4d2XFhGcF42oMRKPn27gnr329P9_CXu8-i8N1gBVO3__37N_rhoxArr0ML2H-0PLkIOA81H4jGjk1xjrzMWWPWVhDgqdO1_Vbb2G0mnLEpwhQL-N-LS6SSTI5fbYnZjWhGnA_LIk/w640-h480/IMG_0208.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The top floor also seemed to have been some kind of institution at some point. There were a bunch of small bathroom stalls complete with showers, each decorated in a different way.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsKwEcduvFqaeHjGmIEmpfa25FcnDBu1PXN_Au-djDRUY8yJW32ggNRYqN4ra6wfVcqY_g9cjnMVsxGnx2YAPd9poPMLAM4ckmC-JSk0N9wVGPkFpYabrYU4kNF9LmSkJXmqXNvPtUElQ/s2048/IMG_0212.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsKwEcduvFqaeHjGmIEmpfa25FcnDBu1PXN_Au-djDRUY8yJW32ggNRYqN4ra6wfVcqY_g9cjnMVsxGnx2YAPd9poPMLAM4ckmC-JSk0N9wVGPkFpYabrYU4kNF9LmSkJXmqXNvPtUElQ/w480-h640/IMG_0212.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This place is awesome. You should go. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was lunchtime so we got another Uber and went back to Condesa to the row of restaurants our hotel had mentioned. We chose a sushi spot and ordered four rolls for $6 each and they were ENORMOUS. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbhh1DrxfBXpYOqwonefTvS2cISI7kSnOhavf9acxXNr7QtKgeHneHADjADK3q2Well8vtsUkoPE8mMCQEWMN-g92C-BCLiU4cRWKyR8wF3CQx0abKYC1oMqrVq_IJYn-ruDfrHYTINUo/s2048/IMG_0226.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbhh1DrxfBXpYOqwonefTvS2cISI7kSnOhavf9acxXNr7QtKgeHneHADjADK3q2Well8vtsUkoPE8mMCQEWMN-g92C-BCLiU4cRWKyR8wF3CQx0abKYC1oMqrVq_IJYn-ruDfrHYTINUo/w640-h480/IMG_0226.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I tried to ask in Spanish if we could take the leftovers home ("Lo podemos tomar?") but the guy said to me in English, "what are you trying to say?" and I said, "can we take it?" and he said, "yes." I TRIED.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We relaxed in the hotel for a while during the afternoon rain and then decided to walk to dinner at Maximo Bistrot in the Roma neighborhood, another popular middle-class area with lots of shops and restaurants. It was about a 25 minute walk.</div><div><br /></div><div>All over Mexico City we were seeing these green squares painted on the sidewalk. It turns out they're markers for a safe space to gather in case of a major earthquake - supposedly, if you stand there, no buildings will fall on you. Good to know. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjubFzSR0Tfr9yS4mhJdtchLZxWfEsz1yTTnw0J8-RfuoQIYAxmof6WBajvqtPgbUz4PbhdLS5yRwJ47nWiF0EiSI3X0swuKF61Rx6LemmVGpm0ZxIiCq6lR8M0v9tnp38VgVHZutXoioE/s2048/IMG_0227.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjubFzSR0Tfr9yS4mhJdtchLZxWfEsz1yTTnw0J8-RfuoQIYAxmof6WBajvqtPgbUz4PbhdLS5yRwJ47nWiF0EiSI3X0swuKF61Rx6LemmVGpm0ZxIiCq6lR8M0v9tnp38VgVHZutXoioE/w480-h640/IMG_0227.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Maximo Bistrot was our first pre-planned fancy dinner spot, and it did not disappoint. Ben got a whole roasted fish with mole.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU409duUpR_QOeK5GsJpUSIdKD-nJFFWFgT8THhApKEcZZP8wYY4w5-dLiP7RllsP7FGiGKhk3Cc_FNQN-IVHa0nMAcNn41KP6zpX0Yu68fhbX-aAyu-fgfux8cxD3-ziT-qDPFEwG_Ek/s2048/IMG_0236.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU409duUpR_QOeK5GsJpUSIdKD-nJFFWFgT8THhApKEcZZP8wYY4w5-dLiP7RllsP7FGiGKhk3Cc_FNQN-IVHa0nMAcNn41KP6zpX0Yu68fhbX-aAyu-fgfux8cxD3-ziT-qDPFEwG_Ek/w640-h480/IMG_0236.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I got steak with potatoes two ways.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiybgy_8GOaMoYbRmxkg1bfiWHafe52iCoObKEDOdMufoKL79_v2crdvJX_VZIHtFMIcudgnjf996UtIMLoJFaLKe5XkKyu9-Mw3R-b2quEXDX6T_syzNPOb_z7TVJa2ZNTQdiG2oUxVgE/s2048/IMG_0237.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiybgy_8GOaMoYbRmxkg1bfiWHafe52iCoObKEDOdMufoKL79_v2crdvJX_VZIHtFMIcudgnjf996UtIMLoJFaLKe5XkKyu9-Mw3R-b2quEXDX6T_syzNPOb_z7TVJa2ZNTQdiG2oUxVgE/w640-h480/IMG_0237.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>And we split this amazing tarte tatin for dessert, with vanilla ice cream topped with deep green olive oil. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRvl1KU83KcdiZTEhTiRxl0amPuaj5JEw6Sa7SFPyQUQJTBEO1txdX-9VBYtmCmbn7RaKCL7jhRhaIjWhCNuXBLSrvtCc3nWEyaXa3UASen1urKbjMmCmkb66IacZ6BT0RvxiGIFVMCTs/s2048/IMG_0239.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRvl1KU83KcdiZTEhTiRxl0amPuaj5JEw6Sa7SFPyQUQJTBEO1txdX-9VBYtmCmbn7RaKCL7jhRhaIjWhCNuXBLSrvtCc3nWEyaXa3UASen1urKbjMmCmkb66IacZ6BT0RvxiGIFVMCTs/w640-h480/IMG_0239.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> Delicioso!<p></p>mollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18177188094284970362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995168411490930884.post-30638064572321211952021-08-10T09:16:00.005-04:002021-08-14T14:57:00.873-04:00Trip Report: Mexico City, Day Two<p>As it turns out, it takes too long to update the blog when you're actually on vacation. Spoiler: We made it home!<br /><br />The second day, we decided to walk from our hotel in Condesa to the Centro Historico, the heart of old Mexico City. Google Maps said it would be about three miles. Condesa is beautiful. The streets are lined with colorful houses and big trees and cute shops and restaurants like this. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIKC50d3HpXq2_HI9qM004OEtsocf_LVhfhfL7RV3Uqr7KhH6srJCudA7jGQjr19R-b0YVh7UUwB50vac_pxW0bdkIqH7M1CZERygLTfydtS7HVun5b76anResV-sBzND1ZUJVtm0HQ5c/s2048/IMG_0078.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIKC50d3HpXq2_HI9qM004OEtsocf_LVhfhfL7RV3Uqr7KhH6srJCudA7jGQjr19R-b0YVh7UUwB50vac_pxW0bdkIqH7M1CZERygLTfydtS7HVun5b76anResV-sBzND1ZUJVtm0HQ5c/w640-h480/IMG_0078.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p>I'd googled a little bit to make sure it was safe to walk all that way, and the consensus was "sure!" And, I mean, we're still here today and nothing bad happened (it was Sunday morning), but in general I would not recommend walking from Condesa to Centro Historico through Doctores, which we later learned is considered one of the more dangerous neighborhoods in the city, for some reason home mainly to car thieves. A guy at our hotel told us "If your car is missing, you go to Doctores to find it." We were not that surprised to hear this, because during the walk we saw many people working on cars in what were obviously, in retrospect, chop shops. Vacation!</p><p>Because Mexico City is so old, the streets are all tangled up, at angles to each other with lots of roundabouts. This meant we constantly got off-track when we thought we knew where we were going, and it made for some quite dicey accidental diversions in Doctores. At one point we walked through a small homeless encampment. What really freaked me out, though, was coming across a long block filled with people milling about, mostly on the sidewalk but also in the streets. The vibe was strange, like they were waiting for something - what were they all doing? Everyone was masked, of course. Standing around, chatting, looking at each other. Then I noticed the big building on our right said HOSPITAL. Ah, wonderful: we were wandering through crowds outside an inner city hospital in the developing world during a global pandemic. I pointed the sign out to Ben and we veered instantly into the middle of the street rather than threading our way through the crowd outside the gates. A couple of blocks later, all the businesses lining the streets were funeral homes. </p><p>Here's a couple of shots after we were back on the main road.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyKQjQgCpAwXT-kUTfYnVJlxw2iHXux3jCaSbuQCbA3dOr1T-mjLsstIZjAJQFkprCsYhDBTftBHj0EcVUaYXSqbuRmgEhBu5iRvAAN3qHuFnKLl0SLsrBy7AUJlQPp5qRyxEPkfZnjgU/s2048/IMG_0080.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyKQjQgCpAwXT-kUTfYnVJlxw2iHXux3jCaSbuQCbA3dOr1T-mjLsstIZjAJQFkprCsYhDBTftBHj0EcVUaYXSqbuRmgEhBu5iRvAAN3qHuFnKLl0SLsrBy7AUJlQPp5qRyxEPkfZnjgU/w640-h480/IMG_0080.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0vxQ4z5lm7tqJUInGkRiXxvwGJLs-INCANwXGzHE1WdaJTld2iDZ1cOtVjaHoMR3jVhlxNdHzj7fjSUKOyJMxEy-D8n50w6GmkddLJ6oycGivxrfJRmSmh6ldqXjRBZuJjwUv2fQpyhY/s2048/IMG_0081.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0vxQ4z5lm7tqJUInGkRiXxvwGJLs-INCANwXGzHE1WdaJTld2iDZ1cOtVjaHoMR3jVhlxNdHzj7fjSUKOyJMxEy-D8n50w6GmkddLJ6oycGivxrfJRmSmh6ldqXjRBZuJjwUv2fQpyhY/w640-h480/IMG_0081.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p>We did finally reach the Centro Historico. This little chapel was the first historic item we saw.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLChbZKYJpxLx6utbVMU4khCzhaxbngs_Pa6q2DB5Efbqi6EHhj_9RUwJF6HZlDQrazFTgXvhKJT5Wc8dzmQnG4Rp6XLWIhBEKE6JMeNXZUiKBJYgj5PzlhszCANhuFoRIUJOafSRM_Mo/s2048/IMG_0085.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLChbZKYJpxLx6utbVMU4khCzhaxbngs_Pa6q2DB5Efbqi6EHhj_9RUwJF6HZlDQrazFTgXvhKJT5Wc8dzmQnG4Rp6XLWIhBEKE6JMeNXZUiKBJYgj5PzlhszCANhuFoRIUJOafSRM_Mo/w640-h480/IMG_0085.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p>The Zocalo is the big square at the history city center, lined with the cathedral and government buildings and shops. It's hard to overstate how big that flag is. It's SO BIG.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNpTbflvavCfGObbhy93jbspXj3ffD78MZIvfVt2SCDCJ37OrBi17xaWIIbBn45WmG3zxqL4gfkMq5XXjpQHajEKfgoo4j9wjoIoZD5Nj6j6QQHLCdgDjzvfhi-wSaeIPhAG65NxWgxc4/s2048/IMG_0086.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNpTbflvavCfGObbhy93jbspXj3ffD78MZIvfVt2SCDCJ37OrBi17xaWIIbBn45WmG3zxqL4gfkMq5XXjpQHajEKfgoo4j9wjoIoZD5Nj6j6QQHLCdgDjzvfhi-wSaeIPhAG65NxWgxc4/w640-h480/IMG_0086.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p>I had almost booked a hotel here, right on the square (the Gran Hotel de Mexico City) but changed my mind at the last second because of travelers mentioning the noise in this part of the city. Like many touristy city centers it's not particularly safe after dark, either. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjluapPbt3mDG0XlBt4amit-0b_X9zMPcjwegbARRMO_auI4X81rU-tV3niDT3PkCi8MZv0ouyh_vulcciMBrAm5DPYrv1Bx9I1a5hBAj-WKpeQUKsAxR26YKUmkODCyEnxxt0qTLQhovg/s2048/IMG_0089.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjluapPbt3mDG0XlBt4amit-0b_X9zMPcjwegbARRMO_auI4X81rU-tV3niDT3PkCi8MZv0ouyh_vulcciMBrAm5DPYrv1Bx9I1a5hBAj-WKpeQUKsAxR26YKUmkODCyEnxxt0qTLQhovg/w640-h480/IMG_0089.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p>It's hard to tell because the scale is so enormous, but there were tons of people around here, and it <i>was</i> noisy, and after experiencing the quiet beauty of our little hotel in Condesa I was glad I'd gone with that choice.</p><p>We went inside the cathedral but as it was Sunday morning, they were having services so we couldn't enter the main part of the church.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEityj6P1rjaRDxq-iH8ZINpxgcTYzxGf_fhK78VtK2KqcdvO44oE2IEF6OMa5zuc-VVi3wWzM5xGasTJbiyDxVciG9fbCjx-zMtZtmD6U5APVdRZByyL-_KsK2slsgDKyNxWmkWLc1-a_4/s2048/IMG_0103.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEityj6P1rjaRDxq-iH8ZINpxgcTYzxGf_fhK78VtK2KqcdvO44oE2IEF6OMa5zuc-VVi3wWzM5xGasTJbiyDxVciG9fbCjx-zMtZtmD6U5APVdRZByyL-_KsK2slsgDKyNxWmkWLc1-a_4/w640-h480/IMG_0103.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>There's a cute row of shops behind the cathedral.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2f2BDSDnQ-zM-HKbk9ra_xZk8NhjWOvV3YJg8EuALa-PQkyvQfSzNpt5ppJYQYTltM7FPScZ7vShO_WYjPgCV-4cLmM-Mrxnz_BRHoJz7RaL9b_3O_KarPn4RQfnr0-N6jcICDa1qh-w/s2048/IMG_0104.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2f2BDSDnQ-zM-HKbk9ra_xZk8NhjWOvV3YJg8EuALa-PQkyvQfSzNpt5ppJYQYTltM7FPScZ7vShO_WYjPgCV-4cLmM-Mrxnz_BRHoJz7RaL9b_3O_KarPn4RQfnr0-N6jcICDa1qh-w/w640-h480/IMG_0104.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Right next to the church are the ruins of the ancient Templo Mayor, the center of the Aztec city Tenochtitlan on which Mexico City was built. In true human form, the conquering Spanish used stones from the Aztec structures to build the cathedral. These ruins were only discovered by construction workers in the 1970s.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAxgPFX4eZ7vVLr543faWx_W8ce9zLPi27hZgEvHS2wrxAxrw858hYFBnSIA13jb68wtV9uNhWzr82fJrR8g6Pl12tLlLpRRC-TZ7grsyXl27op-xe_ZReNBcqIpoSNdRTXwdfwtTPmLw/s2048/IMG_0110.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAxgPFX4eZ7vVLr543faWx_W8ce9zLPi27hZgEvHS2wrxAxrw858hYFBnSIA13jb68wtV9uNhWzr82fJrR8g6Pl12tLlLpRRC-TZ7grsyXl27op-xe_ZReNBcqIpoSNdRTXwdfwtTPmLw/w640-h480/IMG_0110.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRiYdpDiyrRyRjj_inkQl0LSrayMxOMS3fDXhmXFMmUIJIdoEANtFmPQXjjIq2CD7XYUw7oom-yCCB_JAmbo2tFmEpgO0pUsfn6hwA0vho4WXxrb_TNvgrGR8KGY8nIWurA_tVZHVW1kM/s2048/IMG_0112.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRiYdpDiyrRyRjj_inkQl0LSrayMxOMS3fDXhmXFMmUIJIdoEANtFmPQXjjIq2CD7XYUw7oom-yCCB_JAmbo2tFmEpgO0pUsfn6hwA0vho4WXxrb_TNvgrGR8KGY8nIWurA_tVZHVW1kM/w480-h640/IMG_0112.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We were roughly following a walking tour from one of the books in our hotel, and stopped at Cafe Popular, one of their recommended spots. It was a diner-type place a few blocks from the Cathedral. I got a big plate of papaya.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3T9ZjHkw47jruNgAEFYfxJXxkYonVVtLmcqCLxOenRZsm42_x3Nr51RLAQSemn8F9HbqUbuAD4wKYFvXNQgC0HNV_rv9Zu2iYfMIJ0Cgpt8IAbWbXu78liwM0jfs7t2ZK9UevFHM9KHw/s2048/IMG_0116.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3T9ZjHkw47jruNgAEFYfxJXxkYonVVtLmcqCLxOenRZsm42_x3Nr51RLAQSemn8F9HbqUbuAD4wKYFvXNQgC0HNV_rv9Zu2iYfMIJ0Cgpt8IAbWbXu78liwM0jfs7t2ZK9UevFHM9KHw/w640-h480/IMG_0116.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>And chicken enchiladas with black bean sauce and chorizo. This is one of their Especiales de la Casa.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMU3xpn0Lizro6iVPWWB9XxSalnMdzkMEOFmupZXaRoQaILRlKHRZy38KWs2nTqdjTwwxy5C1oeLxgwGr5wvwQQN4CxzMO5D9xSb6Q6rBqA8gNA_1vhHY763EH9_nSMAzOAfH8IvDHMSA/s2048/IMG_0117.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMU3xpn0Lizro6iVPWWB9XxSalnMdzkMEOFmupZXaRoQaILRlKHRZy38KWs2nTqdjTwwxy5C1oeLxgwGr5wvwQQN4CxzMO5D9xSb6Q6rBqA8gNA_1vhHY763EH9_nSMAzOAfH8IvDHMSA/w640-h480/IMG_0117.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Ben's sausage and cactus leaf is not very photogenic but it was excellent. It came with tortillas. This lunch was like $15, including drinks and flan for dessert.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbw52rFj7BxRoU5zA6pL6QH_iv59GXbimlsljt6C6AyTDiBBpbAwFoM5BNa8BKMiQSCZxJk8vduEtPnaKaNFhorew709yg_8arONpWLW1uss0mkVkr_P4kZ1DT_yBSEK9koNumx3S-9_M/s2048/IMG_0118.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbw52rFj7BxRoU5zA6pL6QH_iv59GXbimlsljt6C6AyTDiBBpbAwFoM5BNa8BKMiQSCZxJk8vduEtPnaKaNFhorew709yg_8arONpWLW1uss0mkVkr_P4kZ1DT_yBSEK9koNumx3S-9_M/w640-h480/IMG_0118.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I don't know what this building is but it looks nice.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7kMa3Xbk5VBI_H9bJ4pPOtMqKx3kdSn1lvkl_py5BCi5AqCeVLJ1yyV_ElPS_xou-G_9NUD6l4asazMpFqd7C6fwFvH2MWs0DdrdEEHBOmqUyzugRcW3XD6Crn7crsweeaPhAH0tcPco/s2048/IMG_0121.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7kMa3Xbk5VBI_H9bJ4pPOtMqKx3kdSn1lvkl_py5BCi5AqCeVLJ1yyV_ElPS_xou-G_9NUD6l4asazMpFqd7C6fwFvH2MWs0DdrdEEHBOmqUyzugRcW3XD6Crn7crsweeaPhAH0tcPco/w640-h480/IMG_0121.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This is a famous one, the House of Tiles. It used to be a palace for a rich family but is today the headquarters of a big chain of department stores.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC1Hdv0l85Ta8KlWWQHQMdQLCFsJuG_b0ENoS-yzjdeaqByT-z3pGwiTYwj9jqFs49BbuIGf4r6jzrIqhXVDwELI6pU2kdvxCCNXJd2HH7_o0HTQnUB_5pvzC0YHAMEBKbpDwA3hfQcVc/s2048/IMG_0123.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC1Hdv0l85Ta8KlWWQHQMdQLCFsJuG_b0ENoS-yzjdeaqByT-z3pGwiTYwj9jqFs49BbuIGf4r6jzrIqhXVDwELI6pU2kdvxCCNXJd2HH7_o0HTQnUB_5pvzC0YHAMEBKbpDwA3hfQcVc/w640-h480/IMG_0123.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The Palacio de Belles Artes is across the street. This is a big theatre and also houses an Architecture Museum and Diego Rivera murals. We didn't go inside this time.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj99rcC1yDryy3teNUzvhlXewdYEIUddKgj-K9Gpu6rQ2QHtyOIUlaqRnLTrxKF-UAidmEa9cVQL95eo1dYKGPgNS2H4_QcIROYxTEcUrQrhOHhTlkioLwzOAdtxUIc7AJufM7c-n2vUF0/s2048/IMG_0125.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj99rcC1yDryy3teNUzvhlXewdYEIUddKgj-K9Gpu6rQ2QHtyOIUlaqRnLTrxKF-UAidmEa9cVQL95eo1dYKGPgNS2H4_QcIROYxTEcUrQrhOHhTlkioLwzOAdtxUIc7AJufM7c-n2vUF0/w640-h480/IMG_0125.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This is an art museum we also didn't go into.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCwy-wQZUoue4sChLDPgFLXLKN2JaWJ7XYfgn6QbVqcza1CvxcU1CWb-IXOoxfHC9vxP-wzMuLBZRjuKwErP98NofH8s6_Y8ALUgH_REURzgrUStrhkuIYHfRD15MVFwjwVlJR6Or4gno/s2048/IMG_0130.jpeg"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCwy-wQZUoue4sChLDPgFLXLKN2JaWJ7XYfgn6QbVqcza1CvxcU1CWb-IXOoxfHC9vxP-wzMuLBZRjuKwErP98NofH8s6_Y8ALUgH_REURzgrUStrhkuIYHfRD15MVFwjwVlJR6Or4gno/w640-h480/IMG_0130.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We did go inside the beautiful main post office, which is still in use today.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3SYTEqXspYqPl9yZqnwEGlr3nl_vObu2-u6nzpouc5pCeyWAKdMcQ5892zCpD2bBRWxK57ODfsw9m_wv0sGF59Tn37qDtdUr9PrVTG8yfAFccvHZbqwqdoycYZRIw6oRF21rTe9ATZrA/s2048/IMG_0135.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3SYTEqXspYqPl9yZqnwEGlr3nl_vObu2-u6nzpouc5pCeyWAKdMcQ5892zCpD2bBRWxK57ODfsw9m_wv0sGF59Tn37qDtdUr9PrVTG8yfAFccvHZbqwqdoycYZRIw6oRF21rTe9ATZrA/w640-h480/IMG_0135.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The Alameda Central park was packed with people on this Sunday afternoon. The weather in Mexico City is absolutely perfect. I don't know why everyone doesn't live there. Every single day you can just go outside whenever you want and you won't be too hot or too cold. Why am I in North Carolina.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinpGtEcWzSGBBH3413HwdlPxxdorsONT7zaZOWwKehJyMuhcNxUWMCOcQmCvdPkyQiUida-cAQkZXG0ULjdNYFkq2pztZSNy7InXow2oHutOHLg0r4ezML53Ch_8rojEYaKDL86xqN1hg/s2048/IMG_0141.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinpGtEcWzSGBBH3413HwdlPxxdorsONT7zaZOWwKehJyMuhcNxUWMCOcQmCvdPkyQiUida-cAQkZXG0ULjdNYFkq2pztZSNy7InXow2oHutOHLg0r4ezML53Ch_8rojEYaKDL86xqN1hg/w640-h480/IMG_0141.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We decided to go over to the Museo Franz Meyer. I didn't really know what it was but it was close by on the map and we like a weird small museum. Meyer collected all sorts of stuff - furniture, art, ceramics - throughout his life and donated it all when he died. The best part was the temporary exhibit of American designer Alexander Girard's work. I had never heard of him but I'm glad I have now.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYd1WI8yQqzvs0BaylSBXaB1KJ5rAz5g77NM-lKP5xBmL_7fqdQrLlNPRZ_sy0c8s9uCkONYSHeKoGA_236DGN8-ieX7GyY8t6iFkuV4DWaa52XTTGvbzKR9vzGZMLG81wgSIwdRJ7Zv4/s2048/IMG_0145.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYd1WI8yQqzvs0BaylSBXaB1KJ5rAz5g77NM-lKP5xBmL_7fqdQrLlNPRZ_sy0c8s9uCkONYSHeKoGA_236DGN8-ieX7GyY8t6iFkuV4DWaa52XTTGvbzKR9vzGZMLG81wgSIwdRJ7Zv4/w640-h480/IMG_0145.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbYaaqJ94c3xcET2lJ5DjGm8kcqI0zTkIPKz4JNyiTU4LO7J8VcRVaph_z5jM52vGCm7GtRLhSjEfJmFTOO6RTU0nhhQPe6loCu9EmCEgDzZoMl7TmGAvSyDjCL8ndm7hB4KZzPwnPnyU/s2048/IMG_0147.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbYaaqJ94c3xcET2lJ5DjGm8kcqI0zTkIPKz4JNyiTU4LO7J8VcRVaph_z5jM52vGCm7GtRLhSjEfJmFTOO6RTU0nhhQPe6loCu9EmCEgDzZoMl7TmGAvSyDjCL8ndm7hB4KZzPwnPnyU/w640-h480/IMG_0147.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This building was Meyer's home. Mexico City's tremendous weather means that you can have open air courtyards in your fancy house.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz7DrUeifaHi6TtWZ2CgWWBITtycygcYCozaX2hKfjBzJL0KK5EiDrNKXmocQeVokZPYqQpyXpGZCUuiSNdiNKbJ_Z573tclSbW3ELW7tqZUkzJND-s6m6BYa47s21J7095FoOUwxrriw/s2048/IMG_0154.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz7DrUeifaHi6TtWZ2CgWWBITtycygcYCozaX2hKfjBzJL0KK5EiDrNKXmocQeVokZPYqQpyXpGZCUuiSNdiNKbJ_Z573tclSbW3ELW7tqZUkzJND-s6m6BYa47s21J7095FoOUwxrriw/w640-h480/IMG_0154.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>He also had an amazing library.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEJKj1HIW8Sch3hapnIn7_gzv7iRmAMN8U2UqmKNTQDDY63LKRamoGl5VZ18Xu9QsiaLzl8WVHQ1yBDjx5pHx9_Q6MANhSFDdkvSRHvkfO7L-mMkuE-e0m5unhjifMxMcyN8f_GRupcUA/s2048/IMG_0155.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEJKj1HIW8Sch3hapnIn7_gzv7iRmAMN8U2UqmKNTQDDY63LKRamoGl5VZ18Xu9QsiaLzl8WVHQ1yBDjx5pHx9_Q6MANhSFDdkvSRHvkfO7L-mMkuE-e0m5unhjifMxMcyN8f_GRupcUA/w480-h640/IMG_0155.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We hung out in the hotel for a couple hours while it rained, then went to find dinner. We decided to check out Temporal, recommended by the hotel, which was only a 4 minute walk away. We could not find this place at all, even with Google maps. Why are all the roads curved around each other?? So confusing. By approximately Day 4 we had finally figured out how everything fit together. </div><div><br />Anyway, we made it. We sat upstairs next to an open window. Everything about it was great. My starter was the standout, tomato and corn salad with burrata. Ben's octopus tacos are in the background.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-JhDQXtzqrBHDgmSaJEdYXV26pP66E4tSfbXgOcf_67t3UcHYuIn-UgibOris6zmqJYP3_XTxSwt_1qcJVQV2Tn_eEWE6jDWA5Gevya5CdPdjTAKQy07SucMHI2wdqn9JgYu9gRM5VTU/s2048/IMG_0163.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-JhDQXtzqrBHDgmSaJEdYXV26pP66E4tSfbXgOcf_67t3UcHYuIn-UgibOris6zmqJYP3_XTxSwt_1qcJVQV2Tn_eEWE6jDWA5Gevya5CdPdjTAKQy07SucMHI2wdqn9JgYu9gRM5VTU/w480-h640/IMG_0163.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For dessert we split the chocolate tart.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo48RCjFt9f6bLvDD1WcKzBkwvLPBI8kmnM9Cf0-vZTxC53gfwJLGaWBExaoMB2X763G7_SDRw3q95psokTS5tBpzzNHuTysBeBmci6OoLGSos0ppX7KIM9QO-8FVfp8ZGroixZLZB87c/s2048/IMG_0167.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo48RCjFt9f6bLvDD1WcKzBkwvLPBI8kmnM9Cf0-vZTxC53gfwJLGaWBExaoMB2X763G7_SDRw3q95psokTS5tBpzzNHuTysBeBmci6OoLGSos0ppX7KIM9QO-8FVfp8ZGroixZLZB87c/w640-h480/IMG_0167.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p>We were both sunburned after the day's long walks but it was worth it! A day full of adventure in Mexico City.</p>mollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18177188094284970362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995168411490930884.post-61814702092986814892021-07-26T18:30:00.005-04:002021-08-11T14:22:22.378-04:00Trip Report: Mexico City, Day One<p>In an exciting twist, I'm blogging our vacation while we're actually on it, mainly because I'm getting old and this way it will be easier to remember details. Also, everyone has to have a negative COVID test to re-enter the United States, so there will be some suspense later this week when we find out whether or not we're going to be stuck here for a while. We're vaccinated, of course (we aren't <i>Republicans</i>, you know), but the Delta variant is spreading rapidly throughout North America over the past several weeks. All things considered, it would have been better to travel the last week of June rather than the last week of July, but we booked this trip when it looked like summer was going to be A-OK all around. Anyway, c'est la vie! Here we are.</p><p>Wearing a mask for every second of the ~10 hours we spent in airports and planes was not very fun. I was overall impressed, though, at how everyone basically did what they were supposed to do without complaint. Naturally there were a few jokers at RDU who were wandering around in their loafers and shorts and golf shirts without a mask, but especially after arriving in Mexico City, protecting oneself and others from a deadly disease does not seem to be a very controversial idea.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5EfFoKuUXTqnOuhTQmhV9x2w4t-rJ-YJFmUBvdINIgr5gYA0CjLM3raDZosRgC_aEf_zP_Prtfx-a0Ejg57L7PVmQOPVtLHVg5cGxp5hILqa55EON4QyQ5-lopnBoMVycmsAekJKjkRg/s2046/IMG_9996.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1537" data-original-width="2046" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5EfFoKuUXTqnOuhTQmhV9x2w4t-rJ-YJFmUBvdINIgr5gYA0CjLM3raDZosRgC_aEf_zP_Prtfx-a0Ejg57L7PVmQOPVtLHVg5cGxp5hILqa55EON4QyQ5-lopnBoMVycmsAekJKjkRg/w640-h480/IMG_9996.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We're staying at <a href="https://www.theredtreehouse.com/">The Red Tree House</a>, a popular hotel in the Condesa neighborhood well known for its friendliness and hospitality. It's truly lovely, with a gorgeous central courtyard where they serve a delicious breakfast every morning.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-pOJ90diC3vFGE_gXCrugG6ZJkXd6cDr4KddnBIcfkt06WGIfA9ASkmp15_txJoK6brDEmKWjhMJmSrPy9p1EaS33P6HozYcvPWoVwJB0irvWfWHFk4Tah3jYzZ9dwE20mDnoRAztwgQ/s2048/IMG_9999.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-pOJ90diC3vFGE_gXCrugG6ZJkXd6cDr4KddnBIcfkt06WGIfA9ASkmp15_txJoK6brDEmKWjhMJmSrPy9p1EaS33P6HozYcvPWoVwJB0irvWfWHFk4Tah3jYzZ9dwE20mDnoRAztwgQ/w640-h480/IMG_9999.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This is the jungly view from our balcony.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKCd2uUZSN1odl5T2WVHrPw4fYW0xN-6hVpL7rbGm0SIOgZemJ5ins4EBiP1Wy_QrzgTZreA914f49hRuLJqeiK6b5L81j7lxYymIFQo2uSS0zm-Mu2EvM-nCyPbO2giSE-wlvlYYfGuU/s2048/IMG_0006.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKCd2uUZSN1odl5T2WVHrPw4fYW0xN-6hVpL7rbGm0SIOgZemJ5ins4EBiP1Wy_QrzgTZreA914f49hRuLJqeiK6b5L81j7lxYymIFQo2uSS0zm-Mu2EvM-nCyPbO2giSE-wlvlYYfGuU/w640-h480/IMG_0006.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The first morning we wandered aimlessly around the neighborhood, which is a quiet upper-middle class residential area with lots of good restaurants and shops. We're very close to the Parque Mexico.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjazwIUBx2xoCTKcjyherLByyOODyOTO_p8qt88iBro5jGnBcJVSHhdu_xmHQ_nc-Dxvqwd4YoGU-kYdOpFkJ8d60z9a13kHUJqtd7WBZUrpM0cCBn-4rB9XuJ0W8tTiSrr4x44eFNiyh0/s2048/IMG_0010.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjazwIUBx2xoCTKcjyherLByyOODyOTO_p8qt88iBro5jGnBcJVSHhdu_xmHQ_nc-Dxvqwd4YoGU-kYdOpFkJ8d60z9a13kHUJqtd7WBZUrpM0cCBn-4rB9XuJ0W8tTiSrr4x44eFNiyh0/w640-h480/IMG_0010.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Half of the park is for dogs. There were dogs <i>everywhere</i>. We've seen a lot of dogs in every neighborhood, actually.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJZ6kEpnMv7e8Wg2atMmlBE_rlYlSmWUvhZDw_AyaGQfBRd0Ns7YImrE2rqNCuL38ld69jDgE0NJufQxxrC9yGXI7cPTnPGuoMU6RWEU888G2blw80xVqspUBqXXldcp_5DyKjbaJGTHc/s2048/IMG_0012.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJZ6kEpnMv7e8Wg2atMmlBE_rlYlSmWUvhZDw_AyaGQfBRd0Ns7YImrE2rqNCuL38ld69jDgE0NJufQxxrC9yGXI7cPTnPGuoMU6RWEU888G2blw80xVqspUBqXXldcp_5DyKjbaJGTHc/w640-h480/IMG_0012.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifVWOmBqW7oCfYAUuH0NXBz2Z3NdYNdObmwnYgUIZlNH_hlOLT-mAHLxcUuFfk620lwn2wjfm99014rp-Ie6fDeJU2j87aSMm9DAEo88icQ1e0kh3qvxWcYQ7KCNZbkDDGzMbbOOVm0t0/s2048/IMG_0013.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifVWOmBqW7oCfYAUuH0NXBz2Z3NdYNdObmwnYgUIZlNH_hlOLT-mAHLxcUuFfk620lwn2wjfm99014rp-Ie6fDeJU2j87aSMm9DAEo88icQ1e0kh3qvxWcYQ7KCNZbkDDGzMbbOOVm0t0/w640-h480/IMG_0013.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The Parque Mexico is surrounded by roads circling it in a big ring. This has meant that for the first two days we get very lost any time we try to go anywhere that is only a 5 minute walk away. We're finally starting to get the hang of it.</div><div><br /></div><div>We walked over to Chapultepec Forest, one of the largest urban parks in the world (according to Wikipedia). We sat by this monument to drink a coffee. It commemorates six teenagers who died as part of the Mexican-American War in 1847, which to be honest neither of us knew anything about at all. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOaO34V7mGqClh0uTVnPN5HX_dwij3pinssBKhcjkXvV77Q4QBnMJgwmZUImYNuCwwzngIPVVfRSA1bYqltztm5WSezjm0hzUJcxD09i-9p-_ls0MZXDmJyPhUYhwk05K03r3F7MrZuC4/s2048/IMG_0015.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOaO34V7mGqClh0uTVnPN5HX_dwij3pinssBKhcjkXvV77Q4QBnMJgwmZUImYNuCwwzngIPVVfRSA1bYqltztm5WSezjm0hzUJcxD09i-9p-_ls0MZXDmJyPhUYhwk05K03r3F7MrZuC4/w640-h480/IMG_0015.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div> Mexico City is the biggest city in the Americas, but also the oldest. Chapultepec Forest was home not only to battles in the 1800s, but also to Montezuma's Aztec people hundreds of years earlier. There are some ruins of an Aztec aquaduct in the park.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzf1c1MTeAz_9mcXeH5PzPcoxImiYEVUT5gdVJpj-XIzxswL2VNycljBoX8U5Jb98BX_mYZzYkJuQaVfXWDqaG-jwz7BnopVRekRChgYNslBvvcw4LKxMTk_5Ubo8m9rju4V67yG2y4Y8/s2048/IMG_0022.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzf1c1MTeAz_9mcXeH5PzPcoxImiYEVUT5gdVJpj-XIzxswL2VNycljBoX8U5Jb98BX_mYZzYkJuQaVfXWDqaG-jwz7BnopVRekRChgYNslBvvcw4LKxMTk_5Ubo8m9rju4V67yG2y4Y8/w640-h480/IMG_0022.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>There was also this big tree, which Ben made fun of me for photographing, but I figured it had to be important if they left most of it standing! We found a plaque explaining that it had been planted by Montezuma's men in the 1500s and then died of water contamination in the 20th century.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY6yPsiEJPf9dWaFE1fHccKx4zFAL6in4uNKJPlKvf0ya820C190-C9iDqPVmsD5_sESfNMtOuZQ2u7uHtvM9ODZ1WXd-zhPgEJEWrSKRgSlYdxWrQwcpuOnRUmGDk8HGRxwvjEEqnvas/s2048/IMG_0023.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY6yPsiEJPf9dWaFE1fHccKx4zFAL6in4uNKJPlKvf0ya820C190-C9iDqPVmsD5_sESfNMtOuZQ2u7uHtvM9ODZ1WXd-zhPgEJEWrSKRgSlYdxWrQwcpuOnRUmGDk8HGRxwvjEEqnvas/w480-h640/IMG_0023.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The park is beautiful and enormous. We only explored a small part of it.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhet-1tUKjNMSV1JdIc1Pn1S9eWrfacQR0b44CGz_ovDxglrkg4EIY7i0Ss8P0OQR_fR96v3UgNb49DglMJKmecir_yOGzzeMm7UzT5DyEpCT1KRGzj-G9cn6qaaTzbTlPZpmHCVpo27Vo/s2048/IMG_0026.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhet-1tUKjNMSV1JdIc1Pn1S9eWrfacQR0b44CGz_ovDxglrkg4EIY7i0Ss8P0OQR_fR96v3UgNb49DglMJKmecir_yOGzzeMm7UzT5DyEpCT1KRGzj-G9cn6qaaTzbTlPZpmHCVpo27Vo/w640-h480/IMG_0026.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Then we walked back to the Roma neighborhood, adjoining our own just to the north. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgejY7LQy2eczteFxmFSE7F97QtCasOeqS32jLujWTSpCa73Qh7SA5g5VJhdArURXTJoYQGzGEJARRk79WKIbLjcuITw67oFuJFcH8zHpx981yXftrKHYjFj3_zjpUTe_Q0sYp-cZ4QP4Q/s2048/IMG_0028.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgejY7LQy2eczteFxmFSE7F97QtCasOeqS32jLujWTSpCa73Qh7SA5g5VJhdArURXTJoYQGzGEJARRk79WKIbLjcuITw67oFuJFcH8zHpx981yXftrKHYjFj3_zjpUTe_Q0sYp-cZ4QP4Q/w640-h480/IMG_0028.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbzOrhWer-8uD4ymMSqXtJxBz6uXPM7I3x1NtGZa7vAOCBwq_FjdgiAgQg-s0HU6Bh3ieKf3B25LJHJfm-kp_jQum3pHPyeYi-nOwf2mFM6QszoP6aY1xwhOe63fhMRZ99Hh1Hmg0dHeM/s2048/IMG_0032.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbzOrhWer-8uD4ymMSqXtJxBz6uXPM7I3x1NtGZa7vAOCBwq_FjdgiAgQg-s0HU6Bh3ieKf3B25LJHJfm-kp_jQum3pHPyeYi-nOwf2mFM6QszoP6aY1xwhOe63fhMRZ99Hh1Hmg0dHeM/w640-h480/IMG_0032.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We had a lunch reservation at <a href="https://www.contramar.com.mx/">Contramar</a>, a seafood-oriented restaurant I was very excited to try. This was our first interaction with a business after arriving. We quickly learned that everyone running a public-facing business is serious about COVID. They're all doing temperature checks and squirting hand sanitizer when you walk in the door. Many places have you step into a shallow pool of alcohol to sanitize your shoes (surely this doesn't accomplish much?) and one museum actually misted our clothes with it, too. All servers in restaurants are wearing not only masks but face shields. All Uber drivers are masked with the windows wide open. Mexico City is clearly taking the pandemic more seriously than anywhere in America ever has. Some of it may be hygiene theater, but it's also true that I've never felt as safe in public over the past year and a half as I do here. </div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, we sat outside at Contramar and it was a perfect way to start the trip. Their tuna tostadas are one of their most popular items, and rightly so.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQXv0pd2zR-actobl598FeSogPARBTZALWjlW-OaSrABuPHCE9oJ6j5TzRzdwyzrcx-dOQGSmtny0vabRDU_YlQ4xSDDDV7kE38VG-AhEMYfjSWxE-p2WTvmhZEG6Qu_v6Yqh-BgHxkE/s2048/IMG_0033.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQXv0pd2zR-actobl598FeSogPARBTZALWjlW-OaSrABuPHCE9oJ6j5TzRzdwyzrcx-dOQGSmtny0vabRDU_YlQ4xSDDDV7kE38VG-AhEMYfjSWxE-p2WTvmhZEG6Qu_v6Yqh-BgHxkE/w480-h640/IMG_0033.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We were also brought shrimp tacos by mistake, which we happily ate.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiccoUI4VsW4NTuLXZvAr7Aea5rqc_qhGFeiyQZuUeZZQOuavu3aPSvLzXV4WvYJd_m5v1DPpwwxUrYGVt01G6mHiloAnF8RzM1dsjhtzbZYb5AjFeaOkJvKt5vvPqXGW1G-uh-W4ZDkBM/s2048/IMG_0034.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiccoUI4VsW4NTuLXZvAr7Aea5rqc_qhGFeiyQZuUeZZQOuavu3aPSvLzXV4WvYJd_m5v1DPpwwxUrYGVt01G6mHiloAnF8RzM1dsjhtzbZYb5AjFeaOkJvKt5vvPqXGW1G-uh-W4ZDkBM/w480-h640/IMG_0034.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The house ceviche was excellent too.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgivCdQEsdOxcuscWCs1FJ1F3plTqZV9c96iXRgKQolXreymgfqf9AEiesP1Kg2JM38NxR7FhU8-mHwGRf6kgJ5gONwiCSKJnHruIYR_TQQkrlYs7WhspKGOEhtInao7j2RPlH8YcEt8Ik/s2048/IMG_0036.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgivCdQEsdOxcuscWCs1FJ1F3plTqZV9c96iXRgKQolXreymgfqf9AEiesP1Kg2JM38NxR7FhU8-mHwGRf6kgJ5gONwiCSKJnHruIYR_TQQkrlYs7WhspKGOEhtInao7j2RPlH8YcEt8Ik/w640-h480/IMG_0036.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And we finished with sopes, corn cakes topped with adobo spiced fish. We were going to get dessert but it was impossible.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeeES5osFLij4thze7k85g0yJqLhj_2wxrKqVaDWXfZ81BMP4PCC9rws2hXaA-de1VqdXYQsTinIINM8jTe-d_JIc2Z81wT1DgYjX1SBYwlTgLmZ-hCjCnLBqss0jwFFdWxcnDs8bEu6g/s2048/IMG_0037.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeeES5osFLij4thze7k85g0yJqLhj_2wxrKqVaDWXfZ81BMP4PCC9rws2hXaA-de1VqdXYQsTinIINM8jTe-d_JIc2Z81wT1DgYjX1SBYwlTgLmZ-hCjCnLBqss0jwFFdWxcnDs8bEu6g/w480-h640/IMG_0037.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After lunch we took an Uber back to Chapultepec to go to the National Archaeology Museum. Uber is pretty close to free here, and perfectly safe. A 20 minute ride is about $3 US. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Archaeology Museum has a huge collection of artifacts from all the ancient people who lived here before Spain came and conquered the native people in the 16th century. Olmec, Maya, Aztec - it was all very impressive.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHlbWyuAb6lsQCJjhUuuEhHFR_T3pZ3cTTQjdvQpNT-rDmf5FcNctueHLWk7Nud203HipKekyOJ74WjL68r490Gua-n1VHAOJLcKeeX1VgknkJcINHVuZp_bGncCeINEwYre41DsGf7Pw/s2048/IMG_0039.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHlbWyuAb6lsQCJjhUuuEhHFR_T3pZ3cTTQjdvQpNT-rDmf5FcNctueHLWk7Nud203HipKekyOJ74WjL68r490Gua-n1VHAOJLcKeeX1VgknkJcINHVuZp_bGncCeINEwYre41DsGf7Pw/w640-h480/IMG_0039.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The building is very impressive too.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlDHnPJJA6QM3xT_znmOH1tBFcgvTN9xcqVHwdHSLzOIXpvA2KCPS2mnnfmXQrbP3ox-KrBEdjJZMrJQu4zA7E23jPmBswXiYo8B-51Kq2tHiULScRZx4F0vJz62MQPEhIs7YDfogFCAA/s2048/IMG_0046.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlDHnPJJA6QM3xT_znmOH1tBFcgvTN9xcqVHwdHSLzOIXpvA2KCPS2mnnfmXQrbP3ox-KrBEdjJZMrJQu4zA7E23jPmBswXiYo8B-51Kq2tHiULScRZx4F0vJz62MQPEhIs7YDfogFCAA/w640-h480/IMG_0046.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg77wp6yKRI7MIQ8x2tymTiUtNM_lgRq2PIvWXdB6ROcZ8j9c3ayPrGeExLZkNC2F__Sf_u4lbMb_xK0521iorwAi1LkjogSKXc3crd43z_rVNbOthDXqfG7wL7H5lu1kMQQ07AkB4q6AM/s2048/IMG_0049.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg77wp6yKRI7MIQ8x2tymTiUtNM_lgRq2PIvWXdB6ROcZ8j9c3ayPrGeExLZkNC2F__Sf_u4lbMb_xK0521iorwAi1LkjogSKXc3crd43z_rVNbOthDXqfG7wL7H5lu1kMQQ07AkB4q6AM/w640-h480/IMG_0049.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Almost all of these artifacts are from this immediate area. Mexico City was built long before Spain came to the new world. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0YL1XPERdhjC46folIPDa1DeXcCiSpeq-jzahc-rlwxtf5iloRH9sETW0FlVXrkRsFJzO6NFSbzS6ILCP4gLTTP0zbuBbmRqIm_dxFXfStAxIXfnLavpKz4VOAtu-zAB7DI-oIBeL_UE/s2048/IMG_0054.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0YL1XPERdhjC46folIPDa1DeXcCiSpeq-jzahc-rlwxtf5iloRH9sETW0FlVXrkRsFJzO6NFSbzS6ILCP4gLTTP0zbuBbmRqIm_dxFXfStAxIXfnLavpKz4VOAtu-zAB7DI-oIBeL_UE/w480-h640/IMG_0054.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Their civilization was vast and sophisticated.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ZIzNPVills1VBj94_IRxfWckR9NtmesZBYkx8xaRg2N3JgbrFQfhn-dPTDGg2BU4MF0ORKWaVi6DAZ71c-UEL0oDzSw5AGbg_86QNj5oBMr9bZtAVHSN2_wgdZ4_eCrVhk09H3qqlx8/s2048/IMG_0057.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ZIzNPVills1VBj94_IRxfWckR9NtmesZBYkx8xaRg2N3JgbrFQfhn-dPTDGg2BU4MF0ORKWaVi6DAZ71c-UEL0oDzSw5AGbg_86QNj5oBMr9bZtAVHSN2_wgdZ4_eCrVhk09H3qqlx8/w640-h480/IMG_0057.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFDv00DyV7mnVlItYabg74eU4TU3QxCS06xyzL7YmMIBWN8klivnezOyETlVrJZWaVwWh21gbnlIp3Hh1ujTGdbTu0IfNNk2TpNwA77ZZ8SPDZyJ83guy2TSdT2B_D82Z3aD2EEnSa6fQ/s2048/IMG_0062.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFDv00DyV7mnVlItYabg74eU4TU3QxCS06xyzL7YmMIBWN8klivnezOyETlVrJZWaVwWh21gbnlIp3Hh1ujTGdbTu0IfNNk2TpNwA77ZZ8SPDZyJ83guy2TSdT2B_D82Z3aD2EEnSa6fQ/w480-h640/IMG_0062.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>There were a lot of temples outdoors, too, although Ben went into a possibly restricted area to read a sign on one of them that said it was a recreation.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQwu5QRzCFcpi2YkTwPXKnABos2zhPQ_EPAF7_yCruTF74GP0gVg_vL7sl7fMueK8kzJ_iPCN4dBI1xbaiG8FTMumjSOdbsK2xVQRuF2IcHPxSeOy1sNYeTugi2B8k0G8hFlV4nsZRKSs/s2048/IMG_0063.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQwu5QRzCFcpi2YkTwPXKnABos2zhPQ_EPAF7_yCruTF74GP0gVg_vL7sl7fMueK8kzJ_iPCN4dBI1xbaiG8FTMumjSOdbsK2xVQRuF2IcHPxSeOy1sNYeTugi2B8k0G8hFlV4nsZRKSs/w640-h480/IMG_0063.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAuVCD4avr1hC85opTwBeFUySA9xpc2SMr3P4_29cH-1zPgfkbXCqW4kRstoehyphenhyphenhMGjPyCCxK_r17rS0thRZXu_sUQCBafLskcJd3Oag3OugtBmj4XrVXdvGr4WUpIoBBPCgAAM1Ea1Ww/s2048/IMG_0067.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAuVCD4avr1hC85opTwBeFUySA9xpc2SMr3P4_29cH-1zPgfkbXCqW4kRstoehyphenhyphenhMGjPyCCxK_r17rS0thRZXu_sUQCBafLskcJd3Oag3OugtBmj4XrVXdvGr4WUpIoBBPCgAAM1Ea1Ww/w640-h480/IMG_0067.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnEiPBG6MTeKA_cWSwnbDM4gDOFQjqzskwBinPMJTI-hXL6LriPWGxfPv53rQVjz_KrA1VRxCH2LUhvA9HEG5pKv-iQh-5PyMvXd4W7v8hPztIeuAUcTm05z5osKs1UmakoLSQuQUE5d0/s2048/IMG_0073.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnEiPBG6MTeKA_cWSwnbDM4gDOFQjqzskwBinPMJTI-hXL6LriPWGxfPv53rQVjz_KrA1VRxCH2LUhvA9HEG5pKv-iQh-5PyMvXd4W7v8hPztIeuAUcTm05z5osKs1UmakoLSQuQUE5d0/w640-h480/IMG_0073.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>After the museum, we went back to the hotel to relax a while before dinner. Summer is Mexico City's rainy season, which means it's sunny and 75 degrees with low humidity every day, and then it rains and thunders in the late afternoon or early evening. So far this has worked out fairly well with our natural schedule. This first night, we walked a few blocks over to a casual restaurant that claims to have invented tacos al pastor. We got 8 tacos and drinks and it was $15. We did end up getting caught in the rain on the way home, but that's okay. Viva la Mexico!</div>mollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18177188094284970362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995168411490930884.post-51271365258714320102021-05-14T09:42:00.005-04:002021-06-23T12:34:04.345-04:00New Rear Sway BarGot the sway bar dialed in on the old 2010 Impreza. Gained about 15 - 20% speed around tight turns for the same perceived level of effort. Much lighter-feeling front end. Much more neutral overall.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeLtnnAF30MvPM9u9FZ278EwVJ35cUYZTKsKpOEzmmUW0z6As-jjUqIu2KdUT9Ukcl48x-vcvtcMsM7rIQsEw2xQJX20QGolqpVK_-VV4t0FZYwNhaIdfvAwfzCCaL2gyY47tLDxhizwY/s0/IMG_7096.JPG" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="860" data-original-width="2531" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeLtnnAF30MvPM9u9FZ278EwVJ35cUYZTKsKpOEzmmUW0z6As-jjUqIu2KdUT9Ukcl48x-vcvtcMsM7rIQsEw2xQJX20QGolqpVK_-VV4t0FZYwNhaIdfvAwfzCCaL2gyY47tLDxhizwY/w640-h217/IMG_7096.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://whitelineperformance.com/collections/sway-bar/products/bsr51xz-sway-bar">Whiteline Performance</a></div>Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03553703813698950007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995168411490930884.post-4266560730345700222021-04-06T10:12:00.006-04:002021-06-23T12:34:32.779-04:00We painted our garage.Here's a pano of it, but in order to experience it fully, please come to the garage.
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</div>Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03553703813698950007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995168411490930884.post-26241315613403450772021-01-12T11:13:00.002-05:002021-01-12T11:13:18.562-05:00Pandemic Trip Report: The Outer Banks<p>Since moving to North Carolina 15 years ago we've only been to the Outer Banks once, for one night. This neverending pandemic we're living through seemed like a good opportunity to get in some quality isolated ocean time. I spent a few days trying to find a true oceanfront house that didn't sleep 25 people - nearly everything out there is enormous, and I had no interest in driving three hours for a winter beach trip if the ocean wasn't literally in front of my face at all times. Finally, I found it, a normal sized three bedroom house in Rodanthe. It's wildly expensive in the summer but quite reasonable in winter, about the same as we'd paid for the cabins in the mountains.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-YJbslzSiSZZdhXTiWKwW7-xV4a8mlvD0QB-97Qc27DSnIBqGxhF0StUMPjRNzKSdKv7xkn1nriIzMMQlTdRfxMcnts12Ec8PbmQQqD9zHbECtaO_wkveSXgBF663yTRgZ9IpdM-ziC4/s2048/1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-YJbslzSiSZZdhXTiWKwW7-xV4a8mlvD0QB-97Qc27DSnIBqGxhF0StUMPjRNzKSdKv7xkn1nriIzMMQlTdRfxMcnts12Ec8PbmQQqD9zHbECtaO_wkveSXgBF663yTRgZ9IpdM-ziC4/w640-h480/1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This is the best equipped place of the three pandemic trips so far. Once I got in there and saw it was nice and normal, I started working to convince Ben we should come back later in the winter. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv4r-E-ihu53OCexfEM7b6Bwb627x-D1iOHwUU0TyZ6HTZKkzPwkggdC5dV2zr8tt_C2zdd_G7f2Ne1reM-1cNpX01YqXpaclcguuo5goBrGHGgZapRWeC0FiwTSXtT8tT6JY_9Ztxl50/s2048/2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv4r-E-ihu53OCexfEM7b6Bwb627x-D1iOHwUU0TyZ6HTZKkzPwkggdC5dV2zr8tt_C2zdd_G7f2Ne1reM-1cNpX01YqXpaclcguuo5goBrGHGgZapRWeC0FiwTSXtT8tT6JY_9Ztxl50/w640-h480/2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>It was dark when we arrived around 5:30pm - the last part of the drive on the narrow pitch black highway was oddly harrowing. I hadn't realized quite how isolated it feels out there. Anyway, when I got up in the morning and saw the ocean from our deck I was pretty excited. At high tide, there's not much beach between the house and the water. You are Right There.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfeEfofMsMmZKPKU80qHoqEm8itvEEASaOe5Q1M33Z2q_OIEqCoOxq53inWoEMJPG5ObuZdzEP20SS-U9InWdjvqxQsni5iSQvIVhDJ_v2Ty94azer8Uf82UxtXTvrCkW9bqmznQlTPio/s2048/IMG_8619.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfeEfofMsMmZKPKU80qHoqEm8itvEEASaOe5Q1M33Z2q_OIEqCoOxq53inWoEMJPG5ObuZdzEP20SS-U9InWdjvqxQsni5iSQvIVhDJ_v2Ty94azer8Uf82UxtXTvrCkW9bqmznQlTPio/w640-h480/IMG_8619.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The first day was stormy and windy, so we just hung around the house staring out the windows. It cleared up in the afternoon and we were able to go for a walk. A pumpkin had blown onto the beach in the storm.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPqAT8fjr5GSb96g6UKkN2kG-Mn-Z0CXMDxXaw0zOK4J1Mk3V9c62TsiwAAhenjMQg61gybsqafrDNQ1WX3FOoeKBgjTSVxvvZYupW349ZTC4m8tpDHs7W_TFrT2ti4hiFKTJVZTZAhI/s2048/IMG_8625.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPqAT8fjr5GSb96g6UKkN2kG-Mn-Z0CXMDxXaw0zOK4J1Mk3V9c62TsiwAAhenjMQg61gybsqafrDNQ1WX3FOoeKBgjTSVxvvZYupW349ZTC4m8tpDHs7W_TFrT2ti4hiFKTJVZTZAhI/w640-h480/IMG_8625.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>It was really windy for the next 36 hours or so and there were tons of surfers and kitesurfers in the ocean taking advantage of the waves.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisco4j9ZPexOFTrRHVC7RxQC_UzUFhoCK21VcwXIEM6XHPQK3chzarlpZd5t1dJVY078H5StfUqDqlrxACd5YSYewQIaErs05BFDCZmhmja0yMgqP8MGHNDnfDEOCtjdi3IabaoeLlJKA/s2048/IMG_8629.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisco4j9ZPexOFTrRHVC7RxQC_UzUFhoCK21VcwXIEM6XHPQK3chzarlpZd5t1dJVY078H5StfUqDqlrxACd5YSYewQIaErs05BFDCZmhmja0yMgqP8MGHNDnfDEOCtjdi3IabaoeLlJKA/w640-h480/IMG_8629.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Our house was near the Rodanthe pier, which appeared to be closed for the season. Most things there close after Thanksgiving, but as of course we can't go anywhere anyway, it didn't matter. As in the mountains, we brought all our food with us.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPfaVxyXTvzUbyRriVhKQ2eTfWyNx8uz6wlt0stxfYxvj6UWXPj0ocrslVnOwX0fYnHMGQMLoUtX9eP8YjH_CggA8MO6zi0hZyLRezCcjiIwSu78ihTZRKA1mqWXw5CR7bulGXbZVctTg/s2048/IMG_8630.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPfaVxyXTvzUbyRriVhKQ2eTfWyNx8uz6wlt0stxfYxvj6UWXPj0ocrslVnOwX0fYnHMGQMLoUtX9eP8YjH_CggA8MO6zi0hZyLRezCcjiIwSu78ihTZRKA1mqWXw5CR7bulGXbZVctTg/w640-h480/IMG_8630.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Our little green house! The railing up to the lower deck was half buried in sand. Maintenance has to be a nightmare.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh519hq8xf-RepLkHrdSqpQEU4K3FILoKFMzwGg4T_zH7Ujvs-wU8vf6nMIJ3K_tc19B2PougDm5y9H9kNTmvSQyFec89uyS11k88FQFimDGapA5xSVF5rHCcS2CzZaXxEjSATtpirz9Lk/s2048/IMG_8632.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh519hq8xf-RepLkHrdSqpQEU4K3FILoKFMzwGg4T_zH7Ujvs-wU8vf6nMIJ3K_tc19B2PougDm5y9H9kNTmvSQyFec89uyS11k88FQFimDGapA5xSVF5rHCcS2CzZaXxEjSATtpirz9Lk/w640-h480/IMG_8632.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>There was a full moon.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_67jcwoZMM-U7TVoUiza-M14RDyA_-i3X3ZzV_pBDotJhXDolxTgydT_aqIjCO6hfoKJH2Y5dL0KIuz2t3wISxBguAgBeUxbt0Sk9cnXUzz5PV0pLxTk6_DrQlNwByZZ_F7iQcF99FPs/s2048/IMG_8639.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_67jcwoZMM-U7TVoUiza-M14RDyA_-i3X3ZzV_pBDotJhXDolxTgydT_aqIjCO6hfoKJH2Y5dL0KIuz2t3wISxBguAgBeUxbt0Sk9cnXUzz5PV0pLxTk6_DrQlNwByZZ_F7iQcF99FPs/w640-h480/IMG_8639.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>It was always so exciting every morning to see what the ocean would look like. Every day it was different. As the effects of Monday's storm subsided the waves really calmed down.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix7TI2H2I-MyqEtTrye8JIYWbGpDt7Hl_GNg9BTdD32aiv_xcZiJ3YC1pRiUN5veaQ14JHpro7DIX616fT3KgROXabwCO0fM_a5BptsNYwdV-zR82mt-axzL1k6JyZZVZcZeA7BXTM5u4/s2048/IMG_8641.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix7TI2H2I-MyqEtTrye8JIYWbGpDt7Hl_GNg9BTdD32aiv_xcZiJ3YC1pRiUN5veaQ14JHpro7DIX616fT3KgROXabwCO0fM_a5BptsNYwdV-zR82mt-axzL1k6JyZZVZcZeA7BXTM5u4/w640-h480/IMG_8641.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We drove to see the Hatteras lighthouse.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ5PomHLh4BLULLHxX3ij1n8LdB03fhndkEHNyxABbj1Ct4c3md04aSUUOYHZaWt_YIKQ6y3iCfvqIgp-XuBwlOgdF0xZQmdKACk0L-NMR281PWjOBdGBYUjSo8RFrwRpjSHzTHN39S9U/s2046/IMG_8646.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2046" data-original-width="1537" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ5PomHLh4BLULLHxX3ij1n8LdB03fhndkEHNyxABbj1Ct4c3md04aSUUOYHZaWt_YIKQ6y3iCfvqIgp-XuBwlOgdF0xZQmdKACk0L-NMR281PWjOBdGBYUjSo8RFrwRpjSHzTHN39S9U/w480-h640/IMG_8646.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>And kept going down to the tip of the island to get a lay of the land. We tried to walk on a short little path into the swamp but it was too wet from all the rain.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTOeed5OkuJdFvsBBQ6V_SFEKMNUZzhJuCB9jA1MrNhQb8MJttFruobJ2Xak-7WZbkPQjarKK6VvAD2pNEin4mJZLvZBJN61HZqsA9PP16qdU46l_oSJEIShDUy6MhCjyjqpxN_MlHq5E/s2048/IMG_8647.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTOeed5OkuJdFvsBBQ6V_SFEKMNUZzhJuCB9jA1MrNhQb8MJttFruobJ2Xak-7WZbkPQjarKK6VvAD2pNEin4mJZLvZBJN61HZqsA9PP16qdU46l_oSJEIShDUy6MhCjyjqpxN_MlHq5E/w640-h480/IMG_8647.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We stopped at a random place on the way back to go look at the ocean. There's one highway that runs down the middle of the islands, with dunes built on either side to protect it from the elements - so you can't actually see the ocean most of the time when you're driving. I really had not realized how deserted it was going to be. Even in nice weather we only ever saw a handful of people, and most of the beach is protected land so there are no houses anywhere around. You need to either walk a long way or drive on the sand to reach some of these beaches.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOoHOzbUkhd7OYYw2v_Ol8L5xrVqnaCC8ctLfvHItDejDPOvMIbaFtEj885mvdOTUCRaeLkNYCxDCpcVypUhPiXrygkGujv7iDryfJtpAbicBPEXuR8nid3NNvusBPiV2El7pOogXqaWI/s2048/IMG_8654.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOoHOzbUkhd7OYYw2v_Ol8L5xrVqnaCC8ctLfvHItDejDPOvMIbaFtEj885mvdOTUCRaeLkNYCxDCpcVypUhPiXrygkGujv7iDryfJtpAbicBPEXuR8nid3NNvusBPiV2El7pOogXqaWI/w640-h480/IMG_8654.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRiLFP3qdMINNDgrsO6ZUCxXHTMADGM5RIiE_rB_ZgcXxh6NRVCY9jGokJ8a17K-Pg-RsUjq2TP-sCrL5C1bMH9IZVG2m8C0OwESci6YMj36WZ0nNUFJk2xOpIaS9vL2jwy4mjQ5R35BU/s2048/IMG_8656.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRiLFP3qdMINNDgrsO6ZUCxXHTMADGM5RIiE_rB_ZgcXxh6NRVCY9jGokJ8a17K-Pg-RsUjq2TP-sCrL5C1bMH9IZVG2m8C0OwESci6YMj36WZ0nNUFJk2xOpIaS9vL2jwy4mjQ5R35BU/w640-h480/IMG_8656.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhYI4YmbkjHL2_V-q9VyHQxi6zm6QRVmLug0jeGj4p9MrZpQM052vHBRiXoi1m-np98MXB3YqLFn5gEpUcg9k72F4o_l2xd4DB0WRDBqhMvVszsd5UYntODOnhYVIH5ZncZfZgO_g91SE/s2048/IMG_8659.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhYI4YmbkjHL2_V-q9VyHQxi6zm6QRVmLug0jeGj4p9MrZpQM052vHBRiXoi1m-np98MXB3YqLFn5gEpUcg9k72F4o_l2xd4DB0WRDBqhMvVszsd5UYntODOnhYVIH5ZncZfZgO_g91SE/w640-h480/IMG_8659.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Here's Ben from the lower deck.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ulZa4uULCS2rQI-ae8lKybtQfHzBMOsP_BRxlwjBjI2DbSDHRJQSzdv24jSiBAr9JLjKQG8C9dCMo2HwupudK5LHghKmSaz3DufdwHNCNbXjJJes8ssvfZGnON6cQ4IFuzoIMO88hHM/s2048/IMG_8660.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ulZa4uULCS2rQI-ae8lKybtQfHzBMOsP_BRxlwjBjI2DbSDHRJQSzdv24jSiBAr9JLjKQG8C9dCMo2HwupudK5LHghKmSaz3DufdwHNCNbXjJJes8ssvfZGnON6cQ4IFuzoIMO88hHM/w640-h480/IMG_8660.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We got up earlyish one day and went to the Wright Brothers National Historic Site, about 45 minutes north. We learned that the Kitty Hawk area looks like New York City compared with the rest of the OBX - very Pigeon Forge/Branson-y, with miniature golf courses and wax museums and all that jazz. I was pretty glad we'd ended up in the middle of nowhere.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Wright Brothers visitors center is the first National Parks visitors center ever built! We love a visitors center. We arrived just after they opened and there were only a handful of cars in the parking lot so we thought it might be OK to go inside, but I guess everyone arrived at the same time because there were about 10 people (all masked) hovering around at the initial informational areas. We stood there near the door for a few minutes and then realized "this is stupid," skipped to the end to look at the replica plane, then went outside.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ujbP9CLugwLUIDlo1M3ams1iGhySCf24JFZ9Nt1XBkC_MIb8Pv-mmIzegmQ_XJMODMSvIxYMTNdTJGG2Il63j4kKjpdip3XjI7tHaYflFhpyklQv22mZWFy3f5tiNu6DzJsmcwSHSgI/s2048/IMG_8671.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ujbP9CLugwLUIDlo1M3ams1iGhySCf24JFZ9Nt1XBkC_MIb8Pv-mmIzegmQ_XJMODMSvIxYMTNdTJGG2Il63j4kKjpdip3XjI7tHaYflFhpyklQv22mZWFy3f5tiNu6DzJsmcwSHSgI/w640-h480/IMG_8671.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>It was really cold and windy. We learned that COVID masks are handy for keeping your face warm.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhCp1HYQPpHBnYKDwMZsngMwNuZrDZFoJmDII1rf0xdh1Z7KrEthyphenhyphenWElaKz6j1qXBlqWkJxrLN93FfEZbDF4nrGXjRcBLqUPDFkJjt3nDbD73tTvNezATBlZFbKS4rYnTMpAXHceFdda0/s2048/IMG_8673.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhCp1HYQPpHBnYKDwMZsngMwNuZrDZFoJmDII1rf0xdh1Z7KrEthyphenhyphenWElaKz6j1qXBlqWkJxrLN93FfEZbDF4nrGXjRcBLqUPDFkJjt3nDbD73tTvNezATBlZFbKS4rYnTMpAXHceFdda0/w480-h640/IMG_8673.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>They have a little path to illustrate the length of the first flight. All the pictures of this event make it look like it was right on the beach, but there's no sand anywhere in sight now.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihAFzl3Utcinu9UcjRcoB674shBP6yn3AxQgCiGSJA-drhbW_-l8c7eQKbPpVlCwSUbghn_r1uIzjW7xBnpAiCynHT-lmRLfIKeb1voYR37eiMn43M5TQIC11f-0NvaE5gwmC3qcs9pXM/s2048/IMG_8675.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihAFzl3Utcinu9UcjRcoB674shBP6yn3AxQgCiGSJA-drhbW_-l8c7eQKbPpVlCwSUbghn_r1uIzjW7xBnpAiCynHT-lmRLfIKeb1voYR37eiMn43M5TQIC11f-0NvaE5gwmC3qcs9pXM/w480-h640/IMG_8675.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOWGaD7yQ4ARkiCp0qjtpRKM7oZncWwmRMsX5qeiRO2b0qEq78sAyu_-RF7P6M5IJg6BcMyRL7d526YJHzL50Ho7mwaIReP4yzY-OvpQi5ZXozcUQBXp05YEsJTG9YLAKScfrv2ofQ0YQ/s2048/IMG_8682.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOWGaD7yQ4ARkiCp0qjtpRKM7oZncWwmRMsX5qeiRO2b0qEq78sAyu_-RF7P6M5IJg6BcMyRL7d526YJHzL50Ho7mwaIReP4yzY-OvpQi5ZXozcUQBXp05YEsJTG9YLAKScfrv2ofQ0YQ/w480-h640/IMG_8682.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the afternoon I sat in a chair with this view of the water reading a book while Ben went for a long walk.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6p9uDSFovdzNMnpY-am52ndoR031_6nk-odPs2qmv3q5_ynsEnlrQqpANTxs3-o4xUJGji1LnHThccX74tc489G7HCzAh9eNcfLm42ZrpFQsjLrsD_8UNmuKxm9Ni7bgIA-67dxm76cE/s2048/IMG_8693.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6p9uDSFovdzNMnpY-am52ndoR031_6nk-odPs2qmv3q5_ynsEnlrQqpANTxs3-o4xUJGji1LnHThccX74tc489G7HCzAh9eNcfLm42ZrpFQsjLrsD_8UNmuKxm9Ni7bgIA-67dxm76cE/w640-h480/IMG_8693.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Our last full day was sunny and the wind had died down, so we set out to do a 10 mile hike across the tip of Hatteras Island. It was really interesting through a bunch of different types of terrain, forest and swamp and beach.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9QvJz7WCWpyL1fi8s1ytDilUzyufW9xzlm9AHMg9YTFe-ztrVt5DRV6vv7BGL8R_7FWa6JrjYgrK6d0WyExmcwZ4bSunLw4vUceadH32-MNn2199E46PrnOttuSkldeHVkpZjydgQL48/s2048/IMG_8696.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9QvJz7WCWpyL1fi8s1ytDilUzyufW9xzlm9AHMg9YTFe-ztrVt5DRV6vv7BGL8R_7FWa6JrjYgrK6d0WyExmcwZ4bSunLw4vUceadH32-MNn2199E46PrnOttuSkldeHVkpZjydgQL48/w480-h640/IMG_8696.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVk6JC64bs_SaTBxUaOOg4dws3-IZwdB3fqL9E0BtW7xUh07e5zYC4SL6WxgaiJ_f_1BjhPyBr5s8NK8tM8wPwmgqTYW2u-iK2GyxjMA1neG1QwKjBWXAY6ARCfQW9tX2ke__cx5TL5qU/s2048/IMG_8698.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVk6JC64bs_SaTBxUaOOg4dws3-IZwdB3fqL9E0BtW7xUh07e5zYC4SL6WxgaiJ_f_1BjhPyBr5s8NK8tM8wPwmgqTYW2u-iK2GyxjMA1neG1QwKjBWXAY6ARCfQW9tX2ke__cx5TL5qU/w640-h480/IMG_8698.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkucupMDPgkyww1Wmnh4TJVOAuQchgWpBZBLCETpb-LOeCgmdwoEp5RDM_vtdMPIYW5Ldafd4Knetc_GXAYZI7B4CbC0xixhhPXeh7r4YXCYAsQm-d8_5B_rUdPX9gGgoz81VJ8b8B5Ks/s2048/IMG_8699.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkucupMDPgkyww1Wmnh4TJVOAuQchgWpBZBLCETpb-LOeCgmdwoEp5RDM_vtdMPIYW5Ldafd4Knetc_GXAYZI7B4CbC0xixhhPXeh7r4YXCYAsQm-d8_5B_rUdPX9gGgoz81VJ8b8B5Ks/w640-h480/IMG_8699.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv4d6zr_ZGcCRsSXYsETn7cjf_SxznPgUPQic3Vm-DYCEhp6GKPLSbTxjJnbgdiKO0SJk0hWUG4ElQ-sgZcBoJZMa7hL2bxpJYNE4d3W380rbpfyMVizRjQ0YaKa297PPhztHWJhw1Ay8/s2048/IMG_8700.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv4d6zr_ZGcCRsSXYsETn7cjf_SxznPgUPQic3Vm-DYCEhp6GKPLSbTxjJnbgdiKO0SJk0hWUG4ElQ-sgZcBoJZMa7hL2bxpJYNE4d3W380rbpfyMVizRjQ0YaKa297PPhztHWJhw1Ay8/w640-h480/IMG_8700.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_BVz-RQjR5D4k-7yYCaVlJD4IK4JKv9qw8kuKNFrCdqQ9bllEENgs5vP_aT61Y5qSoahdwyfEWKvO-HZP0p1N9-cXtYdyymWYz13y4Zrq0j_u9fqE8GyKUMn67ZvYtRB3NnID1Juo85A/s1334/IMG_8701.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1334" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_BVz-RQjR5D4k-7yYCaVlJD4IK4JKv9qw8kuKNFrCdqQ9bllEENgs5vP_aT61Y5qSoahdwyfEWKvO-HZP0p1N9-cXtYdyymWYz13y4Zrq0j_u9fqE8GyKUMn67ZvYtRB3NnID1Juo85A/w640-h360/IMG_8701.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioPvE2CxcSGfURF2TrnzVZhyHhSk4SigWJHhpZ5RntOkFJmg7Ge5Bm0VsiGI1IgH5143pNHWA0pLEZm-kki6nqlU0TkRAeXkbJaFZGlNLFUi_rbA1jekod8jOWhh6Jo4CBkOWz2FN74yk/s2048/IMG_8704.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioPvE2CxcSGfURF2TrnzVZhyHhSk4SigWJHhpZ5RntOkFJmg7Ge5Bm0VsiGI1IgH5143pNHWA0pLEZm-kki6nqlU0TkRAeXkbJaFZGlNLFUi_rbA1jekod8jOWhh6Jo4CBkOWz2FN74yk/w480-h640/IMG_8704.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>There are no roads anywhere near this part of the beach, only sand. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlRJK9q8_KopWnSXBJAkZSgv7rjnibIE9_8G3Ou7AouRbYBODJyGFvpyDIYp0N2hWlkNkXwpAkIgr9PVTgBZHy3m8r4SX3GdpuOhnBYDyCSLSE3LeA_2FjZz8ho2ebgcivWLJZfMlVr4/s2048/IMG_8708.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlRJK9q8_KopWnSXBJAkZSgv7rjnibIE9_8G3Ou7AouRbYBODJyGFvpyDIYp0N2hWlkNkXwpAkIgr9PVTgBZHy3m8r4SX3GdpuOhnBYDyCSLSE3LeA_2FjZz8ho2ebgcivWLJZfMlVr4/w640-h480/IMG_8708.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBMm5OXpwSunrYsS2gQxIYRYauncBN9tcgbi-fiL1SvHeQz16WvZen42hLZSEmCr7CT-vTx4_o6BfUzajCIaN2-QoOrMycXGWwIeusbTfrxrdtxcr6FAz0WjbDjALvZ1CUIIOtbBeN8Ko/s2048/IMG_8711.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBMm5OXpwSunrYsS2gQxIYRYauncBN9tcgbi-fiL1SvHeQz16WvZen42hLZSEmCr7CT-vTx4_o6BfUzajCIaN2-QoOrMycXGWwIeusbTfrxrdtxcr6FAz0WjbDjALvZ1CUIIOtbBeN8Ko/w640-h480/IMG_8711.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Near the Hatteras lighthouse there's a small graveyard for two British soldiers who were killed by a German U-Boat in World War II. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYF5rsxiSnovsa-wjq_NTOBW-x4KaN8bFY0_L4hRXB0jaWxm3e4_8c6lUDX2L4-ZO1WSdAtD-Ap_FDRoj_1wHpOxYI25xmWCa1zmFYZRpmqq8TP2jHwaIAqlEWo-LdQaf-s3OINp_riFc/s2048/IMG_8717.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYF5rsxiSnovsa-wjq_NTOBW-x4KaN8bFY0_L4hRXB0jaWxm3e4_8c6lUDX2L4-ZO1WSdAtD-Ap_FDRoj_1wHpOxYI25xmWCa1zmFYZRpmqq8TP2jHwaIAqlEWo-LdQaf-s3OINp_riFc/w640-h480/IMG_8717.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The last sunset! I have never thought of myself as a beach person - and, to be fair, I probably wouldn't be interested in going in the summer when other people are around and it's hot outside. It's an ideal way to spend a week of winter pandemic lockdown, though. We're going back in February. See you soon, little green house!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj63EziIrxSAE1XJ9ZffffcJ6yZ5lmXEBqLUlJIh045zoxH092OxsuaXvpo7hUmRYzq6aGKSXS1c0mk8JOwSrbADDytvLxFuDWhh8yaeykZPmnb-fim0G8hhkMYI20rpfi7IxgCF02BK8U/s2048/IMG_8718.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj63EziIrxSAE1XJ9ZffffcJ6yZ5lmXEBqLUlJIh045zoxH092OxsuaXvpo7hUmRYzq6aGKSXS1c0mk8JOwSrbADDytvLxFuDWhh8yaeykZPmnb-fim0G8hhkMYI20rpfi7IxgCF02BK8U/w640-h480/IMG_8718.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>mollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18177188094284970362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995168411490930884.post-27927778012201124092020-11-04T11:35:00.007-05:002020-11-04T11:37:01.269-05:00Pandemic Trip Report: Smoky Mountains National Park<p>We went to the mountains again in September, this time on the Tennessee side. We did have to stop on the way, but it turns out highway rest stops are not bad - you don't have to touch anything at all. I saw one unmasked teenager hanging out in the bathroom (WHY) but on the whole they were pretty sparsely populated and everyone there followed the rules.</p><p>It was raining when we arrived and the first day was misty and foggy. Those are some smoky mountains! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvVrZaQ04y-CwJ3a4l9bKL72f8eabwVjZssJNClJSh6iD5zlNxvCQz9_qL0Ku2Fy_E-51CIwRKZVxrbOnBfkuG0oi-wXF05pwXY5sOvEZnWKo-t8paQBNAJY_s_5l2IYlaWXO2oq5XKtM/s2048/IMG_8299.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvVrZaQ04y-CwJ3a4l9bKL72f8eabwVjZssJNClJSh6iD5zlNxvCQz9_qL0Ku2Fy_E-51CIwRKZVxrbOnBfkuG0oi-wXF05pwXY5sOvEZnWKo-t8paQBNAJY_s_5l2IYlaWXO2oq5XKtM/w640-h480/IMG_8299.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We decided to go after Becca told me she'd rented a cabin near Pigeon Forge. We had just gotten back from the mountains but could already tell we were going to need regular breaks from the house, so we decided to crash their family vacation. I found a cabin in the same neighborhood, and we all quarantined for two weeks beforehand so we could hang out. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEtsi0H8HJ20HoPO4SaUyms6rFyKIFJWUW7NqOveBUwuHq7Q7Qi1eiF-GyLJGNpJRt4UWxdaFFZxxDnB1B9nNO_jdbyW8W54l5YXJ3rasbPNtS5pBRf-kLORF6cjgKy9Y3LX11COsAdII/s2048/IMG_8300.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEtsi0H8HJ20HoPO4SaUyms6rFyKIFJWUW7NqOveBUwuHq7Q7Qi1eiF-GyLJGNpJRt4UWxdaFFZxxDnB1B9nNO_jdbyW8W54l5YXJ3rasbPNtS5pBRf-kLORF6cjgKy9Y3LX11COsAdII/w640-h480/IMG_8300.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This trip was the best thing about 2020, hands down. We would never have even thought to try to go on a Tennessee vacation with the Mathiesens if there weren't a pandemic, but I'm so, so glad we did, and I feel like we're going to make it more of a priority to see our friends in a post-pandemic world. I hope so, anyway. It was great to spend some time getting to know their kids, wandering around in nature, cooking dinner together and drinking wine on the deck every night.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We went for easy walks and hikes every day, a nice break from the grueling situations Ben gets me into when we're alone. We walked up this big ramp to Clingman's Dome, the highest point in the Smokies.</div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5v26spvWXFx1yMw4K1UZXKtJTMtT1mebkHotKmUTY_pfzyX1N57LeMi79okFl125D-PlK1vLyQt8NqyhiASfr8bD9BWIPSVVynb07amuCklcu_fV1OoLy7q9g5LeaUm9ZDDD6Wdc5-9w/s2048/IMG_8311.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5v26spvWXFx1yMw4K1UZXKtJTMtT1mebkHotKmUTY_pfzyX1N57LeMi79okFl125D-PlK1vLyQt8NqyhiASfr8bD9BWIPSVVynb07amuCklcu_fV1OoLy7q9g5LeaUm9ZDDD6Wdc5-9w/w640-h480/IMG_8311.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsdzC1xJ_cNB3uNKI3YOqhdP-5jgT9qPcYkAZ6sUkgiQhUhZXRM97zvSPKIo55uEDf47mNy0Vlf2mi-BL4oR0YOPs5Wp-5k0Atn6vCvzM3b-jpwCaoa7Aapb1tjPjl_t0bUESHmnkCHbE/s2048/IMG_8307.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsdzC1xJ_cNB3uNKI3YOqhdP-5jgT9qPcYkAZ6sUkgiQhUhZXRM97zvSPKIo55uEDf47mNy0Vlf2mi-BL4oR0YOPs5Wp-5k0Atn6vCvzM3b-jpwCaoa7Aapb1tjPjl_t0bUESHmnkCHbE/w640-h480/IMG_8307.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaq5vXIKrIY6m2QQLb5KXi_ttnJ6LhgwDSE4eCRH0AW8AnT8xvUJ6Vx8bhRdI__J1PgjOhoVI2cqdpV37_TQanenaYNh93IZxW6dc78txpeCOpATAkIqxiFCsFPjDHGrLqAHvXB_I3Ue8/s2048/IMG_8308.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaq5vXIKrIY6m2QQLb5KXi_ttnJ6LhgwDSE4eCRH0AW8AnT8xvUJ6Vx8bhRdI__J1PgjOhoVI2cqdpV37_TQanenaYNh93IZxW6dc78txpeCOpATAkIqxiFCsFPjDHGrLqAHvXB_I3Ue8/w640-h480/IMG_8308.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We also got to have our weekly Zoom call in person! The five of us have been meeting on Zoom every Saturday since March - certainly the most frequently we've ever been in touch since high school. It's usually the highlight of my week, and was awesome to be able to do it together in our St Joe SMARTS t-shirts.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_aBWlgMORcfhUvWf3TCV27Hj5nw1TroRI7UtR0sQ9DiQU7qecP1IVAnkYmbNp4I77JLE1WfgF5burprUmBBjIWbM_rZWbYpqNBbiI0y3DmBmnuAdVy3-6-sfsYyvzEgJhQfEDX6ADWM/s1466/Capture+%25281%2529.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="869" data-original-width="1466" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_aBWlgMORcfhUvWf3TCV27Hj5nw1TroRI7UtR0sQ9DiQU7qecP1IVAnkYmbNp4I77JLE1WfgF5burprUmBBjIWbM_rZWbYpqNBbiI0y3DmBmnuAdVy3-6-sfsYyvzEgJhQfEDX6ADWM/w640-h380/Capture+%25281%2529.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggioMz8-qp8D3-53clYBG3wxKtkvUtVk1U88T4CoBuI0VLhreLH5rQZ3TUl_7bfUcsgWn1HPPvBc9iVEyBkCKF5mqgp4-2M2evx6U0vts3tzoBCuw9jUSs_jhucTO3qlrTldIVHkvHyP8/s2048/IMG_8332.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggioMz8-qp8D3-53clYBG3wxKtkvUtVk1U88T4CoBuI0VLhreLH5rQZ3TUl_7bfUcsgWn1HPPvBc9iVEyBkCKF5mqgp4-2M2evx6U0vts3tzoBCuw9jUSs_jhucTO3qlrTldIVHkvHyP8/w640-h480/IMG_8332.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The Smokies are beautiful, of course, and the easy pace meant we got to really appreciate it rather than getting sweaty and tired (can you tell I don't love hiking). </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZDOZc2DMA6RW37DeCOkih_7mbM4u7XMHdvbQYlld7h06L0BCjZdNtcO9J-rEoYUvVAEfKSjrk5hQW-JTx0e9gvhugGhtSar55GtLFE7Q4GG41ap3C0ofIewedc-vWMmKP8_VWb5GEfi0/s2046/IMG_8336.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2046" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZDOZc2DMA6RW37DeCOkih_7mbM4u7XMHdvbQYlld7h06L0BCjZdNtcO9J-rEoYUvVAEfKSjrk5hQW-JTx0e9gvhugGhtSar55GtLFE7Q4GG41ap3C0ofIewedc-vWMmKP8_VWb5GEfi0/w640-h480/IMG_8336.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We also went into a little general store and got some fried pies and ice cream. This was the first grocery store I'd been in since March. I didn't love it but the patrons were all masked up, kind of surprising for Trump country.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6amS9o8LjYpjHXOG4dmtmA9W99wMn_bx3JQM_Vj3KlbkH-GnAAParlp-NbRKzTeyMWSTcj9wb1M0QdsGoPyW-DYwnkAlokpiv2iDaF6uJKMr3dI9GLFQ9JWgT2ciTmvsi310LgVthJJ8/s2048/IMG_8360.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6amS9o8LjYpjHXOG4dmtmA9W99wMn_bx3JQM_Vj3KlbkH-GnAAParlp-NbRKzTeyMWSTcj9wb1M0QdsGoPyW-DYwnkAlokpiv2iDaF6uJKMr3dI9GLFQ9JWgT2ciTmvsi310LgVthJJ8/w480-h640/IMG_8360.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We didn't see many people on some of the hikes but this one on the last day was pretty populated. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeMShqnsFZ-FtXPpQADu8iMxoEDrx_p9Fcd1W04_j9nxmC7lgnrM6dNqkDcaCqVT9AxEK0eaOgsgwqNB0lkesZjWOYKpsj9K2ateDkT2llWQOTrUZYzx7u2eB_d8xEI85W4F_HXoppqLI/s2046/IMG_8363.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2046" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeMShqnsFZ-FtXPpQADu8iMxoEDrx_p9Fcd1W04_j9nxmC7lgnrM6dNqkDcaCqVT9AxEK0eaOgsgwqNB0lkesZjWOYKpsj9K2ateDkT2llWQOTrUZYzx7u2eB_d8xEI85W4F_HXoppqLI/w640-h480/IMG_8363.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We got to walk behind a waterfall!</div></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirV3-eKM3rmTg7EYOabLH_5-P2vas7LbB-shwT1Xf5rsBMfVHo3q8n76oiexHDCbh40g23MBywg_1F3yBR0zEbW6bl_rKoSM3vaT6Mgl1LDxIf5WwMYtxBKNRkPWUZ-p7B7NbsRwZ4FLw/s2048/IMG_8365.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirV3-eKM3rmTg7EYOabLH_5-P2vas7LbB-shwT1Xf5rsBMfVHo3q8n76oiexHDCbh40g23MBywg_1F3yBR0zEbW6bl_rKoSM3vaT6Mgl1LDxIf5WwMYtxBKNRkPWUZ-p7B7NbsRwZ4FLw/w480-h640/IMG_8365.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This was the scariest place, some kind of roadside attraction with goats. We got out to see the goats, but overall it felt quite bad with lots of red staters wandering without masks. All those flags say TRUMP on them, if you can't tell - a curious situation we're in, where retailers decorate their establishments with presidential propaganda that ends up feeling threatening somehow. We did not stay here long.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0ObH9Btew5TqefzOfg5Yt_wwZfcTwoHgYDOJK3Vy8DlBc8PB8SGivEyWOK28JiJBJ0gOqM-_nvBw-X7NSnRwGSpnM-eJ2z5tGb3DP3Pa5hs6zenqN1QJp85fXW7EXKImSbcxbvGWRv4/s2048/IMG_8370.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0ObH9Btew5TqefzOfg5Yt_wwZfcTwoHgYDOJK3Vy8DlBc8PB8SGivEyWOK28JiJBJ0gOqM-_nvBw-X7NSnRwGSpnM-eJ2z5tGb3DP3Pa5hs6zenqN1QJp85fXW7EXKImSbcxbvGWRv4/w480-h640/IMG_8370.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Overall, it was an awesome five days. Hard to believe it's been 25 years since the three of us graduated from Central High in St Joe, MO.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDlgcwof5OKK8hEYgvn0l2Hdx78x7F5XVk8D2OZ3QWLIZ1cwIvePvcTnwnHZFcci0j6fncW1024Y7WWO5T6MDMx7VBuu3yw6NBIiw1vaSAbad6Ft1eYhVaS-b8Sxveq0NSOrNHKh5jLpQ/s2048/IMG_8372.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDlgcwof5OKK8hEYgvn0l2Hdx78x7F5XVk8D2OZ3QWLIZ1cwIvePvcTnwnHZFcci0j6fncW1024Y7WWO5T6MDMx7VBuu3yw6NBIiw1vaSAbad6Ft1eYhVaS-b8Sxveq0NSOrNHKh5jLpQ/w640-h480/IMG_8372.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p></div>mollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18177188094284970362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995168411490930884.post-50792727934185737882020-10-21T15:46:00.004-04:002020-10-21T15:46:41.938-04:00Pandemic Trip Report: Little Switzerland, NC<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This year I was supposed to go to France with my mom in May, then Denver with my SMARTS girls in June, then Indianapolis for the DCI Championships with my mom and sister and niece, then the Swiss Alps with Ben in September. Instead, I stayed in my house. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We went out to dinner on Thursday, March 12, and I went to work on the 13th. After that, for many months we barely left home at all. Seven months into this pandemic, we're now seeing friends outside once in a while, I've been to the office maybe six times for an hour or two, I go to Target once a month to pick up a prescription they won't deliver. Generally, though, we are at home, and day to day don't find it difficult. We have jobs that are well-suited to working from home and have come up with plenty of ways to entertain ourselves. I've been teaching myself to play the guitar, learning Christmas carols on the piano, getting super into The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, trying not to check political twitter and FiveThirtyEight every twenty minutes, et cetera. Ben is learning calculus and studying electronic circuits, weeding our half-acre yard by hand, and constantly trying to come up with new things he can take apart and put back together inside his car.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But even happy introverts start to go crazy after four months of staring at the same set of walls - especially once it got too hot to spend any significant time outdoors. In July we decided to risk contamination and rented a cabin in Little Switzerland, North Carolina. Little Switzerland is midway between Boone and Asheville off the Blue Ridge Trail, a little over three hours from home. We made it the whole way without stopping and met the cabin owner at the post office so we could follow him to the cabin.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">LOOK HERE WE ARE IN A NEW PLACE.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLDOqpkAhGSn1h8akDUarEeZOVAB9O80t0LlaQ3LkPL6Tyw6TZmI1Zuya4iikkGxlmSpbr3M-ywLZAiVGno7jUnJH6_jQ3DaROAVIEd1-vNh2ULDmx_6_10a4YWfOqkJsiC2zz7k0NUE/s2048/IMG_7901.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLDOqpkAhGSn1h8akDUarEeZOVAB9O80t0LlaQ3LkPL6Tyw6TZmI1Zuya4iikkGxlmSpbr3M-ywLZAiVGno7jUnJH6_jQ3DaROAVIEd1-vNh2ULDmx_6_10a4YWfOqkJsiC2zz7k0NUE/w480-h640/IMG_7901.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is the small "downtown" area of Little Switzerland. Naturally we did not get to see what's inside of any of those buildings but I'm sure it's nice. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi95N_JZmmpcPFE2keZ4g_BHcNPe8nV6Um-zqWoy5zYJvUoFs0WLpshviigpOwXTO7mG0jhCAwl-9xNMpXY9U7euyfqz7MN34GQ26OhhvNTvvSFUeDsBJxCE0VZhFQrrLn5sv5R-rkbgkk/s2048/IMG_7902.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi95N_JZmmpcPFE2keZ4g_BHcNPe8nV6Um-zqWoy5zYJvUoFs0WLpshviigpOwXTO7mG0jhCAwl-9xNMpXY9U7euyfqz7MN34GQ26OhhvNTvvSFUeDsBJxCE0VZhFQrrLn5sv5R-rkbgkk/w640-h480/IMG_7902.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The cabin was small, just one bedroom, but perfect for us. We brought all our own food so we wouldn't have to go anywhere.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ABQ8XFYEwPJDMD1Rosm5yNuZAn3xYYo0vhG4CubokgwsbWRJpdIjuHdFaQYzEWZp25Yhasjoa_3LuQp9bLiaABdlmSPmtKoYhulbLacoO0sAvexDUDRRgozmITERnSJncOLXgG79uto/s2048/IMG_7905.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ABQ8XFYEwPJDMD1Rosm5yNuZAn3xYYo0vhG4CubokgwsbWRJpdIjuHdFaQYzEWZp25Yhasjoa_3LuQp9bLiaABdlmSPmtKoYhulbLacoO0sAvexDUDRRgozmITERnSJncOLXgG79uto/w640-h480/IMG_7905.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This was the star of the show, though: the view from the deck. Fifteen minutes after arriving, sitting on that deck in 65 degree weather, I realized the whole thing had already been worth it even if we never did anything else the rest of the week.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuBfrHX0nKN93Pnx0XUoQV6Syd03BSaMVuCvhI06OErDxTCs4fPVfbFz_iPfdyT0-fj4Dpc_iwQrYge1-M73Q52ZG4UMQK4vo6iLvvDKOvUjaNfsxSO6HD_QowvOEuT1Jhj0zsg8WQZs0/s2048/IMG_7906.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuBfrHX0nKN93Pnx0XUoQV6Syd03BSaMVuCvhI06OErDxTCs4fPVfbFz_iPfdyT0-fj4Dpc_iwQrYge1-M73Q52ZG4UMQK4vo6iLvvDKOvUjaNfsxSO6HD_QowvOEuT1Jhj0zsg8WQZs0/w640-h480/IMG_7906.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAvSPgH78bCTKjXa7x00gXIY9RdyeSyCWi5O3G9J2MIBS5tb6pF6lMigHVUCRM_icJ8Czw1HOF5HDGuqHAW1XEh9L5TXlUDhqZ7nyWhcVJ3dJYNWu2MVfwzTen-hmUIgt0C3jEIYXz3OY/s2048/IMG_7909.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAvSPgH78bCTKjXa7x00gXIY9RdyeSyCWi5O3G9J2MIBS5tb6pF6lMigHVUCRM_icJ8Czw1HOF5HDGuqHAW1XEh9L5TXlUDhqZ7nyWhcVJ3dJYNWu2MVfwzTen-hmUIgt0C3jEIYXz3OY/w640-h480/IMG_7909.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our only activities were daily hikes. This was Crabtree Falls, only 20 minutes or so from the cabin.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAtD9CcBS_Pyfwp72GsGca_YRzCDlrV2ficiSQSdszBC1wR_IJgA2JgMI_wQ69QJ5wiFmY_Yuhn5XkMpcv6dc8ytXw-OOtv8A2FxN3X0p3TTXw6wkfGe0GfK3XIoMZjhD0T4X8OnuZVd0/s2048/IMG_7916.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAtD9CcBS_Pyfwp72GsGca_YRzCDlrV2ficiSQSdszBC1wR_IJgA2JgMI_wQ69QJ5wiFmY_Yuhn5XkMpcv6dc8ytXw-OOtv8A2FxN3X0p3TTXw6wkfGe0GfK3XIoMZjhD0T4X8OnuZVd0/w480-h640/IMG_7916.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix-Y92mDKRV_RakMEbb7h-weuqvqLRI6B1yGGrO8uYkyqWv_QKq1_kusOYUfH0cr505iBiVRhvIeSsJkZkKhtglVLIi5PC4xcRT85KeWPOd-FRA7JohgKEHGfnh3APgzADOm3JbGKxtss/s2048/IMG_7954.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix-Y92mDKRV_RakMEbb7h-weuqvqLRI6B1yGGrO8uYkyqWv_QKq1_kusOYUfH0cr505iBiVRhvIeSsJkZkKhtglVLIi5PC4xcRT85KeWPOd-FRA7JohgKEHGfnh3APgzADOm3JbGKxtss/w480-h640/IMG_7954.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We also drove to the top of Mount Mitchell, the highest point on the East Coast, and did a trail along the ridge that claimed to not have much overall elevation gain, but after starting we realized this is because it constantly goes up and down and back up. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwqIH73THGpZoNoPp52ehjhVq2Xp29Gs5aCJmuITjkBTTHL48ABY2A5IPvtmQ1JELzQx93N9EJD0WykGrrioNYkU-8wlYul-hSKD81i6a3GqIx_-BOKBxB1suybu3Gx47HcbjLR3ex9SA/s2048/IMG_7947.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwqIH73THGpZoNoPp52ehjhVq2Xp29Gs5aCJmuITjkBTTHL48ABY2A5IPvtmQ1JELzQx93N9EJD0WykGrrioNYkU-8wlYul-hSKD81i6a3GqIx_-BOKBxB1suybu3Gx47HcbjLR3ex9SA/w640-h480/IMG_7947.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I hung in there for a couple hours but you know, once it gets to the point of hauling yourself around on ropes I'm pretty much done. I turned back and Ben went on to the next peak and then turned around. He ended up hiking about 3 miles further than I did but made it back to the car only 1/2 hour after me, which feels confusing.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeo7fgZFScpoF-KHZr-b8Y3E7Hi6JCUD9Go4tQWzHd_XkEDacU2MxPn4AbpkzrwlzSD79JRJMSMopV7SW4QeX-_DXnv_SaJf016jk3ZwW-i4mHRyKJfwzHPyjn3xfeAL2DEI75BoOVBk0/s2048/IMG_7944.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeo7fgZFScpoF-KHZr-b8Y3E7Hi6JCUD9Go4tQWzHd_XkEDacU2MxPn4AbpkzrwlzSD79JRJMSMopV7SW4QeX-_DXnv_SaJf016jk3ZwW-i4mHRyKJfwzHPyjn3xfeAL2DEI75BoOVBk0/w480-h640/IMG_7944.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibXXOw_k3fp5OSsVjK2iXc6uUXKE4VpKyghJE42WChE1sv0dsQyqEwxK-4ti2-b45mLpES09N4JqoyhVw4970kqdF9TV5InK2fVhgcP_H3kurYJgIxNOzmvQaoLHwn-KtoqNEAgjo3uP8/s2048/IMG_7936.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibXXOw_k3fp5OSsVjK2iXc6uUXKE4VpKyghJE42WChE1sv0dsQyqEwxK-4ti2-b45mLpES09N4JqoyhVw4970kqdF9TV5InK2fVhgcP_H3kurYJgIxNOzmvQaoLHwn-KtoqNEAgjo3uP8/w640-h480/IMG_7936.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheLIXl6AK99PilcMTCXX_ADf_S63QGfzDg9Lm5p-CSaXewmjnlQEloqg9xlBIdhUOFrhAH5R0L7zsbo1QkbUNrGDjvEAZtC_S23YnOUOOqOrAz5rncXTSlQP32HlppqxhDsjiVYP0MHmA/s2048/IMG_7933.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheLIXl6AK99PilcMTCXX_ADf_S63QGfzDg9Lm5p-CSaXewmjnlQEloqg9xlBIdhUOFrhAH5R0L7zsbo1QkbUNrGDjvEAZtC_S23YnOUOOqOrAz5rncXTSlQP32HlppqxhDsjiVYP0MHmA/w640-h480/IMG_7933.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">After this day on Mount Mitchell, my legs hurt so much we had to take a day off and hang around the cabin. The trip was perfect, exactly what we needed. Perfect weather, quiet, beautiful, lots of good exercise.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And then a half hour into the drive home, my transmission exploded. We barely made it to the top of an exit ramp, engine smoking. We were 200 miles from home and had cancelled AAA years ago. My car came with roadside assistance, but when I called they said my membership had expired. Nobody told me it was going to expire! They could still help me out, but not for free. They wanted to tow the car to the nearest Audi dealership in Asheville, but that was in exactly the wrong direction. Who knows how long we'd get stuck there depending on what was wrong with the car? Staying in a hotel and trying to figure out how to get food during a pandemic did not sound like what we wanted to be doing. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I started calling around trying to find someone to tow it to Raleigh. Nada. The local towing companies were really apologetic about not being able to help, particularly because that exit is a renowned car theft hotspot and under no circumstances should we leave the car unattended there for even thirty minutes. Around the time someone was telling me this on the phone, Ben found a used syringe lying on the ground. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I called AudiCare back and told them to arrange a tow to Raleigh for the sweet price of $800. All this took a couple of hours and it was ninety degrees. It felt like a relief at that point to have something arranged even though it was an obscene amount of money to just get the car to someone who could tell us what was wrong with it. Then I got a text from the tow company, confirming the arrangements, and helpfully pointing out that because of COVID we would not be able to ride with the driver and would need to make private transportation arrangements. Oh, sure. That sounds easy.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I found a local-ish cab company. They could have someone take us to Raleigh for $400. She suggested calling an Enterprise Rental Car location not too far away, but they didn't have any cars. "We might have one this afternoon." Not helpful, guy! I called the cab company back and told them to send someone. Then I thought, "I wonder what Todd & Elise are doing today?" It turns out they were doing nothing, and our amazing friends got in the car to drive 200 miles and pick us up. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcqkBzUjFOtdx97nrUT-unQhnnE4tjLIKVsp8AptIZCMZkM5RvNZSgxbQQ2ij3Wt7CLtUny70azGdWnSin4IvM5GMEXweXyDXvbRCErRJw_xbVUyv_h1QYw_qvOkEEPRknQN7ze0iAu3Q/s2048/IMG_7968.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcqkBzUjFOtdx97nrUT-unQhnnE4tjLIKVsp8AptIZCMZkM5RvNZSgxbQQ2ij3Wt7CLtUny70azGdWnSin4IvM5GMEXweXyDXvbRCErRJw_xbVUyv_h1QYw_qvOkEEPRknQN7ze0iAu3Q/w640-h480/IMG_7968.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The tow truck guy arrived and took the car, leaving us on the side of the road waiting for a cab that was going to take us to a nearby truck stop. During this period of the day, many people stopped to make sure we were all right. One woman tried to give us cash ("it's not much, but maybe it can help") and a pamphlet about Jesus. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZPzrvMeCDl3dMA0sEi8enadJBjoKK61e8euHxkTRT6U2ldohu9cM4FQ2Bkn0lgUHqQ3GPhEPzfhpdjfk9p9DKPEhgM5WCG8_4mR_uTv-GkKCwo5yOuKIZq_gFlcpYs179VB9CcdMU_4/s2048/IMG_7970.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZPzrvMeCDl3dMA0sEi8enadJBjoKK61e8euHxkTRT6U2ldohu9cM4FQ2Bkn0lgUHqQ3GPhEPzfhpdjfk9p9DKPEhgM5WCG8_4mR_uTv-GkKCwo5yOuKIZq_gFlcpYs179VB9CcdMU_4/w640-h480/IMG_7970.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Finally we made it to the truck stop. After four months of never going anywhere but our own home, we had to sit inside a truck stop Subway for two and a half hours. It was surreal. I'd say about 40% of the patrons were masked up, which frankly felt better than I'd expect from rural North Carolina. Fortunately it was a big space, and we had a corner all to ourselves away from everyone else. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkZQdGJYuptlheH-RlIbi7oxTwaCS3d8WiZiQA6VwUoONv7JI45DEkslHhMf_onPVO_vszDarG54gBLSch6BOb8zUJlIQ74cBv9fycNqHYzjS0DoYIoNu-tcTIbfAGGsGCGc4Nr3nKm-g/s2048/IMG_7972.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkZQdGJYuptlheH-RlIbi7oxTwaCS3d8WiZiQA6VwUoONv7JI45DEkslHhMf_onPVO_vszDarG54gBLSch6BOb8zUJlIQ74cBv9fycNqHYzjS0DoYIoNu-tcTIbfAGGsGCGc4Nr3nKm-g/w640-h480/IMG_7972.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I don't know if I've ever been happier to see anyone than when Elise walked through the door. Then of course we all rode in their car without masks for three hours, but frankly it felt like if we were going to get COVID from this experience we'd already have gotten it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Before we were even home, the dealership called and told me some kind of road debris had cracked the foundation housing and caused it to explode. The transmission itself was by some miracle not damaged, and I had the car back within a couple of days and everything was fine.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">VACATION!</div><p></p>mollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18177188094284970362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995168411490930884.post-47308336925400865622019-10-22T13:47:00.003-04:002019-10-22T13:47:33.251-04:00Japan, Day Twelve: Back to Tokyo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We set out early from Nara headed back to Tokyo. The bullet train runs right past Mt Fuji - fortunately it was a clear day so we got to see it this time!</div>
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We dropped our bags at our hotel, near Tokyo Station this time as we were only there for one night before heading to the airport. I'd hoped to get to Tokyo in time to go back to the fish market for lunch but the guy at the hotel said it was closed already. I'm not completely sure he understood the question but it seemed like a long way to walk if we weren't sure.<br />
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Someone in my company's Tokyo office had emailed me the day before asking to FedEx me a document for signature. I told him I was in Japan and would just pop in and get it. He wrote back,<br />
"Dear Molly-san,<br />
Surprising!"<br />
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The office was around 20 minutes walk. We stopped for curry noodles on the way.<br />
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Look! I have FedExed so many things to this place.<br />
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This turned out to be a lot of fun. I knew the Asia CEO already and was anxious to meet his assistant, since I talk to her all the time. They were also excited to meet Ben, so we all sat in a conference room and talked about our trip and they told us things about Japan's history and how they celebrate Halloween and all sorts of other stuff.<br />
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After this, we dropped the documents at the hotel and walked over to the Imperial Palace, but it was closed. We really should do a better job of checking this stuff out before walking halfway across Tokyo.<br />
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Oh, did you want to see some more details about the toilets!? This is the standard setup. Only the very most basic places didn't have at least these options.<br />
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We hadn't yet been over to Shibuya, a busy entertainment and shopping area and "a center for youth culture," as the guidebooks say.<br />
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We didn't have much of a plan so we walked around aimlessly for a while, trying to find some good Japanese sneakers to buy (nevermind that the absolute last thing either of us need is more sneakers), when I remembered about cat cafes. There was one only a few blocks away! On the way to the cat cafe, we passed the "love hotel" district, where you can rent hotels by the hour during the day.<br />
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The cat cafe was much classier than I expected. Almost all the cats were long-haired, with gorgeously cared for coats. You could tell they spend a lot of time taking care of these guys.<br />
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The cats were neither friendly or unfriendly. They did not care about us.<br />
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That's why the cafe sells you treats to feed them. When they realized we had chicken lollipops, they all wanted to be our friends.<br />
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Look at this little weirdo's ears!<br />
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So much fluff.<br />
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The cafe was on the 8th & 9th floor.<br />
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This was a really interesting experience not in the least because it made us realize our cats do, in fact, love us. Or at least like us. These cats completely ignored all the patrons, but when this girl came upstairs to clip claws and groom, this fluffy guy jumped right into her lap.<br />
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After she left he completely ignored us. He's pretty though.<br />
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Shibuya is great. This was like the neighborhood in Osaka times twenty.<br />
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Lee is a quite popular brand in Japan.<br />
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Shibuya Crossing is a famous Tokyo intersection where thousands of people cross at once. There were many tourists taking video - my coworker Endo-san had said to us earlier in the day regarding Shibuya, "We see the people taking pictures and don't know what they're looking at." It's truly amazing, though, all those thousands of people crossing at once in perfect order. In New York this would be insane chaos.<br />
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For dinner - our last dinner in Japan - we went to another conveyor belt sushi place. At this one you don't even have to talk to anyone. You can take from the conveyor belt or order from a tablet and have your items delivered to you via bullet train.<br />
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Goodbye, sushi!<br />
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Japan exceeded all expectations. I've never wanted to go home less than I did at the end of this trip. Despite its fundamental foreignness, it was easier to get around and felt safer than anyplace I've ever been. Across the board, the people were so nice and helpful while also being polite and reserved. Nobody was ever annoying! And all the food is amazing. Everyone should go to Japan!mollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18177188094284970362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995168411490930884.post-78128699285060353592019-10-22T12:27:00.000-04:002019-10-22T12:27:07.435-04:00Japan, Day Eleven: Koyasan to Nara<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In Koyasan's Buddhist lodgings, guests are invited to participate in the morning ceremonies starting at 6:00 am. First we went into the main temple building where there was much chanting and drumming. We were invited to come up to the front individually as well and offer some ashes but I'm not exactly sure what it was all about.</div>
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Next we went to a second temple area for the fire ceremony. Here we were invited to write our wishes or blessings on wooden sticks and then burn them in the fire (accompanied by more chanting and drumming). We didn't burn anything up. We did have a good seat, though.<br />
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After this we had another meal prepared by the monks. It was the same idea as in Magome, deconstructed sushi rolls with little pieces of seaweed, but everything was vegan.<br />
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After breakfast we headed back down the mountain to Nara, Japan's first permanent capital city (from the 700s). Our hotel was across from the main train station. Staying near train stations is the best overall decision I made in planning this trip - it made everything so easy. In Europe train stations are often not in great neighborhoods but we didn't find that to be the case in Japan.<br />
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While we were in Kyoto I discovered somehow that most hotels in Japan will forward your luggage to your next hotel for a small fee. We had our suitcases delivered directly from Kyoto to Nara, so we didn't have to drag everything up to Koyasan. It was terrific! They were waiting for us in our room when we checked in.<br />
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We picked a random ramen restaurant for lunch.<br />
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The Google Translate app was often a life-saver, but only sporadically. Sometimes it was puzzling.<br />
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Mmmm, ramen.<br />
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Then we set out to walk down the main street to Nara Park, where most of the big sights are located.<br />
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Here's some more complicated toilet instructions.<br />
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One of the things Nara is famous for is its herd of tame deer. They were everywhere, and they couldn't have cared less about people swarming around, likely because tourists feed them. We didn't, though. Only pets.<br />
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Look at this little guy! What's he doing?<br />
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They're pretty aggressive toward people who have food! Just like Doki.<br />
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It had started to rain.<br />
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The other big sight in Nara is the Great Buddha, slightly bigger than the one at Kamakura, which sits inside the largest wooden building in the world. We had seen many, many temples by this point, most of which were huge and old and beautiful, but both of us audibly gasped as we came around the corner and saw this one. There has been a temple here since 752. This one was built in the 1690s.<br />
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The Buddha was, you know, big.<br />
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It was really raining hard by this point. We had an umbrella but had left it in the hotel, so we bought one for ~$4.<br />
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As we walked back to the hotel the rain let up a bit. We saw some deer hanging out by an office building.<br />
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We'd been seeing these melonpan shops for a few days and wanted to try it. Melonpan is a sweet bread that's crusty on the outside and soft on the inside.<br />
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This place served it with ICE CREAM. This is the only gluttonous dessert we had the entire time in Japan. It's hard to eat poorly there.<br />
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!!!<br />
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For dinner, we headed over to the main street and picked the first place that looked acceptable from the outside. They gave us a cozy little table and some menus, which had no English on them whatsoever.<br />
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The google translate app was not very helpful, either. We did manage to piece together that this was more or less a Japanese tapas restaurant, with lots of different small plates. We ended up pointing at some of the pictured items, and then picking some other ones that seemed like they'd be good. Everything was great - this was one of the best meals in Japan.<br />
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Tempura:<br />
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Wagyu beef:<br />
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This was three types of yakitori but we ate one of them before the picture.<br />
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Some kind of sushi roll made with rice paper.<br />
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And steamed dumplings. Thumbs up to this place, whatever it's called!<br />
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Our hotel in Nara didn't allow shoes inside, and considerately provided lockers just off the reception area so you could lock your shoes up.<br />
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We bought a lot of candy in Japan. Every time we were at a store buying anything else, I always picked up a bunch of candy too. By this point we had quite a selection.<br />
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<br />mollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18177188094284970362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995168411490930884.post-70340141989966378702019-10-21T15:55:00.003-04:002019-10-21T15:55:52.462-04:00Japan, Day Ten: Koyasan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In the morning we left Kyoto for the mountain town of Koyasan, the journey to which required three trains, a cable car, and a bus. There aren't many connections, either, so I was kind of stressed figuring this all out. Because it's Japan, though, everything went off without a hitch and we reached Koyasan by mid-day. </div>
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All the lodgings in Koyasan are Buddhist temples. We stayed at <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g1121341-d1878151-Reviews-Mt_Koya_Kumagaiji-Koya_cho_Ito_gun_Wakayama_Prefecture_Kinki.html">Kumagaiji</a>, founded around eight hundred years ago.</div>
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A monk met us upon arrival and took us straight to our room even though it was early in the day. He gave us tea and a snack, and went over the policies of the monastery, including meal times and the early morning ceremonies to which we were invited. Like the guest houses in Magome, the walls are thin here - our room even had an open window into the hallway, with only a sliding paper door to close - but it was always dead silent. People can be really considerate when society pressures them into it.<br />
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Our room looked out onto the garden.<br />
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The main street of town is lined with many other monasteries - it was a bit bigger overall than I expected.<br />
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It was also blessedly cool, in the upper 60s. After three days in the swamp of Kyoto this felt <i>amazing</i>.<br />
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We found a place for lunch and ate all this stuff.<br />
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We had no real plan for what to do here, so we set out to walk toward something called "Koyasan Forest Park."<br />
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We came across a deserted, mostly empty cemetery about halfway through the walk.<br />
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This was an extremely beautiful setting, ringed on all sides by forest. A little eerie, though, with all the empty space between graves.<br />
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We never did find the Forest Park, but we kept walking (past all these signs that google translate told us meant "do not enter," but we figured that was intended for cars).<br />
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Before the cemetery, the road was mostly through town, but soon afterward it became a narrow path through absolutely enormous trees.<br />
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I haven't seen trees like this since Sequoia National Park.<br />
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As it turned out, the road we were on spilled out into Okunoin Cemetery, Koyasan's most famous site.<br />
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Okunoin is an ancient Buddhist cemetery that goes on for more than 2 kilometers, with 200,000 moss-covered stone monuments. On and on through the forest.<br />
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Many of the statues are wearing clothes - we found out later this is a specific deity dedicated to lost children. <br />
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This is the largest monument in the cemetery.<br />
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I don't know if there's any other place like this in the world, but I know I've never seen anything like it. Silent and majestic and beautiful.<br />
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All the monasteries cook you a traditional (vegan) Buddhist dinner, so we ate (promptly at 5:30pm!) and then headed back out to the cemetery to see it at night.<br />
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All the slippers were always perfectly lined up for us to wear to our rooms!</div>
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mollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18177188094284970362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995168411490930884.post-75587093668315108312019-10-21T15:27:00.000-04:002019-10-21T15:32:20.410-04:00Japan, Day Nine: Kyoto<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Even in Japan, you cannot escape Breast Cancer Awareness Month.</div>
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We had another day in Kyoto and had only seen a tiny fraction of the temples so we decided to walk the Philosopher's Path, a 2 km trail that connects two of the city's most famous, Nanzen-ji and Ginkaku-ji.<br />
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This was maybe the hottest day yet. Perfect for a nice leisurely stroll outside.<br />
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There was a young couple having what I presume were engagement photos taken in the gardens.<br />
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This is the gate to the Nanzen-ji grounds. You can pay a few yen to walk up some stairs to the top but man, it was hot. Sitting in the shade sounded nicer.<br />
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There's a very old aqueduct behind the temple, with a sign explaining that yes, they've noticed the visible crack but not to worry, engineers have checked it out and they don't think it's going to collapse or anything.<br />
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Nothing here warned against pictures so I took a few. Most of traditional Japanese living spaces looked like this, in all the places we visited. We learned they have little alcoves (on the left) for art even in modern Japanese homes today.<br />
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The philosopher's path runs along a canal through mostly a residential area. It was a nice walk, with lots of air conditioned shops and cafes along the way. I bought some jewelry and we got some traditional patterned Japanese paper goods in one of the shops - we always do this, buying prints and art on vacation, and then stress ourselves out trying to keep them unruined until we get home. So far we've always been successful - we took some of the paper to the framing shop on Sunday to make a big piece for our living room.<br />
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We ran across another cat who didn't care about us.<br />
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At the end of the path is a heavily touristed hill up to Ginkaku-ji, the Silver Pavilion.<br />
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There seems to be some discussion on why it's called the Silver Pavilion - maybe because it's the second best after the gold one, or maybe because it looked silver in the moonlight, or maybe it used to be partially covered with silver material. It looked the same as all the other ones, though.<br />
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At Ginkaku-ji there's a rock garden featuring a depiction of Mt Fuji.<br />
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Up, up, up.<br />
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This was a beautiful view of Kyoto, the best we'd seen.<br />
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We walked down the hill and stopped for ice cream - matcha and black sesame - then took the bus back to Nishiki Market for some shopping.<br />
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As an aside, nearly every public toilet across Japan provides some sort of instructions. Here's an example.<br />
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I noticed this area inside Nishiki Market which turned out to be an actual temple. Inside a covered pedestrian shopping mall.<br />
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We bought another print for the house inside a tiny shop run by an elderly man, and then headed back out to get on the bus again. This girl was waiting there for the bus. She had a lot going on.<br />
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For dinner we went to <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g298564-d11779206-Reviews-Teppanyaki_of_aged_Kobe_beef_Premium_Pound_Sanjo_Kiyamachi-Kyoto_Kyoto_Prefectur.html">Premium Pound</a> for Kobe beef. Making restaurant reservations in Japan is not easy - I tried to do this online and didn't succeed. I finally found a restaurant concierge service to call who can book it for you but their English was spotty, and when we arrived at the restaurant at the scheduled time it turned out they'd booked us at a different location about twenty minutes away. Fortunately, the guy was really nice and let us stay, and called the other restaurant to let them know about the mix-up.<br />
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This is a really small restaurant, maybe 20 seats. All the food was cooked in front of us. You can choose several different multi-course options and of course we went with the best one - the premium Kobe - because, I mean, how often am I going to be in Kyoto at a Kobe beef steakhouse?<br />
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Every course was impeccable.<br />
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We put on our provided bibs because the couple across the way had done so.<br />
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I don't know why, it wasn't a messy meal - but the people next us didn't put theirs on right away, and were promptly instructed to by the server.<br />
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This is Kobe "sashimi" with caviar and unagi.<br />
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A little salad - this was one of only two salads served to us the entire trip, and the other one was at breakfast in Magome. Not so much of a thing there.<br />
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Perfectly seared scallops with truffles.<br />
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The beef! Waiting to be cooked.<br />
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A dumpling is steaming under this item.<br />
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Here it is! With ginger I think.<br />
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Gratin course:<br />
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And the beef. I was so excited I started eating mine before I remembered to take a picture of the main event. It was so, so good. I'm not really a beef person, but I will vouch for the amazingness of this beef. With little crispy fried garlic slices!<br />
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The rice course is always last.<br />
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And then dessert - matcha custard, black sesame ice cream, and a little cake with berry jam.<br />
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The service and atmosphere in the restaurant were absolutely perfect. The manager even walked with us to the door and came outside to chat a bit before we left.<br />
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We walked for a bit to Ponto-cho Alley, lined with bars and restaurants, and intended to go over to Gion to see it at night, but it was starting to rain.<br />
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We ended up deciding to call it at night, but then had quite a time figuring out how to get home. We had to take a non-subway train first to connect to the subway, and the first train line was the only one we ever ran across with absolutely no English instructions on the ticket machines. We asked someone some questions and eventually figured it out after much confusion. There was an equally confused American couple also trying to buy tickets at the same time, and on the way home we ended up seeing them two other times wandering around in other stations trying to figure out what to do. FOREIGNERS.<br />
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The train, once we managed to find it, had a cool 1970s vibe. Purple velour!<br />
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<br />mollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18177188094284970362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995168411490930884.post-39871408168835573022019-10-18T09:42:00.000-04:002019-10-19T17:59:22.222-04:00Japan, Day Eight: Kyoto & Osaka<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In the morning we went first thing to the famous Fushimi Inari shrine. Not early enough, though - it was already packed. This was the most crowded place we went on the entire trip.</div>
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This shrine is dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. He's a fox.<br />
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It's most famous for thousand of these orange gates winding around up the mountainside. This means, of course, that everyone has to go up this one path. And that people want to stop for selfies in there and make everything even worse.<br />
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There were places it opened up, though. So many of these orange gates. These are donated by both individuals and corporations - the cost starts around $4,000 and goes up to over $100,000.<br />
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As we got higher on the mountain, it became much less crowded.<br />
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Here's Ben being annoyed at me for something (probably for taking his picture).<br />
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The uncrowded parts were really cool. There's something a little unsettling about all the tiny gates piled up haphazardly.<br />
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We got up to this overlook and stood around for a while, drenched in sweat, trying to find out how much farther it was to the top. It looked to be maybe another 20 minutes, which in those conditions seemed straight up grueling. We asked some people on the way down if it was worth it, and they said the summit was totally anticlimactic to the point that they weren't even sure they were at the top. YES. Permission to skip it.<br />
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I never saw one monkey. Unfair.<br />
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We went back down the wrong way, I think, and wound around through neighborhoods and mostly deserted temple areas. These dudes were repairing a copper roof in the blazing sunshine. I hope they're all right.<br />
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Just before leaving, we were accosted by another group of Japanese schoolchildren who wanted to ask us questions. Cute.<br />
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After this we took the bus to Nijo Castle, a shogun palace dating from the 1600s. The bus in Kyoto is great, really inexpensive and easy to use.<br />
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The elaborate gate is one of the reasons this is a UNESCO World Heritage site.<br />
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No shoes allowed!<br />
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No pictures, either, and it's too bad because the contrast between a 17th century Japanese palace and ones in Europe from the same era is very striking and interesting. In Japan it's all very calm and open and simple. Relaxing.<br />
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The palace is surrounded on all sides by gardens, of course.<br />
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And a moat! There is also an inner palace building that was being renovated, so we didn't get to see it.<br />
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After this we were dangerously hungry, and found a ramen shop down the street where you order and pay at a kiosk just inside the door, then give your ticket to the staff. The kiosk claimed to have an English menu, but only about 15% was in English so we picked from those items and it all worked out. Duck ramen for $6. "Oh, Japan is so expensive."<br />
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We saw more women in kimonos in Kyoto than anywhere else. There were quite a few people clearly dressed up for instagram photos, but some of them must be actual geishas too.<br />
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The next stop was Kinkaku-ji, the golden pavilion. There is nothing to do here but walk around and look at this thing, but, I mean, look at it!<br />
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It was definitely worth the trip. Like the other shrines there's a walking path up the hill and through gardens, too.<br />
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In the evening we popped over to Osaka for dinner, only a 30 minute train ride from Kyoto Station. The main reason I wanted to go to Osaka was to see it at night.<br />
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We felt like we hadn't had enough sushi in Japan, so I found a conveyor belt place in the Dotonbori district. It was awesome! You just take whatever you want and at the end they add up your plates to find out how much you owe.<br />
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Then we walked around to see the lights.<br />
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We saw this utterly chill cat hanging out by the canal in the middle of all that neon. He was awesome.<br />
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The Glico running man sign is very famous, for reasons that are unclear to me.<br />
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We needed some dessert. Baskin Robbins maintains a strong Japanese presence - who knew? - so we went there. They had some pretty crazy flavors. This place was full of chattering Japanese teenagers - the noisiest and most casual behavior we had seen anywhere, for sure! It was fun.<br />
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Here you can see the extremely clear instructions for how to organize yourself in the train station, which everyone obeys without question. I wonder what happens when Japanese people visit New York City. Nervous breakdown? All the trains and train stations are also nicely air conditioned.<br />
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<br />mollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18177188094284970362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995168411490930884.post-13389414748160476072019-10-17T10:21:00.002-04:002019-10-17T10:46:51.722-04:00Japan, Day Seven: Kyoto<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We left Magome in the morning - Keiko gave us a ride to the bus station - and were in Kyoto before lunch. We couldn't check into the hotel yet, so we dropped our bags and then went to explore. </div>
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We set out toward the Hingashi-Honganji temple first because it was walkable from our hotel, which was next to the main train station. Everyone had told us the entire trip that Kyoto was packed with people but there were only a few places that were truly crowded. This wasn't bad at all.</div>
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Here I am in front of the second-largest wooden building in the world. We saw the first-largest only days later so STAY TUNED.<br />
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We walked through here but of course, no interior photos. I really loved having to take my shoes off in all these places. It was very hot and humid in Kyoto and barefoot is cooler!<br />
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Kyoto has a tall tower you can go up in as well. We didn't go.<br />
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After this we decided to walk over to the Nishiki Market, another mile or so away. This was a really interesting walk through all sorts of neighborhoods.<br />
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We passed this little temple on a side street, between office buildings and apartments. Completely deserted.<br />
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This dog was SO SAD about being left outside. Sad in a little pink dress.<br />
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Japan is full of vending machines. Mostly water and tea and cold coffee, but also beer. If you're walking down the street in Japan and you want a drink, you can find one within 5 minutes. We saw a vending machine even on a winding mountain road, seemingly in the middle of nowhere.<br />
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Our first priority in Nishiki Market was ice cream - matcha/vanilla swirl. You can't eat and walk in Japan, of course, so we had to sit in the shop and eat it. They had all sorts of souvenir candies and trinkets and I regret not buying anything.<br />
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Everything in Kyoto is matcha-flavored. So many matcha candies.<br />
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Walking around in grocery and drugstores in foreign lands is one of my all-time favorite things.<br />
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The food part of the Nishiki Market, selling mostly fish and vegetables, was packed. We checked it out briefly but ended up spending more time in the adjacent shopping district. The shopping in Kyoto is fantastic.<br />
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It was also fairly crowded, but in Japan I never experienced any annoyance whatsoever at other pedestrians. Everyone moves along in a respectful yet timely fashion, with direction and purpose.<br />
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Then we walked some more over to Gion, the historic geisha district. I cannot emphasize enough how hot and humid it was in Kyoto. All this walking was intense. By this point we were sort of philosophically resigned to becoming instantly drenched five minutes after going outside and being sweaty the rest of the day, but it would have been a lot nicer if it were twenty degrees cooler. Note for next time: Don't go to Japan until late October at the earliest.<br />
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Gion is quiet during the day. Most of these are high end restaurants where geisha entertain (or whatever it is they do).<br />
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There are temples all over Gion, of course. This one is Kennin-ji, which I only know because I examined Google maps just now.<br />
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This is Kaizan-do, part of the same complex.<br />
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After this we set out to walk back to the hotel and check in. This was another one we ran across on the way. Very quiet, but we were also there after the visiting hours had closed.<br />
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This is right in the middle of the city.<br />
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Kyoto was an interesting contrast to Tokyo. It was much more familiar in some ways - a little grungier and older, more like a place where regular people live.<br />
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Our hotel was next to a big multistory shopping center, with restaurants in the basement. We went over there for dinner. Everyone had plastic food displays.<br />
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We found a noodle shop and I got tonkatsu udon. Thumbs up!<br />
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mollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18177188094284970362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995168411490930884.post-78695866242050333282019-10-15T11:08:00.000-04:002019-10-15T15:32:46.473-04:00Japan, Day Six: Nakasendo to Tsumago<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Magome Chaya also served us a traditional Japanese breakfast, which was stellar. You pile up little pieces of salmon & the omelet (top right) with some of those shredded vegetables on the rice, then cover it up with a little piece of seaweed and pick the whole thing up at once. Like a DIY deconstructed sushi roll. </div>
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Here's our room. You can see why our initial reaction was "oh."<br />
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After breakfast we set out to walk the Nakasendo (the old post road) to the next town, Tsumago. It takes about three hours. The tourist office in Magome will forward your luggage to Tsumago (and vice versa), but I wasn't sure how that all worked and I couldn't find a good place to stay in Tsumago anyway, so our plan was to walk there, look around at the town for a while, and then take the bus back.<br />
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Japanese scarecrow! This area is very rural. Lots of farms and small groups of houses we passed through, interspersed with the forest.<br />
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I've never seen legit bamboo forests like I saw in Japan. These are huge, as big as trees.<br />
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We saw some more cats. This guy jumped up here to escape an altercation with two others on the ground.<br />
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Here's one of the little village areas we passed through.<br />
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The route was mostly through forest, though, with some shrines here and there.<br />
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None of the guidebooks mentioned bears!!!<br />
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They had these bells every 1/2 mile or so that you were supposed to ring to deter the bears. It wasn't super reassuring.<br />
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This trail was mostly straight up for the first kilometer, but it wasn't too bad. We went hiking over Labor Day in Hanging Rock State Park in North Carolina and I felt like I was going to die the entire time and swore to myself that this Nakasendo day would be my last mountain hike ever. After this, though, I've changed my mind. I need to only avoid the strenuous routes, I think.<br />
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A small graveyard (I think?) in the middle of the forest.</div>
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The path was clearly marked, and this is an activity mentioned everywhere as a popular thing to do in Japan, but we only saw a handful of other people the entire time. We did set out early in the morning, around 8:30, which probably helped.<br />
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There are two large waterfalls along the trail. This one is maybe 20 feet high.<br />
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This one is bigger.<br />
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We sat here on a bench for a while looking at the view. Some older couples were just starting the walk up from the foot of the hill and we were like "ha ha, suckers."<br />
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Around lunchtime we arrived in Tsumago, which looks just like Magome except not on a hill. The town has worked hard to preserve its heritage, disallowing modern development and advertising and other things that would ruin the atmosphere. All the work to maintain the town is done by volunteer local townspeople.<br />
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The main street is lined with many shops selling authentic crafts and other locally made products.<br />
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We ate lunch at a soba place (sign outside: "Our shop is a soba shop") with tempura shrimp. There was a man next to us filming himself on his phone eating the noodles with commentary. Very quietly, but still. Nobody is going to watch you on YouTube talking about noodles, guy.<br />
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After this we got some ice cream and sat on a bench to eat it as it's considered quite rude in Japan to walk and eat at the same time. This small child approaching with his mom and grandma saw us and screamed something several times to his mom which made us all laugh, even more so when we looked it up to discover it meant, "NOW! NOW!" He wanted some ice cream!<br />
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There are a couple of small museums in Tsumago, so we went in the first one to learn about the history of the town. The woman who gave us the tour was an amazing character, one of our favorites from the trip.<br />
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Despite it being 80 humid degrees, she made Ben sit here inches from the fire because this is the place of honor where only the man of the house would get to sit.<br />
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This museum was a traditional house owned by someone important in the town. The emperor once visited! The owner built a special table and a special bathroom for him even though he was only there for a few minutes,<br />
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Beautiful garden, of course.</div>
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Behind the house is a museum that tells the history of Tsumago and the Kiso Valley as a whole.<br />
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We also went to another site across the street that used to be a guest house for visitors to Tsumago.<br />
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This was designed with an inner chamber for VIP visitors, surrounded on all sides by rooms to be occupied by his bodyguards. The exterior rooms were specifically designed to be wide enough so that potential attackers outside the house couldn't reach the inner room with spears.<br />
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After this we found the bus stop and rode 30 minutes back to Magome. By the time I started looking for hotels, lodging was very limited in town so we had to switch to a new guest house, <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g1015944-d17608586-Reviews-Guest_House_Motomiya-Nakatsugawa_Gifu_Prefecture_Tokai_Chubu.html">Motomiya</a>, for the second night. Our room was much bigger here - a sitting room with real furniture!<br />
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The owner, Keiko, was wonderful. She gave us tea and cookies when we arrived and sat down and asked us questions about our trip. Her English was spotty so this led to a lot of good-natured confusion. She cooked us a great dinner as well. The other guests were three French men, only one of whom spoke fluent English. We chatted with him a bit and then after dinner we all had tea while Keiko showed us how to make origami cranes. I started off a bit cocky about my origami skills but by the end had been humbled.mollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18177188094284970362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995168411490930884.post-77069707273661287962019-10-11T13:57:00.003-04:002019-10-11T14:07:29.437-04:00Japan, Day Five: Magome<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
On Friday we set out for our first adventure into the countryside. To get to Magome, you take a bullet train to Nagoya, transfer to a different train to Nakatsugawa, then get a bus into town. The total journey was about 3 hours. </div>
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Japanese bullet trains are awesome. I don't know why neither of us took a picture of one. They run up to 200 mph on tracks devoted only to high speed rail, so they don't have to slow down for road crossings, et cetera. The first time we saw one we were waiting on the platform in Tokyo and one blew through the station at top speed, inches away! It was amazing. Lots of people were always taking photos and videos of them. </div>
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Everything went smoothly and we ended up in Magome in the early afternoon. </div>
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Magome is a small town in the Kiso Valley, a mountainous region between Tokyo and Kyoto. It was important historically as a post town, and is popular today because you can still walk the old post road between the mountain villages. It's built straight up a hillside, which we had to hike up with our luggage.<br />
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Lodging in the post towns is all traditional Japanese-style inns. We stayed at <a href="https://magomechaya.com/en/">Magome Chaya </a>the first night.<br />
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It had a strong hostel vibe. The owner spoke perfect American-style English; she must have either grown up or spent a lot of years here.<br />
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This was the first place we'd stayed where no shoes were allowed in the building. Like the others, they provided slippers, but the slippers were always too big for me and it felt hazardous to wear them around. I just went barefoot.<br />
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This was also the first place with a Japanese-style room. This means the room has tatami mats and mostly no furniture, and you sleep on futons that are set up at bedtime. I admit we were a bit underwhelmed when we first saw the room. It's literally just a room.<br />
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Our feet almost touched when we sat against opposite walls.<br />
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Most of these inns also have shared bathrooms. At Magome Chaya there were toilets down the hall and a shared shower/bath room downstairs. The shower room was an open room the size of my bedroom closet but had three shower heads - horrors! We showered at a weird time right after dinner and fortunately everyone in these places seems to be on the same page about not wanting to shower up close and personal with strangers, so no one else was in there at the same time.<br />
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The toilet room had special slippers. We saw this in many places. One restaurant had them, I think.<br />
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We spent the afternoon wandering around in Magome. There are some small museums but we didn't visit any.<br />
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It honestly doesn't even look real.<br />
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We walked up to the very top of the hill for lovely views of the mountains.<br />
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An old man was puttering around with his plants at this house. People really live in these places!<br />
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A bunch of people got off the bus with us at the bottom of the hill, but I don't know where they went because it was very quiet.<br />
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CAT!<br />
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There's another one down there.<br />
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A Japanese woman asked if we'd like her to take our picture - unsolicited, I swear - so we said yes. Her husband was clearly impatient with the whole proceeding.<br />
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Everything closes in Magome at 5pm. We went into the only grocery store to get some snacks to have on hand just in case. This was one item for sale.</div>
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They were harvesting rice below the town.<br />
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I've never seen rice growing before!<br />
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We walked down the road a bit toward the place we were staying on our second night in Magome, so we'd know what to expect when we had to do it with luggage the following day. We passed this shrine on the way, between some houses.<br />
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Our guest house serves dinner at 6:00 sharp - and you have to eat there, because there aren't any restaurants. Fortunately, this dinner was fantastic. Noodles, whole fried trout, rice, pickles, tempura shrimp and vegetables, a separate pot of steamed cabbage and meat (not pictured), custard with blackberries for dessert, and the Kiso Valley local specialty: horse sashimi. We ate it, and it was really good. I asked Ben afterward what we'd do if served cat sashimi and we agreed we would not eat it.<br />
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The guest house experience was a bit shocking upon arrival after spending 5 days in a four star hotel, but once our brains adjusted we were on board. The expertly prepared and cheerfully served dinner made it clear that they take hospitality seriously, and all the other guests we ran into were so respectful. Everyone is very aware that we're essentially sharing a space and we never had any issues with noise. Plus, it turns out a futon with a buckwheat pillow is my ideal scenario: I slept through the night for the first time since we arrived.mollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18177188094284970362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995168411490930884.post-64900160355192053912019-10-10T16:54:00.000-04:002019-10-10T16:54:09.977-04:00Japan, Day Four: Tokyo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
On our last full day in Tokyo we walked to the fish market again for breakfast. Here's our hotel!</div>
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We went straight back to the same place.</div>
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And this time no messing around, we ordered a whole bunch of fatty tuna. I sent my boss this picture to make him jealous.<br />
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After breakfast we headed back to the Tokyo National Museum. Before leaving we verified that it was, in fact, open.<br />
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The best part of going to Japan is just being there, walking around and observing all the weird little things about their culture and then getting used to it so you don't even notice anymore. Tokyo was extremely clean, which by the fourth day seemed normal.<br />
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On the way to the metro station we passed this temple so we went inside to have a look.<br />
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The Tokyo National Museum is enormous. The first building we visited was Asian art (a separate building from Japanese art).<br />
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I thought it might be kind of boring with only ceramics and old swords, but as it turns out there are a lot of interesting things in there. This, for example, is a 3500 year old statue of Ba'al.<br />
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There was an Egyptian section as well, although I guess Egypt is not strictly Asia.<br />
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There's a gorgeous garden in the back.<br />
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Very many rooms dedicated to painted screens and very old calligraphy.<br />
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They also have a good restaurant. We both got the bento box lunch. We weren't entirely certain what all these items were, but it was all tasty.<br />
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After lunch we took the subway over to see the Meiji Jingu shrine, near the baseball stadium we'd visited the first night. One of the most amazing things about Tokyo is how they manage to maintain so many expansive, peaceful parks and historical treasures in a modern city home to thirty million people. Meiji Jingu is in the midst of a dense forest right in the middle of town. Two minutes' walk inside the gate and you would never know you were in the largest city on earth.<br />
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After our experience at Sensoji a couple days earlier, I expected Meiji Jingu to be swarming with people, but it wasn't bad at all.<br />
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For dinner we went on a trek to <a href="https://www.ukai.co.jp/english/toriyama/">Ukai Toriyama</a>, the only restaurant I pre-booked before we left. My pictures do not do this restaurant justice - it's a magical fairyland in the woods, with winding paths and little wooden bridges and individual small dining houses for each party. It required an hour-long journey out into the suburbs of Tokyo, the very end of the train line, and then a shuttle bus up the hill to the restaurant. I'd almost talked myself out of it a couple of days before because it seemed like kind of an ordeal, but I'm very glad we kept the reservation. This is the kind of place you remember forever. We also never minded spending time in transit - trains are always interesting.<br />
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Here's Ben in our little dining house! No shoes allowed inside. The service here was completely over the top, smiling women in traditional kimonos doing a lot of bowing.<br />
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The restaurant has several different set menu options. We chose the Kaiseki Course (<i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaiseki">wikipedia</a>: kaiseki is a type of art form that balances the taste, tecture, appearance, and colors of food</i>) because it was the fanciest and we were mostly eating $8 noodles for lunch.<br />
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The first course was boiled leafy greens and chrysanthemum, walnut tofu, and taro root.<br />
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Second was sashimi of the day, which I believe was carp.<br />
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I loved all the little dishes in Japanese restaurants. It made me want to change up our whole way of eating - but also I couldn't help thinking what a pain it would be to have to wash all of them.<br />
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One of those above is mushroom soup, which was served alongside this steamed egg custard.<br />
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Next was stone-grilled wagyu beef. We grilled it ourselves on that hot stone. It was fun! I have a video of Ben grilling his but he said I can't post it because he looks stupid (he doesn't).<br />
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Next is barley rice with grated yam, miso soup, and Japanese pickles. I think we all know how I feel about that grated yam so I used it sparingly and it was much more tolerable. Maybe that first place did it wrong.<br />
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Dessert was zenzai (<a href="https://www.justonecookbook.com/zenzai-red-bean-soup/">sweet red bean soup</a>) with chestnuts, which I did not photograph.<br />
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The entire experience was perfect from beginning to end. We waited in this waiting room for the shuttle to take us back to the train station.<br />
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The train was absolutely empty when we got on - the only time we ever saw this. Takaosanguchi Station is not a Thursday night hotspot, apparently.<br />
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On the way back to the hotel we got off the train in Shibuya, mainly just to look at it. This is a big nightlife area, very stereotypical of what you imagine when you think of Japanese cities, and very different from the more sedate businessy neighborhood near our hotel. I was constantly amazed at how many people were out walking around in every corner of this city at all times. Where are they all <i>going</i>?<br />
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<br />mollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18177188094284970362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995168411490930884.post-49725538742687752712019-10-09T14:16:00.000-04:002019-10-09T14:18:48.823-04:00Japan, Day Three: Kamakura & Hakone<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We decided to try out the rail passes with a day trip out of Tokyo. Here's Ben on the train.</div>
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It's hard to remember that Japanese writing is actually words. I was irritated one time because a convenience store had stocked the cough drops right next to candy in almost identical packaging, and said, "Why would they do that??" Ben pointed out, "Well, most people here can read what it says on the package." Oh right.<br />
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Kamakura is about an hour outside of Tokyo on the train. It's most famous for the <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3100.html">Daibutsu</a>, the second largest Buddha in Japan. We got there just after the opening time at 9:00am. It was deserted.<br />
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At all the temple sites, they have these fountains with cups for you to wash your hands before entering. I'm sure there's an official name for them and a better explanation, but you know.<br />
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It's a big Buddha! It dates from 1252.<br />
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Originally the Daibutsu sat inside a large temple, but the temple was washed away in a tsunami in 1498. There are tsunami warning signs all over Kamakura, which is a bit unsettling.<br />
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We didn't intentionally arrive just after opening but it was a nice coincidence. Even fifteen minutes later there were quite a few people milling around.<br />
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Here's a picture with me for scale.<br />
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The town of Kamakura is full of other temples and shrines. We picked one that was more or less on the way back toward the train station, <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3101.html">Hasedera</a>. Here, like most of the temples we visited, there is a walking path through gardens and other small structures before you get to the main temple.<br />
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It goes without saying that it was very beautiful and peaceful.<br />
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One interesting thing we noticed is that many of the flowers and plants in Japan are identical to what we have in our yard. Harriet planted plenty of these crocuses, for example. We discovered Raleigh & Tokyo are at almost exactly the same latitude, so it makes sense, I guess, that the climate would support similar plant life. The heat and humidity are certainly the same.<br />
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The temple at the top was very nice. Like most places, no pictures allowed inside.<br />
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As we were leaving, two Japanese schoolgirls approached us and asked if they could ask some questions to practice their English. Of course! Each time after we answered, they both stared at us silently for a few seconds while their brains processed the responses, then would nudge each other and whisper about what we'd said and who should go next. It was adorable and hilarious. They asked for a picture at the end, I assume to prove to their teacher they did in fact talk to strangers, so I asked if we could have a picture too. It turns out this is very common - we had two more groups of kids ask us questions in other cities. These two were the best, though.<br />
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We walked to the very top of the hill to see the city. It's obvious from here why tsunamis would be a problem.<br />
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I believe this is the office/administration building for the temple area. There were some people having meetings in there.<br />
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We got back on the train and went to Hakone, a hot springs mountain town near Tokyo. On clear days you can see Mt. Fuji from some parts of the area, but we didn't catch a glimpse. We also had no real plan when we got off the train here, which created a bit of an adventure.<br />
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First we got lunch, though. Ben got the sashimi set, which was lovely.<br />
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I got the udon set with tempura. It would have been fine, except for that front and center bowl of ... something. I found out later it's <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2016/07/15/food/yamaimo-japans-slimy-mountain-yam/#.XZ4SCUZKiUk">grated yam</a>, a staple of their cuisine. I try hard to be adventurous and eat what I'm given without complaint, but on this day I learned I'm a hard no on grated yam. The flavor is similar to miso (maybe they put miso in it?) but it's basically cold gooey slime. No bueno. I tried!<br />
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There's a ton of stuff to see and do in Hakone but it's all quite spread out, and since we didn't have a car we had to rely on public transit. There are trains and buses and boats and a cable car (which was closed for volcanic activity!) - but the bus seemed easiest. We decided to go to the <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5208.html">Hakone Open Air Museum</a>, an outdoor sculpture park.</div>
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Unfortunately, there was not really any readily available information about the bus. There was a bus stop, and we deduced that we should go in the opposite direction from the train station, so at least we knew that much. An English girl was standing there who told us she was going to hike up a mountain that looked on the map to be a little bit past the Open Air Museum, so we thought it was a good plan to get on the same bus and you know, just get off when it seemed right.</div>
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So we got on the bus, which was standing-room-only packed, and immediately had no idea what to do - how do we pay, etc? The driver shoved a pamphlet into Ben's hands called "HOW TO RIDE THE BUS" and set off careening up the mountain on insanely winding roads, throwing everyone into each other and the sides of the bus every few seconds. It was <i>hilarious, </i>but also we had no idea where we were even going. I tried to read the pamphlet in the midst of this chaos, but it took me at least eight stops to even find our starting and desired end points on the map, at which point I also realized we were definitely not on the right bus. We were going to have to get off and transfer. The English girl also realized this about the same time and tapped me on the shoulder to let me know, which was nice. Ben was pretty stressed out so I didn't tell him. I only told him we were getting off in two more stops. </div>
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We got off here.</div>
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Fortunately it was a real bus station with a man working inside. I went in and asked him what we should do, and to our credit he also seemed extremely confused about why the bus we'd gotten on had turned out to be wrong and what we should do to get where wanted to go. Eventually he figured out which line to take and told me the next one would come along in thirty minutes. Thirty minutes! Who has that kind of time? I asked, "Can we walk there?" and he said, "Yes!" I checked Google Maps and it said 23 minutes of walking. Much better. So we did that.<br />
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Of course, it's the mountains and naturally the whole thing was directly uphill, but it was still the best decision.<br />
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Pretty pumped to see we were on the right track.<br />
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The Open Air Museum is an outdoor sculpture park designed to fit the landscape.<br />
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They did a great job - it's gorgeous, a perfect place to wander around.<br />
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There's also a large building of Picasso's work, mostly ceramics.<br />
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They also have a hot springs foot bath.<br />
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Here is also where we first spotted Japan's giant black and yellow spiders which the internet claims are harmless. Right, right. We saw these everywhere, all over the country.<br />
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As it turned out, the Open Air Museum was a 2 minute walk from a train station. Perhaps that would have been easier than trying the bus. We took it straight back down and transferred to the other line back to Tokyo.<br />
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Shimbashi train station, adjoining our hotel, is a huge place connected to many shops and restaurants. Because we were hot and tired, we popped into a dining area on the second floor and ended up getting some really great Taiwanese food. Here's Ben's beef noodles. I didn't take a picture of mine.<br />
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People were smoking in the restaurant! Shocking! In all the cities and towns we visited, smoking isn't allowed on the streets, but many restaurants allow it during certain hours. In hotels and train stations, even on the bullet trains themselves, there are closed-in designated areas for smoking - in our Tokyo hotel, it was right next to the laundry area, which seemed weird. Mostly, though, when you're walking around it seems as if smoking doesn't exist.<br />
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We only had one more day in Tokyo to go! I was already getting sad about leaving.mollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18177188094284970362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995168411490930884.post-3142210385038693832019-10-08T15:23:00.003-04:002019-10-09T14:16:32.052-04:00Japan, Day Two: Tokyo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In the morning we decided to go to the Tokyo National Museum, which has a huge collection of Asian art. It's in the middle of a large park with many other museums (and the zoo). Unfortunately, once we got there we learned the museum is closed on Tuesdays that follow a national holiday. Siggghhh. Anyway, at least we figured out how to get there and put it on the list to go later.</div>
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The Asakusa neighborhood was close by so we went over there. Asakusa is the closest thing Tokyo has to an old part of town, as most of the city was virtually destroyed in World War II.<br />
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This was the first time we saw these little vending machines, which sold a wide variety of items all over the country. The cat hats were the best ones, though.<br />
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We visited the Senso-ji temple (our first temple!) which was beautiful...<br />
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...but really crowded. This was one of the most crowded places we visited in all of Japan, actually.<br />
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In most of the temples they don't want you to take pictures inside, but there didn't seem to be any restrictions here.<br />
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So many people!<br />
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We walked around a little bit in Asakusa. This is the Tokyo Skytree. You can go to the top to look at the city.<br />
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This neighborhood had lots of little streets lined with shops, some packed with people and some quieter.<br />
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It also had a dog cafe! You hear about cat cafes a lot in Japan but I'd never heard of this. We learned there are all sorts of animal cafes - we saw a couple of owl cafes too but didn't visit.<br />
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Restaurants in Japan, both cheap and pricey, have plastic renditions of their menu items on display in the windows. It never, ever looks appetizing. I don't know what they're hoping to gain from this but it's very common.<br />
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We went into a little ramen place for lunch. The ceiling was fun.<br />
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This was our first official Japanese ramen and it was great!<br />
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Just what you'd expect. It was also cheap. We didn't find Japan to be expensive at all, contrary to popular belief. I never felt like I paid more for anything - food, gifts, admission to museums, hotels - than I'd pay in the United States. I'm sure you could opt for more expensive accommodations and restaurants if you wanted to, but there's no reason for it. This was not any more expensive than any other trip we've taken.<br />
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There's a large covered shopping area in Akasusa where we spent some time wandering to stay out of the sun. The first couple of days in Tokyo were hot and humid, although this second day was better than the first.<br />
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After this we took the train to Akihabara, the part of town famous for its electronics stores and anime culture.<br />
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We had a good time looking around in these multi-story electronics stores - lots of random weird stuff.<br />
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I will say, Japan has the least fun bookstores of any I've visited. Obviously I can't read any of these but all of the books are shrink-wrapped, too, so you can't even flip through them.<br />
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Rotatable head!<br />
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For dinner, we went to a restaurant one of my Japanese coworkers recommended, <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g1066444-d1663287-Reviews-Shabusen_Ginza_Core_B2F-Chuo_Tokyo_Tokyo_Prefecture_Kanto.html">Shabusen</a>. It was a few minutes' walk from our hotel in the fancy Ginza area, but tricky to find - we had to take this weird carpet-walled elevator to the 2nd basement and were having a few doubts about the situation.<br />
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Shabusen is shaba shabu restaurant, which means you cook your own food in a little pot of boiling water, which also means we had absolutely no idea what to do. We spent a lot of time watching everyone else trying to figure it out.<br />
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Eventually they brought us a little handout with instructions. The man sitting next to us also gave us advice which directly contradicted the handout, leading to much confusion.<br />
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They were all really nice and helpful, and in the end you can't really go wrong with thinly sliced beef and vegetables with noodles. It was great.mollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18177188094284970362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995168411490930884.post-68081313822679599932019-10-07T21:50:00.002-04:002019-10-07T21:57:26.790-04:00Japan, Day One: Tokyo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We've wanted to go to Japan for a long time. It's so far, though! The flight seemed beyond anything I wanted to deal with. Then a couple years ago we had a catastrophic experience coming back from Paris that involved both of us having a terrible flu during a three-hour deicing delay on the runway followed by a 9 hour flight to Miami, and when all is said and done surely a flight to Japan couldn't be worse than that, right? Plus I work with people who fly to Asia for 3 day meetings all the time. so lately it's been seeming more like a normal and tolerable thing. Anyway, what else are we going to do? I bought some tickets.</div>
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When we go to Europe it's easy to figure out what to do and see - in every city and country there are famous sights and popular neighborhoods and I have some general familiarity with the culture and history. That was not the case for Japan. After I bought the plane tickets we got a couple of travel books but the whole thing still seemed overwhelming, and I put off planning until it could no longer be avoided. I had originally thought maybe we would spend the first few days in Tokyo and then play it by ear, but my company's Asia CEO told me late September is a busy holiday time for Japanese and that I should be sure to have reservations where we wanted to go. The pressure! I managed to work out an itinerary and only panic-changed it a few times.</div>
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We started in Tokyo, arriving Sunday evening after leaving our house on Saturday morning. The 14 hour flight was pretty rough. It's never great to notice you're thinking to yourself with genuine gratitude, "Only five hours to go!" But we made it without incident and managed to pick up our reserved portable WiFi device at the airport and find the right train to get to our hotel, the <a href="https://www.the-royalpark.jp/the/tokyoshiodome/en/">Royal Park Shiodome</a>. I picked this hotel because it was in a great part of town but also a few minutes from a major train station - I'd originally booked a different place where my company has a corporate rate, but it was a long way from the train and I suspected getting around Tokyo was going to be exhausting enough without adding a 10 minute walk each way to the subway station.</div>
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Our room was on the 28th floor. It was a pretty sweet view. We fell asleep.</div>
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Unfortunately we were both wide awake by 3:00am, our first indication that jet lag to Asia was going to be a whole different thing than the European version. It got light in Tokyo very early, by 4:30 or so.<br />
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Around 6:00am we got up and walked to the fish market. They used to do early morning tuna auctions here but have recently moved them to a new area that was too far to walk to. Still, the market remains with lots of stalls selling the day's catch, plus various items.<br />
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We couldn't figure out what these were so I took a picture to remind myself to check - later someone told us they're dried scallops. "For a snack."<br />
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This whole place is filled with delicious, poorly translated food for sale.<br />
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The first food we bought was from this man. A skewer for 200 yen, which is a little less than two dollars. A+!<br />
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Sushi is the star, of course. I was so excited to try this fish market sushi. My boss talks about it constantly.<br />
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You can buy other things in the market, too. Like this coffee spoon boy.<br />
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And fun pottery.<br />
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Note giant fish head on ice outside this restaurant.<br />
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We found a little place to sit down and order some breakfast. They handed us menus with pictures on them (common everywhere in Japan, we quickly learned), so we pointed at some things to order more or less at random. It turned out to be a fortuitous choice because that dish on the right is three kinds of tuna and it absolutely blew our minds.<br />
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Let's look more closely at the delicious, perfect tuna.<br />
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Eating that tuna, I couldn't help but think to myself that the whole trip was already worth it. Even if everything else sucked the rest of the time, I would still go back to Japan for the tuna.<br />
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From the fish market, we walked up to Tokyo Station so we could exchange our train vouchers for a 14-day rail pass. These passes can be used on almost all the trains in the country without an advance reservation - you just show up at the station and walk onto the train. It was an interesting walk of about 20 minutes through the Ginza neighborhood, a big fancy shopping district. It was a national holiday (and also still only around 8:30 in the morning), so not too much was going on.<br />
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This building in the distance with the walkway connecting the towers is where my company's Asia HQ is located! Exciting.</div>
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Unfortunately when we got to Tokyo Station I realized I'd left the rail pass vouchers in the hotel, so we walked all that way in the heat for nothing. Ben was a good sport about it.<br />
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We decided to go to the Roppongi area to see the <a href="https://www.mori.art.museum/en/">Mori Art Museum</a>, a contemporary museum with rotating exhibitions on the 53rd floor of a skyscraper.<br />
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This was our first experience with the subway, which turned out to be quite easy to navigate. The Japanese mass transit system is more orderly than any other public transportation I've seen in my life. Everybody waits for the train silently in single file lines. It's also dead quiet on the trains - there were times during rush hour when we were packed into the cars like sardines and nobody said a word. I never heard a single Japanese person talking on their cell phone in public, ever. One guy was on his phone in the train but he had his hand over his mouth and was whispering into it so quietly I couldn't hear him from three feet away.<br />
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We did get off on the wrong subway stop on this initial journey and had to ask questions about how to get to the right one, but it all worked out. This is where we figured out that it's better to buy a day pass for the subway rather than buying individual tickets.<br />
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With your ticket to the Mori Museum you can also visit an observation deck on the floor below. This was great because I always feel stupid paying money to go up in a tall building but I secretly like looking at the view. You can see Tokyo Tower here, which is taller than the Eiffel Tower but looks much smaller compared with the scale of the city. Tokyo is enormous.<br />
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The observation deck was not crowded.<br />
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Here I am pensively looking out at the city.<br />
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The museum itself was devoted to an exhibit by Shiota Chiharu, someone neither of us had heard of before. Like most contemporary artists she seemed to be a bit of a kook but there were some interesting things, including this room full of old suitcases hanging from red strings. Some of the suitcases slowly rotated.<br />
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When we left the museum we were too hungry. You should never get too hungry on vacation! Every major fight we've had on vacation is due to hunger. We walked around the mall in Roppongi looking for food and not finding anything that sounded great, and meanwhile Ben was convinced he was getting suddenly sick and also it was 85 humid degrees. All this somehow led to us eating lunch at Shake Shack.<br />
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Shake Shack is delicious, though! It was a good decision.<br />
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We decided to go to the <a href="http://www.nezu-muse.or.jp/en">Nezu Museum</a>, which has changing displays of ancient Japanese art and historical artifacts. They had a bunch of samurai weapon parts and some interesting pottery. You couldn't take pictures inside but here's the outside.<br />
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After this we were sweaty and tired, so we went back to the hotel for a shower and a break, to rest up for our evening activity: BASEBALL!<br />
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The Tokyo Yakult Swallows were hosting their crosstown rivals, the Yomiuri Giants, in the very last game of the season. We got there just in time! The Giants are like the Yankees: they win all the time and everyone who isn't a fan hates them.<br />
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The stadium was a little smaller than a major league park and the seats were <i>tiny</i>. I had to sit kind of sideways.<br />
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Japanese people love baseball. They were much more into every second of the game than anything I've ever witnessed at an American stadium. Each player has a specific song the entire crowd sings every time they come up to bat. Because both teams are based in Tokyo, the fans were pretty evenly divided and there was singing pretty much continuously through the entire game. I thought maybe it would trail off a bit after the first time through the lineup but it did not.<br />
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They have designated routines every time the teams score, too - Swallows fans had tiny umbrellas they opened up and twirled around while singing their song, and the Giants fans all waved orange towels in the air. Meanwhile, smiling young Japanese girls in short skirts roamed the aisles constantly with backpack kegs full of beer. Also, at one point two cheerleaders came out and did a routine behind home plate with a suited up mascot dancing energetically. We were getting pretty delirious with fatigue and the whole scene was feeling more and more like a dream.<br />
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We got some soba noodles for dinner. Lots of people had brought food from home, though, and others had ordered a plate of small hot dogs they ate with chopsticks. DELIRIOUS.<br />
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We left in the 7th inning. We were too tired and it was all feeling too weird. It was Amazing Night game.<br />
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We covered a lot of ground in the first day and were feeling pretty excited about all the days to come!mollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18177188094284970362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995168411490930884.post-85681770890678931952019-05-17T17:14:00.002-04:002019-05-17T17:14:26.324-04:00Ben's DIY Corner: Ball Joint Replacement, Or, My Week In HellA few weeks ago, I started noticing a slight creaking sound coming from under my car (2010 Subaru Impreza) whenever I would start from a stop or come to a stop, or sometimes when turning or even going straight at very low speed. It gradually became more pronounced, became kind of a grinding, then popping at times. Researching symptoms, I finally got under the car and examined all the various rubber parts looking for a broken cv joint boot or loose bushing or something.
As it turns out, the front passenger side lower ball joint boot had broken, letting grease out, and gradually allowing the metal ball and socket to start grinding together.
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I ordered a pair of Moog-branded ball joints from RockAuto.com, figuring I'd do the driver's side too if the passenger side wasn't too bad.
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Sweet, fresh, plump, juicy ball joint ready for installation:
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I consulted the factory service manual and every youtube video I could get my hands on, and felt pretty confident that even though there were a few painful areas to watch out for, all in all it should be pretty straightforward. A lot of videos I watched emphasized that for drivers in the rust / salt belt, the bolts securing the ball joint would be almost impossible to remove without breaking off. Fortunately, although my car obviously saw some winter action in the two years of its life before I bought it, all the nuts and bolts were easy to remove with a little PB Blaster and some elbow grease. I was also really glad I watched a video specifically on working on a 2010 Impreza, because the service manual I have is for a 2009, and there were some extra stabilizer link bracket bolts I had to remove that I wouldn't have been expecting if I hadn't had the benefit of other users' experience.
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After getting everything else ready, I was ready to extract the ball joint istelf from the steering knuckle / wheel hub holder. The service manual instructions for this step are, "Extract the ball joint from housing." Fortunately, plenty of blogs and forum posts and videos seemed to agree that the easiest way to get it out was to prop a length of wood against the lower control arm and whack the shit out of it with a hammer. After a couple of hours, the first bitter tears of the project, and several shattered lengths of pine, I had made pretty much no progress getting the thing out.
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To be fair, I was just using a standard household general-purpose claw hammer, so I opted for a slightly more nuclear option and bought a 3-pound hammer and a 3-foot length of 3/4-inch black iron pipe and an end cap from Lowe's. I padded the iron pipe cap and the control arm with several layers of duct tape to mitigate the damage of such direct force.
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Three or four whacks and it was out.
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Elation. Piece of cake. I always try to keep <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hofstadter%27s_law">Hofstadter's Law</a> in mind when working on a car project: "It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter's Law." Sure enough, it continues to hold true every time in my experience.
At any rate, all I had to do now was to pop the new ball joint into the ball joint holder and reconnect the lower control arm. Got the ball joint in place and secured with a new bolt:
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Weird, though, I can't get the wheel hub to move back inward toward the center of the car so I can fit the ball joint back into the lower control arm. Right around this time, Molly tells me dinner's about ready, so I figure, OK, the hard part's done, I'll just grab a quick dinner and then finish everytjing up. Maybe even take it out for a spin later and see how everything feels.
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Quick aside / flashback: one video I watched recommended jacking the brake disc up slightly so that the force of hammering down on the lower control arm would be completely transferred directly into the control arm rather than also pulling the whole hub assembly down. I took that advice, and it worked like a charm, but one side-effect I couldn't have predicted was that, as soon as the ball joint was out of the steering knuckle, something about the geometry of the whole situation meant that the force of the jack upward on the hub also meant force pulling the entire axle outward away from the differential.
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So, then, the reason that the wheel hub wouldn't move back toward the lower control arm was that I had inadvertently dislocated the inner cv joint. Fuck. Now it's Sunday evening. I text my boss to let him know I'd be stranded Monday and working from home.
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Come Monday morning, I called my trusted auto shop to see whether they had any advice about getting the thing towed. Their basic response was that the car was untowable with the suspension in such a disconnected state, but that if I could extract the entire front right-hand axle I could bring it in and they could reassemble it for me. Fuck. OK. So I know that is beyond my ability and toolset. I look up a few mobile mechanics, call them, submit online request forms, and hear nothing. Meanwhile, I'm going back to the car and trying to cram the cv joint back together with all my might and making no progress whatsoever. I finally call a towing company and tell them the situation. They say, "Yeah, we can do that." I call the auto shop to coordinate a drop-off, and they say first-thing Wednesday morning. OK. It sucks that a DIY project finally got away from me, but at least this is a solution.
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...
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Wednesday morning, 8:45, towing guy takes one look at the car and says, "I'm not going to be able to move that". FUCK. God damn it. I'm really starting to feel like I'm in a nightmare. How can it be this easy to accidentally strand my car in my own garage in America in 2019? At this point, I come to accept that I am truly on my own. My options as I see them are to either to fix the entire thing myself, or at least to get the cv joint out of the axle so I can put the suspension back together enough to have it towed. Molly comes home and swings me by Home Depot so I can grab a socket big enough for the axle nut. Then we go home and she stomps on the brakes to keep them from spinning while I jump up and down on a breaker bar until the nut breaks loose. Thanks, Molly!
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From there, it actually is a pretty straightforward matter to detach the hub housing from the strut, and bang the axle back out of the hub.
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I then loosen the inner cv boot's larger (inner) boot band and pull the outer part of the axle (everything on the outboard side of the inner cv joint) out. As it turns out, one of the three spinny wheel things in the inner joint had come completely off its axis and was floating around inside the boot. That joint was never going back together without being disassembled first.
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I had to hammer the spinny wheel back into place, no big deal. Then I had to extract the inner part of the cv axle from the front differential. Once again, the service manual is extremely helpful on this point: "Using a bar, remove the front drive shaft from transmission." Thanks. All the videos I watched showed this to be a very simple and easy process, but I think all these guys had their car on big lifts. With just jack stands and a 3-foot breaker bar, I had a hell of a time getting purchase on the side of the transmission case to wedge the thing loose. After a long time, and on the verge of despair, I popped the thing out and whanged the shit out of my knuckles on the underside of the car.
Once the entire axle was out, it was simple but kind of scary to hammer the two halves together until all three of the rollers slid past the retainers into the joint. That jack must have been applying a huge amount of force in order to pull those rollers out of the joint.
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A boring and frustrating 24 hours later, I finally had the axle fully reassembled and the inner boot secured with fresh bands. Now it was time to reinsert the axle back into the front differential. The sticking point, it turns out, was the lock ring that keeps the entire axle from sliding in and out as the suspension moves up and down while driving (and forces those rollers inside the inner cv joint to do the sliding in and out instead). After a couple of hours of trying to force it in by hand, and taking the advice of an obviously equally-frustrated youtuber, I asked molly to lightly tap the far end of the axle with my new, trusty 3-pound hammer while I forced the axle inward against the differential. She was...unenthusiastic about the prospect, but it turns out that two fairly light taps were all it took to push it back into place. Fuck yes.
After that, it was truly rudimentary to fit the outer end of the axle back into the wheel hub and reattach the strut.
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I then slid the lower end of the ball joint into the lower control arm, and only then realized that in all the commotion I'd managed to tear the boot of the new ball joint. By this point, I was so numb to the whole thing that I just grabbed the second ball joint I'd bought, popped the broken one out, and replaced it in what felt like about five minutes.
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Took it for a spin, no weird sounds or vibrations, all good. Got home, and something smelled distinctly of burning plastic. I popped the hood and saw a fair bit of grease and/or oil smoking on the exhaust manifold. I grabbed the fire extinguisher, but after a minute the smoke stopped. I wiped everything down very thoroughy and will have to remember to keep an eye on things for the next couple of outings.Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03553703813698950007noreply@blogger.com1