Hola México! - Wednesday - Jan. 25

It's time for mommy's vacation from the Family!

"I can't believe it took me this long to visit Mexico City!" It's all I can think after my first day here. 

I escaped the snow storm in Toronto - I left my house at 5am today - and travelled ALONE to one of the biggest cities in the world. So far it's been amazing!

As soon as I landed I felt home.
The airport, the traffic, the heat, the green... they all remind me of São Paulo, in Brazil. 

Marcos, the taxi driver, was already calling me "my friend" after the ride. He was extremely helpful giving me tips about the city, the culture and the food... and he was extremely patient with my poor Spanish.

I am staying in this marvellous boutique hotel in La Condessa, which is a beautiful and safe neighbourhood in Mexico City.  There are lots of foreigners here. 

The Hotel Parque México Boutique has a central courtyard with plants, including various types of cactus, and painted tiles. It has the colours of the Frida Museum as well.

FROM WIKIPEDIA: Condesa or La Condesa is an area in the Cuauhtémoc Borough of Mexico City, south of Zona Rosa and 4 to 5 km west of the Zócalo, the city's main square. It is immediately west of Colonia Roma, together with which it is designated as a "Barrio Mágico Turístico" ("Magic Neighborhood for Tourists"). Together they are often referred to as Condesa–Roma, one of the most architecturally significant and bastion of the creative communities of the city.

It consists of three colonias or officially recognized neighborhoods: Colonia Condesa, Colonia Hipódromo and Colonia Hipódromo Condesa. The area is considered to be fashionable and popular with younger businesspeople, students and pet lovers. It features a large number of international restaurants, bars and nightclubs.

"Condesa" means "countess" and it is named after María Magdalena Dávalos de Bracamontes y Orozco, the Countess of Miravalle, whose lands stretched from what is now Colonia Roma to Tacubaya. The area began as lands belonging to two countesses in the colonial period. By the 19th century and early 20th century, the process of subdividing this land was already begun although Colonia Condesa proper would not be established until the very early 20th century.

Each part of the hotel is gorgeous! This is just one of the doors.
Everywhere you look there is a piece of art, a happy detail.

A welcome sculpture.

FROM WIKIPEDIA: La Calavera Catrina ("Dapper Skull") or Catrina La Calavera Garbancera ("Elegant Skull") is a 1910–1913 zinc etching by the Mexican printmaker, cartoon illustrator and lithographer José Guadalupe Posada. Originally a satirization of an upper class woman of the Porfiriato, the character of La Catrina has become an icon of the Mexican Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de Muertos)

As the name says, the hotel is  located right in front of the Parque México.

Einstein bust.

Parque México is a dog park too.  

I see many people walking around with not just one, but multiple friends with paws.

FROM WIKIPEDIA: The Parque México (English: lit. "Mexico Park"), officially Parque San Martín, is a large urban park located in Colonia Hipódromo in the Condesa area of Mexico City. It is recognized by its Art Deco architecture and decor as well as being one of the larger green areas in the city. In 1927, when the surrounding neighborhood of Colonia Hipódromo was being built, the park was developed on the former site of the horse race track of the Jockey Club de México. Today, Parque México is not only the center of Colonia Hipódromo, it is also the cultural center of the entire La Condesa section of the city.

But let me introduce you to the man who is the reason for me being here: David.
We met 12 years ago at the Toronto Metropolitan University - formerly Ryerson - while attending a MFA (Documentary Media) program. We instantly became friends back then, and I was really sad to see him leaving Canada to go back to his country where he has a stablished artist career.
Fast forward 10 years... here we are! David has an art exhibition at a restaurant/gallery in Mexico City at the moment. I must see it!   

My first (authentic) Mexican City meal: enchiladas and tacos.

Having a Victoria beer. I liked it. It has body.

I am so in love with the architecture of this neighbourhood.
Art Deco is super present here.

After dinner and catching up, David and I went for a walk in the park. 

It was so nice to see lost of people, families, enjoying the outdoors. 

The temperature dropped a bit -15 degrees celsius, from 23 when I arrived - but it was still very pleasant. 

Outdoors dance lessons.
We hear different music in every corner.

I am impressed with so much green and nature in this neighbourhood.

What a wonderful day!
I am so excited and can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring me.