mexikan

And I finally managed to watch my National team to olay in the U-17 World Cup. If was in the Quarter Finals against France.

It was a good game and I am happy I could made it!!

It was definitely worth it to leave early from work and hit the road =)

For the first time I got to see a FIFA waold cup live. It is of course the U-17 but... it is a world cup!!!

My weekends have been crazy since my hometown has been selected as one of the host cities. So I could not miss cthe change of going to watch the games!! Crazy, I've been on the road three times for the past two weeks. And I am forcasting some a couple more to go.  The next one Mexico will be playing the Round of 16. So it will be awesome... Downside, it is a Thursday so I will dissapear from work a few hours earlier

As part of the celebration of National day, the embassador organized a party at her home.

They only invite Swedes living in Mexico and some other ambassadors. But this year I got to go with a Swedish friend...

Perfect time to dress up as a European again!!!

One of my friends is preparing to run the Chicago Marathon. I can't go because I have no money or free days left.  But I am running with him during the weekends.

Today I ran 16 km in 1 h 37 min.... I think that's the longest I've ever run... wow!! I am EXHAUSTED!!

One of the many things that impacted me the most is the sculpture collection on the top floor.

The museum holds the largest collection of sculptures by Auguste Rodin outside of France, and the world's largest private collection of his art.

Crazy!!!

And has at least 20 sculpturess by Dalí!

  

  

This is the first time I've seen something like this in Mexico

I love museums with great works of art but I can't believe that we didn't have anything like that in Mexico

The worst part is that it is private. All the artworks belong to the richest man in the world (who happens to be Mexican). So he decided t o build a museum to show his private collection.

The museum contains the world's largest collection of pre-Hispanic and colonial era coins.  You can also see works from Rodin, Salvador Dalí, Picasso, Renoir, Miró, van Gogh, Matisse, Monet, Manet, Murillo, El Greco, Tintoretto, Tiziano, Lippi, and so many others... Still... crazy that it is private!!!!

I loved it!!!

Can you tell this is a van Gogh?? and there are 3 of them!!




And a Chagall? I haven't seen one since 2000!!

After a long time without seeing eachother, we meet again... now in Mexico City!

Who would have guessed that we would ever see this in Mexico City?

I love modern art ...

Want to guess what this represents?

Give up??

Football players!! can you see the goal keeper?? I loove it!

Now that all the bicentennial parties are over, it is time to go back to normal life.....

I have to say... I was not expecting anything.. I had no idea what was I going to watch

I thought that I was going to see something related to the Independence of Mexico. Probably people wearing costumes to represent the "heroes" of the war for Independence and some representation of the battles...

Instead, I got to see a 2 hours show prepared by artists, designers, theatre directors, dancers, acrobats and indigenous people from all over the country.

And in my opinion it was the perfect representation of what is Mexico now: A wonderfully rich, happy and multicultural country that wants to be recognised for the positive things that we have as a nation.

As with the celebrations in 1910 there was a parade to celebrate our country.

It was expected much of it since over 58 million dollars were spent on the parade and the fireworks.

So I had to be  there to witness some history and to judge by myself.

The parade was at 6pm but I was off from work at 12:30... so I went to grab a bite and sat down in the sidewalk to wait ...

Well, the whole year I have been hearing about the Bicentennial!!!

Of course I don't share the idea of saying that we have enjoyed liberty and freedom as Mexicans since the declaration of Independence was signed on 1821!!  And I of course don't have any reason to celebrate 100 years of the start of t he Mexican Revolution.. we went back like a 1000 years with this revolution so I don't think it is something to be proud of.

However, now that I am in Mexico cityI get to be in the cultural and political capital of my country and thus I have to take advantage of it. Especially since I work and live in a very privileged area of this megalopolis

Last weekend I was with my parents visiting the ruins of old Mexico City.

Founded on 1325 (Ce Acalt) and conquered in 1521 by the Spaniards, the great city of Tenochtitlan was destroyed to build what we know as Mexico City. old temples were destroyed and churches ane buildings were built on top. And the stones used in the great pyramids were used by the Spaniards in the construction of their own temples. A sad history that reflects modern culture in this country.

Here is a comparison on the before and after. The stairs in the bottom picture would belong to the tallest temple in the drawing

Since my search for Cortés' grave was unsuccessful I decided to enter to the hospital that is next to the church. It was founded by Cortés on 1524 and it is nice.. another island in the middle of the chaos in Mexico City.

Hernán Cortés was leading the Spanish troops when they came to conquer the aztecs. And he is buried in Mexico City. He is at the Church built on the site where he first met Moctezuma. It's funny... it is one of the best kept secrets of Mexico City... no one seems to know where he is buried. In fact there is no sign that he is buried there. There is a plaque, next to  the altar but you cannot even see it because.... you cannot go all the way through the altar!!! pfffffffff what a country!!! I don't even like the guy but the site is historical!!!

What a great place to go while in Mexico City!!!

Amazing!!

Full of culture, traditions and history!

And one of the things that I loved the most was an aztec codex relating the pilgrimage from Aztlán to Tenochtitlan and it relates every single year and every single place they stopped by. It´s funny but I spent hours looking at this document!!! =) Here just the first out of 21 sections...

Well... one place I really missed from Monterrey was the IHOP.... So I went with some of my friends from work. Too bad I forgot my camera but it was soooo good!! We ate too much and we were so full!! I missed the chocolate chip pancakes. Awesome brunch!!

well... some of my American friends' friends  came to visit them and I got the change to hang out with them....

Once we were walking around Reforma and we decided to make artistich shots at the Monument to the Mexican Independence... This is the best we could come up with ....