Mexico City - Day 2...time for some art

Saturday, February 16
(Click here for Day 1 of our Mexican adventure)

Having made it through our first night in Mexico City without developing a case of the third world squirts, Trish and I got our tired asses up early Saturday morning to try and beat the tourist crowds.  Since we had a specific itinerary planned out, we decided to forego the Gray Line bus and just jump in a cab.

Scarred for life by the movie Man on Fire, my head danced with images of sweet little Dakota Fanning getting kidnapped and held at gunpoint by Mexican drug lords.  There's no way I was going to end up some billionaire coke dealer's bitch.  So instead of hailing a street cab, we decided to pay a little extra for one of the hotel's licensed tourist taxis.

Thankfully, a cab ride in Mexico City is nowhere near as expensive as a nasty NYC yellow cab.  And after some fairly tame negotiations in broken Spanish, Trish and I were able to secure our driver for 200 pesos an hour (that's roughly $16 US - eat that NYC cabbies!).  Our first stop...

...the Coyoacán district to visit artist and muralist Diego Rivera's studio/house which has been converted into a museum.  We arrived just as it opened and literally had the entire place to ourselves.  Here, like most museums in Mexico City, you can pay an extra fee to take pictures inside - flash-free, of course.  I think it was around 50 pesos (about $4 US).

Rivera and Kahlo were like the Kristen Stewart and Rob Pattinson of their day, except with talent.  Given their tumultuous relationship, Rivera built a separate apartment (connected only by a bridge across the roof) for Kahlo during one of their many periods of separation.  Mexicans sure do like their primary colors, don't they?

These super creepy dolls were displayed in Rivera's bedroom overlooking his bed.  Dude obviously had a super freaky dark side or one sick sense of humor.

Some of the many shelves of pigments Rivera used and mixed for his artwork.

Walking into his main studio, we were greeted by this army of ghoulish, larger-than-life papier mache figures.  Not exactly welcoming.  For reference, the tallest figure (red devil) is probably around seven feet tall.

 

It would appear Mexicans have a certain affinity for death and morbidly disturbing imagery.  Take this wall o' skeletons also hanging in Rivera's studio.

 

More creepy dolls.  I sense a theme here.

Rivera's palette and brushes.

 

Trish and I strike a pose outside the entrance to Rivera's house.  We just wanted a shot next to the nifty cactus fence.  

After waking our napping driver who waited in the car while we explored (ah, the joys of a third world country - cheap labor!), we headed to our next destination...