Today was day 2 of the booked tour, and our first stop was Coyocán. It’s an old neighbourhood south of Mexico City. We drove down a super long straight road that was the original causeway into Mexico City. Up this causeway came the Spanish to conquer the country.
Mexico is the place of the Moon, and Coyocán means place of the coyotes. I didn’t see any coyotes, but the benches have coyotes images on them. 
We walked into an old convent and church founded by the Franciscans. I’m always surprised when I don’t burst into flames when I walk into a church. If there is a God, they are very forgiving.
I’ve never understood the tourist appeal of churches. They all look the same to me, depending on their domination. Either all stone and nothing excessive, or all gold and excess. This one was the latter; shiny and decorated with depictions of John the Baptist, who the church was dedicated to. I sat a while. I didn’t say a prayer.
I saw a black squirrel. I didn’t even know they existed.
Our next stop was the Frida Kahlo Museum. I know very little about Frida Kahlo, except for her monobrow and that she was a painter. I haven’t even seen the film.
She seemed fierce. She coped with illness and disability her whole life, heartbreak over a divorce that lasted a year, and being unable to have children. We saw her work, along with her husband’s (Diego Rivera), and there was a temporary exhibition of her dresses. La Casa Azul, her childhood home where she spent her whole life, is picturesque if busy.
The university city - filled with knowledge and culture - is overlooked by a huge mural by Juan O’Gorman. Our guide explained some of the aspects of the mural, which included the Spanish invasion and arrival of the Inquisition. He said the Spanish Inquisition did not touch the indigenous people of Mexico because they did not believe they had souls. Why is that always the case where invasion, oppression and discrimination exists? Is it easier to hate, and kill, if you don’t think these people have souls? Surely all of us do? Or none of us. 
At Xochimilco, we got on a travijenar - boat. Pootling down the canal of the last remaining lake in Mexico City. A mariachi band came up beside us and then boarded. A group requested songs, not realising that songs cost money. As we parked up at the restaurant, an argument ensued.
We ate “lunch” at 4.45. I got a special dish of rice and cactus salad which I didn’t get charged for.
People rent these boats for birthdays, romantic meals. One boat we saw several times of mostly women with a large sound system drinking and having fun. I can’t imagine how much they would have needed to pee.
And that was that. We drove back to the city in rush hour. I’m so tired, and my thigh is broken from yesterday.
Coyocán, Frida Kahlo Museum and Xochimilco
Listened to: the marimba and a Mariachi band in the Xochimilco
Read: descriptions of Frida Kahlo’s art and photography, and about Tehuantepec dress culture
Ate: rice and Napoles, and a tequila churro
Drank: corona and coke.
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