Final day in Mexico City and travel home

Our final day started with me walking a little over a kilometre with Fernando to pick up Fernaditos car from the service center.

The four of us then went downtown to get Caro's set of glasses that had had a special lens coating applied. We parked in a car parkade that was so narrow that only small cars were allowed into it and even then it was tough to navigate through.

After that it was back to Fernando's part of town where we ate an extremely filling meal at a nice restaurant. I would have been happy with just the large bowl of taco soup, however I had ordered a main course as well and this part of the meal was barely touched before I stopped eating-too much food!

In the evening the four of us went to a park nearby just to walk and chat. Shortly thereafter Ruben and Tete came by for a final visit and "good byes".

About 10 PM Fer and Edu dropped us off at terminal 2 and with no problems getting our tickets (including the expected $US30 luggage charge) then going through immigration and security we were in the waiting area for our 1:30 AM flight to Vancouver.

The flight was smooth and while I got a bit more sleep than when we came down, Caro did not. The five hour or so wait for our Edmonton flight passed relatively quickly and soon we were in Edmonton and in our car on our way home.

We were happy/exhausted to be home and we had an enthusiastic welcome from Chelada which was soon tempered when I noticed a message flashing on our answering machine. Turns out Marta passed away about the time we were leaving Vancouver. While we were mentally prepared for this event it was still tough on Caro. Soon she was in touch with most of the family again talking about Marta's passing. I am happy that things worked out for Caro that she was able to see her sister before her passing.

We both slept fantastic in our own beds. Another exhausting trip to Mexico completed!

Wednesday

Fernandito came over this morning so we had a quick visit before he had to get to work.

Tete also came over and the five of us went on a drive; first to see the Roma section of the city (the namesake of the recent Oscar winning movie), followed by a walk in a mall for the rich who mingled among us (definitely not us!). All the high class Italian stores are here. The Ferrari dealership just down the road. I suggested to Caro a choice of either buying a high end purse or going on a European trip. Thankfully she prefers Europe!

After walking to a lovely park dedicated to Abraham Lincoln we drove back to the area of town where Fer and Edu live and we caught up with Fernandito for lunch. I had the most amazing quesadillas with cecina meat. My goodness I loved that meal!!

In late afternoon Caro went to the dentist to get her crown installed and get a new mouthguard ordered. Everything is looking good right now as far as her crown work went. Caro goes back tomorrow for a final dental check and to confirm the new mouthguard is good.

This evening Caro's life long friend Rocio came over and as Fernando has known her all his life as well there is a tremendous amount of catching up on family news etc. (Caro gave me permission to leave!!)

Tonight is our last night in Mexico but we do have a full day tomorrow.

Tuesday May 21st

This morning Fernando, Caro and I headed to a beautiful park and together we walked the circumference of it (just over two kilometres). It was so beautiful and serene that I believe we are doing the same tomorrow.

Afterwards Ruben and Tete picked us up and we went to an exposition of photo,sort of sculptures, and artwork (?). Now, IF I  was a New York avant garde artist I may have thought extremely highly of what was exhibited, but I am not, and honestly it was not that great, but apparently the two artists shown (Duchamp  and Koons) are extremely well known and very popular.

 Both of these photos were taken at the exhibit. The first is a reflection in a large balloon.

I abstained from taking any photos of the supposed "erotic" images.

We caught up to Fernando and Edu about 5 o'clock at a restaurant on Insurgentes and proceeded to have an enjoyable meal of pozole, tacos, refreshments etc., courtesy of Lisa's mother's day gift to Caro.

Monday, getting new glasses

Today the four of us went downtown in order to get Caro her new glasses.

During our drive towards downtown we went past several buildings that were damaged in the earthquake over a year ago.

You can really see the damage around the balconies. This building is not safe and no one lives there anymore.

We parked in a parking lot underneath Belles Artes and then walked several blocks to the glasses shop. There are NUMEROUS glasses shops in this area of the city and we went to one that Edu knows. The guy looked at Caro's prescription and suggested some changes which Caro agreed to and then we left for a few hours.

Fernando had never been been up the Latin America tower so that is where we went. I had to get over a little queasiness but soon was OK (we were outside on the terrace, on the 47th floor).

I took a picture of both Belles Artes and Fernando/Eduvina while we were up top

Afterwards we had a great meal in a beautiful restaurant before walking to the Zocalo enjoying all the street life and the colonial buildings.

By seven o'clock, back at the optician,Caro had her new sunglasses, her old glasses frames with new lenses and had her new frames and lenses ready except waiting on some extra lense coating that has to be done elsewhere (and won't be ready until Wednesday afternoon).  The prescription that was done by the optician earlier had been sent to another shop across the hallway where the grinding of new lenses to meet the prescription requirements was completed while we were out eating/enjoying the streets.

The optical shop was really cool and we were able to watch the large lenses  (already ground down to needed requirements) being cut to size and then put to their frames.

We got back home about an looong hour later-TRAFFIC!!!- jeesh;  then we were surprised by the appearance of Fernandito. Great to catch up to him.

Sunday,in different directions!

This morning Tete came over and together with Caro they headed to the metro, eventually catching up with Maria Elana, Irma,Olga and Gregorio Jr. They spent the whole day catching up and by 8 PM Tete and Caro were back at Fernandos place.

About 30 minutes after they left Ruben came by to pick me up and together we drove to the Soumaya Museum. I have enjoyed this museum before although this time they moved out some of my favourite paintings and have brought in sculptures and religious works that aren't my cup of tea. Having said that the place is fantastic and we wandered around for a couple of hours. Below is a painting of Otto Von Bismarck that caught my eye

BEAUTIFUL!!

Ruben and I picked up some food and went back to his house to eat our supper and catch up on life etc. We had a great time together.

We were back at Fernando and Tete's house at 8:30 and the six of us chatted for another hour before Ruben and Tete left.

Saturday

Today we went with Fernando and Eduvina to breakfast at Palacio de Hierro. Good food at Canadian prices. i.e expensive ha ha

Afterwards we went past the Frida Kahlo museum in Coyoacan which had a huge lineup outside as she is extremely famous but definitely not to my taste. I had wanted to see the paintings there (just to say I had been there) but the lineup cured that issue! Next we went to a museum designed by Diego Rivera (Frida's on again/off again husband). The museum was full of Meso American artifacts and a few of his famous murals.....MEHH! I can take it or leave it.

Caro and I then went to see Vicky and Arturo. We went to Las Sifones restaurant where I enjoyed a meal that I always get there (mushrooms melted into cheese and served with tortillas).  Mmmm good. We spent a further 90 minutes chatting at their place which is located half a block from where Caro grew up. I haven't seen Arturo in a number of years.

Tonight we are back at Fer and Edu's place chatting etc.

Friday May 17th/2019

Today Fernando,Tete,Ruben,Caro and I went to the nearby city of Texcoco to see Caro's sister Martha who resides at a nursing home and is doing very poorly.

With Mom in a nursing care facility at home I took a look at the situation that Martha is in and while the place is comfortable and the staff appear to treat the residents with the same care and attention as at Rivercrest there is no doubt that Mom lives in a palace in comparison. Martha is in a room with 2 others with no TV and only a small dresser beside her bed. I will guess there is 1/4 the staff.

 Maru had most of her family there as well so it was nice to see Jose Luis (husband), Montserrat (daughter) and Monsi's kids. I was meeting the youngest two for the first time.

Before we left Texcoco the five of us went to a Oaxacan restaurant. Mmm,good food!

The late afternoon was spent back in Mexico City having  coffee/tea at a famous coffee specialty cafe that also sells coffee by the kilo. Caro bought a few kilos to bring home.

Going Back to Mexico City

We had scored fantastic airline tickets ($350 each) a few months ago and Wednesday May 15 was the day we left via Vancouver on Westjet. Pretty cool to watch the hockey game as we flew over the Rockies.

We had a couple of hours wait at YVR before our red eye to Mexico City on AeroMexico.

After landing at 0630 we cleared immigration and picked up Caro's suitcase before finding an airport restaurant for breakfast. (Thursday May 16th)

With breakfast over we caught a taxi to Fernando and Edu's house.

Mexico City traffic was better than normal because there have been many forest fires in the surrounding mountains and because of the extremely harmful smoke most of the schools have been closed. I snapped this photo as we crossed over Tlalpan freeway.

Upon arriving at Fernando's place we were warmly greeted by the two of them. This sense of happiness was dampened later when Caro realized she had dropped her cell phone inside the taxi and there was no chance of getting it back. BUMMER! I spent the next hour (with Lisa's help back home) getting Virgin (our carrier) to block Caro's telephone number and then as an added precaution we cancelled her BMO mastercard as the cell had a BMO app on it and there could potentially be a future problem if someone was able to break into the phone.

The afternoon was spent at the dental office with Caro getting sized up for a crown and me getting an idea what my two issues will cost (a crown and a porcelain inlay).

Tete and Ruben came over in late afternoon. Ruben retired from work two months ago (at 75 years old) and is enjoying the free life (Caro and I know the feeling!)

After a quick trip out for a coffee,tea etc we came back to the house and shortly afterwards I crashed!