Mexico #7

My mom arrived in Mexico City last Tuesday. I've enjoyed showing her around while Patrick continued his archival research, and since of the two of us, I know more Spanish, it's forced me to practice speaking more (otherwise I rely on Patrick to do the talking, though I think my oral comprehension has improved somewhat). We've gone back to the Castillo de Chapultepec, the anthropology museum (this time, going through the rooms in their intended order; it makes so much more sense!), and the Palacio Nacional. I have so much to write about. The big highlight was the Ballet Folklorico performance at the Palacio de Bellas Artes. The energy, the costumes, the music, the variety of the dances were all wonderful. I'll write about that more later.

We just got back from a weekend in Taxco, the silver capital of Mexico. It's a picturesque town, with narrow, cobblestone streets--and it's nestled in the mountains, so it's full of twists and turns, each of which reveals a different view of red-tiled houses, mosaically domed churches, or lush green hills smothered in fog. In addition to sampling the city's best vegetarian food (crepes with Thai curry!), we did a fair amount of shopping for silver. The wholesalers give great deals, and many of the retailers have something unique to offer. Our favorite shop turned out to be the Lapidario Barrera. We bought a bunch of their jewelry, which incorporates pieces of pottery made in the Mexican state of Chihuahua (click on the Mata Ortiz link on their website).

Time for bed. Getting up early tomorrow to make the pilgrimage to Teotihuacan. More later.