Hola.
I saw this painting, vida la vida, in the flesh.
I liked it. I liked the whole house actually, where Mexico¨s Art Power couple - Frida and Diego Riveria - lived.
I thought it was weird how they didn{t imitate it in the film.. I thought I knew exactly what it was going to look like.
I finally thought I was going to see some Famous Frida Kahlos... all over Mexico I had heard they are all in Mexico city.
Update: Don{t know where they all are, but of the 30-odd I would recognise, only saw 2 in the house I had seen before. No paintings of her with monkeys.
I had liked her art, but it was after the film that I kinda became obsessed with her. The pain she had physically, after a bus crash, for all her life - and then her miscarriage really is what drove her. I saw the casts she had to wear and the bed with the mirror that she used to paint herself (note - she did a lot of self-potraits, because she spent a lot of time bed-ridden).
I feel like I am in some kind of Frida-fan cult now.
I read online - and got told by a staff member at Museo FK - that Dos Fridas, one of her most famous paintings was in the Museo of Modern art. Well, I was so pumped for this one I brought a badge with it on to wear there.
Got there, expo over.
The annoying thing about this city is that time goes really fast. The big museums take like 3 hours and to get from one place to the other on the metro envolves a lot of time travelling, walking to change lines and waiting. I feel like I accomplish little here each day, e.g Frida Museo was the first thing I did in the day, didn{t leave til 2pm. So there is this place with pretty boats that float around, Xochilmico. I don}t know if this is actually the name, I am writng it off the top of my head and can not be arsed searching it.
Anyways, you go down the river on a pretily decorated red and yellow boat. I was told on Sunday night that to do it cheaply you must go on the weekend.. if only I had that info earlier. Finally got there, it was a huge mission on a few different trains, then followed the signs as many enthused men on bikes pointed the way (they sit on their bikes at the station, then one of them jumps into gear at the sight of a tourist)... I was told it would be $200 pesos, bit over $20 per boat. Unfortunately, coz It is low season, they must be desperate.
I jumped in with 2 Argentinian girls, we started away. They asked the price, when I asked what they said... they told me $370 pesos each! OH. HELL. NAH. That is over $40 Nz.... over $100 for the boat - to quote la favorita oracion de mi madre ¨Give me a break¨.
My heart was pounding, we were pulling away, I was trapped.
So, being the cheap and dramatic person that I am, I jumped up, dove onto the neighbouring boat to escape. So, due to the very slow speed of the boat (since the trip is 45 mins, I doubt it will get much beyond leaving the parking area and then reversing back in), it was really just a little step-jump, but I was shaking my head vigourously going ¨Yo escuchi $200 por todo (I heard 200 for all) No quiero, No quiero! (I don´t want)¨ STOP THE BOAT is what I was saying in my head.
They were all ¨Impossible¨ for both the stopping and the price, I didn´t feel bad about drag-queenly high tailing it out of there when scam artists were involved. So, with my money in my hand and photos on my card, I flounced out of there.
I headed for the centre (the sun set on the train mission home) where I stumbled across a night exhibition of art especially for the Revo and Bicen (Just some Mex 2010 slang..)
(NOTE: THIS IS ONLY HALF THIS ENTRY... I REWROTE IT TWICE AND IT KEPT NOT SAVING. I THEN WROTE IT IN AN EMAIL TO MYSELF (I am my number one sender of emails to my inbox... followed by Mum, then the Lady from school wanting me blimmin timesheets, then Oxfam) BUT NOW IT WILL NOT LET ME USE COPY AND PASTE.
Ah, if only Mexican Electricity had not killed my computer then I would be able to use that (there is free wireless EVERYWHERE in mexico), instead of paying once a day. Could have sponsered a Child with this money!
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