33, Part 2: Madame Tussauds, Washington D.C.

I've become quite the Groupon window shopper as of late.  It happened by accident when I found myself bored at work and perusing the app store on my iPad mini early last week.  I had never gotten into the fad because TJ always likes to tell me that the only thing cheaper than buying something you don't really need because it's on sale...is just not buying it at all.  He's got a point.  Don't tell him I said that.

TJ freezes while crossing the Delaware with General George Washington, 

then gets down to brass tacks with President John Adams.

The trouble is that between his eight + hours of Arabic class and my eight hour job plus two hour commute Monday - Friday (Oh, yeah.  I quit Arabic.  Remind me to tell you about that sometime!), we find ourselves exhausted and not eager to remove our carcasses from the couch most weekends.  Finding myself in a bit of a funk, my eyes lit up when the Groupon app popped up as a recommended download.  I resolved then and there that we would make more of an effort to enjoy our weekends...and do it on the cheap! 

I go sass-for-sass with Teddy Roosevelt, then give John Quincy Adams a peep show

...he does not look amused. 

"Um.  I don't know how to tell you this, but...um..."

Using my birthday as the perfect excuse to make my first Groupon purchase, I selected two half-off admissions to Madame Tussauds for Saturday morning.  It's something I've always wanted to do here in D.C., but TJ has been reluctant.  I visited the New York location over Thanksgiving break during my (first) senior year in college and thoroughly enjoyed myself.  I was eager to see what this branch had to offer, but, when you live in a city with free museums galore, it's kind of hard to convince someone to pay for one.  Yay, Groupon!

The plan had been to spend the morning at Madame Tussauds followed by an afternoon walking amongst the Cherry Blossoms and capped off with dinner at our favorite restaurant, Texas de Brazil, which had sent me a buy one, get one free coupon in honor of my birthday.  Look at all of that BOGOing, folks!  We should be on Extreme Couponing!

Unfortunately, the cherry blossoms hadn't bloomed yet, despite multiple websites informing me that this was supposed to be the beginning of the peak time.  Whatevs.  We'll go next weekend.  Then I realized that the coupon for Texas de Brazil was only good Sun-Fri.  Now, we could have gone and paid full price, but it's the principle of the matter, folks.  I'm gonna save that puppy for another day. 

I entered a staring competition with J. Edgar Hoover;

Meanwhile, TJ helped Bob Woodward investigate the Watergate scandal.

"I'm king of the world!"

We're adaptable guys, so adjustments were quickly made.  In the end, our day consisted of  Madame Tussauds, lunchtime appetizers and mojitos at the Hard Rock Cafe (Which I effin' LOVE, by the way.  I think that anybody that says they don't like the HRC either hasn't tasted the food or simply doesn't like the concept of such a place.  Haters.), and a delicious home cooked Italian dinner accompanied by wine and Wreck-it-Ralph.  Yeah.  I can dig it.  I thought it was a pretty awesome day, all told.

Work it, girls!

Mexico City, Day 7: Diego Rivera, the National Palace, and Frida Kahlo, Too!

Bear with me folks...we are now, finally, entering our last day in Mexico City (Well, there was an eighth day, but that was mainly travel, so I'll spare you the boring details)!

Our seventh day in Mexico City began with a very nice complimentary piece to Day Six's visit to the anthropology museum.

Whereas yesterday we learned many things about the societal origins of the indigenous peoples of Mexico, today's visit to the Palacio Nacional taught us many things about the country's political history.

The National Palace has acted as a base of operations for Mexico's ruling class since the days of the Aztec empire. It is currently home to various offices for both the Federal Treasury and National Archives. And, of course, a sprawling museum exhibit.

Visitors to the palace are first treated to (or horrified by, depending on your outlook) a video honoring the 2010 bicentennial of Mexico's independence, as well as the centennial of it's Revolution. The video is 100% propaganda and, although beautifully rendered with copious amounts of national pride, did have the (un)intentional consequence of making the only two gringos in the room feel just a tad bit out of place.

Upon exiting the indoctrination chamber...I mean viewing room, one is treated to a gigantic mural painted by Diego Rivera. "The Epic of the Mexican People" (1929-1935) adorns the main stairwell and various walls of the second floor. It tells an illustrative history of Mexico from 1521 to 1930. The murals have the honor of being the only items in the palace that one can photograph. So, here's a small sample for you.

Remember waaaaay back on Day 1.5, when we talked about the relocation of the bodily remains of the heroes of Mexico's War of Independence? Well, the National Palace is their current resting place. Ta-Dah! The remains underwent modern techniques for continued preservation before arriving at their current location by way of horse-drawn carriages escorted by armed soldiers. They will remain on display at the palace through the duration of this year's celebration.

The remainder of the museum contains an impressive collection of presidential portraits, the style of which changes with each decade and artist. As with Chapultepec Castle (and the White House, Versailles, etc.) there are also dozens of rooms cordoned off by velvet rope permitting a look-but-don't touch approach to palatial living.

Our final stop of the day (and trip) was the former home of Diego Rivera (see above) and Frida Kahlo.

La Casa Azul was the birthplace of Frida Kahlo, the most renowned Latin American artist in the world. It was in this house that she lived for a time with her husband, artist Diego Rivera. In 1958, four years after her death, La Casa Azul was turned into a museum, and has remained so ever since.

This particular museum was of great interest to us, and we thought that perhaps we had saved the best for last. We unfortunately found ourselves more than a little disappointed by the modest blue house. It was by no means a large collection of art. But at least what they did have was beautiful.

But like the National Palace, photography was not permitted.

I found myself harassed by the staff on more than one occasion. Once, when I was yelled at to throw away a soda bottle (empty since before my entrance, I assure you, and seen by at least two employees prior to it suddenly becoming a security issue) and again when our path through the museum was called into question. Apparently your entry fee of $65 MXP only permits you to walk through the museum once, and in a specified direction.

But the sugar cookies in the small cafeteria were good. And the interior courtyard was beautiful.

But, alas...since photos are worth a thousand words, and I have no more photos...I find myself out of things to say about this particular destination.

Good-bye, Mexico City...I hope to see you again some day!

Mexico City, Day 6: Museo Nacional de Antropología

Located in the heart of the San Francisco Sierra in the state of Baja California Sur, the Painted Cave is one of the most important ceremonial centers featuring "cave art" in the North of Mexico...This composition, reproduced at almost full size, shows a fragment of this great wall painting.

This imagery, and the accompanying text, are the first thing to greet visitors of Mexico City's impressive, expansive, Anthropology Museum.

One barely finds himself scratching the surface of this sprawling collection before being hit by a dawning realization:

"Now I understand. I know why US Anthropology museums suck."

It's because the United States has very little anthropology to speak of.

From a purely scientific standpoint, Merriam-Webster defines anthropology as "the study of human beings and their ancestors through time and space and in relation to physical character, environmental and social relations, and culture."

Look Familiar? How about now?

Okay. Great. But we as Americans don't identify with our Native American predecessors who were first to roam the land. We define ourselves by the colonial settlers who founded the United States of America. Our history begins in 1776. 1492 if we're going back to Columbus's arrival. That's only 235 years. 519, tops. And even then, humanity as it is now known had pretty much developed. America must look east, towards Europe, for it's anthropologic origins.

But Mexicans? They cast a much wider chronological net. Mexico was first populated over 13,000 years ago. Complex indigenous cultures were prevalent long before the Spaniards arrived. And although there is no argument that, as in the United States, a mixing of races occurred, Mexico managed to hold onto it's identity. The United States was born in Europe. Mexico was born in Mexico.

And because of this, one does not feel quite so detached when viewing these ancient artifacts. Because one understands that they are still pertinent to the people that live here.

The pottery. The hand-carved figurines. The reproductions of burial grounds and family housing. The native clothing. They are all relevant to the people of Mexico. Because chances are, their ancestors possessed these things. And, perhaps, painted the wall that opens this blog post.

In the United States, history museums are a fascinating look back at the origins of our independence, while anthropology museums are a quirky footnote in time. In Mexico, history and anthropology are forever linked.

Perhaps one day the US can say the same.

Or maybe not...

"Hulk SMASH history!"

Mexico is Infested...With Vampires!

There was no better way to kick off yesterday's start of a four-day weekend commemorating death and resurrection (Google Semana Santa or Holy Week...we won't be going into that here) than by visiting a museum exhibit about the life and times of the undead at Centro Cultural "El Refugio" in Tlaquepaque.

Our friend Serch met us at the entrance early yesterday afternoon, tickets in hand and ready to enter "El Refugio." In what is quickly becoming a common theme of repurposing here in the Guadalajara area, I was to learn that El Refugio (The Shelter) was built in 1859 as a hospital, subsequently abandoned, and eventually renovated and turned into a museum in the early 1980s.

With it's high arches, numerous garden spaces, and unending (albeit empty) rooms, El Refugio contains the potential to be one of the greats among the museum crowd. But not today. Not right now. Because, for now, it is nothing more than a haven for evil...a shrine to the greatest monsters known to man.

And, knowing this, we thought it wise to arm ourselves before entering.

We entered, prepared to face any challenge with our crucifixes, garlic, holy water, and rubber hand. Not quite sure what the hand is for. Unless it's this chick's sick version of a rubber ducky.

Countess Elizabeth Báthory de Ecsed. The Blood Queen. Countess Dracula. Whatever you want to call her, and whoever she really was, she has been accused of some truly heinous acts. She, along with four coconspirators, has been linked to the murders of up to 650 innocent souls. It is suggested that she bathed in the blood of virgins in an attempt to retain her youthful looks. For her crimes she was placed under house arrest. That's all? Sheesh. I hope they at least disconnected the Cable.

We all know this guy. Vlad the Impaler. The man. The myth. The legend. The template for Dracula and the ensuing decades of vampire flicks. Without this guy, Anne Rice may not have become a bestselling author. Universal Studios might be one monster short. There would be no Team Edward. Yes. Thank you, Vlad. Thank you for existing.

His victims might not agree, though. Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia, is best known for his resistance against the expansion of the Ottoman Empire. Oh, yes, and for shoving sticks into his victims through the most uncomfortable means possible.

But again, what about all the GOOD things Vlad did?

After narrowly escaping both Lizzy and Vlad (it was an exciting adventure, I promise), we fell victim to a giant spider attack. Apparently, this is a vampire spider. To illustrate this, there was video footage of Shelob, the giant elf-blood-drinking spider from "The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King" playing in the background. Nothing to say about this, really, but it made for a fun photo. Moving right along...

...to the vampire bat. There are three species of bats that feed solely on blood: the common vampire bat, the hairy-legged vampire bat, and the white-winged vampire bat. Disappointingly, there are none that are known to transform into people, undead or otherwise.

Below the exhibit you will see our friend Serch. I'm not sure how many species of Serch there are, but this appears to be the common variety. Based on our after-museum dinner, I can speculate that it feeds on various types of meat and tequila. Much like the common variety Aaron and TJ.

But I get ahead of myself. No vampire exhibit would be complete without this guy. He's pale. He's creepy. He sleeps a lot during the day and parties hard at night. Oh, Look! Dracula's there, too!

Dracula is, of course, the most renowned of all vampires, and was made famous in Bram Stoker's 1897 novel of the same name.

As I mentioned earlier, Dracula is based heavily on real-life psycopath Vlad the Impaler. And yet, for all the real villainy Vlad committed, Dracula gets all the credit. No wonder he's got a stick up his...no, wait. Those were his victims.

All in all, this was a cheesy yet informative and entertaining exhibit. Only two nitpicks.

1) For a show that advertised itself as a Vampire, Demon, and Werewolf exhibit, there were no demons to be seen.

2) There were plenty of Werewolves...but they were camera shy.

"Turn that blasted camera off!!!"

Guadalajara's Top 20, Number 6: Museo Regional de Guadalajara

As indicated yesterday, our whirlwind tour of the city with Genaro last Sunday presented numerous opportunities to mark Top 20 items off of the list. Here's another.

Originally designed as the St. Joseph Seminary, this 300-year-old+ edifice was later repurposed as a holding facility for Spanish prisoners of war captured during the Mexican War of Independence. The building found new life in 1918 when it was reimagined as a museum. Today it is known as Museo Regional de Guadalajara, and is home to a variety of archaeological pieces and works of art that intend to document the history of western Mexico from prehistory onward.

The museum is currrently playing host to a haunting photo exhibit entitled "Testimonios de una guerra: Fotografía de la Revolución Mexicana." Below are some sample pieces from the exhibit.

The museum itself consists of only a dozen or so small galleries, so it's not uncommon to find yourself experiencing a drastic transition when walking from one exhibit to another. For example, right next to the photo exhibit above, we found ourselves exploring ancient (and just slightly older) times...

"Mammoth of Catarina," A sample of Mexican pottery, Sabre-Toothed Tiger

...And that's pretty much all she wrote when it comes to the first floor. The building and its surrounding grounds, however, are a work of art in and of themselves. Take a look at this beautiful staircase, for instance, and the courtyard it overlooks.

The second floor offers little more exhibition space than the first. We are in Mexico, however, and since this is a predominantly Catholic country, it would be nigh-impossible to leave the museum without seeing some (creepy) religious art.

And, for reasons I have yet to determine, there is a huge collection of horse-drawn carriages surrounding the upper balcony.

There were a few more pieces of interest, but I already find myself dangerously close to having shared the museum's entire collection with you.

Yes, this is a small museum, but that shouldn't detract from anyone's enjoyment of what is presented. Or maybe I'm just biased. I continue to find myself completely in love with almost everything I explore here in Mexico, from the quaint to the grandiose.

Although this is definitely closer to the quaint side of things, I would recommend a visit to any history buffs that find themselves traipsing around Guadalajara, especially on Sundays, when admission is free.

Museo Regional de Guadalajara is open Tue-Sat 9a-5:30p; Sun 9a-4:30p; closed Mon.

Guadalajara's Top 20, Number 5: Instituto Cultural Cabañas

I'm such a bad blogger. I went and started a new project, "Guadalajara's Top 20" on December 21, and it wasn't until last weekend that I finally pulled out the list to get around to posting a second entry. It was only then that I realized that my postings for Zoológico Guadalajara, Tonalá, and Tlaquepaque had actually covered #'s 2, 3, and 4. I've gone back through and edited/hyperlinked those posts accordingly, but I'm STILL a bad blogger, because the experience I'm about to share actually happened LAST weekend. So, so lazy of me. Anyway, without further ado, Guadalajara's Top 20, Number 5: Instituto Cultural Cabañas.

Instituto Cultural Cabañas is actually one of the first sites we stumbled upon when we first began exploring Guadalajara. The only thing that kept us from entering was the fact that we had left the camera at home. Oh, and the admission fee. It was only seven bucks or so, but we were feeling kinda cheap that day.

Fortunately, or friend Genaro is a quick study. He has learned that if we do dinner and a movie at home, TJ and I are destined to fall asleep before the half-way point (What can I say? We're getting old...). To this end, Genaro has insisted on hanging out with us out in public, during daylight hours, where the risk of falling asleep is minimal. And so, last Sunday, Genaro took us on a sightseeing tour in which we saw multiple items on the Top 20 list. I'll be sharing them all in time (gotta spread this stuff out) but for today we'll just focus on the Institute.

The Institute was originally designed in the early 1800's as an orphanage, and served this purpose for over 100 years. During this period, it was known as Hospicio Cabañas. The building underwent an extensive renovation in the 1980's and reopened as a cultural center featuring art exhibits, a movie theater, dance lessons, and other artsy activities.

Sample of artwork currently on exhibit at the Institute

The complex is named after Juan Cruz Ruiz de Cabañas, who was appointed bishop of Guadalajara in 1796. He commissioned the building's design from Spanish architect Manuel Tolsá in 1803, following royal decrees encouraging the construction of houses to attend to the needs of the poor. Orphans began arriving in 1810, though construction would not be completed until much later. To the left you will see statue of the bishop (who died in 1823) that stands in the Institute's courtyard.

Despite the beauitful architecture, landscaping, and sculptures to be found throughout the complex, the Institute's main draw is a series of murals by artist José Clemente Orozco. The Orozco Murals actually have their own spot on the Top 20 list, and will be covered in a separate entry at a later date. But, because I'm so nice, here is a sneak peak.

The Institute has the honor of being on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, making this the second such site we have seen in our three months in Guadalajara. The Institute is open Mon-Fri 10a-6p; Sun 10a-3p.