With Michael Parker we didn’t do the Olmedo museum because we were going to spend the whole afternoon on the canals – stopping at the la Isla de las Munecas – Island of the Dolls.

click image above for slide show of my day

Though I had been to the canals in Xochimilco several times, this was the first time I was going to the Island of the Dolls, a place I often heard and read about: and I was looking forward to it.

I won’t say much except to say the island creepy and I wouldn’t want to be there after dark alone.  The time we went, there were no people just dolls, dolls that were slowly deteriorating.  There was a sitting area so all eight of us had tequila drinks!  LOL

click here for a short video of my day visit to Xochimilco

So why the dolls?

The story goes that the island’s only inhabitant, Don Julian Santana, found the body of a drowned child in the canal some 50 years ago. He was haunted by her death, so when he saw a doll floating by in the canal soon after, he hung it in a tree to please the girl. He hoped to both appease her tortured soul and protect the island from further evil.

One doll in a tree, however, was not enough to ease Santana’s troubled mind. He continued to fish dolls and doll parts out of the canal whenever he saw them, hanging each one carefully on the island. There weren’t enough canal dolls to satisfy Santana’s tortured spirit, so he began scavenging more from trash heaps on his rare trips away from home. Later in life, he began trading his home-grown fruits and vegetables for dolls.

Many stories have been associated with the island over the years. A popular tale was that Don Julian had gone mad and believed the dolls to be real children who he pulled from the canal and tried to revive. But the truth, as told by his family members who now run the island as a tourist attraction, is that Don Julian simply believed the island was haunted by the spirit of the little girl. For reasons only known to Don Julian himself, he believed that he could make the dead girl happy and keep evil at bay by hanging discarded dolls in all of the island’s trees.

Info from the Web Urbanist.

While visiting, my friend Bernardo Plasencia, who lives in Col. Santa Maria la Ribera, asked me over for dinner.  After dinner he said, I have something to show you: we went to the roof of his building where he showed me a small apartment he was remodeling.  The apartment had panoramic views of the city and a roof garden.  The evening quite, cool breezes and view of the stars and the moon, was most enjoyable – it felt like sanctuary.  Though remodeling was not completed, what had been done looked great.

I said, this is wonderful and then he says, “I am doing this for you.”  He said he was hoping I would like what I saw and that I return to Santa Maria to live and to WRITE.  I was so honored, how could I say no.  So we made a contract and after my summer visit I return to Dallas to downsize so I could afford the apartment in D.F. and await the completion of the remodeling. And the thought of no more staying with friends and carting heavy luggage around town when in Mexico City sounded charming.

On Thursday evening January 12, 2012, I picked up my keys to once again live in Col. Santa Maria la Ribera on Dr. Atl across from the park Alameda Santa Maria with the Moorish Kiosk.   Having arrived on an airplane, I of course didn’t have much, no bed or furniture: but I did have enough that customs asked if what I was bringing was personal or items to sell! LOL

My first evening in my new apartment I borrowed a pillow and blanket and slept on an air mattress.  As I laid down to sleep, I couldn’t help but think  of the time I first moved away from my parent’s house: with nothing, sleeping on the floor, starting a now life adventure.

The first few days I spent tending to workers finishing up the apartment and getting things for my home.  Then nine days later I had my first soirée.  It was good seeing old friends and to be hanging once again in México City

I do keep getting the question: Are you permanently back in México City?  Well, I don’t see my world as permanent:  wife’s/husbands, lovers and even friends get divorced: people die and I too will one day die, hopefully not soon though LOL!  So to me, it seems, nothing is permanent.

BUT  I do have two places to live now:  I have a small apartment in Dallas’ Oak Cliff in an artist compound with a wonderful courtyard and then I have my small apartment, an art/writer’s studio, on the roof of an apartment building with a roof garden in México City’s Col. Santa Maria la Ribera. Living one day at time, living each day to the fullest in two countries – enjoying my wonderful ride.

photo of Chester voguing on the roof – click image for slide show of apartment

I left Sunday morning, June 19th – Fathers Day, for the airport, excited to be leaving the Dallas summer HEAT already breaking 100º degrees.    At the DFW airport, everything is so automated.   I stuck my passport into the self-check in.  That machine knew everything about me.  It asked if I wanted to upgrade my seat to First Class and I thought, hell why not.  I have never flown first class so I upgraded.  And wow, the service I got was wonderful: free drinks, hot nuts to snack.  They even brought a small warm wet towel to clean my hands – for lunch was being served.  Sitting in the back all those years I didn’t never know how special it was to be in a seat up front:  treated like a rich white woman – and it felt good.  I even got real eating utensils though the knife and fork were small – I guess so they couldn’t be used as weapons.

When we landed in México City, it felt kind of weird to be one of the first to get off the plane instead of being one of the last.   I made it to the immigration check ahead of all the other folks on the plane.  The immigration officer was nice and at first thought I was Mexican until I opened my mouth and spurted Spanish in my Texas twang.

Mary, my British lady friend that lives in México City was waiting for me.  She was easy to spot as I left customs because she towered over the Mexicans waiting for their arrivals.

We went to the taxi stand and the guy at the window was charging me too much, though I didn’t know, but Mary knew.   She told the guy it was too much to pay and he said no and she said yes.   Then the guy pretends to be looking at some book guide and told Mary she was correct.   As I left I told the guy, she is my bodyguard and he said a good one.

Driving through the city did not feel strange at all — in fact it felt like I never left for so long at all.  I was back on the streets I used to travel and I was with Mary, it seemed like I had just been gone a long weekend.

I made it to Mary’s apartment in Col. Vallejo, close to the Basilica, and we had Thai food for dinner.  And of course drank wine and talked.  That’s all we did was drink red wine and talk to Mary.  It was good catching up with an old friend.

Today, I get out and about and start another round of México City adventures.

Jzs

I moved to DF where I got more cultured in the Mexican way of life, where I learned that being Texican, Tex-Mex, is NOT Mexican at all – there is a difference.

In a lot of ways, living in DF was a culture shock too, the customs, the food (no Tex-Mex with chili con carne and cheddar cheese on my enchiladas), and no Spanglish:  If I tried to mix a sentence with English and Spanish I was not understood and thought strange.

The word Latino and most especially Hispanic does not exist here.  The whole time I was here I never heard these two words used to identify one, unless it was by a visiting friend from Texas.

I found it fascinating how I had been such a Latino activist in Dallas and then when I moved to México City I was now considered a GRINGO – no kidding.

I often got the nickname gringo and or güero, two common words I, as a Latino, would call white folks back home.  I found my nicknames most interesting because I didn’t every consider myself white, but those words have nothing to do with being white.

Gringo or güero has nothing to do with color, but with the culture of those living North of the Rio Grande.  I think my nicknames had a lot to do with my Texas twang in speaking Spanish – Como Estan Y’all.

From Dallas Texas to México City’s trendy bohemian Col. Roma and then to el Corazon de Col. Santa Maria la Ribera – it was all grand.  I met some remarkable and inspiring people from all around the world, developing some incredible friendships that will last for a lifetime.

I adore México City and often pinched my Latino hairless nalgas to see if I was awake:  making sure that it was not a dream – living in the city I so much admired after first arriving in the big enchilada during the Christmas holiday season of 1986.

What opened my eyes to moving was when my obsessive, prying, meddlesome, snooping, busybody, interfering, hmmm, did I forget a name?  Yes, GREEDY, landlady raised my rent 400% when my contract expired — this for a torn up junky apartment that she couldn’t rent until I moved into the place and fixed it up. I gave the apartment lots of love, glitter and glamorous zesty parties and then landlady wanted it ALL.

Though we settled on just a 100% increase, my landlady’s action got me to thinking: why stay in México City?  I am retired, I have a pension, I have good health and I am still young enough to move around with ease: So I can live and travel most anywhere in the world.

So with that thought in mind, I decided to leave México City, the land that was my grandparents, and venture back to be Dallas based to write my first book: DFW to DF and back.  Once completed – I will venture out once again, next stop, I don’t know exactly yet but Buenos Aires seems to be calling my name.

I will miss the vibrant life that is México City: Chapultepec Park, the bike, walk and skate Sunday’s on Paseo de la Reforma, Xochimilco, La Zona Rosa, Col. Roma & Col. Condesa, Centro Historico, the Zocalo, Bellas Artes, Alameda park, the cool bars on Repulica de Cuba, my lovely cantinas, my sidewalk cafés, the weekly tianguis in my hood, my lovely Mercado’s, my comida garnacha (street food) where I got a fill of  daily Vitamin T: Tostadas, Tamales, Tacos, Tortas, Tlacoyos, Tlayudas, Tortillas, Tinga, agua de Tamarindo and of course Tequila.

I will miss my charismatic neighborhood, Col. Santa Maria la Ribera:  I will miss the many fun and passionate parties that I had on my loggia – a place where I met the famous and infamous.  I will miss my wonderful funky Mexican, Russian, Spanish, Japanese cafes and that long-established cantina — Salon Paris.

I’ll remember the park in front of my house: the parque Alameda Santa Maria la Ribera where a gorgeous 100+ year old Kiosco Morisco sat only yards away from my front door.  A park that I could see and people watch from my big and lovely veranda:  Didn’t need a television.

Col. Santa Maria la Ribera was fun in a quirky and eccentric sort of way, a must see when visiting DF.

But I do have to admit though is that what I will miss most about my life in México City is being pampered — with a cleaning lady, a cook, having someone to do my laundry and then folding and ironing.  I will miss living the life of a rich white woman.

I do have to thank my landlady for opening my eyes to:  I don’t have to plant roots in México City.  Time to start another chapter in my unscripted lifestyle. Though my living in México City is over, my visiting is not – I still love this town.

People know that I sold everything to move to México City and I had to do it again on this move: no regrets — I’ve learned not to get too attached to things and places.  Enjoy them and move on for there will always be more fantastic new things and new places to enjoy.

Adios mi México lindo y querido – I will be back, especially in June, July and August when it’s sweltering in Dallas.

It is not adios forever: but see you later México City.

Jzs

PS:  Fine points about my journey in México City will come later in my book: So be watching for that.

Once Emilo got settled into my place he said he had to do laundry.  I told him I didn’t have a washing machine and that I took my clothing to be cleaned and folded.  I asked him to put his dirty clothing with mine so I could take the dirty laundry to the laundromat on Monday.

On Monday, I stepped out and forgot to take the laundry to the laundromat.  Being that Emilo did not want to be a burden, he thought he would surprise me by doing laundry.  I love it when a guest wants to be helpful, but washing clothes was unexpected.

Below is a picture of what I came home to:  Emilo had washed the cloths by hand and hung the laundry all over the place to dry. LOL

Emilo’s laundry by Jesus Chairez

]]> http://www.jesuschairez.com/2010/06/03/laundry-cleaned-the-old-fashioned-way/feed/ 0 http://www.jesuschairez.com/2010/01/27/dr-atl-art-book-makes-full-circle/ http://www.jesuschairez.com/2010/01/27/dr-atl-art-book-makes-full-circle/#comments Wed, 27 Jan 2010 07:09:40 +0000 Jesus http://www.jesuschairez.com/?p=565 There are various places around México City to shop for antiques and secondhand item.  On Saturday’s it’s going to the Plaza del Angel located, in México City’s La Zona Rosa.  Though I find this market a little more expensive than others I often go because I can find some real unusual and elegant items.

Last Saturday at the Plaza de Angel I found a book on the late artist Dr. Atl.  The book, titled Dr. Atl is a big picture book filled with numerous examples of Dr. Atl’s work, a letter from the President of México at the time, Luis Echeverria praising Dr. Atl and then the prologue written by Carlos Pellicer, one of México’s most poetic and literary gentleman.  My first inclination was that the book was going to be expensive – but it wasn’t.  I think this is because I found the book not in an antique bookstall but in a furniture store resting under a hat.

Being that I live on the street Dr. Atl in Col. Santa Maria la Ribera, I couldn’t wait to get home and show the book to my neighbor landlady, Mely.  But when I got to Mely’s apartment I noted she had company and said I could come back.  She said, no I want to introduce you to my friend Luis Aguirre an artist and someone I have not seen in a long time.

As I was showing Luis and Mely my book Luis shouts Hey, I recognize that book.  He opens the book to the inside cover and points to a handwritten dedication in the book, something I had missed.

Luis says, see, I wrote that dedication and he had, dated in 1981 – 29 years ago!

pictured below is

Luis Aguirre,

the man that dedicated my book 29 years ago.

While we were drinking pulque, a drink the Aztecs drank during religious ceremonies, these clowns, a big guy with a mustache and a skinny guy came up to our table to entertain us – making flowers out of those long skinny balloons. As these two young silly clowns performed I immediate thought – I know those guys! Not an exact match but a nevertheless a match of Laurel and Hardy – Latino style.

Laurel and Hardy have been reincarnated and have been reunited in México City performing at Plaza Garibaldi.

Here is a video of people having a great time at Plaza Garibaldi – it can get wild

But glad to report that in the mean time I had a blog posting listed in the LA Times – La Plaza. Check it out.

« Picture perfect: The lakes at Chapultepec | Main | Latina lawyer learned law at Harvard, gains wisdom in Compton »

Mexican artist’s intricate sketchings in cafe surroundings

Jesus Chairez, a Texan who now lives in Mexico City’s Santa Maria la Ribera neighborhood and runs his own blog, often sees an 80-year-old artist, Humberto Martinez, drawing sketches using a fine-point black Bic pen at a cafe.

“I find Martinez’ work most fascinating because it is filled with fine zigzag lines. And at 80-years old he does this without glasses too. Martinez’ work reminds me of the late Mexican artist, Martin Ramirez. Ramirez was a Mexican immigrant who spent more than 30 years in California psychiatric hospitals making art few people valued, like this artist Humberto Martinez. Though Martinez is not crazy I think his work is not valued either, evident by the people who seem to not even notice him draw nor give him any attention,” writes Chairez.

“Though I have always said hello to Martinez, today we spoke – this is how I found out he was 80-years old. Martinez also said that he has been drawing for the last 70 years and that he was really a painter, but he prefers using this medium. Most probably because of the environment he finds himself in – cafés.”

Read the full post here.

Photo: A drawing by Humberto Martinez. Credit: Jesus Chairez.

– Deborah Bonello in Mexico City

Posted by Deborah Bonello on June 3, 2009 in Art , Culture , Immigration , Mexico | Permalink

I took pictures of vendors that made Palm Sunday spiritual items, outside the church, Parroquia del Espíritu Santo on Sabino Street, in my neighborhood Col. Santa Maria la Ribera. The church celebrates one hundred years this October 29, 2009.

I did buy one Jesus on the cross made of palm leaves and put that on my home altar, a portion of that altar is pictured below: click photo to see other pictures of the items made by the vendors.

So while I waited I walked around to see a Valentines art show, information booths that promoted non violent relationships – good to see macho men getting educated that one does not have to be abusive to be in a relationship. Lots of teenage kids willing to give out free besos (kisses) and abrazos (hugs). There were people all ages of people in the crowd, some skinny and some big, tall, short, etc. Some people even brought their pets to kiss. One single guy even had a plastic blow up doll, his date. Though I have never been in one of those adult shops, I think it was like one of those plastic dolls lonely people buy. Oh yes, there were also performers that entertained the crowds for donations. The crowd was most entertaining.

The organizers did not get their crowd of almost 40,000 kissers until past night fall, when Mexico’s ranchera star Vicente Fernandez was to perform. But by then I was too tired and sunburned to have stayed. Why I go to events in México on time I will never know – they hardly if ever get started on time, but it does happen.

Click photo below to see a slide show of the Besame Mucho event