Looking toward the Poliform Siqueiros museum, which we were very excited to visit. Guard said it was closed for renovation, though. How long? Four years.

Artwork outside the Museo Culturas Populares.

From an exhibit inside the Museo Culturas Populares.

Orozco painting in the stairway at the Casa de los Azulejos.

The Sala de Arte Publico Siqueiros contains work of artists inspired by Siqueiros. This motion activated piece drops printouts of stories of the oppressed as you walk by.

Siqueiros mural behind the hand holding spiral tool. The mural extends into the next room, covering three walls and the ceiling. Below are crowds of people. Your perspective is from the pilot’s seat of a plane getting ready to bomb them. (Sala de Arte Publico Siqueiros.)

Every Saturday the Tianguis Cultural Del Chopo is held in the Santa María la Ribera neighborhood. This market which began in the 1980s includes up to 200 stalls and caters to the counter culture of Mexico City. Here a vendor sells Jamacan inspired merchandise.

Doc Martins on sale at the Tianguis Cultural Del Chopo.

The market also has a stage and live music. This ska band was too much fun.

The mosh pit.

Mexico City punk rocker.

There are many murals on Calle Mosqueta. Here is one.

Mural of corn god on Calle Mosqueta.

Tequila bottles at the Tequila and Mezcal Museum.

Scorpion mezcal at the Tequila and Mezcal museum.

We’re upstairs at the Tequila and Mezcal Museum’s sampling bar looking down. Mariachi bands gather in the plaza, getting ready for the evening. Each band of Mariachis plays on demand for a gratuity.

Mariachi getting a shoe shine in Garibaldi Plaza.

Mariachis checking in with their peeps before the night begins.

Lucha Libre! No one suffers here but the wrestlers. Vendors make sure you have whatever you need. Order a cerveza? Two bottles will be poured into a large cup for you.

This is going to look very painful.

In addition to triple tag-team matches we had this last-man-standing event. This was something of a holiday “greatest hits” match. Most of these guys tangled with everyone else in the ring mano-a-mano with many entrances and exits. Lots of exits involved someone diving through the ropes toward the crowd. Some free-for-alls outside the ring, of course.

The identities of the masked luchadores are secret. Unmasking an opponent is supposed to bring him great shame (but possibly allow him to launch a telenova career).

Greg here. OK, I admit that I went to a few wrestling matches when I was a teen. Can’t say I’m really a fan now. These routines were all well orchestrated, though, and the performances were over the top.

Each new entrance was accompanied by theme songs, dancing girls, spectacular moves on the jumbo screen, and fans vying to touch their favorite star.

Nuestro Imagen Actual (Our Actual Image) – Siqueiros painting at the Museo Arte Moderno.

Revolutionary Leon Trotsky spent much of his life in exile. At Diego Rivera’s request, México allowed him safe haven. Trotsy and his wife lived with Diego and Frida for a while, then moved here.

He led a simple life here, with a small staff to help him publish, and some body guards.

Here are bullet holes from the first assasination attempt on Trotsky. It was led by muralist Sequeiros. The second attempt was successful. A Stalinist boyfriend of one of his secreteries killed him with an ice pick.

Trotsky’s grave stone. Nearly everyone related to him was hunted down and sent to a gulag, exiled, or killed.

Congressional chambers at the Palacio National.

The roof at the Bellas Artes, a performing and visual arts center. The building, a mixture of Art Nouveau and Art Deco itself is as interesting as its contents.

Doorway at the Bellas Artes.

Lamp in between exhibits.

Art deco colums and a Siqueiros mural.

Exhibition of Olivetti typewriters and advertising at the Bellas Artes.