In March 2025 Wendy and I flew from Sydney to Los Angeles (LAX) and caught a shuttle bus, south, to San Diego (old Town).

 After a couple of days in San Diego we joined an 11 day cruise to Mexico, aboard Holland America’s ‘Zaandam’.  

 This was our second trip to Mexico.

 We first visited Mexico on our way to Cuba in 2012. I didn’t write about the Mexico or California components of our trip back then because I didn’t want to detract from the Cuba story.

If you didn't see it at the time, follow this link: Cuba

 So, first, here are my recollections of that experience, mellowed by time, informed by hindsight.

 

 ***

Mexico City is the capital and largest conurbation in Mexico, as well as the most populous city in North America (Wikipedia). We stayed in Mexico City twice: going and coming from Cuba (once in town and once near the airport). The US travel advisory told us that we should: “Exercise increased caution due to crime. Both violent and non-violent crime occur throughout Mexico City. Use additional caution, particularly at night, outside of the frequented tourist areas where police and security patrol more routinely. Petty crime occurs frequently in both tourist and non-tourist areas.”

So it was with some trepidation that we set out on foot, from the Hotel Geneve to the Plaza de la Constitution (the central square), soon deciding that we had been in much more dangerous feeling places.

After a look inside the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Assumption of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven, that dominates the square,

 

The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Assumption of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven 

we went around the corner to the remnants of an even more bloodthirsty belief system. 

Under the cathedral, and adjacent, are ancient Aztec ruins.  When the Spanish arrived in 1519, this was Tenochtitlan, a large Mexican city-state (also known as Mexico-Tenochtitlan). It was founded as the capital of the Aztec civilisation two centuries earlier and featured elaborate palaces, cultural and religious structures. The Spanish soon put an end to that. In 1521 Tenochtitlan was besieged and then destroyed, with Aztec religious sites demolished and/or converted to Christianity.

For the people of Mexico the new religion was definitely an improvement. Like many early agricultural civilisations, the Aztec priests/religion authors had conceived the idea that bad seasons and cataclysmic events were due to the displeasure of the various gods controlling these events. As the gods created the world through their blood, they needed to be appeased by blood sacrifice. When animals proved to be insufficient sacrifice, humans were needed.  We have seen this in a number of early civilisations - see Syracuse in Sicily and Peru on this website. Christians, Jews, and Muslims might also think of past large-scale animal sacrifice to their God at the Temple of Solomon (see Ancient Jerusalem) and of Abraham, almost, sacrificing his son (Genesis 22). 

The Aztecs had take this practice to extreme levels, sourcing their victims through ritualised wars against other tribes, to provide a stock of defeated slaves who could be sacrificially killed during times when the gods were angry. The skulls and hearts were then collected; the gizzards fed to their animals; and the muscle, presumably cooked, fed to the victorious warriors. Who thinks these religions up?

 

This may seem a bit strange unless you are familiar with the British mockumentary series, staring Diane Morgan as Philomena Cunk, an ill-informed investigative reporter  who interviews real experts in their field asking naïve and, sometimes insightful, questions while delivering bizarre observations about human progress with a deadpan delivery. It's very funny - or at least, so I find it.

 

 

The ruins of the Great Temple 

 

The Museo Nacional de Antropología, nearby, was very informative and worthwhile.

Humans came to North America quite late, compared to Europe or Australia.

[Although, this is put into doubt by some ancient, and controversial, footprints. As we are now discovering some of us have ancient very robust, large-brained, pre-existing, ancestors with whom our more recent out-of-Africa ancestors bred. In Europe these were the Neanderthal and in Asia the Denisovans. These more ancient ancestors were present well over 200,000 years ago. So, it is possible that they may have crossed, in small numbers, during an earlier glaciation event, and then died out.]

Nevertheless, most anthropologists agree that modern humans arrived in the Americas, across the land bridge from Asia about 20,000 years ago, when sea levels were about a hundred metres lower. From there, stone-age humans migrated south populating the whole of the Americas. Various tribes then formed and differentiated and some of these tribes settled, developed agriculture, and became civilised (building towns and cities). City dwellers developed advanced technologies such as: fired ceramics and, latterly, metallurgy. They also observed the stars and developed calendars, in addition to the afore mentioned religions.

 

Top left: Aztec Eagle Warrior, it has a vessel in its back to receive sacrificial hearts.
  The eagle represented the sun, linked to sacrifice and the god of war.  
Top right: Tlaloc, the Aztec god of rain, storms, and fertility.
Middle left: The Coyolxauhqui stone, depicting the Aztec moon goddess and sister of the patron deity Huitzilopochtli.
  She was dismembered by her brother Huitzilopochtli after she and her brothers attempted to kill their mother, Coatlicue.
Middle right: The large stone sculpture of Tlaltecuhtli, the Aztec earth deity, that played a crucial role in the Aztec creation story,
  as her dismembered body formed the basis of the world in the creation of the fifth and final cosmos.
Bottom left: "Stone age" tools and weapons chipped from obsidian (volcanic glass).
Bottom right: One of many masks from Teotihuacan, Mexico, dating to the 4th - 6th century CE, intended for public display
  or, possibly, attached to mortuary bundles or effigies.  This is a very small sample of the items on display.

 

After all that, it was time for coffee. Overlooking the Plaza de la Constitution we found a nice vantage from which to observe the mummers entertaining the passers-by outside the cathedral.

 

The Plaza de la Constitution 

Suitably refreshed, we headed off, past the Palacio de Bellas Artes to nearby Chapultepec Park, with its unusual double-decker carousel.

 

The Palacio de Bellas Artes and nearby Chapultepec Park  
Top left: Wendy is standing beside "El Rapto de Europa" (The Rape of Europa), a bronze sculpture by the Colombian artist Fernando Botero.
Fernando Botero is known for his distinctive style, "Boterismo," characterized by inflated, rounded forms in his paintings and sculptures.
The sculpture depicts the ancient Greek myth of Europa and Zeus, where Zeus transforms into a white bull to abduct the Phoenician princess Europa.
There was a huge Botero exhibition showing at the gallery

 

 ***

 I had a hankering to return to the Palacio de Bellas Artes and the Botero show, learning that it also features the work of Diego Rivera, the husband of feminist icon - Frida Kahlo.  Diego Rivera is particularly admired in Mexico as one of: "Los Tres Grandes" (The Three Greats) of Mexican Muralism. The other two are: José Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siqueiros. All three are represented here.

 

Top:  Diego Rivera's: "Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Central Park" (1947-48). It narrates Mexican history through its figures and events.
  In particular: the Conquest, the Porfiriato dictatorship, and the 1910 Revolution. A central grouping includes a child-version of Rivera himself, the artist Frida Kahlo,
  the printmaker José Guadalupe Posada, and La Catrina, a skeletal representation of death popularized by Posada.  
Middle: "Catharsis," a 1934 mural by José Clemente Orozco. The mural depicts a dystopian vision of humanity, highlighting conflict, decay, and destruction,
  particularly in the context of industrialization and war symbolised by laughing, prostituted woman - Mexico?. It's interesting what people choose to share with their children.
Bottom left: the central panel of the mural Nueva Democracia (New Democracy) by David Alfaro Siqueiros,  created for the museum in 1946.
  The two side panels are titled: "Víctimas de la Guerra" (Victims of War) and "Víctima del Fascismo" (Victim of Fascism).
Bottom right: "Victima del Fascismo", by Siqueiros. One gets the impression that he didn't like any of them.

 

Although we have a Diego Rivera print, a birthday gift to Wendy from Heath and Jo, Rivera is not often seen outside of Mexico, probably because of the political nature of his work. In this case: someone / society / Capitalism, exploiting this poor girl. As Google tells us: "In Diego Rivera's art, calla lilies primarily symbolize the beauty, resilience, and cultural heritage of Mexico, particularly the indigenous people. They are often depicted as a symbol of labour and struggle, especially when shown being carried or sold by indigenous women."

Diego Rivera: "vendedora de flores"  ("The Flower Seller") 1942

 

He and his wives: the Russian artist Angelina Beloff and, the better known, Frida Kahlo, were prominent Communists. Interestingly, the gallery has a number of works by Angelina Beloff but just some sketches by Frida Kahlo who is now, posthumously, an icon of the feminist movement. The gallery is partly responsible for this.

In 2007 the Palacio de Bellas Artes held a major retrospective of Frida Kahlo's works,  Of her 143 paintings, 55 are self-portraits, which frequently incorporate symbolic portrayals of her physical and psychological wounds, posthumous notoriety that has helped to make her, for collectors and galleries, one of the most sought after artists in the world.

 

Top:  Diego Rivera's: "Portrait of Adolfo Best Maugard" (1913) and "Portrait of Angelina Beloff," (1909).
  Maugard was a fellow artist and revolutionary. A background of industrial elements, features a Ferris wheel built for the 1900 Paris World's Fair.
  Angelina Beloff was a Russian artist, Rivera's first wife and a significant figure in his early career.
Middle: Two of several paintings in the collection by Angelina Beloff.
Bottom left: Two of the hundreds of paintings, drawings and sculptures in the Fernando Botero exhibition.
 

 

 ***

 How the world has changed.

Back before her death in 1954, at just 57 years old, Frida Kahlo was depicted as a "dabbler", very much eclipsed by her husband and his first wife Angelina Beloff.

In 1933 she was interviewed by Florence Davies for the Detroit News:

 Presumably Florence Davies was 'dabbling' in journalism

The painting on which Frida is working, in the accompanying photograph, is "Self-portrait on the borderline between Mexico and the United States".  It was in the Houston Museum of Fine Arts when I photographed it in 2017. In 2021 it was sold, at Sotheby's, for US$34.9m. Dabbler indeed!

 

Self-portrait on the borderline between Mexico and the United States - my photograph

 

Her reception in 1933 is not surprising.  Until the 1970's, Frida was better known for her political activities, in particular for providing safe haven, and intimate succour, to the exiled Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky with whom she had a brief affair.

 

The text reads: "For Leon Trotsky, with all love, I dedicate this painting on November 7, 1937.
Frida Kahlo. In San Angel. Mexico."

 

For more on Trotsky's fall form grace go to  Gori Stalin's birthplace on this website. No doubt the Detroit News came to regret their quite positive interview of this now notorious person, four years later.

Today, Both Frida's Blue House and Trotsky's fortified final home, nearby, are places of pilgrimage in Mexico City. To read more about them I commend this very interesting article: A Tangled Triangle: Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Leon Trotsky Museums in Mexico City.

On our return journey from Cuba we stayed near the airport. Wendy caught a train into town to see the Blue House but I was too lazy. She still reminds me occasionally. I would have liked to have seen Trotsky's place too.  I find the events that informed the world in which our parents lived and in which you and I were conceived endlessly fascinating. Don't you?

We would run into Frida's legacy again in 2025.

 

 ***

 During our initial stay, we hired a driver to take us out to the ancient ruins at Teotihuacan, "the place where the gods were created",  approximately 50 km northeast. This is a hugely impressive site, featuring two of the largest pyramids outside of Egypt and remnants of the ancient Temple of Quetzalcoatl.

According to Wikipedia: "Teotihuacan is known today as the site of many of the most architecturally significant Mesoamerican pyramids built in the pre-Columbian Americas, namely the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon. Although close to Mexico City, Teotihuacan was not a Mexica (i.e. Aztec) city, and it predates the Aztec Empire by many centuries. At its zenith, perhaps in the first half of the first millennium (1 CE to 500 CE), Teotihuacan was the largest city in the Americas, with a population of at least 25,000, but has been estimated at 125,000 or more, making it at least the sixth-largest city in the world during its epoch."

It doesn't disappoint.  We climbed the Pyramid of the Moon to get a panoramic view and then spent several hours exploring the site. By the time we returned to the Pyramid of the Sun, the prospect of another climb was rather daunting, so we resisted. A pity, because, like Uluru in Australia, climbing the pyramids is no longer allowed.

 

Top:  Avenue of the Death and Pyramid of the Moon.  Climbing the Pyramid of the Moon, Pyramid of the Sun in the distance
Middle: A section of the walls of the 'Avenue of the Dead' and a mural portraying a large cat, probably a puma,
  with open jaws and large claws protruding from its paws. It was discovered during archaeological explorations in 1963.
  A group of platforms and temples that comprise this architectural unit is now known as The Puma Complex.
Bottom: Extensive, as yet, unexcavated ruins and the Pyramid of the Sun 66 meters high and approximately 220 by 230 meters at its base.

 

If you have 17 minutes, here is a very interesting documentary, by Manuel Bravo, about the city and its features, including a comparison between the pyramids and those in Egypt.

 

 

After Teotihuacan, we were ready to return to the City but our driver insisted that we "must see one more thing".

 

 ***

 This 'one more thing' turned out to be the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the miraculous image of the Virgin of Guadalupe, that appeared on Juan Diego's cloak, as a result of a Marian Apparition.

Marian Apparitions are surprisingly common in Roman Catholic communities, but seldom elsewhere, where imaginative people are more likely to report a ghost or Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster. So, the Vatican is very selective about which apparitions it endorses as: "worthy of belief" and, out of a larger field, only half-a-dozen have been judged to be appropriate for "widespread veneration". Premier, among this select few, is the apparition of 'Our Lady of Guadalupe; Empress of the Americas; Patroness of Latin America; Queen of Mexico'.

It appears that in 1531, Juan Diego, an Aztec who had recently converted to the Catholic faith, saw an apparition of Mary early in the morning on December 9, during which Mary asked that a church be built on the site of the apparition. It is said that the local bishop did not believe Juan's story. In response, during another appearance to Juan Diego three days later, after also appearing to Diego's sick uncle Juan Bernardino, Our Lady led him to miraculous patch of out-of-season roses that Juan Diego clasped inside his cloak (tilma) and when Juan Diego opened his cloak later that day before Archbishop Zumárraga, the flowers fell to the floor, revealing on the fabric the image of the Virgin that we see today.

In terms of followers/ believers, Our Lady of Guadalupe is the most venerated of all such apparitions, gazumping: Our Lady of Fatima; Our Lady of Lourdes; and all the others.

 

Top: The old Basilica - 1709 but modified in the 19th century. Fragile and too small.
Bottom: The new Basilica - 1976 now housing the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

 

It will come as no surprise that I was disinclined to believe this story. But I was surprised by the sophistication of the image. In our travels we've seen many images that have been ascribed to such supernatural events. They are typically unclear or distressed and usually have a limited palate. This is quite different: beautifully crafted and obviously the work of a competent artist over an extended creative period.

As with Poo-Bah in Gilbert and Sullivan's: 'The Mikado', the little figure at the bottom, appears to be an attempt to add "corroborative detail" yet, completely fails "to give artistic verisimilitude to an otherwise bald and unconvincing narrative". I was moved to conclude that the entire story was a fabrication by Archbishop Zumárraga, and at least one other associate (the artist and perhaps Juan), to facilitate the construction of a new church.

Little did we know that we would again encounter Our Lady of Guadalupe on our next trip to Mexico. 

 

 ***

 As outlined above, the Mexican Riviera cruise began in San Diego. So, we arrived a couple of days earlier to have a look around. Wendy had never been here and I was last here around 1980 when we took Emily to the famous Zoo.  Some things have changed.  In particular, the Old Town has been setup as a tourist attraction and the Zoo has become rather more expensive.  I don't remember so many homeless people in 1980 but on our recent trips to the US this has been a problem everywhere and seems to be getting worse. Reportedly, it's less of a problem in San Diego than elsewhere in California.

Old Town San Diego - 'Birthplace of California' is more like 'Frida Kahlo Town' in the markets. Frida's as ubiquitous here as is Dracula is in Romania. This is interesting because she's much more famous posthumously than in life, when her main notoriety was political and as the wife of Diego Rivera, whom she has posthumously eclipsed (see above). 
 

 

Top:  Downtown San Diego and San Diego harbour
Middle & Bottom: Old town San Diego - like being in Mexico already.
  The centre is now a tourist attraction with the outlets usually found on a pier.
  In the souvenir shops, as in Mexico, Frida Kahlo can be found on ceramics, clothing and flower-headbands.
 

 

It was time to join the boat.

 

 ***

 MS Zaandam is named for the city of Zaandam in the Netherlands and is operated by Holland America Line. She was built in Italy by Fincantieri in Marghera and completed in 2000.

She differs from other ships we have sailed on in that she is smaller and has propeller shafts to two variable-pitch propellers, diesel-electric of course, giving her a top speed of 23 knots. This speed is similar to the other, more modern, cruise ships we have sailed on that employ electric-azipods that are quieter and improve manoeuvrability. The engine-room, midships, is consequently much more noisy. Some midship staterooms must suffer. Fortunately ours was towards the stern and very quiet.

 

Top:  MS Zaandam in port at La Paz. She has relatively few balconies compared to newer/larger ships. We had 'ocean view' - a big window.
Bottom right: Part of the main dining room almost empty. I've removed three people in the foreground - no idea who they were.
  There are also several small specialty restaurants.

 

A smaller ship has its advantages when it comes to services and dining. We learned that she has a musical theme, and is decorated with artefacts and memorabilia from different musical genres, such as a Baroque-style Dutch pipe organ and guitars signed by the Rolling Stones, Carlos Santana and Queen. There are also statues of various composers and unusual instruments. This provided a happy diversion while roaming the ship.

Holland America Line has a loyal following, supported by incentives, and several people we spoke to regularly choose this ship.

 

 

 ***

 

As the website says: "On this San Diego roundtrip explore the charming ports that rim the Sea of Cortez,
including Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, La Paz and Loreto." 
Bahia Magdalena is a scenic location for enjoying the ocean and to watch whales and other sea mammals.

 

 

Whales at sea off Bahia Magdalena 

 

Our first port of call was Cabo San Lucas, a pretty little port, from whence we had booked an excursion to Todos Santos, an hour's bus ride up the coast, to visit the Hotel California.

True, this structure was given that name in 1974, long before the Eagles wrote a song and gave it the same name. A serendipitous gold mine resulted.

Since Eagles song went global in 1977, the Hotel California has 'cashed in', carrying the little town and the Mexican tourist industry along with them.  Have they subtly adjusted the town to match the song? Did the Mission have a bell? Was the church even a mission?

Yet, whatever they like to assert, it's very unlikely to be whatever the Eagles sang about, as Glenn Frey, who wrote the lyrics, made clear to the BBC in this interview:

 

Since writing this, I discovered this article in The Guardian:  Eagles sue Mexican Hotel California for false association with famous song
 [Rock stars claim visitors to the hotel in the Baja resort town of Todos Santos are falsely led to believe it inspired the band’s biggest hit.]

I soon tired of the tourist markets and retired to the bar at the Hotel California to test a couple of their signature 'margaritas'.

Yet, like other tourist towns, Todos Santos is pretty, in places. There was some interesting scenery and we even saw the nest of a tiny bird. I enjoyed the day.

 

 

 

 

 ***

 No need to say where we docked next. As the rooftop at the port says Welcome to La Paz.

It's a lot prettier in town, reached by a shuttle-bus. It's also the capital of this State, complete with museums and art galleries.

La Paz is a retirement town for Canadians and US citizens, with some very nice dwellings along the coast, a large gated community and golf course nearby. Nice and safe. 

 

***

Our next port was Loreto.

Loreto was the original capital of California when the whole East Coast of North America was claimed by Spain and it was part of Mexico, along with a substantial part of what is now the USA, as a result of 'Manifest Destiny'. A doctrine recently revived by Donald Trump (follow the link - it's worth a read).
It was founded by the Jesuits but they fell foul of the King of Spain and were expelled. The mission then passed to the Dominicans and Franciscans.
Now it's a small resort and tourist town and Zaandam probably doubled the indigenous population. It was a big deal for them.

 

 

 

 ***

 Mazatlán, Sinaloa, on the country's west coast, is referred to locally as the "Pearl of the Pacific" due to its natural beauty, including its beaches and coastal views.
 

According to Google:
The city is known for its beautiful beaches, historic architecture, and lively cultural scene, offering a blend of relaxation and adventure and is a major resort destination and an important Pacific port, attracting tourists and providing opportunities for residents and visitors alike. The city features distinct areas of interest, including the Zona Dorada (Golden Zone) popular with tourists and the Centro Histórico with its renovated historic buildings and plazas.

It was recently awarded Mexico's best beach resort, ahead of Cancun.

 

 

A pleasant day was had by all.

***

The following day we docked at Puerto Vallarta

In 1963 this was a small fishing village with a few hundred inhabitants. Then John Huston chose to film the 'Night of the Iguana' in the remote village of Mismaloya, nearby. Hollywood moved in, followed by the 'Rat Pack'.
Mansions popped up; an airport followed; even a naval base. Over the next 60 years Burton and Taylor's getaway love nest has grown from a few hundred souls to a city of over half a million.
It even has a cathedral: Our Lady of Guadalupe, at which the story of that rather imaginative Marian Apparition (see above) is retold.

 

 

From Puerto Vallarta we took an excursion into the countryside to the village of La Desembocada, about an hour out of town, to see the process of making tequila from cacti and to sample some real Mexican food (tourist style).

 

 

 ***

 Our last stop in Mexico was Manzanillo. Probably the nearest thing to the real Mexico on this trip,

It's the poorest of the stops on this cruise. Manzanillo is more commercial than 'resort' with a big container terminal. Most of the shops are selling domestic goods; local clothes; or food. Not tourist goods.

The population is also more ethnically Mexican, with the indigenous ancestry very evident in many of those in the street, some of whom are extremely short. Gringos from the ship stand out. I was aware of little children peering at us as if we were alien and someone murmuring 'American'.  The USA was not 'flavour of the month' in Mexico, any more than in Canada, for obvious, Trumpian, reasons.

There are a lot of Canadians on the ship and those we have spoken to are, predictably, also ill-disposed towards the new US administration.
 

 

 

Now we had a couple of sea-days, back to San Diego, where we would hire a car to make our way up the coast to Santa Barbara; San Simeon; and Carmel-by-the-Sea to San Francisco.  Fly to Las Vegas then return to LA, before flying home to Sydney. 

 

 To see any of the photographs above in more detail, plus many more, follow these links to Mexico 2012 and/or Mexico 2025

 To see some photographs and commentary from the second part of the trip, follow this link: California and Las Vegas 2025