I had an interesting conversation this past week while in Mexico City with my new friends Jose and David. Jose is a fellow Fulbrighter, here with his wife Naomi, and David is the boyfriend of Danielle. When Jose discovered that in addition to being an architect, David is also a photographer, he asked David what he likes to take pictures of. David responded that he usually only photographs while he is traveling, because what he sees around where he lives is so normal to him. He told Jose, that he’s enjoyed seeing the things that I choose to photograph here, many of which are new to me, but normal to him.
What I am always struck by in Mexico is the amount of activity going on in the streets. Though this is true in American cities, it seems move prevalent here.
On our way home from a visit to the CODENI nightly tutoring last week, Missy and I noticed Ernesto Hernandez Estrado, who for the past 8 years has been juggling aluminum foil-covered balls at the intersection of Miguel Blanco and Federalismo, a major intersection in the city center. Though Hernandez suffers from serious chest pains, for which he has too keep his muscles wrapped with a makeshift ace bandage, he repeats a routine of carrying a 10-foot ladder into the street when the light turns red, juggling for about a minute, hopping down, carrying the ladder back to the median and dodging traffic to collect tips. In a 3-4 hour span, he’ll make about 50 pesos ($5 USD).
I have a great interest in meeting people who make their living in the streets. There are so many. The other night on the way home from the bus station, a man was fire-breathing at 11 p.m. in front of traffic. I must find him!
