Once in Mexico City, Alois immediately fell in love with the city. “Though completely different, it reminds me of my native Czech lands in some ways — perhaps in the music, perhaps in the warmth of the people or simply because I’m beginning to feel homesick,” he wrote in his diary. Diego Rivera welcomed him with effortless bohemian charm but the same could not be said for his wife, Frida Kahlo. Alois failed to win her over and she never missed a chance to direct her fiery temperament at him.
One day, she handed Alois a bottle of mezcal and sneered, “Show me what you can do!” Alois ran off to fetch limes and tepache, a fermented drink made from pineapple skins, sugar and spices. The cocktail delighted Kahlo and she even served it at one of her parties. But her attitude toward Alois didn’t change. Although Mexico had truly captured his heart, he realized he would always be just a foreigner from distant Europe in the eyes of his hosts. Tired of the constant cutting remarks from the famous artist, Alois continued his journey further south.
Tepache Oro