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| Driving around Mexico City |
Our first full day in Mexico City was a busy one. We got up early, though we took our time getting ready. Just before our tour was supposed to pick us up, we got a call telling us that they were already there. Surprise! Mexicans in Mexico City are not only on time, they are early!
We didn't drive very far before we waited for the rest of the people to get on board, those who purchased their tickets this morning, or who weren't staying within the area of pick-up. Then we were off. The tour ended up being in both English and Spanish. I liked the tour guide, but her English was pretty horrible. She made lots of grammar mistakes and her pronuciation wasn't very good either. But, since Ulises doesn't speak English, I generally paid attention to the Spanish portions. Plus, I understood it better.
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| I don't remember what this building is |
Our first stop was the Square of the Three Cultures (La Plaza de las Tres Culturas). In this location, you can see the three different cultures of Mexico, the ancient culture (through an archaeological dig site), the Catholic/Conquistador culture (through the church built on the spot-Santiago de Tlatelolco), and the modern culture (through the surrounding buildings). The thing that stuck out to me most about this location was that with each culture, bloodshed took place on this spot.
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| The square of the three cultures |
First, there are pyramids that were once located in this spot where blood sacrifices were made. Then on Aug 13, 1521, the final battle between the Spanish conquistadores and the Mexicas (pronounced Meshicas, is the name that the Aztecs gave themselves) took place in this location. Finally, on Oct 2, 1968, the Tlatelolco Massacre took place in this square. The massacre occurred just over a week prior to the Summer Olympics of Mexico City. The Mexican government silenced a peaceful student protest by massacring everyone in the square. They were protesting the repressive actions of the government.
It was interesting because very infrequently do I feel so uneasy in a location. When I entered the church there, I didn't like the dark feeling that came over me. I thought it was ironic that they had a sign saying Peace and Wellbeing, because I didn't feel any of that. I imagine it is from the tens of thousands of people that were slaughtered on that spot.
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| The Square where the massacre of October took place |
Our next stop was the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. There are actually three churches built in this location. The original, which I guess is considered a shrine, is built on the hill where Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin says he was visited by the Virgin of Guadalupe. Juan Diego was canonized as the first Indigenous-American saint (as in first Indigenous saint from the Americas because he was Mexican). The story goes that she visited him and told him to tell the Bishop that she wanted a shrine built on that spot. The bishop asked for a sign, and Juan Diego returned to say he was unworthy because the Bishop didn't believe him. Later she appeared again and told him to go gather roses in his tilma (a course garment made of cactus fibers) and only open it for the Bishop. When he returned to the Bishop and let the flowers fall out, the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe was imprinted on the garment. They built a church on the bottom of the hill after that, but because of the ground, it has started to sink. If you go inside that building, you can see and feel the slanted floor. Because of that, they built a new Basilica (which I personally find to be quite ugly in architectural design). Inside the new Basilica, they have the tilma that Juan Diego was supposed to have worn and in which is printed the image of the virgin.
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| Monument to the students |
Finally, we took the long drive north to Teotihuacan. First we stopped at a place where they work obsidian and yucca plants. They showed us what they do. It was interesting. It is quite amazing what can be done with pure nature (and a machine to work it with, anyway). They sell their crafts, but it is really expensive. There was one piece that I really liked, but it was priced at 3700 pesos! That is over $300. I couldn't really justify paying that much for something so little. No matter the stones worked into.
Then we ate lunch, a buffet that cost 100 pesos each. I thought the food was horrible. Ulises loved it though. So I'm glad one person enjoyed it. Then we headed off to the pyramids.
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| Santiago de Tlatelolco Catholic Church |
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| Inside the church: says peace and well-being |
We went to the pyramid of the moon first. The tour guide explained that the city is estimated to have been between 23 and 27 km square. They have only uncovered about 30% of the city. They also had to restore much of what is visible now. The guide indicated that the city and the pyramids weren't destroyed by the Spanish conquistadores because the pyramids looked like hills, covered with vegetation. It wasn't until they started digging that they uncovered the structures. The culture there was different than that of the Mexicas. The two main pyramids are the Pyramid of the Moon and the Pyramid of the Sun. Originally the Pyramid of the Sun was dedicated to the Teotihuacano rain god and sacrifices were performed in order to satiate the rain god's appetite. When the Mexicas discovered the city after the Teotihuacanos abandoned it, they called it the Pyramid of the Sun. The Avenue of the Dead runs from the Pyramid of the Moon and past the Pyramid of the Sun.
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| The altar in the church |
After listening to the tour guide, we climbed the Pyramid of the Moon and took a group picture (which they say will be sent to us). Then we were allowed to go our own ways. Ulises and I took our times taking photos and climbing down the pyramid. Then we walked down the Avenue of the Dead. I bought some earrings as a souvenir and then we climbed the Pyramid of the Sun. That was quite a climb. There is one part in particular that is extremely steep.
After climbing down, we were going to walk farther along the Avenue of the Dead. I saw some squirrels, and we stopped to take pictures and to watch. Then we continued on. We didn't get all the way to the end when we had to turn back.
We got back to our hotel kind of late. There was a lot of traffic, so we had to walk a few blocks. Then Ulises and I went out to find a place to eat. We ended up walking down the street that our hotel is on. Several restaurants were already closed, others didn't catch our interest. We finally stopped at a small Taqueria. The food was excellent and reasonably priced. All in all, we had an amazing day.
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Ulises was fascinated by the church
door. |
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| Santiago de Tlatelolco Catholic Church |
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| Sign about the battle of 1521 |
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They use this phrase, may the virgin be with you
to say the equivalent of God be with you or God bless you. |
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| The second Basilica of Guadalupe |
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The original picture of the virgin of Guadalupe hung inside
the new Basilica of Guadalupe |
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A depiction of the first Mexican saint receiving
a vision |
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They have mass in this church literally all day long
every day. |
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| The original Basilica of Guadalupe, located on the hill |
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| Beautiful, peaceful gardens |
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| Filling his water bottle from the falls |
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It's amazing that you can have a place
like this in the middle of a city |
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I got yelled at for this picture. How was I to know that
you're not allowed to sit on these?!? |
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| Walking up to the original church |
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| Are we there yet? |
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| Looking down on how far we had come |
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| I am strong! |
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| He thinks he is stronger |
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| The original church |
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| Yep! We made it! |
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| Inside the original church |
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| This is inside the second church |
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It's hard to tell, but the floor is slanted
because the building started sinking |
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| Please feed us! We are hungry! |
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| Huarache |
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| Eating |
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| Drive to Teotihuacan |
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| The many uses of the Yucca |
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| You can write on the skin! |
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| You can make a weapon |
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| You can even make a needle and thread |
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| Thread in different colors, too! |
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| Working obsidian |
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| Obsidian heart |
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Intricate obsidian piece - Something similar was priced
at 3700 pesos in their store |
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| The Temple of the Sun |
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The dots in the cement show the parts that were
restored. Where there are no dots in the cement, you
see original workmanship |
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| Magnificent Teotihuacan! |
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| The pyramid of the moon |
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| Ulises |
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| Climbing the Pyramid of the moon |
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| Up as far as they will let us go! |
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| A view of the city |
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| Look at me! |
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| Just chillin' |
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| Help! My foot is stuck! |
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| Mural of the Jaguar |
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| The Pyramid of the Sun, it's a steep climb |
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| Of course, it's worse if you don't use the stairs |
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| This is literally what we climbed up |
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| At the top of the Pyramid of the Sun |
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| Climbing down the steep portion |
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| Can you believe the size of these stairs? |
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| Help! I'm trapped! |
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| What an amazing wall! |
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| Can you find the squirrel in this picture? |
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| What about in this one? |
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| Ulises writing our names in a Yucca plant |
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| In the Zocalo |
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| The seal of Mexico |
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| Famous figureheads in Mexican history |
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| Celebrating Mexico |
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| I really don't remember why I made this face |
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| Figuring out what to order |
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| Can you believe all this food? |
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I ordered flautas and a huarache, I had no idea it would
be so much food! |
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| Nice and full! |
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| About to burst! |
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