PYRAMIDS
Today was the day to go back in time, way back, as they say. We were picked up promptly at 8:00 am by the same exuberant guide as yesterday, Mercedes, and her skillful driver Lalo. The Chief Penguin had not met them yesterday and Mercedes was so delighted to see him, she practically embraced him! The Teotihuacans lived less than an hour from the city from 100 to 750 AD. It’s not clear what led to their demise, but theories center around internal fighting and a series of destructive fires. In any case, these people built some very impressive pyramids and a whole city that thrived for more than 600 years.
On the way out of town, we saw the mountains that surround Mexico City and clusters of houses built up the mountain side and the cable cars that provide transport between these communities. These are not the homes of the wealthy, but rather the workers, plumbers, electricians and the like. The houses appeared to be stucco and were painted in solid bright colors. Mercedes told us that a leader might draw individuals together and then they would all paint their houses the same color. In addition to scattered shots of different colors, I saw clusters of hot pink and deep turquoise and even some yellow.
There are a series of entrances or gates to Teotihuacan (“the place of gods”) taking you to different parts of this ancient city. Given that it was a Sunday when entry is free to Mexican nationals, there was already a line of cars. Mercedes decided we should go out of order from the usual route and see the Piramide del Sol (Pyramid of the Sun) first. It is the largest and tallest at 70 meters or approximately 230 feet high. The construction is more elaborate than one might think with layers of stones surrounded by mortar and pebbles and then solid layers and more layers piled on that. There are sets of steep stone steps (straight up, no slant, very narrow and no railings) and, if you are ambitious or fit or just determined, you can climb to the top. We found that going up to the first of five levels was enough for us—a real stretch for my knees!
You might think that the Sun would be at one end of the Avenue of the Dead running through the city, but it is on the side and the Piramide de la Luna (Pyramid of the Moon), shorter at only 46 meters, anchors the end with a lovely, more intimate plaza.
At the Moon plaza, Mercedes had us stand in a particular spot to feel the energy, and we had a few minutes of guided meditation, reminiscent of what sometimes we do in my yoga class.
We also made brief stops at Palacio Quetzalpapalotl, at the remains of the Temple of the Mythological Animals and the Temple of the Feathered Serpent (at the far end opposite Moon) where we could see the reddish color used on the walls and some of the artistry painted on the stone. Overall, Teotihuacan is an amazing accomplishment and we only saw the highlights. Although there were crowds of people, they and we were dwarfed by these manmade structures!
The Chief Penguin had missed yesterday’s outing to central Mexico City so we returned for brief views of the Diego Rivera murals in the National Palace, the interior of the main cathedral, Aztecs performing in the street, and the central post office. We even got to watch a noisy parade (looked political from the banners) pass by.
DINING NOTES
After our outings, we had dinner at our hotel the past two nights. Grilled chicken with sautéed veggies for me one night and a tasty salmon the next. We think the chef must be lonely since we have been the only diners, but perhaps that was due to the early hour at which we chose to eat.
Saks down the street has become our regular lunch place and it’s very good! Yesterday, after only munching on cookies and downing lots of water during our excursion, we went Mexican at the fashionable hour of 2:00 pm and ordered enchiladas, beers, and guacamole.
Note: All photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved). Header photo shows people at the top of the Pyramid of the Sun.
