The pyramids of Teotihuacan

  Teotihuacan, Mexico
Monday, April 23, 2007

The next morning, we are waiting for our tour 5 minutes early and ... they arrive on time! Our tour guide is Hector and we pick up some more people in a mini bus.

We visit some minor attractions and then go to the church of the Lady of Guadalupe.

Penitence

One of those legends, don't you love them? Almost 500 years ago, a poor Indian man, saw Mother Mary and she asked him to request the upper priest to built a church for her. Being a poor peasant, the upper priest requested proof. When she appeared to the poor guy again she told him to go up the mountains to get the proof. In the middle of the dessert he found flowers which he put in his cape. Back at the upper priest he opened his cape and the flowers falling on the floor, formed the image of the Holy Mary, called the Lady of Guadelupe for the occasion.And that image is still there. It is also a place where people crawl on their knees to thank her for favours.

http://www.sacredsites.com/americas/mexico/nuestra_senora_de _guadalupe.html

Hello Vera

Then the mandatory tourist trap, the cactus plantation (where a cactus attacks me, bad scratches on my legs) AND precious stones workplace.

We take the Panama highway for 48 kms north. The Panama highway is paid by the American government and runs from the far south of South America to Alaska. BUT: minor problem: a accident happened on the other side and there are traffic jams, also in our direction. We are amazed!!!! The cars on the other sides (AND huge tour buses) make a detour (on the highway) and drive back on the emergency lane: no kidding!

Temple of the Moon

We arrive at the pyramids of the Sun and Moon, with our group where Hector gives us all info.

This was the city of the priests, no none religious people were allowed in here.  Hector says very proudly, that they stopped all human sacrifices 200 AD. Their favourite sacrifice (do not read this, Kris and Annick) was: lighting a fire, putting jalapeņos peppers in it, which made

Detail of carvings

the smoke very burny and then: hang babies over it, head down. Of course they cried and coughed. The tears were the symbol of water (the symbol of Mexico) and the coughing of the thunder. They let them die like that as a sacrifice to the Gods.

By now I already have to give in: Dr T was right to take a guided tour, Hector is great and we could not have done all this on our own!

The pyramids of the sun and the moon are here as famous as the pyramyds in Egypt in Europe. They are said to be as old, as high and as interesting. (796,807). And it is breath taking, I know a certain archeologist who would have had a .rgasm, right, Broekske??

Pyramids of the Sun

Arriving at the pyramid of the sun and looking up, I say, I am not going up! I do not feel so lucky after my fall yesterday and my scratches today: AND it is 35 degrees. and it is hundreds of high and dangerous stairs. Dr T says, OK, I am going on my own. Forget it!!!!!!! If we go together, we can hold eachother.

Halfway

Halfway, we meet a lady of our group, who says: this is enough. But we go to the top. Whose f.... idea was this??????? Of course, being on top is great! Getting down is plain DANGEROUS.

On Top

 


Hector gives us the the final facts on the side an we go for a meal. I have a typical mexican dish, made in a 'lava' pot. They call it spicy, but it is not.

Lava

It was almost 18h when we are back, we need a shower, I talk to you guys, go for a simple meal and bed!!! The pyramids were demanding. apart from the climb up and down, there was a 3 miles walk on very uneven grounds.

I will get back to you soon. I still did not tell you about the feel, smell, people, strange things and the characteristics of Mexico City!