Our Mexico Trip - Day 5

Today is a day for our earliest ancestors as today we go to visit the ancient ruins of Teotihuacan, where the pyramid of the sun and the moon stand.

My parents made their way back from their overnight in the apartment we affectionately call "the 38" at 6:00 am. It was a whirl of a morning. Paula finished fixing my dad's iPad much to his gratitude and delight. Kev and I finished packing. We tried to eat some breakfast and ended up eating very lightly. Finally, it was 9:30 and my Uncle Ricardo had arrived to pick us up.

A note about my uncle: He and two more of my uncles (brothers of my mom's) have driven taxis at some point or another. My dear uncle is 65 now, and he still drives taxis to take tourists around the city. He never quite settled with the typical taxi job, but he liked to work with hotels driving tourists around. We feel very lucky to have him, as it takes the anxiety out of moving to and from this huge city. He is an excellent driver, knows his way around and he is family. :)

We packed his van with all our suitcases and groceries we had bought during the weekend and started our pilgrimage to Mexico's city old downtown area. The traffic was impressive, but we did leave on time at 9:00. We have been advised and lucky to travel against the current of rush hour traffic. We've been going out at times when the main rush hour traffic is subsiding. Just as my uncle predicted, we made it to the Duplex at 9:30 to meet the owner, Juan Carlos, who would give us the keys to check in.

Oh my. It is a beautiful historic loft smack in the middle of downtown. You enter into this courtyard with cool stone walls and see a beautiful stairway; but lo and behold, it also had an elevator. This was welcome as our bags and our groceries were heavy.

We settled in the apartment and got ready. Ricardo was waiting outside. There really isn't any parking near here, but he was surreptitiously waiting on the road near some delivery trucks.

We headed northeast to Teotihuacan. We could see how heavy the traffic was In the opposite direction. The pyramids are not really too far. It was an hour's drive in good traffic. My uncle charged $1500 pesos per day, and Kev and Paula split the cost. There was also a toll ($60 pesos each way) and then the tickets at the entrance of the pyramids ($58 pesos each) which included the visit to the three pyramids. Lety smartly suggested that we ask my uncle to drive us to each pyramid, as otherwise one would have to walk in the Avenue of the Dead in between. It's not that it is that long a walk, but the heat in this treeless basin is something else. Even with hats and driving with Ricardo, Monique got quite a burn. Note: next time bring wide brimmed hats and sunscreen.

Being at this site is such a special experience. One feels such a sense of history. How could such an ancient people develop the technology and architecture to build such structures? The first pyramid was the Temple of Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent.

Next was the Pyramid of the Sun. Paula and I went up all the way to the top. We counted 246 steps. The steps are narrow and high. Mo and Kev decided to pass on this one. They were both feeling the altitude. There is a weird felling as you climb that you could fall back, so you have to make sure to bend forward as you climb, as the steps are so steep. The view from the top was amazing! We could see the surrounding towns and the whole layout of these beautiful ruins and temples. It certainly elicited a feeling of praise to whichever God you care to believe in. It also inspire a thankful prayer for the beauty of this world, for the ingenuity of men, and for being able to see this with my own eyes.

The final area we visited was the pyramid of the moon with an adjoining building were traditional frescos and lovely pillars of different coloured stone had been restored. I think I read that this building was not meant for common use but just for very high ranked people. The view from here was spectacular and the sense of ceremony and royalty was seeping out of the cool, thick walls.

Finally, we climbed the Pyramid of the Moon. This was in a way the most impressive site for me. The cult of the Sun deity is certainly present in both Native American (and by Native American I mean the whole continent) and European mythologies. However, the cult of the Moon Goddess is enshrined in Gaelic lore, and there is such a strong connection between the Moon and the Earth Mother of ancient civilizations. As a woman, I felt a great affinity to the spirits that floated around me. From this pyramid, you could view the entire ancient city in all its glory. It's almost as if the Moon Pyramid sat there taking care of its children as they played. It's hard to express, but I felt the awe of the ancients for our world and for being here. Teotihuacan has also been called "the City of the Gods."

So what is one to do with all this magic? I did a yoga sun salutation atop the Pyramid of the Moon facing the Pyramid of the Sun. It was about 1:30 pm so the high noon sun was blasting down on me as I arched back through the asana, It helped me be there in a very mystical way. :)

I also loved seeing that Kev, Paula and Mo were enjoying themselves. This must all be such a different experience for Mo. She is very quiet, and it will be fun to see through here photos how this experience has touched her,

Coming back to this land that inspires Paula so often in her art must be an exhilarating experience as well. She is looking at it all as a Mexican, as an artist, and she is also looking at it through Mo's eyes. I can't wait to see what these sites and sounds prompt her to do.

We were all very hot, thirsty and hungry. We had had a quick breakfast and only some of us had snacks. We stopped quickly at a place suggested by Ricardo to buy tlacoyos, a corn snack. Though Monique, Paula and I had some, Kevin had only had the one apple he ate for breakfast. We quickly stopped at another grocery store to buy groceries others needed like ham and cheese, bread, milk, cereals, and juices.

Ricardo dropped us off at the Duplex around 4:00 and at 4:30 pm we were gobbling up our first full meal of the day. Note: for future expeditions, pack a snack! ;)

After a little rest we decided to go out and explore the area. My oh my! This apartment is in such a good location. There are so many attractions in walking distance. We walked to the Zocalo where local artisans are hard at work preparing for the Day of the Dead festivities. They were working on huge papier mâché skeletons and skulls. We took sunset photos. Everybody loved the huge Mexican flag in the middle of the zocalo. This square is surrounded by historic government buildings, the first cathedral built in the Americas, and it sits atop the ancient city of Tenochtitlan, which the Aztecs built when they first arrived In these lands,
On the way back to the hotel, we stopped for a Mexican popsicle, paleta. Yum! We were tired but delighted with our day, I had the chance to FaceTime with everybody here and with Ali in Toronto. Ali, we wish you were here. It will be your and Ross' turn soon!

Tomorrow we head south again to Frida's house and to the canals of Xochimilco. Hopefully Paula will get to see her aunt, uncle and cousin before they depart on their own adventure to Dallas the next day.
Now I'll try to upload some photos! What a lot of adventures! I can truly say that our family is deeply rooted in our two cultures and we love both countries just the same. We are blessed and very lucky.

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