Thursday, October 5, 2017

Yep, we're tourists.

A cab got Renee, Lucille, and me to the Biblioteca (library) by 6:30 am.  We would have been under a full moon if not for the cloud cover.  This photo doesn't reflect it, but there were a lot of school kids on their way to school.  Later we found out to avoid overcrowding, each school runs two shifts.  Each shift has it's own faculty and name.  

Right on time, a van picked us up and the others in our group for the 3 hour ride to Teotihuacan - the pyramids of the Sun and Moon.  This is an active archeologial site and a history major's thrill.

Most of us were dressed for being in the sun all day.  When we reached 8,000 ft. we asked that the heat be turned on in the van.  Good news - we dropped in altitude before we reached the pyramids.  Bad news - we were on the outskirts of Mexico City and the traffic was horrendous even though our driver stayed on the toll roads when he could but there were so many toll booths I was having flashbacks about being on the New Jersey Turnpike.

Renee and Lucille at the entrance.  Hats ae a must in this sun.

The Pyramid of the Sun

If you look closely you'll see a parade of people climbing to the top of the Pyramid of the Sun and at the top some who made it. I was not among them.

The open space between the rows of structures is known as the Avenue of the Dead because of the ritual human sacrafices that accured here.  I'm  sure the name was thought up by archeologists since no one is sure what language was being spoken by the inhabitants.   I bet the people who actually lived here between 1000 BC and 700 AD called it the Avenue to Heaven, or some such name.  The structures in this photo with large staircases are the entrances to homes of the officials.  The closer to the Pyramid of the Moon, the more important the residents.

See the person in the pink hat.  That is one of hundreds of vendors that were everywhere in the complex.  The avenue needs to be renamed "almost free" as that was the catch phrase all vendors used when trying to get you to buy something.  It was easy to resist as it was mostly tourist junk.

While it's easy to complain about all of the vendors, here's one graciously helping Renee down a flight of very narrow and steep stairs.  He then ran back up.  I was impressed.

The covering is over the entrance to the active archeological site.  Tourists not allowed.  Bummer.  They are exploring a series of tunnels and rooms under the Pyramid of the Moon which includes a liquid mercury pool.










Lunch was in the most unusual restaurant I've been to because of it's location - an open-air cave or grotto.

This restaurant was opened in 1901 under the orders of Presidente Diaz.  Under his autocratic rule, which lasted almost 35 years (there was 1 break in his tenure during this time), many public works were completed but there was massive corruption and oppression.  The Mexican Revoluntion finally ended his rule and he fled to France where he is buried.  That's just fine with the Mexicans.

There's a long flight of stairs down to the restaurant.

The setting is lovely.

There were some interesting items on the menu.  Of course I had to try them.  For my appetizer I had corncakes with guacamole topped with a mound of fried grasshoppers.  Yep, they are salty.

It was a fun day with a fun group.

From right to left, Renee, me, tour guide's wife, Lucille, couple from Arlington, VA, and tour guide.

Good thing we all had jackets or sweaters.  It was cold down there.