Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Teotihuacan Pyramids and our sore glutes...


Standing atop the Pyramid of the Moon w/ Pyramid of the sun behind
(Sorry for the delayed posting on this, but it's been a rough couple weeks.  If you want to start from the beginning of our trip, click here)

Even though we were exhausted from only a few days of frantic sightseeing, Trish and I managed to get our lazy asses down to the lobby in time to meet our private guide, Carlos San Roman.  He suggested the 7:30am meeting time so we could beat the Sunday crowds to the pyramids at Teotihuacan.

Carlos proved to be an excellent, and surprisingly tall (6'3"!), guide.  Though perhaps a bit dry in his delivery, he had a seemingly unlimited knowledge of pre-historic Mexico.  Though I'll admit, during the hour-long car ride I'd drift in and out of listening during his lengthy and detailed explanation of ancient Mexican history.  Don't judge.  You try staying alert during a 7:30am lecture on pre-historic peoples.  And besides, I was too mesmerized by the scenery passing by - the endless northern suburb of Ecatepec, where the homes are literally built into the hills, stacked on top of each other.

Oh, and did I mention we just barely missed dying in a high speed car chase on the highway?  It doesn't do much for the nerves hearing a siren and then turning around just in time to see a car spin across the lane and smash into the middle barrier directly behind you at 70 mph.  This must be business-as-usual in Mexico City, since Carlos didn't blink an eye.  He just calmly pulled to the shoulder at the next toll booth, rolled down his window to inform a policeman and then continued on with no further mention of the incident the rest of the day.

I'm glad we took Carlos' advice and arrived early.  The site was nearly empty so we got to explore the southern end of the Avenue of the Dead virtually tourist-free.  In the distance is the Pyramid of the Moon.

Here I go, trudging up one of the many shorter mounds surrounding the public square (Ciudadela).  Those damn pre Mesoamericans sure had long legs (or extremely tight glutes) if those high steps are an accurate indication.

After trudging the mile-long walk up the Avenue of the Dead (Carlos somehow failed to mention he could drive us to the next destination), we reached the larger pyramid, the Pyramid of the Sun.  See that little speck dead center in the white cardigan?  That's me about two thirds of the way from the top.

After my climb, we decided to take a breather and head to the Teotihuacan Museum.

One of the large murals hanging on the front facade of the museum depicting Mexico's history and mythology.

The museum was the perfect place to take advantage of Carlos' encyclopedic knowledge.  Instead of reading the placards, we let Carlos fill us in on the various artifacts - the ultimate lazy tourist move.  Above are ceremonial braziers.  I thought they were pretty so I made Trish take a picture.

These unfortunate fellows were human sacrifices to the Gods.  They were buried together in a mass grave.

Here's the view from the Pyramid of the Moon looking south to the Pyramid of the Sun (far right).  With Mexico City's high elevation and those crazy-steep stairs, I was sweating like a meth'd up crack whore in July by the time I reached the pyramid's first platform.  Because of the deterioration on the pyramid, tourists aren't allowed any higher.

Trish and I strike a pose in front of the Pyramid of the Sun.  As you can see, there are literally no railings on the Pyramid and according to Carlos, nobody's ever fallen.  I find it hard to believe some frustrated mom's never "accidentally" pushed her screaming eight-year-old off the side.

Trish decided to take a breather on her way to the top, but decided that if she wanted to waste her day on the stairmaster, she'd have stayed at the hotel.  So after this picture was taken, she made her way back down to solid ground.

Pretty steep, huh?  See tiny Carlos and Trish (hint: next to the arrow)?  Believe it or not, there were, like, 90-year-old grannies trudging to the top.  Again, no one's ever fallen?  Sounds a bit suspect to me.

Here's my shot for the GAP Mexico City catalog.

Fun with the iPhone!  Trish takes this panoramic shot of the square in front of the Pyramid of the Moon.  Carlos and I are mesmerized by something in the distance.

Here's the view looking south down the Avenue of the Dead from the Pyramid of the Moon.  I can't believe we actually walked that entire length when we could've driven.  Oh, Carlos.

Trish sports her new, sassy native look.  And before you report us to the NAACP, the Mexican clerk dressed her up like this and insisted we take a picture.  Way to perpetuate those stereotypes, Mexico!

Climbing pyramids sure does work up the appetite.  So we left the tourist crowds behind and settled in for an al fresco lunch at a nearby restaurant.  This tasty carnivore's delight was the perfect end to a strenuous morning of stair-climbing (cheap, too - about 100 pesos ($9)!).  Incidentally, a busload of Scandinavian tourists were seated around us and several of them ordered... wait for it... hamburgers!  4000 miles from home and you order a hamburger?

After a couple of power naps (both in the car ride back from Teotihuacan and at the hotel), Trish and I decided for one last "hoorah" in old Mexico City.  Sunday is apparently everyone's day off because the city was bustling with people.  It was also the first time we'd seen people taking pictures.  Emboldened, we decided it was OK to whip out our phones for a couple of touristy shots.  Above is the fancy Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts).

With our weekend jaunt to Mexico City coming to an exhausting end, we wearily trudged back to the hotel, ordered room service and fell asleep to re-runs of CSI: Miami in subtitled Spanish.

More pictures here.

Our final day of travel hell...

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