Mexico City and onwards

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Hello again,

Here is an update on the next leg of my trip. Arrived in Mexico City ok and made it too the hostel without getting mugged or anything so things were looking pretty dandy. Have been staying right near the Zocalo or central square of the city near the Palace and other tourist attractions.

Have enjoyed Mexico City more than I was expecting to, preconception was that it was going to be dirty and polluted and overcrowded. Well haven’t noticed the pollution directly although it is visible along the sky line, it is busy but not overpowering and no dirtier than other parts of Mexico.

Took a day trip out to the Aztec ruins at Teotihuacán which are a large set of ruins famous for the 2 massive pyramids - ‘Pyramid of the sun’ and ‘Pyramid of the moon’. Pretty cool to see and climb, should really give you some impressive stats about them, but cant recall them off the top of my head so suggest you try Google!

Also took a trip in a gondola through the water gardens, a set of waterways in an area on the outskirts of the city, area where the original city was formed a long time ago.

For a bit of excitement went looking for graveyards one night… let me explain, it was the Day of the Dead Celebrations in Mexico, which basically are the 2 nights when they believe that the spirits of the dead come back to life and visit every year. It is a big celebration (bigger than Halloween) and people decorate the graves and leave offerings of food and drink at the gravesides to feed the spirits when they return. In some areas people maintain all night vigils/parties at the graveyards - hence our searching for graveyards in Mexico City in the middle of the night…. all closed early for some reason!!

They also make up model skeletons and make shrines and displays, there was a big celebration in the zocalo which was pretty cool with loads of skeleton models and concert and stuff.

After Mexico City headed north (realize how big the city is when you try and leave on the bus takes ages). Several long bus journeys got me to Chihuahua which is at one end of the copper canyon railway, which I then rode to the coast in Los Mochis. The railway is an incredibly scenic railway running through stunning canyon backdrops with tunnels and bridges and running alongside and into the canyons. Very impressive journey.

I then headed overland back to the USA and my next rendezvous in Dallas with some friends….

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Photos

Zocalo in Mexico City
Day of the dead celebrations in the central square, mexico city

couldnt resist the photo op
If you hadn't guessed this was in the day of the dead celebrations again!

couldnt resist the photo op
If you hadn\'t guessed this was in the day of the dead celebrations again!

The Copper Canyon
Copper Canyon, Northern Mexico

Me on the train - Copper Canyon
Hows that for a self portrait

View of train from train
Copper canyon again

Here was the sunset that day
Pretty cool conclusion to a great train ride