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Published: July 13th 2006
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I Made It!
In front of the Pyramid of the Sun So we couldn't go on Sunday because Jorge was still sick, and there were big protests going on in Mexico City from Obrador, the loser in the presidential race. We needed to take a bus into the city first before venturing on from there to Teotihuacan. We agreed it would be best to wait until Tuesday. That gave Jorge a few days to recuperate. He was still somewhat sick when we went, but he was better than before.
On Sunday and Monday we just sat around watching movies. On Tuesday we woke up really early - around 6:30 am, got to the bus station at 7:20, took an 8:00 bus to Mexico City and arrived at 10:00, then took a 45 minute bus ride from there to Teotihuacan. I was all smiles when I stepped off the bus. I had waited so long to finally make it there. In one of my first archaeology classes I had to write four papers on a region from antiquity and I chose the area of Teotihuacan. I had studied it extensively and was hoping to go when I studied abroad in Merida. The exchange program had a built-in trip to Mexico City and
they had been telling me that we were going to go to Teotihuacan, but later the program director said, "Oh we did it last year. This year we're just gonna go to museums instead." I was soooooo mad! But I finally made it.. more than two years later.
I took a lot of pictures and video so I'll let the images speak for themselves. Needless to say, the site was impressive. It's huge! At its peak it was the largest city in the world. Jorge and I climbed both major pyramids: the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon. We also saw the Pyramid of Quetzalcoatl, which was being restored. We walked the 2-mile-long Avenue of the Dead, and explored underground structures. It was very tiring to see everything, but we did.
We were starved from all the walking so we found a way out and went to a restaurant. It's called La Gruta (The Cave) and has been established for a hundred years. Like the name says, it's in a cave! Natural air-conditioning but I could have done without the bugs. We shared a plate of lamb, cactus salad, and rice. Very delicious but
expensive for Mexico ($14.50 for the plate).
After lunch we finished exploring. There were looming purple clouds and we were afraid we'd get rained out. We were at the top of the Pyramid of the Moon when we started feeling droplets of rain. Luckily, we didn't hear thunder. The rain got heavier and we had to run/jump down the awkward, large stairs of the pyramid. When we got to the bottom, the clouds passed and it stopped raining.
There were also vendors everywhere so I bought a few gifts for friends and myself. The vendors would not stop pestering. We walked by one guy like 5 times, and every time he was like "Silver? I give you good price. One peso." Hard to believe, so we didn't buy it.
We took a bus back to Mexico City at 5pm - which said it was going to the bus station, but it dropped us off at the metro! Jorge was pissed because we were dropped off in the wrong place in the biggest, most dangerous city in the world. But I know how the Metro works - and it's actually quite similar to the one in DC. We
found a map of the trains and after getting off at the wrong stop and going back and forth till we got off at the right one, we finally made it to the bus station. Entrance to the metro cost one peso.. That's 10 cents! Wish it was like that in DC, where it's $1.35.
We didn't get home that night till 10:30 or so, after taking a taxi from the Puebla bus station. A long day, but I was so glad I made it.
Yesterday Jorge's grandmother made lunch for all of us - enchiladas. Mmmm. Here they are made with chicken rolled up in a corn tortilla that looks like a big fat cigar topped with cream, cheese, and red or green sauce. Delicious.
After dinner Jorge, his sister and her boyfriend and I went to see Silent Hill - one of the goriest, grossest, scariest movies I've seen and it gave me nightmares. And I didn't want to see it in the first place, but Jorge paid for me. It was half price day so each ticket cost $2.70. If only it could be like that in the States!
Today we had brunch
On Top of the World
In front of the Pyramid of the Moon in Cholula and I had Huevos Rancheros. Very good. We also stopped to look at a church that was intricately designed with angels and gold inside. It was called the church of Santa Maria de Tonantzintla.
We're packing up tonight - we have to get up at 3am to catch a bus to the Mexico City airport for our 10am flight. Can't wait to see you all!
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