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Published: July 18th 2006
El zócalo in La Ciudad de México
This is perhaps this biggest flag I´ve ever seen.... The zócalo was busy busy, especially with all the construction going on (that you can see in this pic).Hey everyone! It seems like weeks since I last wrote, but I realize it's only been a little over 2 days. But I'm having what we've always talked about on our mission trips....Mexico Days. The days are long and jampacked with experiences. Let me see if I can recap the last 48 hours. I'm already starting to feel behind on this journaling thing....
Friday afternoon Anne and I went up to the zócalo to explore it more. Bustling as always, we settled in for drinks and good conversation. I took a 2.5 hour siesta, which was much needed, and that nap prepared me for later events. After playing fútbol with my host sister (she's way good and I'm way not!!), my roommate and another girl and I all got ready for a night out on the town. We met up with her group and ended up at this relaxed club where we danced the night away. And I do mean WE...yes, girls from Lawrence, I danced! And danced! And danced some more. Let's just say that all it took was "I Will Survive" to come on and suddenly it was just like Drew Huskey and I were on the dance
The Pyramid of the Sun
We made it to the top of the pyramid...after climbing in the pouring rain!! The Pyramid of the Sun is the second highest pyramid in Mesoamerica! Behind us is The Pyramid of the Moon. floor again at Quin's wedding!! Haha, yes Quin, it's safe to say it was almost a repeat performance! :-)
Dancing till 4am makes it tough to get up two hours later, but I still eagerly got up and hopped in a suburban to head to Mexico City. Our excursion there included a visit to the Catderal Metropolitana (the main cathedral) and El Templo Mayor, which is the temple dating back from Pre-Hispanic time when the Aztecs lived here and had the incredible city of Tenochtitlán. The ruins were unbelievable. It just boggles my mind how old they are and how here I am, in 2006, able to tour them and only hope to understand a small part of their culture. There was a museum there as well, which we toured.
The zócalo (the main plaza) was packed with people who were protesting the recent elections. I would've loved to have seen more of that upclose, but our tour guide felt it was best to leave. Understandable. Then we headed to the pyramids at Teotihuacán. I was most excited about this stop and it proved to be unbelievable. Anne and I and another guy from our group climbed both
the Temple of the Sun (the biggest pyramid) in the pouring rain!!!! It was SO awesome!! It is quite the trek up, with or without rain, but I really think the rain enhanced the entire experience! Then we walked down the rest of the 2 mile Avenue of the Dead to the Temple of the Moon...where we conquered that one as well!!
After the pyramids we hit up a restaurant called Pyramide Charlie's where we not only dined well, but were entertained with men who serenaded our table...and then the waiters pulled the guys out of our group and they all danced for us chicas. It was hilarious! (I have a video for anyone who's still interested in seeing it in 5 weeks!)
All day long I had a movie quote running through my head (who am I...one of the Olsons?!?!) I kept thinking of a line from "The Motorcycle Diaries" - "How is it possible to feel nostalgia for a world I never knew?" And that's exactly how I felt. I felt saddened by the disappearance of those that inhabited Teotihuacán, as well as the Aztecs. Groups that were so powerful and then just disappeared or were conquered, never to be the same again. Again, it's just so hard for my mind to grasp all that we saw.
Okay, I haven't even covered today's events, but the power just went out and I lost part of my entry and it's getting late so I need to head home. I'll try to finish tomorrow, IF I survive my first day of classes! Haha!
I hope you're all well! Hugs and kisses, Elizabeth.
Oh....P.S. For those of you that wished me luck at all the buffets down here, know this--it's no longer necessary. All I had to do was climb a pyramid.... :-)
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El Pastor Grandote
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Revelry and Carousing
What's with all the fun and frolicking? I expected a much more nun-like experience for you... I thought you would be translating the Psalms from Hebrew into Espanol by now...