Pre-Aztec era in Mexico


A lot of 'Gracias', 'Senorita', 'Por Favor', 'Amigo', and 'Hola' throughout Day 2's tour, we finally picked a few of the in-vogue words. I cannot put my finger on the highest point, yet I would say the experience at the Pyramids were supreme, along with tasting deer for the first (maybe only) time ever, and the Latin dance at the local market in the evening. I almost felt like joining the dance, where there were people from all ages moving to the lovely tunes.

The day started at 10.30 am. We had booked a day-long private tour to Teotihuacan, the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon. Considering it was $160 for both of us, a quite reasonable deal for an entire day's trip. A brief and pleasant 45 minutes' drive later, we reached the grounds of the Pyramids.

Our chauffeur of the day was Roul, an 'English-speaking' Mexican, as specified by the concierge. Yeah, he did manage to communicate with us and take us through various anecdotes and historical significance of the country. The first stop was at the artifacts emporium, which was information galore! The rock formed as a result of cooled magma (the parent material) is called Obsidian. Found here in abundance, the various colours of the rocks were formed due to the difference in pressure level. The black version is the hardest and was used to make weapons by the Aztecs. Then there were quartz, purple, etc, along with the golden rock that is the rarest of the lot. The artisans still make beautiful mementos and sculptures out of the rocks, which are sold at government approved prices.

The next set of admiration was reserved for the multi-purpose cacti that are grown here, most of which were used for survival. They used to get fruits and juices from a cactus that gives it's produce for 2-3 months, after that the leaves and thorns are used for papyrus, threads, aloe vera, and needles used for anesthesia and stitching. Larvae deposits on the cacti leaves were crushed to get a red hue and some leaves give the yellow colour - these were used by the Aztecs to colour their murals. The juices are used to make the local alcohol called pulque, which is still made here to taste and sell. For me, the most interesting fact was that Tequila is made from these juices and the Spanish method of distillation results in modern day version of the alcohol.

While we were still processing the gallon-load of information, Roul drove us to the actual destination. We did not really know what to expect, and you cannot make out anything from the parking lot, mainly because of the tall, thick, stone boundary that cordoned off the area. By the time we reached the top of the wall, we forgot all about the cacti and rocks, blown away by the grandeur in front of us.

Standing tall at 70 meters high, with 248 steps (each approx 1 feet tall), the mammoth structure of the Sun Pyramid welcomed us in all its glory! To the left of the Sun Pyramid, almost a kilometer away is the Moon Pyramid, which is not as tall but possesses it own beauty in structure. The pyramids were made by pre-Aztecs, potentially the Olmecs around 400 BC to 700 AD. The very top of the Sun Pyramid was a temple, which was blown away by a dynamite during excavation.

I somehow managed to huff and puff to the top, with sufficient breaks of course. We were lucky to get a clear blue sky, which accentuated the Pyramids even more. A circle around the top and we decided to climb down. It was tougher, with the sheer height of the steps, the extra tangential pyramid slope and the broken rocks. Needless to say, I did not have enough energy left to climb the Moon Pyramid.

Besides the Moon Pyramids, there is a large excavation of a palace with beautiful murals and advanced architecture. Even the sewage system was nicely organised, with indoor toilets in the living quarters. Next we spent some time at a comparatively smaller pyramid that proved that they were an agriculture based clan. There are lots of the head structures on the walls of Rain and Thunder Gods, and Quetzalcoatl (Feathered Serpent or Precious Twin - God of intelligence and self-reflection), with more murals to highlight the sculptures. And yes, the Pyramids have been recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Quite a few clicks later, we left for a sumptuous late lunch. Roul told us that in Mexico, the restaurants that are most crowded are the ones with the best and authentic food. He recommended deer for me and we took rabbit as well - the kind of food we do not get everywhere.

The final halt of the day was the church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, known as the Virgin of Guadalupe who was a celebrated Roman Catholic icon of the Virgin Mary. The first church of Lady Guadalupe could hold only 700 people, even though it is huge structurally. The Aztec symbol is an eagle sitting on a cactus and devouring a snake, which stand on both sides to the entrance. The foundation of this church is sinking and it actually stands at an angle now. A new church was built with modern architecture besides the old one, and this church holds 10,000 people. The richer Mexicans who stay in Canada send money for the Independence month's celebrations (September, and the year was 1810). Also, the inside ornate ceiling design is made of wood that they have sent. An interesting factor of the new church is that it has moving walkways in front of the deity to avoid cluttering of the people.

A small visit to the local market and we went back to the hotel, after the tiring, yet exciting day amongst Mexican history. The final day lay ahead of us.

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