Today’s post is 1300 words, 45 photos, a 7 minute read. Enjoy!
Hi everyone,
Welcome to the second in a series of posts from our tour of Mexico. This week I’ll take you to Teotihuacán, the well-preserved ancient city northeast of Mexico City that was founded in 100 BC. If you missed the first article in this series, click here.
The Trail to Teotihuacán
After a good night sleep and a hearty breakfast at the hotel, we boarded our small tour bus for the drive to Teotihuacán, a UNESCO Heritage Site about 25 miles northeast of Mexico City. The Mexico City proper is over 570 square miles (nearly 1500 sq. km.). The greater metro area that includes all the suburbs is about 40 miles across making Mexico City one of the largest cities in the world. The city is over 7000 feet above sea level and was much cooler than Puerto Vallarta.
During the hour and half drive, Rafael, our tour guide, would point out things of interest. One that I found interesting was the cable bus, a network of aerial trams that transports passengers from the suburbs, where many of the lower income people live, into the city for work. The tram cuts the travel time in half when compared to riding a bus. The fare is only $7 pesos ($0.35 USD) so it’s quite affordable. The tram runs about 100 feet above the city and each of the three lines has about 5 or six stops to pick up or drop off passengers. I marveled at the ingenuity of the civic leaders to solve a transportation problem for their people. 
It’s common for many places around the world (but not in Wisconsin) to have tollroads. It appeared that everyone had to stop the booth to pay. That makes me appreciate the toll transponder mounted on my windshield when we visit our neighboring state of Illinois. Anyway, another look at life south of the border, not so different than ours.
Teotihuacán
Upon arrival at Teotihuacán parking lot, we noticed a hot air balloon descending after taking tourists for an overhead view of the historic site. Rafael told us that it is a popular activity but it’s important to select a skilled and experience operator. There have been accidents resulting in serious injury and death in a few cases. 
The origin of Teotihuacán (pronounced toe tea wak en) is a bit of a mystery. Little is known about the people that built this ancient city. One thing we do know is that it was neither the Aztecs nor Mayans. We know the name Teotihuacán was given to this place by the Aztecs. And we know that the building of this city began about 100 BC and had its heyday in the first century when over 100,000 people lived in and around this site. It appears that sometime between 500 and 600 AD an event happened that caused a severe food shortage and the site was abandoned. A few hundred years later the Aztec nation discovered this site and claimed a common ancestry with the original residents. The Aztecs revered this site for its religious properties.
Today Teotihuacán is Mexico’s most visited archeological site receiving over 4.5 million per year. People from around the world come to see the majestic pyramids, the remains of the residential complex, the murals and frescoes, and the long Avenue of the Dead. It’s a large complex and there is a lot to see.
Meet Zazhil (Cecile), our native guide at Teotihuacán. She did a great job of explaining the long and complex history of this place.
Our first stop (after the restroom!) was at the residential complexes. Despite the length of time since they were built, many of the walls were still intact. At the time of its development, over 2000 families some as large as 100 persons, inhabited these multifamily complexes. 
As we weaved through the complex, Zazhil pointed out the well-preserved decorative and meaningful murals and frescoes.
Pyramid of the Moon
Our first glimpse of the Pyramid of the Moon caused our jaws to drop, it’s big, the second largest in Mesoamerica after the Pyramid of the Sun just down the avenue. The Pyramid of the Moon stands over 140 feet high (43 meters, equivalent to a 14 story building). This structure was the site of rituals or religious functions associated with water, rain, femininity, fertility, the earth and soil. Archeological digs suggest that many types of animals such as bird, reptiles, and even humans were sacrificed to please the gods. 
In the square in front of the pyramid was a raised platform where these rituals were carried out. 
Near the Pyramid of the Moon, this man was demonstrating the natural materials used in ancient paintings. While we watched, he used chalk, cactus, marigold leaves and other minerals to create a colored drawing of a flower. At the end my Traveling Partner received the piece of art.
The Avenue of the Dead
The Avenue of the Dead is the 1.5 mile (2.4 km) causeway that runs through the middle of Teotihuacán. It connects the Pyramid of the Moon, the Pyramid of the Sun, and Temple of Quetzalcóatl. On either side are residential structures, ceremonial spaces, and tombs of former rulers of the kingdom, the reason for it’s name.
Pyramid of the Sun
We walk down the Avenue of the Dead until we reach the Pyramid of the Sun. This pyramid is one of the largest in Mesoamerica at 215 feet high (65 meters) with the base 720 feet (220 m) by 755 feet (230 m). The place is huge! It’s believed to have been built around 200 AD. It is interesting to note that both the Pyramid of the Moon and the Pyramid of the Sun were built to mimic the surrounding mountains.
The Pyramid of the Sun was a place of rituals of religious significance. Although the exact purpose is unknown, it is speculated that the sun was a god to be worshiped. It is believed there once was an altar at the top of the pyramid for ceremonies. Again, the rituals included the sacrifice of animals and humans to please the gods. Some believe the orientation of this pyramid to the north suggests that it was connected to the sun’s journey from north to south, in essence, a calendar. 
On the day of our visit, a crew was removing the growth that would eventually damage and/or cover the pyramid. It looks like all the work is being done by hand in order to preserve the surface.
After our time at the Pyramid of the Sun, Zazhil took us to the nearest exit where we would catch the bus to travel the couple of miles to the Citadel and Temple of Quetzalcóatl. 
The Citadel and The Temple of Quetzalcóatl
The Citadel is a large sunken quadrangle 1300 feet (400 meters) containing 15 small temples and the large Temple of Quetzalcóatl. This space was big enough to hold nearly 100,000 people for religious celebrations. 
The Temple of Quetzalcóatl (translated as the featured serpent) is one of the showiest temples on the grounds. The walls of the temple were once painted with hematite red. Carved stones in the image of the deity decorated parts of the temple.
The pyramid in front of the Temple is the only one at Teotihuacán where climbing is allowed. Fortunately, there are handrails for the descent. I was huffing and puffing when I reach the top. But the view was nice. 
While we were admiring the stone carvings, some fireworks were being set off nearby. We could hear the loud bangs and the smoke in the sky. Nobody seemed to know what the occasion was that caused the celebration.
After about 30 minutes or so we were back on the bus. It was past lunch time. Again, Rafael selected a nice place for us to have our lunch. Our group was seated outside at a colorful table. We learned that snails and grasshoppers were on the menu. I skipped both. Our meal included an appetizer and an entrée. I had chicken with a sweet dark mole sauce. It was good, the mole takes a bit of getting used to.
We arrived back at the hotel around 4 PM after having fun time exploring Teotihuacan with its architecture, history lessons, and culture.
Next week I’ll take you to Frida Kahlo’s house in a southeast suburb of Mexico City then on to Puebla.
Until then, happy travels!
Tom
PS: Click here for a link to the post about my book “Farm Boy.” Contact me if you are interested in purchasing a copy. Thanks to all have plunked down your hard earned dollars and read the book. TM