Day 3: Monday, April 1

This was another fantastic day, this one taking me to historical sites about which I have taught for decades. I have new and more accurate info to share with my students on our Americas Unit.

Today, there were 11 on our tour. About 5 were from the U.S., others from countries in the Americas. One family from the U.S. is more specifically from Georgia. Though they have lived there for many years, they all moved to the U.S. from India, so we had some great conversations about the U.S. and other world countries to which they have also traveled!

Our guide, however, was Ursula, the same from yesterday. Our first stop today was the same as yesterday--the site that has the remnants of the Aztec's first city along with the first Catholic church in the 1500s, and modern buildings of today. I used this time to ask more questions from Ursula about this site.

On our way through Mexico City to Teotijuacan, we learned about the "favelas" of Mexico called the "ciudades perdidas" or lost cities. It was tens of thousands of people who came into this hill part of Mexico City. Later, so many people had built homes here that the federal government made it all legal (gave people the right to own the land), and brought in water and electricity. We could see the gondolas or the forms of transportation that those in the ciudades perdidas used to commute into the work areas of Mexico City.

We then stopped at a site to learn about the rock and the resulting artwork made with local rock. One important rock is the lava from volcanic explosions. Also important product is their plant from this area of Mexico, the Agave. We saw how it was used in to many different ways from the making of beverages, to shampoo, to string, to a form of mirrors, and of course for beautiful artwork. We also saw how silver is generated in this area.

We then took a one-hour journey to see the city of Teotihuacan and the pyramids. I learned so much info that is more accurate than our textbooks. It is not that our textbooks are not accurate...they just give so little info, and since they give little detailed into, we all have different interpretations and impressions about the past. One thing about the past is that we tend to focus on the Aztec and the Maya people, but there were many other tribes in the Americas. (And when I say the Americas, I mean south, central [part of the north] and north Americas.) One example is the city of Teotihuacan. In the history I teach, the info is that this city was the 2nd for the Aztecs. It implies that they Aztecs built it, but in reality they did not. They found it, used it and its pyramids, then later abandoned Teotihuacan.

So the pyramids (see the video clip) above were not built by the Aztecs. But back then, it was common for tribes to build a pyramid, then 52 years later, rebuild it by adding another layer on the old one. The first large pyramid in the video clip, the Pyramid of the Moon, was rebuilt 6 times. That is why it is that large today. The next pyramid is relative small. Some tribes used it to sacrifice man to the gods. This is called the Pyramid of the Sun. Then, you look down the Avenue of the Dead to the huge pyramid...The Citadel. This pyramid was only once because it was so large and took so long to build.

One thing I learned is how I must also share with my students when we watch our reward movie "Apocalypto". The Aztecs were known to make their sacrifices from the the temple at the top of a pyramid. That part of accurate...for the Aztecs. Movies and so many other video clips show the Aztecs breaking through the bones on the chest to pull out a beating heart. But our guide said they could not easily break the bones on the chest, so they would pull open your stomach and reach up to pull out the beating heart. A point I will share with my students when we watch the reward movie. Another point in the movie...after the beating heart is pulled from the body, they cut off the head and toss the body down the pyramid. The movies stop there. In reality, the Aztecs were known to take apart the tossed body and use much of it to cook meals served with corn (pozole). Today, the meat is pork and chicken, but back then it was the human body.

After a couple of hours visiting the pyramids, we we to a local restaurant for lunch. This is when I shared exciting time with the family from Georgia (and from India). We then took an hour commute back into Mexico City, this time to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

I know that Our Lady of Guadalupe was always an important saint for Mexico. According to tradition, the Virgin Mary appeared to Juan Diego, a man of Aztec descent, on December 9, 1531. She asked him to build a shrine on the spot where she had appeared. It was done. That is why at this site, there is in actuality 7 churches. We visited only 2...another reason why I want to return to Mexico City and spend a day at this site.

What is so incredibly beautiful is the Basilica de la Virgin de Guadalupe built in 1976. It is where I saw today the original painting of Our Lady of Guadalupe!

Another point of which I would like to learn more is the Basilica Bell Tower, the massive structure that has 3 different forms in history of monitoring time.

After visiting the Shrine for Our Lady of Guadalupe, we took another hour to return to our area of Mexico City. What a great day. When we returned, I just dropped my things and took a walk around this part of the city.

I must say that Our Lady of Guadalupe was always significant in my life. I was baptized and confirmed at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Hermosa Beach. I was also altar boy there for many years and even attended the CCD classes there on Sunday from 1st grade to 12th grade!

I learned a couple tech things from this morning and from my afternoon walk. One thing is I called my CitiBank credit card before I left to tell them I would be using the card in Mexico. Today, when I tried to buy something, it wasn't working, despite my informing them. I did use their international phone number on the back of the card and was able to get it to work. I had tried using my other credit cards (Chase Bank), but none would work. I never did inform them that I would be in Mexico...why? The last few times I did call, they always told me that I no longer had to inform them if I would be using the cards overseas. I don't believe them.

A new point...in my travels, I have always found American banks around the world where I would use their ATM. I didn't find any in Mexico City. I tried calling two banks, but all phone numbers I found on the Internet and on the credit card would not work from here. So I checked the Internet and learned that if I use an American card at a large Mexican bank, it should workl I tried one, and it did! Hooray!

I also thought I would find American businesses, more specifically fast food companies, throughout Mexico City. So far, I've round a few Starbucks, and only one Carl's Jr. I am very surprised!

I am glad that I have a relatively good sense of direction. But I thought I would check it out. I went on a walk from the hotel walking in a rectangular share of streets, sitting to people watch along the way. When I tried to go back to the hotel, the Apple app "Maps" kept giving me wrong directions. If I had followed the app, I would have never made it back to the hotel! This is something I need to keep in mind for future travels!

And a final note...my good friend, T (the person I've told my students in class that we met in 7th grade a few decades ago), said to use the Apple app "Health" to help me keep track of distance in my walking. I had forgotten to keep track of something which I do monitor at home. So I turned it on for the first time at the end of the day...and it worked! It had been keeping track of my walking each day. So I was glad to learn that I walked 7.1 miles today. Quite a distance...but I can feel it. What a fantastic day! I look forward to my last full day touring Mexico City tomorrow!

You can see below a box of 20 small photos. You can also see the numbers below (up to 2) meaning there is another box of up to 20 photos. You can click on any photo to see it enlarged OR just click on the 1st photo and wait....it will present a slide show of all 40 photos that advances every 5 seconds.