Mexico, 2008

Well, I am back from my pyramids tour. We started by going to some Catholic basilica - supposedly the third most visited religious site after Mecca and the Vatican. It has something to do with supposed sightings of Mary in the 15th century. Quite an impressive complex, but unbelievable to me what nonsense people can believe (including me in my impressionable youth!).

Anyway, we went on to the pyramid complex. They really are impressive in scale, set among the mountains about an hour outside Mexico City. Originally, they would have been painted bright colours, so they must have been spectacular. I climbed both the moon and sun pyramids. The sun pyramid has about 280 stairs, so quite a workout, but breathtaking views from the top.

Apart from the pyramids, we went to a silver and obsidian (hard black stone) craft factory, which was quite interesting. They also told us about how they make liquor from cactus juice and how to drink Tequila properly. Of course we had to sample too :P. And I bought a funky mask! :) Then we had lunch at a Mexican restaurant, complete with Mexican guitar singers and traditional Aztec dancers.

Tomorrow I will take a city tour with my hosts. So far, it strikes me as a bustling sprawling megacity, but not especially dirty or run down. I wouldn't want to drive here, but things seem to work. I am hoping to get to the Anthropology museum. Maybe even to see some of the art of Frida Kahlo and the murals of Diego Rivera.