Monday - Day 3
We had a sleep in this morning before leaving for Mexico City at 1pm, arriving at 6.30pm (local time). The cab ride from the airport to the hotel was experience and we all wondered what we had got ourselves in for. We had dinner and the hotel, which was our first experience of trying to order in spanish with a waiter that didnt speak english. Overall we think that we got what we ordered and everyone enjoyed it. The room was comfortable but unfortunately over looked a construction site so we didnt get much sleep.
Overnight: Hotel Catedral Mexico City
Tuesday - Day 4
With daylight we were keen to explore the city. Our first stop was Temple de Mayor (pyramid ruins and museum) located just off the Zocolo (City Square). This was really interesting but very hard to get a true understanding of the history as everything was in Spanish. Next stop was the National Palace which is home of the Diego Rivera murals. We also visited the Cathedral and Zocolo. Dinner was at the hotel Restaurant again tonight as we were all (well mainly me)worried about getting sick.
Overnight: Hotel Catedral Mexico City
Wednesday - Day 5
December 12 is Guadalupe Day in Mexico where the Catholics celebrate the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe. Approx 8 million Mexicans make the pilgrimagen to the Guadalupe shrine, some riding bikes for hundreds of miles. This is a great time of celebration in Mexico and there are many parties and people on the streets.
Today we headed off on a tour to Teotihaucan with our guide Monica. We visited some more ruins but this time we had the history to go with it. Monica is very passionate about the Mexican history and we received very colourful stories of the ancient time. Next to the ruins was the public square where the 1968 student protests took place. Many thousands of people were killed at the protests which were held just before the Olympic Games. Monicas mother was a doctor at the hospital at the time, so she told of some of the horrible stories. Next stop was a workshop where we were shown the many things that can be made from cactus and natural materials. Of course there was an opportunity to buy their wares . The kids bought a few trinkets and napkins made from Cactus. Our final stop of the day was Teotihaucan -the Sun and Moon pyramid. This is an enourmous site (over 20 square kilometres) and full with many pyramids. We climed to the top fo the Sun pyramid and as far as we could go on the moon pyramid. The weather here is pretty warm (around 25 - 27c every day) so we were really hot after our climbs. The steps are high and at altidute it was harder than it looked. Lunch was held at a local rest - not quite sure of everything that we ate, but there was cactus salad and lots of beans. The food was fantastic. That night we ventured out for dinner with Louise who we met on the trip..and we found a Starbucks.
Overnight: Hotel Catedral
Thursday - Day 6
Today was set up to be a big day - a tour during the day to Xocimilco and a night tour to the wresting. The day started a bit late as the tour driver was stuck in traffic (I will never complain about traffic again in Melbourne..this city is out of control on the roads). We visited the museum of Frida Kahlo and the colonial town of Coyoacan. Next it was on to the canals of Xocimilco which is a place that needs to be seen. There are hundreds of boats that can be hired for cruising on the canals with vendors pulling up to sell their wares, mariachi bands playing traditional mexican music. Everywhere you look there is someone trying to sell you something. Ali ate brains and stomach for lunch. Following Xocimilco we went to the National University to see the Diego Rivera murals and the library building that is completely covered in mosaic (around 6 stories). The trip back was a nightmare and meant that we went straight to the night tour. No time for dinner we met up with our wrestling guide (who is a wrestler himself). This tour was absolutely fantastic. We laughed and cheered the wrestlers. It is very theatrical and the wrestlers all wear masks and costumes. The arena was the same arena that Nacho Libre was filmed at (so we cant wait to get home and hire the movie). The noise was crazy and this was the highlight for Georgie. She said that it was better than going to the footy to watch Melbourne.
Overnight: Hotel Catedral
We had a sleep in this morning before leaving for Mexico City at 1pm, arriving at 6.30pm (local time). The cab ride from the airport to the hotel was experience and we all wondered what we had got ourselves in for. We had dinner and the hotel, which was our first experience of trying to order in spanish with a waiter that didnt speak english. Overall we think that we got what we ordered and everyone enjoyed it. The room was comfortable but unfortunately over looked a construction site so we didnt get much sleep.
Overnight: Hotel Catedral Mexico City
Tuesday - Day 4
With daylight we were keen to explore the city. Our first stop was Temple de Mayor (pyramid ruins and museum) located just off the Zocolo (City Square). This was really interesting but very hard to get a true understanding of the history as everything was in Spanish. Next stop was the National Palace which is home of the Diego Rivera murals. We also visited the Cathedral and Zocolo. Dinner was at the hotel Restaurant again tonight as we were all (well mainly me)worried about getting sick.
Overnight: Hotel Catedral Mexico City
Wednesday - Day 5
December 12 is Guadalupe Day in Mexico where the Catholics celebrate the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe. Approx 8 million Mexicans make the pilgrimagen to the Guadalupe shrine, some riding bikes for hundreds of miles. This is a great time of celebration in Mexico and there are many parties and people on the streets.
Today we headed off on a tour to Teotihaucan with our guide Monica. We visited some more ruins but this time we had the history to go with it. Monica is very passionate about the Mexican history and we received very colourful stories of the ancient time. Next to the ruins was the public square where the 1968 student protests took place. Many thousands of people were killed at the protests which were held just before the Olympic Games. Monicas mother was a doctor at the hospital at the time, so she told of some of the horrible stories. Next stop was a workshop where we were shown the many things that can be made from cactus and natural materials. Of course there was an opportunity to buy their wares . The kids bought a few trinkets and napkins made from Cactus. Our final stop of the day was Teotihaucan -the Sun and Moon pyramid. This is an enourmous site (over 20 square kilometres) and full with many pyramids. We climed to the top fo the Sun pyramid and as far as we could go on the moon pyramid. The weather here is pretty warm (around 25 - 27c every day) so we were really hot after our climbs. The steps are high and at altidute it was harder than it looked. Lunch was held at a local rest - not quite sure of everything that we ate, but there was cactus salad and lots of beans. The food was fantastic. That night we ventured out for dinner with Louise who we met on the trip..and we found a Starbucks.
Overnight: Hotel Catedral
Thursday - Day 6
Today was set up to be a big day - a tour during the day to Xocimilco and a night tour to the wresting. The day started a bit late as the tour driver was stuck in traffic (I will never complain about traffic again in Melbourne..this city is out of control on the roads). We visited the museum of Frida Kahlo and the colonial town of Coyoacan. Next it was on to the canals of Xocimilco which is a place that needs to be seen. There are hundreds of boats that can be hired for cruising on the canals with vendors pulling up to sell their wares, mariachi bands playing traditional mexican music. Everywhere you look there is someone trying to sell you something. Ali ate brains and stomach for lunch. Following Xocimilco we went to the National University to see the Diego Rivera murals and the library building that is completely covered in mosaic (around 6 stories). The trip back was a nightmare and meant that we went straight to the night tour. No time for dinner we met up with our wrestling guide (who is a wrestler himself). This tour was absolutely fantastic. We laughed and cheered the wrestlers. It is very theatrical and the wrestlers all wear masks and costumes. The arena was the same arena that Nacho Libre was filmed at (so we cant wait to get home and hire the movie). The noise was crazy and this was the highlight for Georgie. She said that it was better than going to the footy to watch Melbourne.
Overnight: Hotel Catedral
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