12 Mexico: Teotihuacan and Basilica Amigo Tours...

"Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it..." - George Santayana

(Pyramid of the Moon in Teotihuacan)

Day 12: 30/06/25 (Monday)

Activity: Teotihuacan and Basilica Day Trip
Hotel: Hotel MX Lagunilla Mexico City

(A simple buffet spread for the back-packers)

(A friendly reminder not to waste food)

(Our breakfast seats overlooking the main road)

(Toast with scrambled eggs and mashed potatoes)

This morning we had breakfast at the hotel dining room which was quite full with backpacking youngsters. From the hotel we walked to the Palacio de Bellas Artes, the meeting point for our day tour, passing a few attractions along the way and observing the local scenes.

(Museo del Tequila, dedicated to the history of Mexican drink)  

(A street scene in front of the hotel)

(A mural painted on the wall)

(An overloaded makeshift garbage truck)

(A wall heavily covered with graffiti)

(Passing by some homeless dwellings)

(Intermittent rain in Mexico City)

(Street Arts in Mexico City)

Today we joined the Teotihuacan and Basilica Amigo Tours where we are going to discover the magic of Teotihuacan by exploring the the ancient ruins complex where the Pyramid of the Sun and Moon are located. On the way back we will visit the stunning Basilica of Guadalupe, one of the most important religious sites in Mexico. We will also stop at some historical places in town.

(Amigo Tours provide variety of private and group tours)

(The Tlatelolco University Cultural Centre)

(Manifesto of Mexican student movement of 1968)

(Street Art Tlatelolco)

(The Colegio de Santa Cruz de Tlatelolco)

Our first visit was to the Plaza de las Tres Culturas, literally the 'Plaza of the Three Cultures', the main city square of the ancient Tlatelolco neighborhood.

The Plaza is the centerpiece of a dynamic section of the city, and thus named because it contains representative works from three major periods of Mexico City history. These are the pre-Hispanic archaeological ruins, the Spanish colonial culture of the Colegio de Santa Cruz, and the Modern Mexican culture, most notably of the architect and urbanist, Mario Pani, who designed the square.

(Archaeological remains of Aztec city of Tlatelolco)

(Listening to the history of Tlatelolco)

(One of the oldest archeological sites in the city)

(Excavations have yielded thousands of objects and bodies)

Next to the ruins is the Church of Santiago Tlatelolco which was erected after the Conquest, in 1521. The victors chose the site where the Mexica had resisted military attacks for more than 80 days. When the conquistadors arrived at Tlatelolco, they destroyed the remains of the Mexica, aiming to erase all traces and legacies of such an important culture.

The broken structural remains became part of the construction of the Church of Santiago Apóstol. This building serve as the Imperial College of the Holy Cross of Tlatelolco, In the 19th century, it was used as a military prison and remained so until the 20th century. In 1976, it was renovated and housed the Historical Archive of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

(The Church of Santiago Apostol)

(The old doors to the chapel)

(Blending the prehispanic, Viceregal and modern cultures)

(Inside the Church of Santiago Apostol)

(A page from a book on the spreading of christianity)

After the visit to Tlatelolco, the bus took us to Teotihuacan, a vast Mexican archaeological complex about forty kilometers northeast of Mexico City. Before we entered the complex, we visited the Obsidian Workshop where the original Mexican handicrafts and artworks are made. As an antiquity, obsidian was highly valued for its sharp edges, which made it ideal for creating tools, such as arrowheads, blades, and cutting edges. In Mexico, obsidian mirrors were believed to possess divination abilities, providing a view into the invisible realms. Obsidian sources in Mesoamerica are limited in number and distribution, and are restricted to the volcanic regions of the Sierra Madre Mountains as they run through Mexico and Guatemala. Tourists can buy their souvenirs from the many souvenir shops here.

(A natural landscape of cacti and arid-region plants)

(Agave Tequilana plant for production of tequila)

(Collections of Obsidian handicrafts on display)

(A hand-woven carpet with ancient Teotihuacan pyramid)

(Displays of ancient artifacts replicas)

(A painting of a scene from Aztec history)

(Figurines of mythological deities)

(Aztec Maya Calendar Sun Stones)

(Local mexican scenes figurines) 

(Mexican poncho for sales, too thick and heavy to wear)

(A side walk cafe for a cup of tea)

(One of the souvenir shops selling caps and hats)

(Beautiful vibrant coloured shawls)

(The remnants of Aztec walls)

 

Teotihuacan is known today as the site of many of the most architecturally significant Mesoamerican pyramids built in the pre Columbian Americas, namely the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon. Running down the middle of the site, which was once a flourishing pre-Columbian city, is the Avenue of the Dead. It links the Temple of Quetzalcoatl, the Pyramid of the Moon and the Pyramid of the Sun, the latter two with panoramic views from their summits. Artifacts are in the Museum of Teotihuacan Culture. Although close to Mexico City, Teotihuacan was not a Mexican or Aztec city, and it predates the Aztec Empire by many centuries.

(The Moon Pyramid - second largest pyramid in Teotihuacan)

(Built by a Mesoamerican culture used to stage ritual sacrifices)

(Sacrifices of animals and humans)

(The bigger Pyramid of the Sun in the background)

(A long walk towards the Moon Pyramid)

(The Pyramid of the Moon is elevated by the land at higher ground)

(The pyramid is constructed between 100 and 450 AD)

(Tourists scrambling to climb to the top)

(Taking a break half way up the Pyramid of the Moon)

(Ancient murals on the wall)

(A long walk through the Avenue of the Dead in the rain)

(The Temple of the Feathered Serpent, the third largest pyramid)

(Located at the southern end of the Avenue of the Dead)

We had lunch at the Tlacaelel Restaurant, located in the heart of Teotihuacán de Arista. Restaurante Tlacaelel brings a passion to its cuisine that visitors don't find in many restaurants. No matter which dish is chosen, visitors won't be disappointed. There was a buffet line available. Ala carte was also a good option so we ordered grilled fish dishes supplemented with various sauces. The pescados or fish options were good and tasty.

(Lunch at Tlacaelel Restaurant)

(Outside dining is available but it was raining)

(Live entertainment while we eat lunch)

(The dining area was spacious, cosy and warm)

(My grilled fish and salads)

(Tuna grilled fish, salads and sweet rice pudding)

(Spacious dining hall catering for bus-load of tourists)

(The handsome receptionist)

(Cultural dancer with traditional attire)

(A wood sculpture of a cheetah)

After lunch we drove back towards Mexico City to visit the Basilica of Santa Maria de Guadalupe officially called Insigne y Nacional Basílica de Santa María de Guadalupe or the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. It is a basilica of the Catholic Church, dedicated to the Virgin Mary in her invocation of Our Lady of Guadalupe, located at the foot of the Hill of Tepeyac in the Gustavo A. Madero borough of Mexico City. There was a mass taking place in the church when we were there.

(The Clock and Bell Tower)

(The square at Insigne y Nacional Basílica de Santa María de Guadalupe)

(The religious complex of Tepeyac)

(The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe)

(The interior of the new Basilica)

(The famous image of the Virgin of Guadalupe)

(The statue of Pope John Paul II)

(Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe)

(A significant Catholic basilica located at the foot of Tepeyac Hill)

(Capilla del Cerrito on top of Tepeyac Hill)

(Getting out of the complex, the rain is brewing!)

(The plaque of St John Paul II above lighted candles)

(It was raining heavily when the bus dropped us off)

(Road side vendors and the crowd in the rain)

We were back at the MX Lagunilla Hotel in Mexico City soaking wet in the heavy rain. We had Maggi for dinner in our room. It is our final night here in Mexico City. We will be flying out to Monterrey tomorrow.