Xochimilco, Teotihuacan, and the end

It feels a bit strange to be writing about Mexico from my current location--Herb Chambers Honda service center in Boston. But there is a computer here and I am waiting for my car to get serviced and I would not feel like the story of my trip to Mexico would be complete without writing about what I did the last two days... Xochimilco and Teotihuacan.

Xochimilco (zo-chee-milk-oh) is a series of island-spotted channely waterways in the south of Mexico City. It was once the agricultural center of the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan (were Mexico City now is). Xochimilco still has many greenhouses and a lively plants market, but is is presently best used as a kitschy getaway within the city. Families from the urban area (and tourists from all over) flock to Xochimilco to spend the day (usually Sunday) boating through the channels in bright day-glo boats called trajineras. The trajineras are equipped with a long central table and many chairs as well as a pole-wielding gondolier ready to push the boat amid the islands and the many other trajineras in the water (at times it felt like bumper boats!). The waterways are filled with trajineras full of friends and families, and smaller boats also navigate through it all, offering souvenirs, live mariachi music, cubetas (buckets) of cold beers and sodas, and even a floating restaurant, ready to board your boat, cook up whatever you like, cover your table with a table cloth, and serve you tasty eats as you cruise the verdant waters. Too fun! I spent the day there with Victor and Stephany and a handful of their friends and had an absolutely great time. If I lived in Mexico City I would make Xochimilco a monthly tradition.

The next day I met up with my friend Gaby (who had just flown in from NY) and her buddy Buster. We went to the north side of the city to witness the Basilica de la Virgen de Guadalupe. First, you need to understand that the Virgen of Guadalupe is as prominent (if not more so) as the figure of Jesus Christ in this Catholic country. Supposedly she revealed herself to the indigenous convert Juan Diego and his cloak carried her miraculous image. The cloak is housed behind the altar in a huge modern cathedral, and a moving walkway (yes!) transports pilgrims below the cloak to see it. It was pretty neat. I also saw the PopeMobile of Juan Pable. More amazing, perhaps, was the rows and rows of stalls set up outside "La Villa" selling all manner of religious objects... I found some really kitschy things. Truly tacky.

After this, Gaby and Buster and I headed to Teotihuacan, a pre-Aztec city and civilization with incredibly vast and well-preserved ruins. I cannot describe how amazing it was to be in this place. Highlights include seeing (and climbing) the towering Piramide de la Luna and Piramide del Sol. The former is the third largest pyrimid in the world, behind the pyramid in Cholula (which I saw but does not have much preserved) and the pyramid of Cheops in Egypt. I'm no archeologist so I can't write about all the extra neat things about Teotihuacan, except that it was pretty mind-blowing. However, on the Pyramid of the Moon we met a local fellow named Vikis who was superchido (cool) and with whom we spent the rest of the day. He is a local mountain agriculturist who is happiest when walking outdoors or cooking in the woods. He has played four years of semi-professional soccer and played his wooden flute with the likes of The Rolling Stones and White Child. He knows about every plant and bug in the region, and even fashioned me a bracelet from the fibers of the agave plant and showed us how to eat the fruits of the nopal cactus. We drank pulque with Vikis and he showed us how to find ancient ceramic shards and stone knifes in the dirt. It was incredible! I was sad to have the day end but happy to return to Victor and Stephany's apartment. I got a few hours of sleep before leaving super early to catch my flight to the U.S.

So I am back in the states and having a mixed time transitioning back. The weirdest thing is that it feels like I never left. It felt way too normal to use the computer in the science office at school, far too familiar to drive my car... I hope this doesn't mean I will forget the adventures and lessons of the last two months. I also hope I won't be poorly rested for when school starts. As it is, I am feeling wildly unmotivated to think about work at all (this is unlike me!). There are lots of reflections and thoughts to make about my trip to Mexico, but for now I am digesting being home, and wondering when I'll get to go back.

Thanks to all that have read the blog, posted comments, and sent emails. You have been a part of my adventure and I can't wait to talk to you all soon. Gracias.