I got back late Sunday night after a riveting weekend in Mexico city. My first impression of the city was not exactly a good one. Coming down the long, straight highway into the Distrito Federal you can see a cloud of smog over the city. It hovers there so contently, almost as if it were trying to keep out any clean air that might even be thinking about penetrating the lungs of the people. Mexico City is one of the biggest cities in the world, so would not even begin to claim that what I saw was an accurate representation of the city, but from the parts I did see, other than the air, it was sparkly clean.
We arrived Friday afternoon after about five hours in the van, most of which I spent reading a book called "My Ishmael," which I like so far. After thoroughly befuddling ourselves at a buffet, we visited the national palace and cathedral nearby. I also visited the largest photography exhibit I've ever seen in my life in the plaza next to the hostel. The photos had nothing to do with Mexico, rather how humans interact with animals, but hey, it was free, and anything free for a student usually means I can make myself be entertained by it.
We went to the Teotihuacan/Aztec temples about an hour outside the city on Saturday, which was certainly the highlight of the trip. I was previously unaware that the temples were not built by the Aztecs, but rather by the Teotihuacans, hundreds of years before the Aztecs found them overgrown near they mountains. They thought they were left by the gods and decided to inhabit them. Knowing that an ancient people found something from another ancient people makes my perception of time feel quite minuscule.
This is the world's slowest internet connection, and an top of that I have to go pick up a professor from Spain to take her to my house for lunch. She is here on business checking out some CIEE programs in Mexico. I hope to add pictures to this blog later today after meeting with the professor.
In response to a Wofford professors question, there seems to be no reason for the amazing color of the houses. I asked my host parents about it this morning over breakfast, and to their knowledge, the colors have no symbolism. They mentioned that as far back as they can remember, even as kids, the houses have always been colorful.
Off to lunch...I hope there is guacamole.
John
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