When you only have a short stop in a city you have to prioritize what you want to do. It was my first time in Mexico City and I had a long list of recommendations. Right up on the top though was a day trip to Teotihuacan, a Mesoamerican city established around 100 BC. As much as I wanted to explore the second largest square in the world or see Frida Kahlo’s house, I had to listen to the people.
I woke up early in the morning with a colleague of mine and we started researching how we could possibly get to the pyramids. They are 45 minutes out of the city and accessible in many ways. You can access it by local buses, but when we calculated the entire journey it ended up being only slightly cheaper than going on the tour organized by our hotel. If you do take local transit make sure to keep an eye on the return timetable so you don’t end up stuck in a remote location.
The tour picked us up from our hotel and ended up being semi-private for my friend and myself. It came with a driver and a cool looking tour guide that wore his jacket like he was the patriarch in a mafia family. I don’t know what I enjoyed more; his in depth explanation of Mexico City’s history, or that fact that he never let me open my own door.
On the way to Teotihuacan we made two surprise stops. The first being the Guadalupe Cathedral. There is the old and new basilica which are both beautiful in their own ways. I was surprised with how modern and modest the architecture was in the newest cathedral. Watching them string together the flowered banners only made me wish that I could come back for the celebration they were preparing for.
Second stop was a silver and tequila factory. Now I am aware that most of these tours are tourist traps. Places that conveniently sell local items that every tour stops on. That being said it doesn’t stop me from playing into it and just having a good time. We laughed and had an awesome time while someone showed us how they make silver and how to properly drink tequila like a local. *Spoiler alert we have all been doing it wrong.*
Finally the last but simply the best stop. The Pyramids. Our tour guide led us around explaining how all the artifacts came to be. Then he dropped us at the foot of the sun pyramid and left us to our own devices. Steps later we were faced with a stunning view and an even better photo opportunity.
The ride home I had a chance to digest the day. I like doing this in car rides as looking out the window adds to the dramatic effect of reminiscing. The tour was wonderful. The sights absolutely stunning and we could not have asked for better weather. As much as I wish I had enough time to do it all, I think that I definitely made the most of my short stop.
Cheers from 30,000ft
@elzzster