Hola!!!!
After 3 family and friend filled days in Seattle, our plane ride down to Mexico was uneventful (oh, expect for the fact that we almost missed our flight despite the fact we were at the airport 2 hours early!) . I was the last one on the plane and they closed the doors the second I stepped on to it!
We arrived last night very tired as we had to be at the airport at 3:45 a.m.! The boys were totally awesome and had a blast on their first memorable airplane ride. Even more memorable was our zaney ride in a taxi from the airport to our hotel. We missed hitting several cars, a bus and a policeman by just inches and we couldn't even talk over the loud noice of the honking horns. It was totally insane. No one follows the traffic rules and pedestrians definitely do not have the right of way.
Today, the true adventure began. We are staying in an area called the Zocalo. It's the historic district of Mexico City. We began by stopping by what I am sure must be the worlds largest bakery. I am not kidding. It is huge! There were at least a 400 items to choose from cookies, jello molds, candy, cake, donuts and a large assortment of breads. We are going back tomorrow and I'll take photos because you can't believe it.
I am interrupting my train of thought right now to report that firecrackers have been going off outside our window for about 5 minutes now. Oh, now I hear drums. It's 10:00 at night there must be a parade of some sort. I can't see anything I can just hear it. Wait, it's
fireworks right outside our window! Be right back.....
O.K....10 minutes later...
Wow, only in Mexico! We are staying right by a small Chinese district. Is it Chinese New Year? Anyway, on to what we saw today. Class, check out the photos as they are all places of historical or cultural value. We visited the Palacio Nacional (Home to the Presidential offices, the military and art work by Diego Rivera (Frida Kahlo's husband)! He painted the intire history of the Mexican people into murals that cover the walls of the palacio. Across the street from there are several cathedrals (remember 90% of Mexicans are Catholic). When the Spaniards came, they used the Aztec and Toltec indians as slaves and part of their slavery included building churches. The most magnificant today had about 80 percent of all it's features covered in REAL gold!!! There were guards (with guns) surrounding the place.
We then visited the Templo Mayor which is the remains of the tallest temple in Aztec city of Tenotichtitlan. After a lunch of helado y licuados (ice cream and fruit smoothies) we continued on to the local park called Alameda. There, the boys used their Spanish to make their first friend, Victor.
We listened to loud music, people watched and then went to the Palacio de Bellas Arte. It's the art museum that was constructed almost intirely in marble!!! It was so elaborate that we quickly realized we were out of place with two young boys, so we took them across the street to the tallest building in Mexico - La Torre and took in the views of the city and the pollution!
Tomorrow we'll go to Teotihuacan, an ancient Aztec City built for the leaders and Kings. This will be our first time taking the subway and buses. Wish us luck!
I am having so much fun using my Spanish. It's pretty awesome to have the ability to converse in two languages. So estudiantes, keep working hard at it!
Will connect soon.
Abrazos.. Sra. Koch