Mexico City bound for Puebla. A 6.45 am departure to beat the horrible Mexico City congested traffic. First stop Teotihuacan.

A guided tour with the local guide Quetzalcoatl of the ancient site of Teotihuacan, just a short distance from the urban jungle of Mexico City in a desert valley ringed by mountains.

The two main features were the two pyramids.

Pyramid of the Sun – In its hey day was painted red to represent blood and eternal life.
The 248 steps to the top were easily climbed. Despite Mexico City and here being at altitude, I did not suffer any effects of altitude sickness or significant shortness of breath.

 Click on these 2 panorama photos to better appreciate the scale of the scene.
 







 
Pyramid of the Moon – We were lucky as only priests were allowed access to the top. People were sacrificed to postpone the end of the world according to the painted black represented astronomical calendar and the underworld.
 
Click on these 2 panorama photos to better appreciate the scale of the scene.
 
 









Why and when did this city end? No one knows yet.

A visit to see how tequila was made out of the different types of agave plants. Guided by Miguel he informed us that it took 10 - 12 years for the plants to grow before the heart is taken out and turned into liquid honey producing about 4 litres a day at 5% alcohol.

Then lunch at Quetzalcoatl's parents place. Bean soup, chicken inside a green pepper, cactus salad, pork, palm tree fruit desert all washed down with an almond tequila.

Puebla one of Mexico's oldest towns, means "City of the Angels". Set in a valley with a backdrop of volcanoes and snow-topped peaks that was shrouded in cloud as we drove in. We could just see the volcano's outline.

Puebla is a fascinating old colonial town. The historic city centre has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site partly due to its impressively preserved Spanish colonial architecture with some 2,600 designated historic buildings and was all decorated in Christmas lights that made it so much more impressive than the part of Mexico City that I saw.

From the top of the Turibus red open deck double decker "hop on hop off" bus 90 minute tour of town provided an magnificent sunset with the volcano in the background as well. Then there was the amazing water fountain and kids running through it all lit up with their coloured lights. Magic!

Metropolitan Cathedral of our Lady of the Immaculate Conception with it's towers at 73.9 m / 244 ft are considered to be the tallest in Mexico. Marble floors, rich gold leaf interior and main altar depicting kings and queens of 17 century Europe.

See separate entries for more photos and extra detail.