One uncle's journey

My Uncle has been updating me lately with his Mexico trip. Here's his latest journey ...

Early this morning I showed up in Melia Hotel, located in Juarez St., Alameda Central, in Centro Historica district of the city, to join 11 other tourists for the day trip to the ruins of Teotihuacan pyramids with a side trip to the Virgin of Guadalupe Shrine which is on the way. Mexicans venerate her honor and consider her their patron and protector ever since she appeared in a cave before a peasant to appeal for peace and harmony.

A big church was built in her honor on the site where she appeared and many pilgrams visit it every day. However, since the church is built on a reclaimed lake, the church has tilted and one side goes one way and the other half goes the other way. So as construction to prop and prevent the eventual collapse, a new bigger, shrine has been built beside it.

We then proceeded to Teotihuacan ruins, a civilization that started building 100 years BC, with incredibly advanced sophisticated knowledge of astronomy, engineering, awesome spiritual significance on everything they do. Teotihuacan started with 15,000 population led by high priests until word spread around the whole of South America to the point that people started to come here until population reached 400,000. this caused the decimation of the environment, and depletion of natural resources.

The Spaniards conquered a non resistant population in the 16th century and practically destroyed its advanced culture. We visited the the pyramid of the moon, walked thru the valley of the dead (so called because the smaller numerous pyramids along the way looked like tombstones), eventually to the giant pyramid of the sun.

I, of course, did not hesitate to climb all the way to the top of the 2 awesome structures, sort of a mini everest feat. If I had to do it, might as well do it now, right?

One thing that really struck me as incredible is their knowledge of the positions of the four equinox in the year (spring, summer, autum, and winter) thru a hole in one of their structures that measured the suns rays to pinpoint the exact cycle. The pyramid of the sun is built in such a way that looking at it in front, it symbolizes a human face, with gigantic pendant hanging on its mouth.

I was totally mesmerized with this lost culture's testament to their talents, to say the least.

Fortunately per our guide, groups of indigineous people still exist in the continent far away from "modern" civilization and practice life in complete harmony with nature.

I strongly recommend checking out TEOTIHUACAN PYRAMID ruins for more detailed info. You'd be amazed.

Hmmm, I'll consider his idea one of these days ...the only nearest pyramid trip I had was the world showcase at Epcot of Disney World Florida ... but for now, my Uncle's vivid description of the structure in Mexico is enough for me to be more curious.