Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Our last week in Mexico City!

This year has been quite an adventure.  This week, we are seeing all our friends before skipping town with our little Mexican cat. 

Dinner with ITAM pals, Veronica and Sandra

Dinner with friends Arturo and Mariana at the Hacienda de los Morales in Polanco

Brunch with Rochelle, Jen, Catrina and Emily

Breakfast with Rotarians Maricarmen and Silvia at La Palmera

Where the Virgin of Guadalupe was first sighted

Recently we visited the Basilica of the Virgin de Guadalupe. It is found in the north of the city, amid a bustling community.  The new basilica is huge and very sterile...it resembles a train station. The old basilica just behind it, is beautiful with a museum inside with artwork and tributes to the Virgin.  And, just behind that basilica, is the real treasure, the chapel that was built on the hill where the Virgin was first sighted.


Here is some background on the Virgin de Guadalupe:

Our Lady of Guadalupe (Spanish: Nuestra SeƱora de Guadalupe), also known as the Virgin of Guadalupe (Spanish: Virgen de Guadalupe; Nahuatl: Tonantzin Guadalupe) is a celebrated Catholic icon of the Virgin Mary.
According to tradition, Juan Diego, a simple indigenous peasant, saw a vision of a young woman on December 9, 1531. While he was on the hill in the desert of Tepeyac near Mexico City, the lady told him to build a church exactly on the spot where they were standing. He told the local bishop, who asked for some proof. He went back and saw the vision again. He told the lady that the bishop wanted proof, and she said "Bring the roses behind you." When he looked behind, he saw a bunch of roses growing. He cut the roses, placed them in his poncho and returned to the bishop. When he arrived to the bishop, he said he had brought proof. When he opened his poncho, instead of roses there was a picture of the young lady in the vision. Today, the icon is displayed in the Basilica of Guadalupe nearby, one of the most visited Catholic shrines in the world.[1] The Virgin of Guadalupe is Mexico's most popular religious and cultural image, with the titles "Queen of Mexico",[2] "Empress of the Americas",[3] and "Patroness of the Americas";[4] both Miguel Hidalgo (in the Mexican War of Independence) and Emiliano Zapata (during the Mexican Revolution) carried flags bearing the Our Lady of Guadalupe, and Guadalupe Victoria, the first Mexican president changed his name in honor of the icon.

source: wikipedia

Old basilica

New basilica


Doors to the chapel built where the indigenous man saw the Virgin

The Amazing Pyramids to the Sun and Moon (Teotihuacan, Mex)

We finally made the 2 hour trek north to the gorgeous indigenous pyramids of Teotihuacan in the State of Mexico. These pyramids (along with the city below them) were built in @ 100 BCE to honor the Gods of the Sun and the Moon.

Pyramid of the Sun

Jeremy on top of the Pyramid of the Sun with view of the Pyramid of the Moon


Sunday, June 5, 2011

Day trip to nearby Cuernavaca

A day trip to nearby Cuernavaca. Apparently there are more than 20 Spanish language schools here. Nice day trip, 1 hour south of Mexico City in the state of Morelos. Beautiful rolling hills.

Jardin Borda

Hacienda/Museo Robert Brady (gorgeous!)


downtown Cuernavaca