Uneventful flights and several excellent meals later we arrived at our hotel with 15minutes to spare before the group briefing with Rick, our guide. We are a group of 7 Australians, 2 New Zealanders and ourselves. after a very poor night's sleep (I seem to have hayfever or a cold) we visited the Basilica of the Virgin of Guadaloupe (very impressive modern architecture) and then the highlight of the day - Teotihuacan. Amazing pyramid constructions - one of which, the Pyramid of the Sun, we climbed up to the top. Hard work but worth it! We also had a demonstration of all the things you can get from the Meguey cactus - paper, needle and string, fibres for weaving and most importantly polque (fermented juice) and mescal (distilled from same juice and like schnapps). We are staying virtually across the main square from the cathedral which we visited upon our return to the hotel. Mexico city is built on a drained lake and is gradually sinking into the mud - many buildings look misaligned because of this.
Today, Tuesday, we went to the Anthropology Museum and saw a fraction of its contents before visiting our guide's hometown Coyocan, now swallowed into suburbia - much more beautiful than the main city and heavily redolent of its Spanish influence. Then we travelled back on the metro which was relatively easy because the rush hour hadn't quite got started! Tomorrow we have a long drive to Oaxaca because the shorter route is closed because of flooding.....hope everyone is well..do reply to the blog if you get the time...love Ann and Iain