Plaza de Tres Culturas - México City

The Plaza de Las Tres Culturas is the main square of the Tlatelcolco neighborhood of Mexico City. The name signifies three periods in Mexican history, pre-Columbian, Spanish colonial era and the independent nation. The square was completed in 1966 and is flanked by the Tlatelcolco ruins, a 1960's housing complex, the collage of Santa Cruz de Tlatelcolco and a church built from Tlatelcolco Temple stones.

On October 2, 1968, Mexican Armed Forces opened fire on a group of unarmed civilians on the plaza who were protesting the upcoming 1968 Summer Olympics. The Mexican government and media claimed that the Armed Forces had been provoked by protesters shooting at them, but government documents made public since 2000 suggest that snipers had been employed by the government. 

Twenty five people were officially reported dead. Later investigations identified 44 remains. Eyewitnesses claim that over 300 bodies were carted away from the square. The real death toll remains a mystery. 

 Colonial-era, Baroque Catholic Church, 

Plaza de Las Tres Culturas

Monument to the Tlatelolco 1968 massacre,

Plaza de Las Tres Culturas

Tlatelcolco ruins, a colonial era Catholic church and 

a modern housing complex, Plaza de Las Tres Culturas

Read more here: What really happened? Mexico 1968 Massacre

Our Lady of Guadalupe Mexico City

Our Lady of Guadalupe

To say that Mexicans love Our Lady of Guadalupe would be an understatement. For devout Catholics and the holiday Catholics, in Mexico, Guadalupe holds a special appeal. To the poor, Guadalupe is a symbol of standing against oppression and a common sight in most communities in Mexico. There are shrines to her almost everywhere. 

As the story goes, Juan Diego was indigenous, to Mexico. He is described as a Chichimec peasant and one of the first indigenous people to convert to Christianity. It is believed that he was visited by the Virgin Mary at Tepeyac Hill on four occasions in 1531, when Mexican territories were under Spanish rule. The Virgin Mary requested a chapel be built in her honor. At first he wasn't believed but was able to summon up some proof when the Virgin Mary miraculously imprinted her image on his cloak on one of the visitations. Who doesn't love a miracle!

Capilla de Indios (Indian Chapel) 

The original shrine for the Virgin of Guadalupe sits atop Tepeyac Hill with vast views over Mexico City.

Templo Expiatorio a Critsto Rey 

(Old Basilica of Guadalupe) 

Templo Expiatorio a Critsto Rey, the old Basilica sits at the foot of Tepeyac Hill below the original shrine. The old structure is sinking and was not able to handle the amount of visitors that come from around the world and allows a limited number of visitors to enter. 

Basilica de Guadalupe (modern Basilica) 

The modern Basilica de Guadalupe was built 1974-1976 and is circular so that the image of the Virgin can be seen from any point in the building. The structure can accommodate up to 10.000 people and the doors open wide to the plaza to accommodate larger crowds. The modern Basilica sits to the west of the old Basilica and to the south of the chapel up on Tepeyac hill. It was built to allow greater access to visitors as the old Temple was unstable. Over 20,000 million people visit each year.

Basilica de Guadalupe - door detail

Guadalupe, the Basilica de Guadalupe, Mexico City 

Visitors can view the painting for only a short time by passing by on a conveyor belt which is situated behind the alter. It allows people to view even when a service is going on. There are no vendors on the holy site but of course there is a store adjacent to the plaza where you can buy statues and trinkets to be blessed at an outdoor blessing station by a priest prior to the viewing of the painting of Guadalupe. 

Read more here: Our Lady of Guadalupe

 

Teotihuacan Piramides

The pre-Hispanic City of Teotihuacan was the largest urban center of Mesoamerica and predated the Aztecs by a 1000 years. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We were extremely lucky that the usually blistering sun was obscured by cloud cover, as there were few spots for a shady rest. Our guide provided us with historically significant information and then time to roam around on our own.

It is the site of very significant Mesoamerican pyramids. The complex is vast and was once a vibrant pre-Columbian city. In the middle is the Avenue of the Dead which links the Temple of Quetzalcoatl, the Pyramid of the Moon and the Pyramid of the Sun. Since 2020 you are no longer allowed to climb to the summits.

Pyramid of the Sun, Teotihuacan

Pyramid of the Moon, Teotihuacan

Avenue of the Dead, Teotihuacan

read more here: Pre-Hispanic City of Teotihuacan

Siempre Cambiando

It's been a long few years and lots of crazy stuff has happened. We cannot begin to express the amount of gratitude we have to be able to travel again and return to some of the places we love. This bustling small city continues to grow and change before our very eyes. I say that each time we come here because it is true. This time it has been 4 long years since we have been here. Many of our favorite and familiar places are gone, replaced by new places that will probably be gone the next time we return. The juice man is gone, the corner market where we used to buy eggs, avocado and fruit is no longer there. Our favorite antojitos restaurant is no longer run by the same family. The tourist zone is creeping closer. It goes on and on and is filled with restaurants, bars, countless shops and hordes of tourists. It is almost possible to ignore it simply by walking different streets.

Countless apartment buildings are being built where homes for locals once sat. The new buildings are pushing the locals farther and farther from the central area. We no longer hear the colectivo man shouting as they have moved to a new location. We still find a few local cart or cargo king vendors with their bell or horn announcing they are on your street. Once in a while a car goes by with a megaphone announcing something. There is more traffic and more noise but here on the top floor patio or in the garden we can almost forget.

During the day the sun blazes hot overhead. If I sleep too late I miss my chance to have my morning coffee in the shade. In the small houses nestled behind our building dogs bark. We visit with other guests and talk about Mexico City or other places to feed our travel dreams. I go to Yin class at a yoga school twice a week. I zoom my regular yoga class once a week. Afternoons are spent at la playa. It is more crowded than we remember but we find a little spot, open our beach chairs and contemplate the waves.

In the evening, the sun lowers in the horizon and the night breeze is simply perfect. It is one of my favorite times of the day and I am always thankful. It’s the time of day the birds fly over head to roost in the trees nearby just before sunset. The evening breeze kicks in and the clouds move past. We have our evening comida on la terazza or at one of our nearby favorite restaurants. We steal time to chat with our friends that own the hotel where we stay and visit in the garden. We walk to the park when there is music and a market. We watch children playing and family time enjoyed by locals and visitors.

We will miss the beautiful water, the fresh sea air breezes, our friends and the ever changing neighborhood but we know we will return. We feel at home here and it has stolen a part of our hearts for too long. Hasta la proxima vex.

Somewhere Between Living and Dreaming

La Playa Caribbean, acrylic on canvas 18" x 24" - B.Steichen

Somewhere between living and dreaming, there is Mexico and it has been way too long since I have been here. I are not traveling around this time, just staying at our home away from home. I am dredged in a familiarity of simple routines, a walk, a shared meal on the patio, many memories from the past and the beautiful beautiful playa. I do as little or as much as I want here. It is a contemplative reset.  

La Playa is forever shimmering in countless shades of turquoise. The sun is warm upon our shoulders and the air is humid and sweet. Unending waves merging one into the next. Turquoise is my favorite color, the color of the Caribbean Sea. It is the color I see when I close my eyes. It is my conjured memory for meditation. It is pure magic.

On the patio outside our room, everyone is happy to have escaped from wherever they came from. They are happy, full of stories and laughter. The days perfectly blend one into the other. I revel in all that is my life, the work I have done to be able to be in this moment. I have so much gratitude for every second of it. I try not to count the time that turns weeks into days before I return home to get ready for the next adventure.

Every day is a journey and the journey itself is home. - Matsuo Basho

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