Previously we had seen the basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, our tour guide took us next to see Teotihuacan pyramids! Our tour guide was seriously the sweetest and kindest guide! It was about an hour’s drive out to Teotihuacan. I had no real idea what to expect and WOW. seeing them in person is just surreal!

The two main pyramids were the pyramid of the moon, which was rounded at the top and mimicked the natural form of the mountains that it mirrored. And the biggest one, the pyramid of the sun. Because of covid we couldn’t climb the pyramid of the sun. Although I don’t think we would have gotten far if we tried. The altitude adjustment was still a little tough for us to be able to climb stairs without heavy breathing!

The pyramids are pre Aztec, ancient Mesoamerica times.

Pyramid of the moon in the far back.

Below is Quetzalcoatl, the god of the sun and wind. A combination of bird and rattlesnake.

Our guide brought us to someone who demonstrated how these people in ancient times got their paint colors by using surrounding plants. By adding water to some of these he was able to paint us a picture. A lot of the pyramids were destroyed and reconstructed. Back when they were originally built they would have murals and colors on the walls and ceilings.

Pyramid of the moon

Avenue of the dead is the name for the long pathway leading up to the pyramid of the sun and on past that to the temple to Quetzalcoatl.

Lots of reconstruction was done. When the government began excavating the pyramids at the beginning of the 20th century, they used dynamite to blow open the hills. All of the structures that had the mortar with little stones in it was all reconstruction.

Pyramid of the sun.

Leaving Pyramid of the sun.

Entrance to Quetzalcoatl Temple. This statue is a replica of the real one that is currently in the Anthropology museum!

Quetzalcoatl and the Rain God Tlaloc are shown below.

We were taken to an amazing place for lunch while at the pyramids! La Gruta is a restaurant in a naturally formed cave. How cool is that?! Traditional dishes, local cuisine ingredients with pre-Hispanic culinary heritage. At the end of your meal they gave you a candle to add to the staircase and to make a wish. They told us legend has it that visitors are born again when they leave the cave, and that some diners light candles as a symbol of rebirth.