I finally have a free Saturday morning where I can sleep in, hang out in my PJs, and catch up on homework, blogging, emails and everything of the like. I know so many people have been asking me, others begging me to finally put up the rest of the Mexico City post and pictures. So, here is the other half of our trip to D.F which included Sunday, October 6, and Monday October 7. 20 days ago seems like 20 years ago, so while I may not remember every little detail, I'll try to do my best....
 |
| A sneak peak view of El Castillo from down below |
Sunday: This day, we had to get up a little extra early and hit the road sooner than usual because there was a huge manifestation planned in
El Zócolo that morning. (Basically thousands of people from all over Mexico had come to protest the monopolistic and over-priced prices of petroleum, aka gas. They had a planned march that clogged the streets, so to avoid this, we left
el centro quickly.) Our first stop for the day included the beautiful
Castillo de Chapultepec which is an old castle/palace constructed in the late 19th century. Having been used as a military academy, presidential home, imperial residence and observatory, it's unique history makes it a special place to visit. Plus, it is now the National History Museum of Mexico, so there is no surprise as to why it is famous. Regardless of it being "another museum" I was so happy to explore the place where renown men like Mexican Emperor Maximilian and President Benito Juarez lived. The architecture was incredible, and the view overlooked much of the heart of downtown D.F, including
Bosque de Chapultepec, which is over 1,600 acres of forest, park, lakes, running trails, vendors, and greatness. In all, it was pretty spectacular morning.
 |
| Kara, Laura, Shelbs and Me |
 |
| Outside, In front of the Castle |
 |
| Terrace overlooking El Bosque |
 |
| Betsy and Laura exploring the inside of Chapultepec |
 |
| View from inside the castle, overlooking D.F |
 |
| Elizabeth B, Betsy, Laura and Me |
 |
| Laura and Me in the gorgeous gardens |
 |
| Even the inside reeked of wealth, beauty and heritage |
Once we finished up at the castle, we walked through the park towards the National Anthropology Museum of Mexico, where some of the most famous artifacts of Mesoamerican culture can be found. Before we entered into the museum were able to eat a delicious lunch in the museum's cafe, which I believe is worthy of a photo. Admire the deliciousness of guacamole and beans and tacos to the left...:) Fun fact, guacamole is not as common here as I thought it would be. You're more likely to receive plain avocados with your soup or an avocado based salsa than you are to get straight up guacamole....but besides my side notes on food, the museum was a very enriching experience. To be completely honest, it was a tad bit overwhelming, because after having already visited upwards of 3 museums in the previous days, many of us were burnt out on walking through exhibits and looking at prehispanic artifacts. However, we made the most of what we could, and I made sure to seek out the most important pieces to see before leaving. These included the huge heads of the Olmec culture and the
Piedra del Sol which is an Aztec calendar stone, that was excavated in Mexico City, and with a diameter of 12 feet it weighs over 24 tons!
 |
| National Anthropology Museum |
 |
| One of the original Olmec heads (very famous) |
 |
| Piedra del Sol aka an Aztec Calendar..VERY famous |
 |
| As a result of too many museums...this often happens |
After a long day out in
Chapultepec,we finally returned to our hotel around 5, in order to prep for our fancy night out to...
El Ballet Folclorico! On the way walking back, some of us girls found a Starbucks, and enjoyed a much needed boost of caffeine. On trips like these, packed schedules and little down time combined with sharing rooms with talkative girls means little sleep..so caffeine was a much needed commodity:) Once we had our energy, we had an hour or so to prep for the ballet. It was so fun getting ready with the girls, swapping dresses, doing each other's hair and blasting dance music just for the fun of it. I truly appreciate the girls on this WIM team, and all that they have blessed me with from deep conversations, to heartfelt prayer times, to late night "snuiquickies" and random dance parties in hotel bathrooms. They truly are the best. Regardless, once prepped and ready, we headed down the street to
Palacio de Belles Artes, (check DF post 1.0 for pictures of the place)
. Mary and our WIM budget treated us out to a nice dinner in the
Belles Arte's restaurant and then to some INCREDIBLE seats in the theater. Entering into the night with little expectations, I was blown away at how magical the ballet was, in all of its insane colors, traditional outfits and folkloric music. For an hour and a half I escaped into a world of beauty and mysticism, and I enjoyed every single minute of it. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera, and only had my phone, which didn't capture the best of pictures. However, you can take my word for it that it was a spectacular show.
 |
| Melissa and Me- future teachers of America:) |
 |
| blurry bathroom selfie with Kara and Shelbs...just 'cuz:) |
To end the evening, after the ballet ended we all went out to a cheap hole-in the wall cafe to celebrate Betsy's birthday, which was to be the next day. After enjoying some pan dulce, a round of
Feliz Cumpleaños, and a prayer of Betsy's upcoming years as a 20 year old, we called it a night.
Monday: As our day of departure arrived, we packed in as much as possible to our schedule. In the morning we walked over to The Metropolitan Cathedral one of the oldest and largest churches in D.F with over 16 chapels inside of it. I was most impressed with the incredible pipe organ inside, which I got to hear played because a mass was in session when we entered.
To the left is the the facade of one of the entrances into the Cathedral.
To the right is the HUGE pipe organ. Someday, I would love to play something so grandiose as this!
 |
| The memorial tablet which keeps the event alive |
Following this cathedral, we went to the
Plaza de Tres Culturas, Plaza of 3 cultures, which contains ancient prehispanic ruins, an Old Spanish church, and modernized 21st century buildings; it represents 3 cultures, thus contributing to its name. However, this site is also a place of commemoration and tribute, it is a memorial site of a tragic event that happened October 2 1968, the Tlatelolco Massacre that took the lives of hundreds of innocent students and bystanders. Although for years the dictatorial Mexican government denied its hand in this event, history and first person accounts retell a story of unnecessary bloodshed. The night of Oct. 2, thousands of student activists marched in the Plaza of Three Cultures peacefully protesting for revolution and freedoms against the tyrannical political system. However, an anal government trying to "clean up" Mexico 10 days before hosting the 1968 Olympic Games, saw this protest as a a nuisance; somewhere along the chain of command, an order for 5,000+ armed military personnel and helicopters appeared on the scene and began mercilessly shooting everyone in sight. The strangest part is that after the shooting, government officials cleaned up the bloodied mess and NO RECORDS were ever kept; no newspaper posted about it and no TV stations shared footage because the government kept it hidden. Many factors still remain a mystery, but years later with the accumulation of first person accounts and eventual government acknowledgement, the Tlatelolco Massacre now is regarded as one of the biggest shames of Mexico, a memory that haunts many, but also reminds Mexico of the faultiness of humans and corruption. Today, there remains a memorial stone commemorating the event, and the death of hundreds. It was a very somber visit for our group, and an incredible historical reminder.
 |
| Prehispanic ruins + Modern buildings |
After the sobering experience at the plaza, we headed out for some fun, which was one of my highlights of the trip. We drove over to Xochimilco, another famous province of D.F which is famous for its canals, remnants of ancient lake tributaries from way back in time. For about an hour we shopped around some of the markets there, and then headed on a
trajinera, aka a boat with a table on it, for our comida! Though the meal was simple- make your own tacos- the company was fantastic. I shared an end of the table with Kara, Ainslie, Ben, Brad, Laura and Kara, and talking in Spanish, trying to eat the most tacos (I ate 6...but I think one of the boys finished 10?), and listening to Mariachi music (that we hired to sing to Betsy for her b-day) truly made me a happy girl. If anything, I want to return one day to Xochilmilco with my own family or friends, because it is such a fun experience enjoying a simple lunch on a boat on a canal in Mexico.:)
 |
| Ainslie! I appreciate this girl so very much :) |
 |
| Make your own Taco Lunch. My favorite. |
 |
| Happy Birthday Betsy!! |
 |
| WIM TEAM! (stolen from Kara, who stole it from Brad) |
 |
| Future teachers of America...photo 2. |
 |
| Titanic Pose... just another typical day for these 2 |
A veces en Mexico, con tus mejores amigos , hay tiempos en que haces cosas locas, sin razón. Aquí es un buen ejemplo de cosas normales para Laura y yo, y Benjamin y Bradley. Nos gusta divertirnos, o a veces, manejar coches pequeños con caras extranas. Quería compartir, simplemente porque yo puedo. Si quieres entender, usar Google Translate para traducir este mensaje. Le amo a todo de mi grupo quien puede leerlo sin traducir, y a todos que entienden este español. Adios. ¡Dios te bendiga!
 |
| The tilma of Juan Diego |
Finally, our last Monday stop, and final destination for our trip to D.F was to the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, or the Basillica of the Virgin Guadalupe. Incredibly famous among the Catholics worldwide, and especially to the Guadalpuan Catholics in Mexico, it was quite an experience to have the chance to enter into something so sacred. It is believed that many years ago the Virgin Guadalupe appeared to an indigenous man, Juan Diego, and that she did so on his tilma or his cloak. In this manner, the Virgin was presenting herself to the Indigenous culture of Mexico, which is often the lowest class of the Mexican social system. Supposedly, her image is "real" and the original cloak that she appeared on is housed in the Basilica. It is such a sacred and revered object that the Basilica has had to put moving walkways (like you'd find in the Chicago airport) underneath the framed tilma to keep the traffic in motion because some people spend hours fixated upon the Virgin's image. For me, it was a rather controversial subject matter to think about, because I don't believe in the worship of the Virgin, or her presence as a "holy" and "sinless" mother of Jesus. However, I have learned to appreciate cultural differences and norms, and I have tried my hardest to understand from a Mexican perspective the symbolism behind the Virgin, and what she represents for the Catholics both in Mexico and worldwide. I am still learning and struggling to understand many aspects of Catholicism. Overall, I am simply grateful for the chance to immerse in another country where I can question and challenge what others believe in light of their faith and mine.
 |
| Inside the Basilica |
 |
| Two other temples also in the Plaza with the Basilica |
 |
| In Front of the Basilica |
Well, there you have it folks. After the Basilica, we stopped at Oxxo for some snacks for the bus ride back, and headed home sleepy but happy. In the scheme of things, D.F was such a different experience with its city craziness and abundance of museums. Yet, at the same time, it is a place overflowing with history and with the essence of Mexican culture. I wouldn't trade my weekend in D.F for the world, because it was a time for me to gain insight into the workings of one of the world's largest cities. It was a growing time for my faith, for my relationships with my WIM team, and for my own understanding of Mexico. For that, I am thankful, and for that, I end this post.
Happy Saturday. More to come eventually........:)
Finally, after hanging out with Mexican friends for 3 hours, we got back to CIQ just in time for art class, for an hour and a half we all spent time painting and working on our newest art project. I am currently painting a coat of Arms, a baroque style piece, and hope to finish in the next two weeks! Following class, Laura, Brad, Betsy and Jonny (Brad's brother who's visited for a week) and I went out for tacos (at Haga Su Taco) and back to Brad's house to help fix a computer problem. Well, let's just say Mexican time got the best of us and instead of having a quick stop, we thoroughly enjoyed our late night conversations until almost 12. It is such a cool reminder of how great of friends you can become with your team when time passes and you don't even know it- when you can simply enjoy talking, listening to Evan Craft, and laughing for no reason without any care about the clock. I love it, and I love my "familia" of WIM members.
