Day 2 in Mexico city started rather late as my new found friend Tom who I was supposed to be venturing to the Teotihuacan Pyramids with went missing. Well we thought he might have anyway. He didn’t show for breakfast and when he hadn't turned up by 9am Brad another new friend from Canada and I figured we should try to find him. We must have knocked on his door at about 10 different times over the next hour and a half before Tom finally answered the door. In the meantime we decided perhaps he had been rufi’d by Alejandro - an attractive but overly showy Venuzualan guy who worked for the hostel and had invited Tom to his house to play guitar. Luckily that wasn't what had actually happened, basically he had just had jet-lag, taken a sleeping tablet to conquer it and massively slept in because of it.
Having found Tom Jioan a lovely Korean girl sharing my room, Tom and I headed off toward the train station to start the journey to the pyramids. We successfully navigated the metro, which is surprisingly efficient and easy to understand and only cost 3 pesos (about 30 cents) no matter where you’re going. We got 4 trains and a bus to get there and on the way Tom and I learned spanish numbers so we actually knew what people were saying. Doesn't help much asking people how much something is if you don't know what their response means. On that note, not many people speak English, which is the opposite to what I was told.
The date we went to the pyramids was 21 March, which happens to be the day of the Spring Equinox - in other words - the place was packed. We had to wait for AGES in the boiling hot sun part of the way up with hoards of Mexicans before me made the final ascent to the top.
Tradition seems to be to go to the pyramids, walk to the top of the pyramid of the sun and hold your hands up in the sky. My theory is the purpose is to catch the power of the sun - but who knows. And yes, I do have a token photo of my arms up in the air on the peak.
We also climbed to the first level of the pyramid of the moon where people sat picnicking, meditating, resting and generally lying about. By this point, after lots of walking, climbing the 250 steps to the top of the pyramid and roasting in the head we were knackered and got the bus back. Just before the bus arrived I made a rookie error and bought a mango. the mango was on a stick, peeled and sliced to look kind of like an artichoke, and they then squeeze on lime juice, dip it in a red sugar and salt kind of mix along with some chilli. Interesting and actually quite good, but also VERY VERY messy. So on the bus back to the train station my mango dripped red sugary liquid all over me. Nice.
Post messy bus ride we made the 4 train journey back to Pino Suarez, bought some necessities at the markets and got back to the hostel for dinner. After dinner there was a few drinks. And when I say a few I mean a lot. It was fun though, and a jamming and singing session was included thanks to Tom and his amazing guitar skills. We also checked out a local bar where we requested Gangnam Style and and danced nuttily with a group of Mexicans. It was really funny. The night ended up VERY late, and today the grand plan to go to Xochimilco was canned in light of the fact that we all slept in, we all feel sick and couldn’t stomach the idea of being on boats with a hangover. Oh well. Another trip.
