The last few days were devoted to tourist destinations including the pyramids of Teotihuacan and Real de Catorce. It took us a bit longer to get to the pyramids than we had hoped, but the trip south was definitely worth it. The pyramids are enormous and very impressive. Several of the are decorated with intricate carvings representing the different gods. The largest pyramid is called the Pyramid of the Sun and is thought to have been a monument to the god of the Sun. However, recent findings suggest the pyramid may have been intended for the god of water. The Pyramid of the Moon is smaller, but still beautiful. Tourists are allowed to climb to the tops of the pyramids on steep stone steps, and the view is magnificant. People try to sell you stuff the entire time you are there. Mostly it's the exact same stuff you can find in the shops around the site, just a bit more expensive. Rob, Alex, and I had lunch in a nearby restaurant that was really large a cave entrance with some tables and a stage. The cactus and mushroom soup was surprisingly good. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to push any leads to see if the cave actually goes or not. The picture below was taken by Alex on top of the Pyramid of the Moon.
Once we left the pyramids, we drove directly to Real de Catorce. It took us about 10 hours to get there, but it was also a destination worth the drive. Real de Catorce is considered a tourist destination, and some of the hotels and restaurants were run by Europeans. The somewhat Americanized food was a welcome change. There were street vendors and shops to explore, and the group took horses up the mountain to see the abandonned silver mining town. The ride was pleasant, but the narrow mountain trails were precarious at times. We were allowed to explore the old mines a bit, and I was surprised by how in tact some of the buildings were.
We got home safely. The drive took 40 hours, including stops. Thanks for reading!
