 |
| Teotihuacan |
 |
| Montezuma's Headdress |
Behind Mexico City's
Metropolitan Cathedral was kept a piece of ruin--remnants of Templo
Mayor. Nearby a ground model displayed the layout of the Aztec's
architectural magnificence--Tenochtitlan 1325 AD was a walled city,
with two broad roads crossing at the main temple. Temples and buildings were
placed in great balance and precision against each other denoting clean
straight geometric lines and grids. The whole of such city planning
showcased Mathematics, Science, and High Art! The Aztecs did "Art
Deco" way before the terminology. Behold this architectural
sensibility in Teotihuacan as early as 150 BC.
The Aztecs could had
flourished if not for their one fatal flaw--human sacrifice! The Templo
Mayor, although stately beautiful, was a death machine. Not expressing "enlightenment" from math, science, and art were the docile and dull
expression of faces on archaeological figurines. How livable was life if any citizen could had been next on the death podium. So came the Conquistadors, or anyone for that matter, the sooner the better.
 |
| La Gruta Restaurant |
It's amazing how U.S. restaurants gentrify ethnic food, including Mexican cooking. I thought about nachos: toasted tortilla chips topped
with thick mellow refried beans, chopped grilled steak, fresh chunky tomato
salsa, warm melted cheese, cool guacamole and sour cream. Reality set
in quickly--there was no such nachos plate in Mexico! And no burritos as I knew them. Local cooking was salty and coarse, and "rice and beans" were not automatic sides.
As a favor our uber
took us once around the Constitution Plaza before dutifully entered downtown. Mexico City’s downtown was typically metropolis with dense foot
and vehicle traffic. Next thing, our uber meandered through vendor tents and
pedestrians until he could go no further. We got out and walked into a covered
warehouse structure, La Merced Market. Size of a football field. Bigger than
Costco.
Along the highway, there were many “Disponible”
(“available”) billboards. Interstate roads looked new, well paved and in excellent condition. Many fabulous sculptures and statues popped up and caught my eyes. Now and then, we saw pilgrims walk along the highway.
The Aztecs could had
flourished if not for their one fatal flaw--human sacrifice! The Templo
Mayor, although stately beautiful, was a death machine. Not expressing "enlightenment" from math, science, and art were the docile and dull
expression of faces on archaeological figurines. How livable was life if any citizen could had been next on the death podium. So came the Conquistadors, or anyone for that matter, the sooner the better. 
Along the highway, there were many “Disponible”
(“available”) billboards. Interstate roads looked new, well paved and in excellent condition. Many fabulous sculptures and statues popped up and caught my eyes. Now and then, we saw pilgrims walk along the highway. 
