May 26, 2011
– Hola, otra vez!
What a week it has been in Mexico, DF! It truly has been a week of stunning views and eye opening experiences.
| El Castillo de Chapultepec |
This week we went to El Castillo de Chapultepec (Chapultepec Castle) which is where some of the famous Mexican presidents and revolutionaries have lived. It sits in the middle of el parque Chapultepec (their Central Park, only bigger) on top of a hill. The castle is absolutely stunning, and the view is equally as so. I cannot image what it would have been like to live there. There was even one bathroom that sat on the corner overlooking the balcony and city view. I asked a guard if I would be allowed to use the tube; while she was amused, she said she was obligated to say no.
As if that wasn’t a stunning enough view, the next day we went to El Cerro de las Estrellas (Close to the Stars). This is the mountain where the Mexicans would hold Nuevo Fuego (New Fire) every “century.” They defined their centuries as 52 years, which is how often their lunar and solar calendars aligned. They called it Nuevo Fuego, because they would take all of their possessions to the top and burn them while praying to see if the world was going to end.
| The view from the Cerro de las Estrellas |
The hike to the top was a chore, but the vastness of the city cannot truly be comprehended until you see this view in person. No matter which way you look, the city is the only thing that you see. On top of it being an incredible view, we went and sat there at sunset, which only made the experience more incredible.
In addition to the incredible views, we went to el Bazar del Sabado, which is an artist showcase and market. It was so cool to see all of the different art and also to see the different symbols talked about in class still used in art today. Another thing that made it fun was bartering with the artist. Some attempts were more successful than others.
I didn’t think that it could get much better than the first week, but I was pleasantly surprised. I can only imagine what next week has in store for us! Hasta luego!
Glenn Travis Wagner
Men’s Swimming and Diving, 2011
