Mexico City....this place is crazy, just like everyone says.

Welcome back blog buddies!  Wow, what a couple days it's been.  I have so much to write and so many pics I could put on here, but I'm just not sure how to take care of all this.  Please be patient with me and hopefully I get better at keeping notes and taking pics of some of the interesting things I sometimes forget.

First off.  I'd just really want to threw down a few pics of Dan and myself and a quick little bio, so those of you who don't know us, have a clue who your reading about.

Ok, lets start with the best looking guy on this trip : )

Well, let's see here.  I just turned 40 a few months ago, was born and raised in Edmonton.  I have 5 brothers and 2 sisters and I'm the youngest.  I just finished a career in the military where I was employed in two different trades.  The first being the infantry, where I was a jumper (that's paratrooper for you civilian friends) and then finished my career as a Shipwright.  

I'm mostly single, although there is a lady that is quite special to me.  (Let's see how she feels about me after I'm gone 4 months!).  Ya, pretty much no kids or huge committments at this point, other than a house that hopefully won't fall apart while I'm gone.  

Favorite things are motorcycles, white-water kayaking, diving, hiking, movies, nice dinners and hanging out with my awesome people.

I've always wanted to do a long trip like this, and I'm looking forward to getting to know my oldest bro Dan better.  We've never been on a trip together!

 I desparetly want to learn some spanish, but I'm a little timid trying at this sucky stage.  God help me!

Who is that ginning lunitic?  Ya, that's me.  I get that goofy look on my face everytime I take a picture of myself.

Second amigo, but of no less importante; is my older brother Dan.

Apparently Dan doesn't like to write about himself too much, so his wife Sue helped me out a little.  Sue won't be there to bail you out next time bro!

 Sue and Dan are both retired, but Sue is a home maker extraordinary.  She totally spoiled the hell out of me when I was there to visit at Christmas.

"I did thirty years with the Edmonton Fire Department.  I enjoy biking and am looking forward to our trip together, getting to know you better and seeing all the Central American countries.  This is something that I have wanted to do for a long time, so another check off my bucket list.  I don't know if you want a little bit about my family life.  Have been married 36 years, have 3 beautiful daughters, 3 great son in laws, and 4 wonderful grand kids.  I enjoyed playing hockey for over 40 years, and also played some football and rugby, which I also enjoyed.  Family is very important to me and I will miss them very much, but have my wife's blessing to do this trip.  I have built and renovated a few houses, had my own autobody shop, fire extinguisher business, and owned a Timmy's" 

We should add that Dan has a sense of humour and likes the odd practical joke.  Good times.

Apparently Dan lost his shirt in Thailand.  That's ok Dan, there's some good deals in Mexico.

As most of you know.... I've flown to Mexico City and will be meeting Dan with the bikes in or around Tijuana.

My flight from Victoria, connecting in Vancouver and on to Mexico city went off without a hitch.  I was chatting with a nice lady that was off to see the monach butterfly migration, which is apparently something quite spectacular.

When I hit the airport in Mexico City, I quickly grabbed a cab and 225 pesos later I was at my first ever couch surfing connection.

My host, Tonio is a fantastic guy and it's his birthday today!  Happy birthday Tonio, I  hope your cold gets better for your trip to Aculpolco and the young ladies aren't too hard on you.  Tonio's been great to me.  He gave me a lovely room,  made me a fantastic tradional snack, gave me a map book and bus card and even some of his  home-made Arroz Con Leche. It's a great type of rice and cream pudding and it's delicious.   I'm going to try get another pic of Tonio for the blog tomorrow before I leave because I can't find the one I took this morning, and take a few more pics of the food I sample if you folks are interested in that.  

Ok I got another pic of Tonio.

This morning I was off to an early start and after a breakfast croisant, a bus ride which took a wrong turn, a nice walk, some horrible attempts at getting directions in Spanish, another bus ride and nice walk back after I missed the bus stop, I finally arrived that the "Museo Nacional de Antropología" or  National Museum of Anthropology.

Just before I tell you about the museum, I want to show you a pic of the blue biker mobile auto repair guy I saw on the street.  I wonder if this is one of the "blue angels" I've heard about??

A dude that rides around on crotch rocket and comes and fixes your car for you.   How cool is that?

It was truly amazing.  In all honesty one day doesn't really do that place justice, as there is so much to see there.  I decided to fork out the big bucks and hire a guide at 200 pesos or about 20 bucks for an hour and I'm sure it was well worth it.  A lot of the placards are in Spanish and it's just so great having someone explain what you are seeing, even as impressive as they might be,  you really won't have a clue about the true meaning of some of these reproductions and artifacts unless someone tells you about them.

Jesus...a little out of focus.  Thanks for the great tour!

This was one of the most important pyrids in mexico.  The red shine was built to the Sun which was so important to the aztecs and the blue shrine honoured Rain which was so important in agriculture.

This placard was about the statue above it.  I'm gonna try and translate this later, unless on of my awesome spanish speaking friends want to help us out first : ) hint hint

This is one of balls that would of been used in the games, at the ball courts.  It was such a great honour to win; that you were sacrificed afterwards.  

She is the mother of creation.  I think those are supposed to be Jaguar feet.

The rabbit is extremely important in the Aztec culture; in particlur on the calendar.

The Aztec Calender.

I think this statue had the same theme going.  The "duality concept".  The idea reminds me of the Japanese Yin and Yang.

I'm not sure if was missing something here, but it looks like this entire roof is supported by the pillar in the middle!  Why don't we have any cool architecture like this in Canada?  

So my friend... that said this advanced culture wasn't that blood thirsty.  This is the alter where they placed the human hearts from the sacrificed virgins.   What do you say to those apples?

I think Jesus said that two warriors would actualy fight on top of this stone craved stone.  It was this one, or a very similar one.  There's so many artifacts and displays there it's mind blowing.

For some reason I really liked this one.

There's the rabbit again!  The  Mayan's loved those rabbits.

Just snapped this off as I went by in the loser cruiser.  

The bus is  4 pesos here, but you don't get a transfer.

Typical very crowded steets of the city.

The cool  thing this about this church, is that is has two separate alters and service areas.  I wonder if they ever have two going at the same time?  Or maybe a double-header? ahaha.

Unblieveablely ornate.

Zocalo Square

The Catedral Metropolitana De México

This flag in the Zocalo square was gi-normace.  These Méxicans are very proud folks.

The Catedral Metropolitana De México front doors.

Unfortunety I wasn't allowed inside becuase I was wearing shorts.

I believe the Cathedral was built in 1813, but there is reference to it back in 1524.  I can't wait to know more Spanish.

Then out of nowhere we get offered the chance to go up inside the roof of the cathedral for 15 pesos!

Very old-school tunnel stairwell.

I've only ever been able to see the church domes from the inside....never the top.

Very impressive.

Looks like a little work going on up top.

View of one of the bell towers from the middle of the roof.

Very interesting statues up there.

Another view from on top of the cathedral.

The first cathedral I visited that I could actually walk around on top!  Try to find that in europe.

French girl that was on the same plane as me taking pictures on top of a cathedral.  What are the odds of that?

Butrices on top of the cathedral.

What I thought was a very cool spiral staircase.

Notice anything in this pic?

It's hard to tell in this picture, but that church tower is actually leaning in towards the street.

Well, it was a huge day and a long walk home from all the site-seeing.   I can't wait to get my bike, but honestly, riding in Mexico City looks scary.  It's going to be a VERY interesting trip.

Good night,

Clay D

The morning sky glowing red over Mexico City from Tonio's window.