mexikan

Before Tlaltecuhtli, this was the largest monolith found at the ruins of Tenochtitlan. Coyolxauhqui, discovered in 1978.

Coyolxauhqui was the daughter of Coatlicue and Mixcoatl and is the leader of the Centzon Huitznahuas, the star gods. Coyolxauhqui was a powerful magician and led her siblings in an attack on their mother, who had become pregnant.

The pregnancy of Coatlicue, the maternal Earth deity, made her other children embarrassed, including her oldest daughter, Coyolxauhqui. As she swept the temple, a few hummingbird feathers fell into her bosom. Coatlicue’s fetus, Huitzilopochtli, sprang from her womb in full war armor and killed Coyolxauhqui, along with her 400 brothers and sisters. He cut off her limbs, then tossed her head into the sky where it became the moon, so that his mother would be comforted in seeing her daughter in the sky every night.

So the biggest monolith with original color ever found from the Aztec culture represents Tlaltecuhtli, dicovered in 2007. 


Tlaltecuhtli was a dual god from the aztec mythology. It is described as a sea monster who dwelled in the ocean after the fourth Great Flood, an embodiment of the raging chaos before creation. Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca tore her in half, throwing half upwards to create the sky and stars and leaving the other half to become the land of the earth. She remained alive, however, and demanded human blood. 

Last weekend I was with my parents visiting the ruins of old Mexico City.

Founded on 1325 (Ce Acalt) and conquered in 1521 by the Spaniards, the great city of Tenochtitlan was destroyed to build what we know as Mexico City. old temples were destroyed and churches ane buildings were built on top. And the stones used in the great pyramids were used by the Spaniards in the construction of their own temples. A sad history that reflects modern culture in this country.

Here is a comparison on the before and after. The stairs in the bottom picture would belong to the tallest temple in the drawing

Since my search for Cortés' grave was unsuccessful I decided to enter to the hospital that is next to the church. It was founded by Cortés on 1524 and it is nice.. another island in the middle of the chaos in Mexico City.

Hernán Cortés was leading the Spanish troops when they came to conquer the aztecs. And he is buried in Mexico City. He is at the Church built on the site where he first met Moctezuma. It's funny... it is one of the best kept secrets of Mexico City... no one seems to know where he is buried. In fact there is no sign that he is buried there. There is a plaque, next to  the altar but you cannot even see it because.... you cannot go all the way through the altar!!! pfffffffff what a country!!! I don't even like the guy but the site is historical!!!

Why this? Well I am horrified and in shock! Really!! It is so strange. I am used to be in places with nice people, clean streets, business men in bicycles, nice cars, etc... But today I left my confort zone. I walked one street away of my neighborhood and it was chaos: poverty, homeless men, litter and dirt, fat people everywhere,
100-years old public transportation, food sold on the street, crazy!!! It is like other Mexico!!

Finally had some time to relax.... so needed!

I am super busy during the weekends. Want to guess one of the many things I do? Want a clue?

Besides work, I spend most of the time at the gym.... well, when I am awake because I am not counting the multiple hours I spend sleeping. Ok, I go to the gym and I love it!! I do weights, run and swim.. It is sooo good and I am liking it! I feel exhausted after those 6 days of exercise a week. But it is my distraction and I can really tell it is working hahahaha... It's fun!!! =P

Weekend before Monterrey I was in Pachuca... It was great to see my old friends!

Last weekend I was in Monterrey at my friend Paulina's wedding. It was fun!!!

This is with my friend Sarah, my date to the wedding hehe

What a great place to go while in Mexico City!!!

Amazing!!

Full of culture, traditions and history!

And one of the things that I loved the most was an aztec codex relating the pilgrimage from Aztlán to Tenochtitlan and it relates every single year and every single place they stopped by. It´s funny but I spent hours looking at this document!!! =) Here just the first out of 21 sections...

This week I am adding something to my daily excercise ... I am doing something that I love!! And now I have someone that is coaching me to get back to my previous physical condition... And I love the picture below.. It just captures everything that I feel about swimming!!!!

Well... one place I really missed from Monterrey was the IHOP.... So I went with some of my friends from work. Too bad I forgot my camera but it was soooo good!! We ate too much and we were so full!! I missed the chocolate chip pancakes. Awesome brunch!!

well... some of my American friends' friends  came to visit them and I got the change to hang out with them....

Once we were walking around Reforma and we decided to make artistich shots at the Monument to the Mexican Independence... This is the best we could come up with ....

Well my friends and I were going to watch a Mexican movie so we decided to get Tizoc... yeah random and weird.....

But when we were going to put it inside the player we realized there was another movie already (I am renting a second hand place) so we decided to try it out.... the result?? An indian/Bollywood/Cartoon/Mythological/strange thing called the Return of Hanuman.... despite all the randomnes... it was good =)

Something to think about....

I was reading a while ago the book Isabel Moctezuma, about the daughter of Moctezuma Xocoyotzin, one of the last aztec rulers. It is fiction but is based on a lot of historical facts (Totally recommendable).

Well just by reading that book, it made me realize many things. I belong to the "white" side of Mexico (and the rich and educated elite), and I could be so European sometimes (way of thinking, dress, etc..) but I have native blood running through my veins.

The aztecs and many other tribes were in the land long before the Spaniards. By reading chronicles from the aztecs or the mayans, I can understand many things from the actual Mexican oiciety, such as the social system and the differences between classes.

However I will never understand why did we have to pass from one of the cleanest societies in the world, with some of the most educated men and women to a mediocre, ignorant and dirty race.

At least we still have some culture and traditions but... oh boy I would have killed to shower more than three times a day and to have duck with mole or tamales with escamoles!!!