Experience Something New Saturdays
Every weekend, my goal is to go out and experience something new. This will help me to experience the culture of the area.
May 31st
Since I have only been at CIMMYT for two days, I figured I should go out and experience the base. I spent about thirty minutes wandering around and enjoying the scenery. I took pictures at the places I found cool or interesting. I got back right before the rain started!
June 7th
Today was my first day off CIMMYT's campus. My friend (Simranjit) and I went to Texcoco for the afternoon. We went out to lunch at a Harry Potter-themed restaurant. I ordered a Mexican pasta with chicken and cheese (The Chimera) and an Oreo milkshake. We then ventured further into town to get some groceries. Simranjit told me about the rich dancing culture of Texcoco, and we watched people perform salsa dances in the town square (I didn't take pictures because I thought it would be rude). We went grocery shopping, where I got some laundry detergent and snacks. I can't wait to go back out and explore more!
June 14th
Yesterday, I went out and experienced Puebla and Cholula in the state of Puebla. First, I went to a pyramid that the Spanish built a church on top of. It was really cool, but sadly, we weren't able to see the pyramid part of it. After we went and saw a lot of churches and markets in the city of Puebla. Gisell, Simranjit, and I visited a local food market featuring various restaurants and fruit stands, where we enjoyed the traditional food of Puebla, specifically cemitas. They are made with a really strong and overwhelming leaf that I had to take off. Other than that, it was really good. I also tried blue maize ice cream and churros; both were delicious. I tried a bunch of Mexican candy and treats. It was a great day!
June 21st
Today I went to Texcoco to have lunch with a friend, get some groceries, and walk around a bit. We walked around Texcoco for about an hour. Many markets were selling fresh meat, as it was Saturday, but it didn't smell good. After walking around, we went to Brazza Tacos and Grill. I got blue maize quesadillas with steak and queso. I also ordered an orange soda, but I think they might have brought me orange juice instead. But they brought us these huge glasses, and it was okay. After we ran to the store because I needed Band-Aids for the blister on my hand, it was a very fun day, and we got back home right before the rain started.
June 29th (Technically Sunday)
Today I went to the Teotihuacan Pyramids with my friend Joshua. It was really cool, and apparently, the Sun Pyramid is one of the biggest in the world. The Aztecs also believed it to be the creation place of the Gods. We weren't able to climb up it, though, but we did climb up the Moon Pyramid. The stairs are really steep, and it was hard to get back down them. Joshua kept pretending like he was falling to scare me. After we went to Texcotzingo, where we hiked uphill to an ancient Aztec site. This site acted as the summer imperial gardens and was a sacred place. It was created by Netzahualcoyotl, and he developed an aqueduct system to bring water down the mountain.
July 6th (Sunday yet Again)
Today I went with my friend Sylvia to Mexico City. While there, we saw two major things. First, we went to Mexico's National Anthropology Museum. It was so big that we spent four hours wandering around, and that was without being able to read any of the descriptions. My favorite thing I saw was the Aztec Stone of the Sun, which was originally thought to be the Aztec calendar. After we went to the only castle in Mexico, the Chapultepec Castle. This is where the French Kings and Queens of Mexico lived during the French occupation. Overall, it was a really cool day, and we plan to go back and see more things in the following weeks.
July 13th (Also Sunday)
Today I went with Odette and her family to Molino de Flores. This was an old Pulque Factory (which is a very traditional Mexican beverage). This factory was so big that it even had a school for the workers' children and two churches. One of the churches is built into a cliff. Many movies were shot at this place before the government put it under conservation to preserve the factory. It is home to many endemic animals in Mexico, including bats. You could see them in the dark parts of the buildings. After we went and got lunch. I finally got tacos, and I was fighting for my life. They are so hard to eat because the meat isn't shredded, so it's in one long slab. However, the onions were the best!
July 27th
Today I went to the Grutas Tolantongo with Sylvia. It was an eight-hour drive and total; I was so tired after. I was a little disappointed because it felt super touristy and very crowded which made it hard to relax. But the views were amazing. You could see for miles, and it was crazy how got the water naturally was. I wish we were able to go see the waterfalls and caves, but you need a car to get there and neither myself nor Sylvia are allowed to legally drive in Mexico. If you ever go or if I were ever to go back, you would want to make it a whole weekend thing. But you live and you learn. I'm still really glad that I got to go!
