Our tour guide called this "the relic". It's the real image of "Our Lady of Guadalupe" on Juan Diego's "tilma" (cape) as presented to Bishop Zumárraga, after 5 appearances by the virgin on the nearby hill of Tepeyac.The design of the altar area of the church includes a viewing area down one level, with moving sidewalks, permitting the viewing of the image without disturbing any congregation gathered on the main floor above.
The old and the new. On the right is the older Basilica, now leaning heavily to one side (scaffolding and cables inside are attempts to save it). On the left, the newer 10,000 seat cathedral, where the image is exhibited.
At Teotihuacan, not far from the main archaelogical site, there are additional discoveries. This mural segment is in a room at what is believed to be an astronomical observatory. These four guys are holding the arms and legs of another - the "sound" of his voice looking like a tongue.
Another segment, different room at the observatory. This one shows Tlaloc, god of rain and water, working his craft.
Looking up the corner-edge of the Pyramid of the Sun. This gives an idea of the overall size and slope of the pyramid, as well as some surface details.Those rocks sticking up from the surface were used to anchor an finishing layer of stucco, long since eroded away.
The Temple of Quetzacoatl was closed for renovations (for what?!), so this picture, taken from the top of the Pyramid of the Sun, was all we could get. The winged-serpent heads are located along a staircase on the pyramid (hill?) to the left. Too bad we couldn't get there, though there is a very nice re-creation of the heads at the Museo de Antropologia.
From the top of the Pyramid of the Sun, looking southeast across the "Avenida de los Muertos" (Avenue of the Dead). On a clear day (say what?) you could see Mexico City off in the distance.
Opposite direction (northwest) looking out across the countryside of the State of Mexico.
We exchanged photo-takes with a couple from Argentina. Here we are standing on top of the Pyramid of the Sun, with The Pyramid of the Moon in the background.Some tour group with all-white clothing were standing at the top over there - for a long time. We thought they might have been a religious cult/organization holding a service of some sort.
And what are the chances? -- the next morning we ran into the same Argentinian couple at the Museo de Antropologia!
The Pyramid of the Sun. Larger base than the Great Pyramid at Giza.While we were up on top, some young woman was seated, meditating right at the top center of the Pyramid (call it the 'focus"); she just stayed there and stayed there, WAY past her alloted time. We didn't get a chance to try out "them thar mysterious forces". What a pig! :)
Avenida de los Muertos, looking west toward the Pyramid of the Moon. When we first moved to Mexico back in the early 1960s, most all of this was still covered up - connecting the two large pyramids was a footpath through some mounds of earth. Major changes in 40 years!
Same avenue, looking east from the steps of the Pyramid of the Moon.
The small courtyard and living spaces (Pyramid of the Moon in the background) where many murals are located - some in underground chambers.
Eagle's head mural, underground.