After two nights and one day of walking orientation in my immediate neighborhood, I felt ready to approach the subway system / the city is big and I knew I could not walk everywhere like I have done everywhere until now. Also, after the anthropology experience in the museum yesterday I was ready to see the real life version. I researched how to get to Teotihuacán - the archeological site about 25 miles out of the city I had heard about.
I had two choices - buy a seat on a tour bus or take public transportation on my own schedule. Guess which one I chose?
The subway system was pretty straightforward. I walked about 1/2 mile to the Seville station, bought two tickets for 10 pesos each and used one to get through the turnstile. I asked a security person at the turnstile for directions and he let me take a camera photo of his route map which was very useful.
My waited for my first ride was in the area at the front of the train reserved for women and children.
Sergio had told me about this option and recommended I take it.
I needed to make two subway line changes to get to my destination. One of the changes involved walking at least 1/4 mile underground. There were airport like museum displays along the way, but who stops to read them when trying to get to the next ride?
My guide book gave me specific instructions about getting off the subway and onto the bus to the archeological site Teotihuacán. The fact I’d already been to this bus station on the day I arrived help lessen any anxiety and the whole bus station experience was much less intimidating this time. Having only a day pack with me helped, too.
The bus ride took about an hour. I had a window seat and knitted the whole way sitting next to a young woman who was with her family in the seat ahead of us. We had no conversation whatsoever.
The Teotihuacán site was absolutely huge and amazing.
This is my first view of the pyramids way off in the distance beyond a long stretch of open field lined with remains on each side.
I spent 4 hours there and took more pictures than I have anywhere else on the trip. Pictures do not do justice to the pirámides
and archeological remains of the ancient city.
I spent at least an hour getting to the first pyramid because it was a long walk and because I stopped to have lunch in a private spot along the way.
The first climb- up the “pirámide del Sol” was an orderly affair with hundreds of people following the well designed one-way traffic flow.
I counted 212 steps to the top , but many of them were extra steep steps. I don’t recall the dimensions, but it was big!
This is a view from the top looking at the 2nd “pirámides de la Luna”. Here I look lonely, but I was not...
The second pyramid was a bit smaller but equally as impressive.
This is a view from the top looking back at the entire complex and the long walk back to the bus stop.
The return trip was a piece of cake. I knew the last bus was at 6PM, but reasoned I should not wait that long because there were a LOT of people here and maybe the bus would be too full at 6. Then what would I do? So by 3:30 I was waiting in line about 15 minutes until the bus arrived at the same spot it dropped off earlier that day. I made it onto this first bus, but just barely. A man offered me his seat on the full bus - at the very front - so I had a good view and decided not to knit. I offered his son a piece of wrapped candy I had with me in thanks.
Back at the bus station I retraced my steps to the subway and through the two transfers to home station Seville. The hardest part was finding my way home from the subway station because I came up to street level on a different side of the road from where I entered and was disoriented for a while.
I made it home, exhausted but satisfied with another day full of sunshine, exercise and plenty of Spanish experience reading the exhibit snd transportation signs.
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