First day in Mexico City and we had decided to go to the old indian pyramids outside of San Juan. To get there we had to go by bus. We headed out walking towards the metro station and at the same time on the look out for breakfast and coffee. On the way, in a quiet Mexico City, we found an open taqueria street stand and got tacos for breakfast. We got down to the Metro and payed the enormous cum of 5 pesos per person to use the subway. We had to switch lines during the trip to Terminales de Norte, and we could not help but notice the odd or rather different trains that had bus wheels. Also something different where the persons selling all different stuff in the wagons, a little annoying.
When we arrived at the bus terminal we finally found a coffee shop and go the first dose of the black gold for the day (Jonny also got a pastry to fit his coffee). Finding the gate (#8) and the disks where tickets were sold, was not difficult, neither was buying the roundtrip tickets. Going through the gate to the buses required going through a metal detector and being patted down – because everyone was beeped – the security guards probably looking for guns. There was already a few lines and buses for Las Piramidas (and San Juan). We did not get on the first ones and when our bus finally arrived, well it was not the most fancy and modern one, but we did get a seat (which not everyone did). Standing up in a bus for one hour would not have been very lovely. The bus took us north, 30 minutes to get out of the city, where we saw the many hills surrounding the city and also the colourful parts of the hill houses, that looked a little like the Brazilian favelas.
Stepping out of the bus around 11 am into the already very warm and sunny dale of Las Piramidas, we directly put on sun screen lotion. We went right to the administrative part and climbed one pyramid with a second one just behind it. In the distance we could see the pyramids of the sun and the moon. Already from this very small pyramid I got a little shaky when walking down the steep steps, and starting to wonder if I would be able to make it to the top of the Sun pyramid (that Jonny really wanted). This pyramid is the third highest in the world and possibly the highest that still is legal to climb.
We continued towards the sun pyramid, the sights, 2400 years old, awesome to see. At the same time that I admired the pyramids we continued down the way of the dead. Coming up to the Sun pyramid we could see that the pyramid actually had ropes along the steep stairs and that there were really many people going up and down the steps to the top. Since Jonny wanted to, I gave the stairs a shot. It’s never been my problem going upwards, so after a while I took a look down and decide to go a little further. After getting up to the first ledge I also decided to continue up to the top. When getting up there and being able to see the sights and trying to imagine the splendour that the city must have been, the climb was worth it, and I also hoped that the climb down would be.
I can only recommend visiting the pyramids if you are close by and have the time. To note is that water, snacks, sun screen, good shoes and possibly a hat is a must to visit.
Later we got on the bus to go back to the city. When we were almost to the bus station I mentioned that it would be really good with a cerveza. Minutes later we passed a brewery and the bus stopped. We decided real quick to visit the brewery and rushed to get off the bus and into the Beef Factory were we had a sampler, some food and more beer.
Afterwards we headed to a nearby mall to get me a Mexican TelCel sim card with data traffic, since the roaming and packages from Telenor were expensive. I got really good help with the card at the TelCel store, even though only one of the workers spoke English. This mall and area was in a very good neighbourhood, showing the differences of Mexican society. On our way back the hotel we stopped at a crafts bar that I had notice in the morning while having breakfast. The bar HOP: The beer experience was just a hole in the wall, but cosy and nice. After a few beers and a shot of Mescal, while I was in the restroom, Jonny go to talk to Antonio and his girlfriend (she said her name twice but I still could not hear it correctly). They were really nice and we made it a night with multiple beer and Mescal shots with them before parting ways and going back to the hotel for the night.