July 6, 2009
Teotihuacan, Mexico
Elevation: 2300m
The ancient city of Teotihuacan with the piramide del sol y luna. Piramide del Sol was completed in 150AD and its the third largest in the world. The base is 222m long and its 70m in height. Its build from 3 million tons of stone without the use of the wheel. Impressive hum?!
What is often more fascinating at archaeological sites such as this are the hawkers who are trying to sell you cheap trinkets. I was fore warned about the vendors here so I came mentally prepared. Let's just say that these Mexican vendors have nothing on the Asian hawkers. There are middle age women offering to carry you up the Great Wall of China since the climb is steep. There are barefooted Cambodian children following you around selling you post cards and what not. There are hawkers in Asia where they will just follow you silently until you relent and part with your money. These Mexican vendors take no for an answer and is rather polite in comparison.
There is this one vendor as he tried to sell you something, he says the word, "jaguar" in English and then you hear a sound of a fake jaguar growl. It made me laugh. At first, I thought the vendor was making the sound, now I think its actually a toy that you blow into.
The Aztec build this giant pyramid by the sheer force of will so they could worship the sun. The hawkers and children stand out in the sun day in and day out just to survive. Is there anything that you won´t do for your art, your faith, your child?
Charlie Grosso
310-592-0895
