Our magnificent group and summer

Good bye!

This morning at 9:30 we started sharing strategies for our projects.  At 11:00 AM Emmanuel Carballo, famous Mexican Literary Critic gave a lecture about some of the most famous Mexican writers.  Then we had a delicious lunch, receive our certificates (250 hours!) of participation, said our good byes, and walked home.  I am packcing and getting ready to go to a play.   Pictures and more information about the play later.  I'll be home tomorrow around 8PM.  It was a wondereful experience but I am ready to be home.

Alex, Rosa, Patty, the princess and Luis

Mercado del Sabado y fiesta!

Woke up late this morning and headed towards "Mercado del Sabado."  This is a huge "mercado de artesanias" only on Saturdays where one can find all kinds of handcrafted products, cheap and expensive.  I bought a few trinkets, enjoyed the company of my new friends, and had a good lunch. Again the pictures were taken by Evan.

Inside a very colorful store

park where a lot of artists expose their work - I bought a small picture

Lots of bottles!

Mercado de flores - beautiful and cheap!

Mural enfrente del mercado de flores

 In the evening we had a little party.  Enjoy the videos!
http://www.facebook.com/#!/video/video.php?v=10100198514008340
http://www.facebook.com/#!/video/video.php?v=10100198515375600
http://www.facebook.com/#!/video/video.php?v=10100198516917510

At the party - Mollly, Alex, Rosa, and Sarah

During Susana's toast

Cholula and Puebla

Hello my dear followers, my camera died!  So you won't see my pictures today but pictures from my friend Evan, better than mine.

Yesterday we left D.F. at 8:30AM and around 10:30 we arrived at Cholula. 
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zona_Arqueol%C3%B3gica_de_Cholula
Cholula is a small town with 365 pyramid, yes 365!  No we didn't see them all since most of them are covered and about 80+ of them have a church on top of them.  The Spaniards were planning to cover them all but ran out of steem, money, time?  I really don't know.  Of course we climbed to the top of the main pyramid/church and the view was wonderful.  Bought more trinckets and ate more fresh fruit.

Pretty steep road, the church was built on top of a the largest pyramid in the world

One of the 365 pyramids in Cholula

One more!

Magnificent view of the City of Cholula

Mayan princess at the top

Front view of one of the 80+ churches in Cholula

Then we drove one more hour and ended in Puebla.  http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puebla  If you ever decide to visit Mexico please go to Puebla.  This is a beautiful colonial city protected by UNESCO.  We had a delicious "mole" for lunch at a very nice and old hotel; and then we walked the city.  We visited "La casa de la cultura" where we visited the oldest library in the American Continent.  This library was founded by "Obispo Palafox" in the XVI century.  Then we walked "La calle de los dulces" where one can find over 50 stores with all kinds of traditional mexican candy.  Dentist love the areea, ha! We also visited the "iglesia de Santo Domingo."  This is a beautiful church that has a special chappel dedicated to "La Virgen del Rosario."  Later we went shopping for "talavera" a beautiful ceramic exclusive to Puebla and then for a drinks.  I had another "margarita" am I becoming an alcoholic?

Eating the best "mole" ever!

The whole builing is covered with "talavera" tiles!

The oldest library in America

Very colonial!

The name of the street but later on you'll see where the battle happened

Chappel dedicated to "La Virgen del Rosario"

Chiles in nogada were born in Puebla - delicious!!

The oldest candy store in Puebla

Plaza Central

Talavera ceramic

This morning we visited "el museo Amparo" that houses a magnificent collection of mesoamerican art.  Then more shopping and walking and lunch. 

Unfortunately, we were not able to see the volcanoes of Popocatepetl e Iztaccihuatl  because it was very cloudy.

I am not short, Evan is tall!

On the way back we stopped at "Fuerte de Loretto" where the infamous battle between the Mexican and Frech armies took place "el 5 de mayo de 1862"  That's why "gringos" drink a lot of margaritas on that day.

The church was built before the fort

Fuerte de Loreto

Painting of Benito Juarez inside the museum

Very tired students

entrance to the fort

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday

Yesterday and today we had our morning lecture/discussion.  At noon we went home to work in our projects, mine is almost done!  Unfortunately last night I got a bit sick and today was not a good day.  I slept 6 hours this afterternoon and feel a bit better.  Unfortunately, I missed this afternoon presentation by Sabina Berman - booo!  No pictures.

Today Wednesday I felt great in the AM but by noon the feeling came back.  Went to the University's dr. and my blood pressure was very low.  So, I went to our last lecture no discussion a lot of people very tired and sick.  Came back home, I need to rest, tomorrow Puebla for two days!!!

Slow Sunday but fun

This morning I woke up a bit late, but stayed in bed until 8:00AM.  I worked on my project and it's almost done - yeah! for me.
Around noon Graciela and I took the metro towards Palacio Bellas Artes and went to Cafe Tacuba to eat lunch.  As we walked in two of our professors were there.  We joined then and had a great lunch and listened to the "estudiantina" great bolero music.  Then we walked around the area and took the metro back.  Great day!

The "estudiantina" and moi.

Frances, Letty, and Graciela

Inside Cafe Tacuba - they have beautiful paintings

Very nice decor and great traditional food.

Piture of San Juana Ines de la Cruz

As we were walking we passed the famous statue of Carlos IV - kins of Spain

Carlos IV

Inside the main post office

In case you have never been to an open market

Fresh and delicious vegetables

...and meat too!

Xochimilco

Our last stop on Saturday was Xochimilco.  Xochimilco is a town near the City and is part of D.F.  It's a park where people go enjoy a relaxed day, listen to mariachi music, and of course eat good and greasy food.  While there one rents a "trajinera" a boat and have a couple of beerss too.  http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xochimilco

The girls about the board the "trajinera"

One of the "trajineras" we took

Inside the trajinera, having a great time

Celebrating - happy birthday Sussan!

Behind our second "trajinera"

Of course we danced!

The men!

The sweet "queen for a day"

Smaller "trajineras" sell toys, food, music, etc.

And we danced so more!

There are soooooo many "trajineras" on the canal.