Mexico Post-Marie Period - circa July 16, 2008

Today we visited another set of pyramids at a place called Tula. Tula is considered the most important Toltec site in Mexico. At its peak the city was believed to have covered up to 6 sq miles and had a population of approximately 40,000. The site is most famous for its giant stone warrior sculptures, Atlantes, located on top of one of the pyramids.

Here we are at "ground level" surrounded by some kind of pillars that were part of some other structure - yep, clear as mud, I know. Anyway, the point of the picture is that you can see the pyramid with the Atlantes behind us.

The bottom of the pyramid is decorated with carved friezes of serpents, eagles, jaguars, and coyotes.

The Cabrals sitting on top of the stairs leading into one of the ballcourts at Tula. I'd give you more information on the ballcourt and the ballgame played there but I know as much about these as I knew about the pillars in the picture above.

Just hanging out on top of a pyramid.

So we all know that ANYTHING looks tall next to me but you have to admit that this is a little more than the usual.

Ok, but really my favorite thing about these giants... they had cute little butts!!! I decided to post the picture of Dan pointing at the butt rather than the picture of me grabbing the butt... just figured it was more G rated. Besides, my dad would approve of Dan's picture more than he would my picture :).

On our way back to Mexico City from Tula we stopped at Tepoztlan where we visited the Museo Nacional del Virreinato and the Iglesia de San Francisco Javier.

Tepotzotlan is a beautiful town, several of the buildings there were built in the 17th and 18th centuries. The museum we visited consists of a former Jesuit college, church buildings, and several beautiful courtyards and gardens.

Unfortunately, because you can't take pictures with flash inside of a museum, most of the pictures don't really turn out... so you get pictures of the courtyard and garden instead.

But we did manage to get a decent picture of these bowling balls... yep, bowling balls from the 18th century. Who knew? It's a shame we don't use these wooden (they may have been stone, I don't remember now) bowling balls anymore, at least that way I'd have an excuse for being such a horrible bowler.