Driving Around Central Mexico

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Tuesday, 11 April 1995 - Drove south from San Miguel de Allende toward Tula exploring the ancient Toltec ruins where the once-great city flourished from about AD 900-1200. Walked among the crumbling pyramids and plazas, saw the famous 15-foot Atlantes warrior columns atop the Pyramid of Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, wandered the "Burnt Place" patios and chac-mool offerings, then continued on to a nearby lesser-visited site at Huapalcalco before checking into a hotel in Tulancingo and enjoying a memorable dinner with local flavors.

Mexico 1995
After San Miguel we headed south toward Mexico City and stopped at the Tula site. Tula is the most important Toltec site in Mexico, it flourished as a great urban center from AD 900-1200 after the decline of Teotihuacan (we visit next). At its peak it covered 16 square miles and had 40,000 residents. Inner strife and fire destroyed the capital and only the remnants of the main structures remain. The site is famous for its giant stone sculpture, the Atlantes. At a height of 15 feet these warrior figures in battle gear crown the Pyramid of Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli. Together with other pillars they probably supported an ornately carved roof.
Mexico 1995
This is Virginia Ann standing in the shadow of a warrior statue.

Tula was founded by the Toltecs led by Mixcoatl, father of Quetzalcoatl who initially settled on a hill near Tula. About the year 1165 AD the fall of Tula began and it lost its importance and came under the control of the Aztecs. This picture like the previous one is on top of the largest building discovered. The building was originally covered with panels with birds devouring hearts dripping three drops of blood.
Mexico 1995
This is a picture of the Burnt Place a complex of three patios surrounded by columns, banquettes and altars. It could have been a market or administration building. Found in this complex was a chac-mool that is a figure lying on it's back, knees and head raised, whose belly contains a receptacle in which offerings were placed. The head is usually turned to one side. The figure has been interpreted as that of a transporter of the offering to the gods.
Mexico 1995
This is a view of the Main Building from the top of the Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli Pyramid. The Main Building may have been the highest since it limits the plaza on the east facing to the west as the main temples in Tenochtitlan and Teotihuacan. It is in terrible condition. On the north side of the stairway are the remains of a tiny Aztec temple from a later period.
Mexico 1995
These are figures on display in the Tula museum. On the left is a figure which was an alter support and the figures to the right standard-bearers.
Mexico 1995
The ruins of Huapalcalco were explored near Tulanchinago. They are not as famous or as large as other ruins and took over an hour to find. We had to park off a dirt street and hike up through a backyard. We were the only ones at the site and it was fun to explore without the crowds.

We left the ruins and checked into a nearby hotel in Tulanchinago. Dinner was a great steak served on an ear of prickly pear cactus. The cactus is grown as a staple crop with fields of the prickly pear lined up just like corn.
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