We awoke Early yesterday morning to prepare for a breakfast date with a contact from Claire´s high school. Monsay is a Mexican mother who´s son, Pedro, is currently in grade 9 at Rosseau Lake College....currently in grade 9 you think...but didn´t Claire graduated 4 years ago? Yes she did... and did she ever meet Pedro....no....so how did we get this contact.....we'll we're still thinking this one over ourselves but regardless it was one of the best decisions we made in contacting her. We officially have a Latin American Mother that we are keeping in contact with our travels along the way, which also has significantly increased both our, and our parents, comfort levels.

Monsay took us out to a restaurant that we would never allow ourselves to eat at (based on budgeting reasons)...the fruit was delicious and the food was amazing, and incredibly filling! We were then invited to a family Lunch....a family lunch, how could we pass up such an offer than to be apart of something so wonderful. So to pass time...and walk off breakfast we were given a tour of Mexico.

DID YOU KNOW MEXICO CITY IS SINKING?.....DID YOU KNOW MEXICO CITY WAS ONCE AN ISLAND? yeah neither did we but once you're told you start to realize how may building in the downtown core are on weird angles. They are sinking a meter a year....INCREDIBLE!!!!

In the center of Mexico City there are some Aztec Ruins, these ruins were found by means of electrical maintenance, they were trying to dig down deeper but hit something hard and couldn't understand why...to they dug and discovered the ruins under the city....now the funny thing is that there are more ruins under the cathedral...however they can't take it down so they won't be uncovered until either the cathedral burns down or by some other means the cathedral is taken out. but there are some excavations that have glass look abouts where you can peer down and see skulls. We learned much about the Aztecs and some of their sacrificial methods and tools....they cut out your heart with a dull sharpened stone and this is an honour to sacrifice yourself for your people so that there can be rain or whatever is needed. Outside towards the main square are traditional Aztec dancers. From there we did a 180 and entered the Massive cathedral.

The Cathedral itself is pretty intense, it is the most important temple Latin America...and the Pope loves it (all of them), it is # 1, until it burns down then there is a 2nd in line that becomes numero uno and so on and so fourth. Inside is all gold and Jade, there are gold offerings which is respected and never stolen or touched by others. Jesus himself is a bit more intense down here and much more graphic that what we are used to back home. It is beautiful and the Organ is breathtakingly massive and beautiful. From there we ventured to the second cathedral in line....this one had a different striking appeal...we made it into a restricted area, a part of the cathedral that is only open Saturdays from 12 until 2 and only 100 people are allowed in during that time period in day. The back part was the Jesuits, The Priests has their own place where they ate and slept and have beautiful paintings that are some of the most treasured items in Mexico. The Jesuits were kicked out of Mexico and were unable to pack up all their things so they rolled up all the painting and hid them under the floors so that they could retrieve them when they were able to return...but they were forgotten over time and when the floors were being done they discovered these historical paintings.....apparently a Japanese guys wanted to buy one for about 6 million and was shot down, and this is only funded by donations alone so you have some perspective as to how important these paintings are.

after that we headed to Lunch to meet the family, neither one of us could imagine trying to consume any more food even with all the walking. We met entered this amazing dinning place where weddings receptions are held and were introduced to Spain dishes. AMAZING, the food was delicious. Although we couldn't always understand what the family was saying to one another the connection between them was wonderful and a bond I feel lacks in our culture. We were immediately accepted with open arms and kisses, even from the wee ones. A warm embrace to being apart of their family, even if only for one meal, it it moments like these that we know are what our trip is about and will stick with us longer than any museum. After lunch we said our good byes.

We quickly toured the museum of anthropology in the last hour that it was open and then walked home passing by a public photo exhibit of Quebec, weird. Upon returning to the hostel we hooked up with Izzy and Sonya (The British Girls) and went for dinner after which they headed out to Oaxaca (pronounced "Wha-hak-a") where we will meet up with them in a couple of days.

Easing back into the couches at the end of the day from our long days trek the guys at the hostel introduced us to the hostels Saturday tradition. You must finish a bottle of Tequila, with the same people that started it before the night is done...."It's TRADITIONS" So the 2 Canadians, The 3 Americans, and the two Mexicans cheersed to a night they will never remember

.....HA HA HA HA ARE YOU KIDDING ME, Claire and I gave up heavy drinking to help fund this trip we can't drink 1.7 litres of Tequila.....but we did end up drinking half a bottle of tequila and some peanut alcohol instead!

Today we are hoping to Meet up with Lucia who we were unable to contact yesterday, a high school Friend of Simpson's. Then we are planning to book it out of the city and head to Oaxaca to celebrate Cinco de Mayo tomorrow and meet up with Sonya and Izzy! It should be good fun! pictures will be up soon on this entry and on Facebook....well that's the plan!

Take it easy
Cheers,
Claire and Simpson

P.S Claire and I were commenting on how this city is not as polluted as we were expecting and told, the sky has been blue (at times)...until someone told us that we are surrounded by volcanoes, and you can only see them a couple times a year when the pollution is cleared out...yikes!