Sun Pyramid

Highlight of the trip was a day spent at the pyramids - this valley, near Mexico City, was home to perhaps 250,000 people a thousand (?) years ago.  These pyramids were discovered under hills about 100 years ago; there is much yet to be explored.

The avenue of the dead - the main street of the temple complex.  This is larger than it looks, as the road right here is at least  half-mile long and used to be lined with big temples.

More detail along the avenue - these steps used to lead to major temples

More detail of how big the road and wall are

Wall carving of a jaguar on the side of the road

The sun pyramid - about 200 feet tall, 365 steps !

From the front

Closer up it looks even bigger

And up real close it's darn huge !

Okay, time to start climbing

Wow, that's steep

Going down is almost as bad

Actually going down - and this is the morning of a business day - see how crowded it is

The actual pyramid surface, lots of rocks jutting out

Now at the top - with moon pyramid behind

The view of more temples to the left (9 o'clock)

A big complex to the left (10 o'clock) - these are all foundations of major buildings or temples

In front (11 o'clock)

And a right view (1 o'clock)

Further right (2 o'clock)