Judith Jones embarks on a trip through Aztec Mexico where she discovers a land with a dramatic past involving bloody revolution, human sacrifice and gold digging conquistadors.

Judith starts in the northern desert state of Chihuahua where Mexican bandit, hero and revolutionary Pancho Villa helped bring down the government in a bloody revolution at the beginning of the 20th century.

In Zacatecas, Judith visits a silver mine that was mined for over four hundred years and discovers what life was like for the workers under Spanish Rule.

Moving on she visits the pre-Hispanic Toltec site of Tula where finds out about pre- Hispanic gods and human sacrifice.The Toltecs were among a number of pre Hispanic civilizations who pre-dated the Mayans and Aztecs.

On Lake Patzcuaro, in the nearby state of Michoacán, Judith sees the so called butterfly fishermen who have been fishing in the same tradition hundreds of years.

Patzcuaro is home to the Perepucha people who sided with the invading Spanish in their battle with the ruling Aztecs at the beginning of the 16th century.

In Mexico City Judith discovers how this ancient city was built and visits the remains of the Aztec temple Huitzilopochtli where the Aztecs sacrificed thousands of people during the course of a bloody 100 year rule.

She then visits the National Palace  to view a series of monumental  murals  painted by famous Mexican artist, Diego Rivera, who believed  it was important to celebrate  Mexico’s pre Hispanic history, which he felt  had been erased  from the Mexican sub conscious ever since the Spanish conquest.

Judith then travels by bus to Cuernavaca where Conquistador Hernan Cortez retired and built his home on top of an Aztec pyramid.

Her final destination is  the nearby town of Tepotzlan where she completes her journey at a 900 year old Aztec Pyramid.

Viva Mexico! Today is the “Dia de la Revolución” – Day of the Mexican Revolution, the parade
Photo: Ute Hagen

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Mexico

Central America and the Caribbean

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Mexico City

Mexico

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