THE BEANS DISCOVER THE PAST IN TEOTIHUACAN

The Beans in Teotihuacan

Today, The Beans are in Teotihuacan. They are visiting the ancient Mesoamerican ruins and discovering the incredible past of this amazing culture. 

The family has wanted to have better views of the ancient city and they have taken some balloons to enjoy them from the sky. They are totally astonished with the wonderful landscape.

Teotihuacan also written Teotihuacán is an ancient Mesoamerican city located in a sub-valley of the Valley of Mexico, located in the State of Mexico 40 kilometres northeast of modern-day Mexico City, known today as the site of many of the most architecturally significant Mesoamerican pyramids built in the pre-Columbian Americas.

More information: Live Science

At its zenith, perhaps in the first half of the 1st millennium AD, Teotihuacan was the largest city in the pre-Columbian Americas, with a population estimated at 125,000 or more, making it at least the sixth largest city in the world during its epoch.

Ana, Antonio, Carol and Paqui Bean by balloon

Apart from the pyramids, Teotihuacan is also anthropologically significant for its complex, multi-family residential compounds, the Avenue of the Dead and the small portion of its vibrant murals that have been exceptionally well-preserved. 

Additionally, Teotihuacan exported fine obsidian tools that garnered high prestige and widespread usage throughout Mesoamerica.

The city is thought to have been established around 100 BC, with major monuments continuously under construction until about 250 AD. The city may have lasted until sometime between the 7th and 8th centuries AD, but its major monuments were sacked and systematically burned around 550 AD.

More information: Lonely Planet

Teotihuacan began as a new religious centre in the Mexican Highlands around the first century AD. This city came to be the largest and most populated centre in the pre-Columbian Americas. Teotihuacan was even home to multi-floor apartment compounds built to accommodate this large population. The term Teotihuacan is also used for the whole civilization and cultural complex associated with the site.

Natalia Bean in Teotihuacan

Although it is a subject of debate whether Teotihuacan was the centre of a state empire, its influence throughout Mesoamerica is well documented; evidence of Teotihuacano presence can be seen at numerous sites in Veracruz and the Maya region. 

The later Aztecs saw these magnificent ruins and claimed a common ancestry with the Teotihuacanos, modifying and adopting aspects of their culture. The ethnicity of the inhabitants of Teotihuacan is also a subject of debate. Possible candidates are the Nahua, Otomi or Totonac ethnic groups. Scholars have also suggested that Teotihuacan was a multi-ethnic state.

The city and the archaeological site are located in what is now the San Juan Teotihuacán municipality in the State of México, approximately 40 kilometres northeast of Mexico City. 

The site covers a total surface area of 83 square kilometres  and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. It is the most visited archaeological site in Mexico.

More information: UNESCO

You don't stumble upon your heritage. 

It's there, just waiting to be explored and shared. 

Robbie Robertson

NATALIA BEAN REMEMBERS THE UNITED MEXICAN STATES

Natalia Bean with a Mexican mask

Really, Mexico is called Mexican United States, in the North of America. It has 31 states and the capital, that’s mean that there are 32 states. It has two coasts, at west we find the Pacific Ocean, at east Gulf of México and the Caribbean Sea. 

At Yucatan Peninsula, we find the Riviera Maya, I only know Cancun, and its seemed nothing wonderful. That depends of feeling of each one, because I don’t like beach, in general. Because of Guadalajara, Jalisco is in the east part of México, that place is more known for me.

GULF OF MEXICO, RIVIERA MAYA

Cancun: It’s situated in Riviera Maya. It’s a touristic place. It’s the second most expensive place. But you can choose cheap places to stay. Snorkel.

PACIFIC OCEAN

Manzanillo: You can find wild animals at the entrance of hotels.

Puerto Vallarta: Green waters and vegetation. It is a Mexican beach resort city situated on the Pacific Ocean's Bahía de Banderas. There, you can practice adventure sports.

Ixtapa Zihuatanejo:   Fishing village, all are almost conserved. Cobbled streets and tiles. Its located at de bay of Zihua.

Acapulco: Humidity place and template. Here you can find the clavadistas. Around 1950  was a select place for Hollywood stars. There were filmed a lot of movies. You can find some different places, like virgin and popular beaches. The narco turns Acapulco into one of the most dangerous places.

And obviously, México D.F., as a child I visit The children city but now does not exist. There are some places to get fun as funny parks.

In México we can find some interesting places, not touristic, but great. Like the Tianguis. They are markets were local and foreign peoples will expose their art craft and typically food. There is no drinking water, so in each house we can find water filters.

FOOD
 
Some of names of food are in Nahualt (Azteca language). It is based on tortillas of corn, cheese, acid cream, onion, chili, nopales, beans, lettuce, avocado, coriander, green lemon, potatoes and cocking meat.

Tortilla: Boiled water and corn flour.

Tlacoyo: Blue corn tortilla with nopal and black beans.

Elote: Is the cob (corn) with chile, cheese and mayonnaise and esquite. It is the same but all the grain are out from the cob. Grilled corn.

Taco El Pastor: Corn tortilla with beef, longaniza and spicy sauce and coriander.

Taco de canasta: Are made at home and sold in the streets.

Flautas: Rolled tortillas full of chicken.

Quesadilla:  Tortilla fills of cheese, Oaxaca cheese and sometimes has spicy chorizo.

Quesadilla made of blue corn: Filled with flower of pumpkin.

Gorditas: Grilled fat end filled tortillas. They are like an Arab bread.

Tamales: Made with corn leaves and filled.

Fruite Juice: Beside all of those places.

Sope: Blue tortilla filled with black beans, cream, lettuce and cheese.

Green sauce: Green tomatoes, chile jalapeño, onion, garlic, black pepper and salt.

Chicharrón: Fried tortilla with cabbage, cream, avocado, tomato and lemon.

Gordita de maíz: With corn, sugar, vanille, carbonate.

Fried banana: With cream, cajeta.

Sweet lemon: Lemon peel filled with coco and honey.

Tamarindo Ball: Tamarindo and sugar.

Atole: Beverage with cinnamon corn milk.

The Vengeance of Moctezuma is the stomachache that suffers the tourist because of Mexican food.

THE DEATH DAY

It is a celebration to venerate the dead.

Earth: Flowers.
 
Water: Cups or glasses full of anyone liquid.
 
Fire: Candles and incense.
 
Wind: Perforated paper.
 
Photographs and personal things.
 
Smiles and good memories.

Native places I visited: Teotihuacan, Toltecas and Olmecas.

More information: Historia y Biografías

I was privileged to grow up in Mexico at a time when you could play in the streets. We lived not too far from the ocean, and we would be outside all the time with the neighbours' kids, running free. 

What better place could there be for a child? 

Salma Hayek