The Virgin of Guadelupe

Next stop was the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. 

Outside of the basilica is a huge sculpture of Pope John Paul and his PopeMobile on display. Since he was one of the few popes who visited the mostly Catholic mexicans his popularity is quite high.

While there are many here who believe in the Virgin of Guadalupe and the Miracle of Roses, I call it a cult or superstition. I haven't decided yet.

Our guides seemed to believe in it, and had a couple stickers in the van for good luck, I suppose. I mean .. why should the Virgin of Guadalupe bestow any blessings on people who don't pray to such icons? Anyway .. there was an interesting architectural feature of the basilica, where they had an image of the virgin up high and tilted so the congregation could see it. In the photo below, on the wooden wall by the altar, slightly offset to the right, is a picture.

And up close you can see the picture more clearly.

So how did I get that close to it? There is a tunnel under the altar. An opening with four conveyor belts people could get on, and thus kneel, while looking up at the image, while moving along. 

It was somewhat inspiring to see how much meaning and devotion directed towards that image, and other similar artifacts. 

Oh yeah .. we also went to where the Miracle of Roses happened.. a priest carried roses in his apron and they left a mark like the virgin mary... y'all know how superstitious Mexican catholics around things that resemble something). I dunno, I sort of spaced out and looked at the architecture.

Of course ... no such tour is complete without a trip to a junk store . .I mean souvenir store .. where I am convinced the guides get kickbacks. At least they had bathrooms.

Then we were back on the road, zooming out of Mexico City, into the northern countryside, along the slums, on our way to Teotihuacan.

Note that the buildings aren't finished. They might be nice inside, but the residents will not be taxed until they finish the home, therefore, they are not painted. 

But Wait! There's More! 

Our guide promised to take us to an "Obsidian Factory". Hm, a volcano? No, a place where they    take obsidian and grind and polish it into art to sell to tourists. "Obsidian is a lower grade diamond" our guide promised. Hmmm... I thought diamonds where made from carbon, and obsidian from silicon? 

So we get there .. and get a tour of an agave plant (not blue, i.e. tequila) before they show us art pieces made from obsidian. right ... but where's the factory? They didn't show us that. But rest assured ... each piece had a price label. But no banyo's. I suspect the sad and dying agave plant was a time-waster so they could milk the group before us.