We obviously have been traveling a lot as a group on weekends, but we’ve also been doing a series of mini-trips to places nearby after classes end!

We went to Cacaxtla, which is an awesome archaeological site. The main area we visited used to be a palace! We also met a nice herd of cows on our way out…

That same day, we visited Tlaxcala (wow– some of the names of places here can be exhausting to learn/ pronounce), which was a cute little town nearby. We got to go to the Municipal Building there, which is practically covered in a beautiful mural depicting the history of the town and, essentially, Mexico. The Tlaxcalans were a tribe that allied itself with Cortes and the conquistadors during the 1500s and Spanish invasion.

We also went to Cholula (a place my family had already taken me) to see the Cholulan pyramid and church built on top. I didn’t mind hiking around a second time; the view was just as beautiful this time around. Plus, we also got to visit a small museum nearby.

Another day, we went to visit el Museo Amparo right here in downtown Puebla. Unfortunately, it cost quite a few pesos to be allowed to take pictures, so I have no proof, but the Mayan Exhibit in particular was incredible! The amount of detail that went into carvings is so impressive to see. The pieces were just beautiful. Overall, I’ve loved seeing the sites and works of the different civilizations. To think about the huge spans of time that they held power here, and all the amazing things they managed to accomplish with such limited technologies, just astounds me.

Our final after-school trip was to a fabrica (“factory”) of Talavera, an intricately painted and glazed style of pottery. It’s origins are in Puebla, and the craftsmanship is all by hand!

Location: Cacaxtla, Mexico