The Templo Mayor is what remains of the huge pyramids that were at the center of the Aztec capital. One was for the god of war, Huitzilopochtli, and the other for the god of rain, Tlaloc. The god of war told the Aztecs what to look for to know where to found their city. He told them in their dreams. Do you know what they were looking for? The ruins of the Templo Mayor were only discovered thirty years ago when people working on the subway came across them!

In front of the Plaza Mayor there were some people in Aztec dress performing a dance ritual around a drum. The dancers were of all ages and were decorated with feathers and beads that rattled as they danced.

Suddenly, there was a cry from the crowd "POLICIA!" and people started running in all directions. The pandemonium was caused by a brigade of police with shields and clubs that came charging onto the plaza grabbing the street vendors, confiscating their wares and piling them onto their trucks. Apparently selling is not allowed on the Zocalo. Most of the people managed to wrap up their things and escape, but a few unfortunate ones had their wares seized and were thrown into a police van. I was shocked at how roughly the police treated everyone, pushing people around with their shields and clubs and occasionally smacking someone. One officer even grabbed me and said "vamos" (‘let’s go’). This chaos lasted for about half an hour and then the police just lined up and marched off.

One person we talked to said this happens several times a day. The vendors lucky enough to get away simply come back as soon as the police leave. The merchants were indeed persistent - when Silvia and I came out of the temple museum, the square was packed with colorful things for sale, just as it was when we arrived.

-Shawn

If you want to know more about Tenochtitlan or the Tempo Mayor, visit the Guide Book. To see pictures of these gods visit the Templo Mayor Museum site