Day Thirty-Three - Mexico City, D.F. (July 29, 2010)

Today was our final day in Mexico City and our last full day of the Fulbright-Hays seminar in Mexico. I can’t even begin to describe the emotions I felt as we took a walk through Chapultepec Castle and visited the National Museum of History. Similar to some other fortresses we visited (in Campeche and Xalapa), the Castle was built high above the city so as to give those inside a birds-eye view of the city and keep lookout for invaders. To get to the top, we took a short 5-minute trolley ride (it felt like Disney World). Once up there, guide Lynda took us through a chronological history of Mexico, starting with the Mayans and Aztecs, and finishing with the more recent political events of the country. She brought us to artwork and artifacts that depicted such notables as Juarez, Zapata, and Diaz. This was a great way to end our seminar, as it tied up loose ends and gave us a chance to close out our trip in Mexico.

We finished off our day and trip with lunch at the Hacienda de los Morales, right in the middle of downtown Mexico City. I walked into the Hacienda and felt like I stepped back in time. I didn’t expect it to be as large of a property as it was, completely engulfed in grass, palm trees, and other greenery. We were met by representatives from the U.S. embassy in Mexico City and the Board of Directors of Comexus. Our lunch (which I could finally eat) was fabulous and a great culmination to a trip of culinary delights!

All in all, our trip ended on an excellent note. We spent thirty days in Mexico, staying in twelve cities and visiting many others, with two amazing and knowledgeable guides and one heck of a bus driver. The fifteen educators I met, conversed, bonded, and shared experiences with, will all be remembered fondly. This truly was the trip of a lifetime and I will forever be grateful for such an experience.