Puebla, Mexico, USA
Airing Date: Oct 27th, 2003
Just an hour and half drive from Mexico City, Spanish colonial flavour is apparent in the old city of Puebla. Despite the ravages of an earthquake in 1999, more than 70 churches and around a thousand colonial buildings still survive, including the town's towering cathedral. This structure is considered one of Mexico's best.
Many of Puebla's buildings are adorned with the city's famous hand-painted tiles. Talavera pottery is famous all around Mexico. This hand-painted ceramic can be found as plates, cups, vases, fountains and tiles, with designs featuring Asian, Spanish-Arabic and Mexican Indian influences. Tourists can take a piece of this history home, with prices for a genuine piece of Talavera pottery starting at around $100. Rip offs can be found for around $30.
Puebla is also known for its regional cuisine, and it was here that Mexico's national dish was invented. It's called Mole Poblano, or turkey in chocolate sauce. It may not be exactly what we're used to back home, but it's worth a try if you're looking for an authentic Mexican meal.
While the smoking volcano Popocatepitl is off limits to sightseers, the Pyramid of the Sun is open for everybody to explore. It's located half an hour out of Puebla near the village of Cholula. The Pyramid of the Sun is the world's biggest pyramid, although it might not look like it. That's because the pyramid it is actually several small pyramids built on top of each other, and a large part of it is still covered up.
Visitors can actually see parts of the pyramid by walking through tunnels made by archaeologists in the 1930s. The tunnels run for more than eight kilometres through the four layers of the pyramid, but the public section is only a few hundred metres long.
Near the exit are the ruins of the Great Plaza, where human sacrifices occurred. It was considered a privilege to be sacrificed and some mothers even looked for the physical characteristics that marked their child as a future offering!
The facts:
United Airlines flies to Mexico City. Return prices start at $2999 from the east coast and $3823 from Perth.
United Airlines
Tel: 13 17 77
Gecko's has 23 day adventure holidays from Mexico City down to Guatemala, including two days in Puebla. These depart from Mexico City monthly, year round and cost from $3413.
Gecko's
Tel: 1300 854 444
