Travel Without Tickets

The journey of our two hosts starts at zocalo, the main ceremonial Centre of Aztec civilization, now commonly known as the main square in Mexico City. This is said to be one of the five biggest City Square in the world. Jonas and Katery arrive at this place through the Mexican City subway system, which is the easiest and the fastest. Hundreds of years ago, colonial palaces were built 40 meters high using the stones that once decorated Aztec pyramids. Although the pyramids are gone today, the Aztec culture is very much alive. Both the hosts had the chance to watch the Aztec dance and their magnificent costumes. Then, they visited the metropolitan Cathedral, which has a mix of renaissance and baroque style with carved giant white marble; with grand statues of 3 virtues (Hope, Faith and Charity), dedicated to the Holy Mary of the Assumption. Next stop was the Garibaldi Square, where they get to witness one of Mexico's finest music; the Mariachi joined in by the Voladores Dancers. This is usually performed at village festivals and UNESCO has declared it as cultural heritage. Next, their hunger pangs got the better of them and they went off to Sonora Market. They got to taste the must have tacos presented in a banana leaf. They looked around and realized how much the place has evolved. Sonora market is well known for their animal and herbal products, which is claimed to have shamanic properties. Finally, they visit the Chapultepec Castle which a historic landmark of the city. There they stood mesmerized by the huge marble monument erected at the entrance to commemorate the last battle against the American army in 1847.

This episode starts off with a visit to Tecali, a village outside of Puebla City. Grand churches and monastery can be seen here as it was populated with stonemasons in the early days. Jonas and Katery visit a house built in the 16th century called Casa del Mendrugo. The house is an example of a private initiative to preserve the heritage of historic cities with courtyards, a restaurant, tapas bar and café built by Jose Ramon. He then built a museum that rewrote the history of the city of Puebla. The star piece of the museum is Chuchita, the ancient healing lady, who was buried here at the age of 55, and thereof embarked on her trip to the afterlife. Next, they visit the Dominican church of Saint Michael. The outside part of the church is decorated with dark natural stones with little ornaments. On the contrary, the inside of the church is filled with light, angels, carvings, onyx pulpit etc. This visit is to witness the so called eighth wonder of the world, a one side chapel dedicated to the Virgin of Rosary. They then go for a stroll along Barrio del Artista, a colorful artist street. This street is famous for its studios that were built along workers market in the 1980s where each painter had a studio to work and display their paintings. Finally, they visit Talavera de la Luz, a traditional pottery neighborhood where they get to mold their own design for a customized order. They witness first-hand how various crafts and designs are done. They were also brought to the courtyard to see the poetic pieces of Talavera art.

The first visit for the day was to the Monte Alban city. The main square is oriented along a north- south axis, a clear indication that Zapotecs people knew magnetic compass directions. Zapotecs inhabited the Central Valley of Oaxaca as early as 500-300 BCE, during what is considered the Monte Alban I period It has many buildings, like the palaces occupied by priests, two giant acropolis platforms that has breathtaking view over the square and mountains. There are also carvings in stone slabs of arts from that era. Jonas and Katery visit the local museum which houses huge track of objects, stone carvings, skeletons and arts from the Monte Alban I period. They then make a journey to the Zapotitlan Desert and Saltbeds, a valley surrounded by high mountains. This land is harvested for the production of salt. They learn about the process of making salt. Their host then invites them to the salt storage room which is carved out from rocks. Later they head over to Itandehui restaurant where they are served with local dishes. After a hearty meal, they head to a village named Los Reyes Mezontla where people of the village make pottery in traditional method. Here they explore further a botanic cactus garden with different types of cacti, which was set up as collaboration between academic researchers and the local villagers. At the end of the episode, they go to a museum, which houses local flora and fauna found in the desert. There was a huge collection of dinosaur bones and fossils that was found in this desert.

The first stop was the Oaxaca highlands. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Mexico. This city has monuments, churches, restaurants, art galleries and handcrafts shops. They visit the Santo Domingo church and monastery where the entrance to the church and museum opens to a huge plaza for local fiestas and other local entertainment events. Next to the church is an extensive system of courtyards, cloisters and rooms that formerly constituted the monastery. It is home to the Regional Museum of Oaxaca since 1972. They head to Graphic Arts Center IAGO founded by the local artist called Fracisco Toledo where he promotes lithograph arts that are easily reproduced to raise political awareness. They visit the Zaachila market where the locals sell local food products and handicrafts. Here in the market they are entertained by the Jarabe dance by local farmers. They were then invited by a local ice cream-maker to try out his so-called Siboney ice cream. Next, they visit the Mitla ruin, which means Place of the Dead. Mitla is the second most important archaeological site in the state of Oaxaca in Mexico, and the most important of the Zapotec culture. Wise men and priests who could consult the ancestors living in the underworld inhabited this sacred town. Dozens of family-run workshops in Teotitlan del Valle still use the patterns of Mitla palaces in the weaving of rugs, carpets and blankets. They end the day by visiting Nelson's workshop that makes garments with natural dyes and wool of the best quality.

Jonas and Katery make their way to San Cristobal de las Casas, the capital of the Guatemala region, which is filled with big Spanish mansions. It attracts many tourists because of the traditionally well-preserved architecture, open bars, cafes and shops. They hop onto a local tourist bus to get an introduction to the historic town. They take a closer look at the historic landmarks such as the cathedral; building built in adobe bricks and covered with yellow stucco decorations. Then they head into a cocoa shop called Chiapas, which sells products like amber, jade, coffee and mainly cocoa. These cocoas are used into making tablets, cookies, chocolates and Mexican liquors such as Kahlua and tequila. Next up, they visit the Mayan medicine museum operated by a foundation in collaboration with indigenous cooperatives to promote traditional health care practices of the local indigenous Tzotzil and Tzeltal groups. They also visit the Zinacantan village where the villagers are mostly traders from the times of Aztec. A traditional family invited them to a weaving workshop. According to the people there, each village has a particular design that gives its identity to the weavers. They purchased local textiles, broidered bags and handcrafted item to support the local economy and at the same time empowering the women there.

They begin their journey in a town called Palenque that resembles ancient Mayan towns. A local priest has written a testimony about hidden ruins in the jungle near the town, which still remains a mystery. The main symbol of the town is an ancient Mayan king. As they get closer to the ancient city center, rubble of old walls and platforms become frequent till they reach the temple which is a little isolated from the rest of the town. The building's old structure clearly indicates that of the Palenque architect. This is the first building to be erected with a high vault, and with ventilation windows to allow for circulation of air inside the building. After a long jungle walk, they go for a traditional massage to rejuvenate from exhaustion. After a relaxing massage, they visit a UNESCO World Heritage archaeological site, which consists of funeral pyramids. They continue their journey to a set of well-preserved temples that were built by the oldest son of Kinich Janaab Pakal and heir to the throne of the Mayan Kingdom. At the end of this episode, they witness the yearly equinox rituals by musicians and dancers that follow the ancient traditions.

In this episode, Katery and Jonas make their way to Tlacotalpan, in the Mexican state of Veracruz, a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its architecture and colonial-era layout. The town was established in 1550, on what was originally an island in the Papaloapan River. It is a gulf coastal town that was conquered by the Aztecs in the 15th century. Its name means, "Land between rivers". It is said to be a time machine that brings you back in time. They visit the theater named after Aztec king Nezahualcoyotl. His poem is displayed at the entrance of the hall, the building's architecture of warm dark woodwork makes it unique. The wood gives it a Caribbean feel, while the flower balustrades are reminiscent of the European art nouveau. They then go on a boat ride on the Papaloapan, the biggest river in Mexico as it is windy towards the gulf coast. Two rivers come together at Tlacotalpan, which explains the meaning of the town's name in Aztec. Next up they meet with the oldest bar tender in town Tobias at the Torito bar. It has been a meeting place for famous musicians, poets and politicians alike. Their visit to the gulf coast was completed by getting to see the old art, La Venta. La Venta is a pre- Columbian archaeological site of the Olmec civilization located in the present-day Mexican state of Tabasco. At the end of the day, they had one of the finest coffees at the La Parroquia café with its famous sweet rolls while watching a performance by a local band.

In this episode, they head to the smallest state of Mexico called Tlaxcala. It is surrounded by low volcanic mountains, which are suitable for farming. Tlaxcala is a land-locked state situated on the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. Here they visit Hacienda, an estate with combination of plantation, mills and plantations. Haciendas were developed as profit-making, economic enterprises linked to regional or international markets. They then visit the bullfight rink where bulls are still released in the streets during the yearly August festival, and famous Mexican and foreign bullfighters come to test the strength of the Tlaxcala bulls. Afterwards, they head over to see a farmer who explains to them the ins and outs of the pulque production, or octli, which is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented sap of the maguey plant. As they walk through the small capital city of Tlaxcala, they discover the quietness of the countryside with colonial aspects with parks, colorful buildings and arcades. They also came across museums and art galleries where they find a collection of Frida Kahlo paintings. They check on the mural painting on the Palacio de Gobierno done by a local artist who took about 30 years to complete the painting as it covers more than 500 square meters of the entrance hall and staircases. At the end of the episode, they visit the oldest bull rink in Mexico City, situated on a hill besides the Cathedral tower, where the young generations continue the tradition of practicing for the big event, which is the August festival.

In the final episode, they head to Teotihuacan, a pre-Columbian site in central Mexico. Their first stop was the Quetzalcoatl pyramid which is the third largest pyramid. This Feathered Serpent Pyramid is a six-level step pyramid built in the talud-tablero style. The outside edges of each level are decorated with feathered serpent heads alternating with those of another snake-like creature. The place was taken over by priests, and warriors. They remodeled the pyramid at the same time partly destroyed it. Excavators found colourful mural paintings birds, flowers, and feathered shell. The roof and walls are painted red from iron oxide and decorated with geometric patterns. Next, they head over for lunch at a restaurant called Mayahuel. It is named after the goddess of agave plant. The leaves of the agaves are used to cook food, and its juice is turned into pulque, a fermented beverage. They had a dish called Molcajete which was the highlight of their lunch. They head back to the city to visit some more museums. Their first visit was to the former house of a painter, Frida Kahlo. She has turned it into an icon of feminism. They walked through her garden, and into the house where they learn about her life. Mexican movie has been going International over the last 20 years. There are many shops around that sells item related to famous movie scenes. Our host Katery has always dreamt of being a movie star and this place made her feel closer to her dream. Next, they head to Tacos De Canasta for lunch; where they order a full plate of tacos for a very reasonable price. After lunch they visit the Ciudadela handicrafts market. The place is like a bazaar with dozens of narrow passages and around 300 vendors who sell handicrafts from all regions of Mexico. They then meet with a famous glass artist Mr. García, who shows them the steps of making glass art.