Tour to Puebla,, Cutzalan and Mexico City
JOURNEYS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Rosa R. Carlson
49 VERANO LOOP SANTA FE NEW MEXICO 87508
505 310 1863
info@journeys-international.com carlsonrosa@hotmail.com
TOUR BEGINS
Puebla (Elev. 7,027 ft.) or La Puebla de Los Ángeles is famous for its colonial architecture, for having the best Mexican cuisine in all of México and for its refined Talavera Ceramics. It was founded in 1531; just ten years after the Spanish conquered Tenochtitlán (México City). The colonial site of Puebla played a major role in the history of New Spain and Mexico. Its urban design, which dates to the 16th century and was inspired by the Renaissance, influenced the development of other cities in the New World. After enjoying prosperity in the 18th century, Puebla became the site of a series of confrontations in the 19th century. In particular, it was the site of most of the popular struggles related to the establishment of Independent Mexico and the revolutionary movement of 1910. It was the site of the famous battle of Cinco de Mayo (5th of May), 1862 in which a 6,000 strong French invading army was defeated by a mixed force of 2,000 Mexican military and peasant troops.
Day 1 February 20 – Tuesday – Puebla B L
All participants will convene at the Mexico City no later than 1.30pm.
2.00pm – Transfer from Mexico City Airport to hotel in Puebla – Overnight
Day 2 February 21 – Wednesday – Puebla B L
Breakfast is served after 7am
9.00am – Meet in the lobby – walking tour
12.30pm – Lunch in the historic center TBD
1.45pm – Visit Museo Amparo
3.45pm – Rest of the afternoon is free
Today our walking tour of Puebla will begin with the Cathedral of Puebla, consecrated 1649. It has the tallest towers in Mexico, an altar screen designed by the Spanish Baroque sculptor, Juan Martinez Montañés, sacristy paintings by the Mexican Baroque artist, Cristóbal de Villalpando, and a magnificent freestanding altar canopy in the neoclassical style. We will also visit the fabulous Capilla del Rosario, with sculpted and gilded gesso walks atop stunning tilework, located in a side chapel of the 18th century Santo Domingo church. We will also see the Palafox Library and learn about the many colonial and tiled buildings in the historic center. After lunch, we will visit the excellent Amparo Museum, which is housed in two linked colonial buildings. The museum holds a superb collection of historic artifacts from many of Mesoamerica’s indigenous civilizations and we will learn about their production techniques, regional and historical context and anthropological significance. The next rooms are filled with the finest art and furnishings from the colonial period.
Day 3 February 22 – Thursday – Puebla B L
Breakfast is served after 7am
10.00am – Departure for Cacaxtla
12.45pm – Lunch in Huejotzingo or Puebla
2.40pm – Departure for Puebla
4.00pm – Arrival in Puebla
We leave Puebla to visit the hilltop ruins at Cacaxtla (600-1000 C.E.). These ruins – Olmec and Maya – were discovered in 1975 and have been meticulously excavated. The most important artifacts are the numerous, beautifully colored murals. They feature vividly colored and well preserved frescoes showing, among many other scenes, nearly life-size jaguar and eagle warriors engaged in battle. On the way to Puebla we will visit Huejotzingo, known for its cider and serapes; it has a fine 16th century plateresque-style monastery, with old frescoes and excellent carved stonework.
Day 4 February 23 – Friday – Puebla B L
Breakfast is served after 7am
8.45am – Departure from hotel
9.30am – Arrival in Cholula
11.45am – Departure for Tonantzintla
12.15pm – Departure for Museo Internacional Barroco
1.15pm – Lunch at the museum and visit
4.30pm – Return to hotel
This morning we will head out of Puebla to visit the town of Cholula. In 1519, Cholulas’s population had reached 100,000. Cortés, having made friends with the Tlaxcalans, traveled here atMoctezuma’s request. Aztec warriors set an ambush, but unfortunately for them, the Tlaxcalans tipped off Cortés about the plot and the Spanish struck first. Within one day, they killed 6,000 Cholulans before the Tlaxcalans looted the city. We will visit the Cholultecan pyramid of Tepanapa – said to be the largest in the world. Later we will visit the small Templo de Santa María at Tonantzintla, one of the most amazing examples of poblano popular baroque. Our next stop will the Museo Internacional del Barroco. Designed by the team of 2013 Pritzker Architecture Prize winner Toyo Ito, the museum for art, literature, music, and fashion celebrates the grandeur and drama of
the 17th and 18th century. For next day excursion please note: We suggest you leave your main luggage at the hotel and just take a smaller bag for our overnight excursion to Cuetzalan del Progreso.
Day 5 Feb 24 – Saturday – Cuetzalan B L
Breakfast is served after 7am
9.00am – Check out and departure from hotel
12.30pm – Arrival in Cuetzalan del Progreso
1.00pm – Lunch at hotel
2.30pm – Visit to Yohualichan
Upon arrival in Cuetzalan del Progreso, we will relax and enjoy the gardens of the Posada Cuetzalan. After lunch we will visit the nearby archaeological site of Yohualichan (House of Night). This site is located 4.5 miles from Cuetzalan del Progreso. Yohualichan and the larger nearby city of El Tajín both reached a cultural and political epoch during the Classic period (200 CE to 650 CE) and are both believed to have been constructed and populated by the Totonac people. With the end of the Classic Period, the nomadic Chichimecas begin migrating into the modern-day Valley of Mexico around the year 1200. From then on, Yohualichan would come under pressure from these migratory tribes and would begin to fall into a gradual decline.
Cuetzalan del Progreso (Elev. 3,250 ft.) is a delightfully vivid Nahua village, with narrow, winding streets and red-roofed houses, in a warm, humid region. The local Nahua and Totonac Indians, who speak Nahuatl like most of the indigenous people of the central highlands, set up a very colorful market on Sunday. You can find a wonderful variety of products including ripe plum tomatoes,
guavas, black beans, tomatillos, bunches of cilantro and mint, pineapples, tiny, dried shrimp, and many varieties of chilies. There are aisles of fresh flowers and fresh poultry and pork. All this right next to all the beautiful embroidered blouses, shawls, huipils and other woven goods made locally. Soon, in the atrium of the church, the “voladores” or Totonec flyers will set up to begin a ceremony declared a Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Day 6 February 25 – Sunday – Puebla B L
Breakfast buffet is served from 7am to 12pm
8.30am – Walk to the market
12.30pm – Lunch at hotel
2.00pm – Departure for Puebla
5.30pm – Arrival in Puebla
This magical town (Pueblo Mágico), a designation given to particular towns by reason of their natural beauty, cultural riches or historical relevance, offers wonderful opportunities for photography, drawing or painting. You will have plenty of time of enjoy the market and appreciate the Voladores ceremonies. After lunch we will return to Puebla.
Mexico City Site of the Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon, Tenochtitlán was Mexico’s biggest ancient city and the capital of what was probably Mexico’s largest pre-Hispanic empire. Cortés finally arrived on November 8, 1519 to this great city of over 200,000 people. At that time the Valley of Mexico contained perhaps 1.5 million people, making it one of the world’s biggest and densest urban areas. On the 13th of August 1521, a brig, commanded by Captain García Holgín pursued a great canoe, which was carrying Cuahtémoc (the Mexica leader after Moctezuma’s death) and his family who were attempting to reach the shore of the lake. They were captured. After a siege of about three months, the city was totally destroyed, and this ended the dominance of the Mexica and marked the beginning of the Spanish Colonial period. The National Palace (the official location of the Presidential offices), was constructed by Cortés immediately after the conquest was complete, built directly on the site of Moctezuma’s principal Palace.
Day 7 February 26 – Monday – Mexico City B L
8.30am – Check out of our hotel in Puebla and departure
11.15am – Arrival at Teotihuacan
1.15pm – Lunch in Teotihuacan
2.30pm – Depart to La Villa de Guadalupe
3.30pm – Visit Basilica de la Virgen de Guadalupe
5.00pm – Arrival at our hotel in Mexico City
After our early departure our first stop will be at the ancient city of Teotihuacán, one of the largest and most impressive archaeological sites in the Americas. Recently archaeologists completed the excavation of a deep underground tunnel closed for 1,800 years and containing over 75,000 artifacts. During the city’s heyday it was Mesoamerica’s most powerful social and political hub. The structures were built between 100 B.C. and A.D. 250, and accommodated 200,000 people at its height, rivaling its contemporary, Rome. Whatever civilization produced Teotihuacán lasted roughly until the 7th century A.D., but despite its technological complexity left behind no writing system. Around A.D. 750 the city was abandoned and set afire, perhaps in a war with a smaller rival city. The pyramids, citadel, temples, palaces, plazas and paved streets remained deserted and forgotten until the Aztecs arrived in A.D. 1200. We also visit the Sanctuary and Basilica of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Over 20 million people visit her annually and the new Basilica built in the 1970´s holds over 50,000 people who can attend mass every hour on the hour, 24 hours a day. Metropolitan Cathedral of Mexico City
Day 8 February 27 – Tuesday – Mexico City B L
Breakfast buffet is served from 6.00am to 10.00am
9.00am – Meet at the lobby for our walking tour of the city
12.30pm – Lunch
1.45pm – Continue our walking tour
4.00pm – Return to hotel or explore on your own
Our day starts close to our hotel where we begin the walking tour at the National Palace. Originally one of Hernán Cortés’s many residences; the palace was built on the site of Aztec Emperor Moctezuma II’s castle and rebuilt in 1628. Here we will see one of Diego Rivera’s best-known murals on the walls above the palace’s central staircase, depicting his vision of Mexico’s history. We continue to the Metropolitan Cathedral, the largest colonial cathedral in the Americas, built partially on the ruins of the Templo Mayor. The Cathedral took 2-1/2 centuries to complete, from 1573 to 1813, and the quantity of artistic detail is almost impossible to fully absorb. The Altar de los Reyes houses a 25-meter-high golden retablo of ornate baroque complexity, and each of the 14 side chapels hold impressive artistic works. Next we will visit the Great Temple of Tenochtitlán. The excavated site of the holiest shrine of the Aztecs, which was razed by the Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century, has been partially reconstructed in the last 30 years. At one time it consisted of a
walled complex of 78 buildings built on different levels, crowned with two tall pyramids. Today the excavated site covers four city blocks and includes an archaeological museum with a display model of the Aztec city and some 7,000 artifacts found at the site.
Day 9 February 28 – Wednesday – Mexico City B L
Breakfast buffet is served from 6.00am to 10.00am
9.30am – Meet in the lobby for the walk to the Franz Mayer Museum
10.00am – Guided visit
12.00pm – Transfer to the National Museum of Anthropology
12.20pm – Lunch at the museum
1.45pm – Tour of the museum
4.00pm – Return to hotel
We will take a delightful walk from our hotel through some of the streets of the historic center as we head towards the Franz Mayer Museum. The museum, located in an eighteenth-century building, houses the finest collection of decorative arts in Mexico. Mr. Mayer was born in Mannheim,
Germany, he moved to London and the United States before arriving in Mexico in 1905. In 1920, he married María Antonieta de la Macorra and later became a widower without descendants. He became a Mexican citizen on December 29th, 1933. One of the objects of the collection is a
magnificent “biombo” or screen, depicting the scenes of the “The Night of Sorrows” when the Spanish and their native allies were driven out of Tenochtitlan. After lunch we will transfer to the National Museum of Anthropology where we see superb archaeological exhibits from early
Mesoamerican societies — beginning with the Teotihuacanos, Toltecs, Olmecs, Zapotecs, and others right up to the Aztecs — as well as ethnological displays on Mexico’s current Amerindian groups — including the Huichol, Cora, Purépecha, Otomi, Nahua, and different groups from the Sierra de Puebla, Oaxaca, and Gulf of Mexico regions. Apart from its treasures, Pedro Ramirez Vasquez’s building itself is an impressive work of art, with its understated exterior and dramatic central patio.
Day 10 February 29 – Thursday – Mexico City B
Breakfast buffet is served from 6.00am to 10.00am
TOUR ENDS
HOTELS
Puebla – Hotel Isabel Unico
Cuetzalan del Progreso – Posada Cuetzalan
Mexico City – Hampton Inn Centro Histórico
• PROGRAM INFORMATION
• INCLUDED
• Accommodations in Puebla, Cuetzalan del Progreso and Mexico City
• Porterage of one bag person
• Breakfast buffet daily and 8 lunches
• Transportation throughout by chartered bus, as indicated in the itinerary
• Entrance fees to all sites indicated in the itinerary
• English-speaking local guides
• NOT INCLUDED
• International airfare
• Tips to driver and guides
• TOUR COST
• Per Person Sharing A Room – Double Occupancy – $2,150.00
• One Person In A Room – Single Occupancy – $2,425.00
• Tour is priced based on a minimum of 18 participants
• REGISTRATION AND PAYMENTS
• To register for this tour you must be a member of the Santa Fe Archaeological Society.
• For information about membership you can check the following link:
• https://sfarchaeology.org/membership/
• Contact Rosa Carlson of Journeys International, Inc. at this mail address to confirm availability:
• info@journeys-international.com OR carlsonrosa@hotmail.com
• Upon confirmation please print and complete the Booking & Release Form (last page), attach a copy of your valid passport and a deposit check of $250 per person
and send it to:
Journeys International, Inc.
49 Verano Loop
Santa Fe New Mexico 87508
FINAL PAYMENT AND CANCELLATION POLICY
Final payment is due on November 10th. In case of cancellations, the following
penalties will be applicable:
After deposit $150.00 administrative fee
After November 10th 100% of the total tour price
For any questions or comments please contact Rosa Ramirez Carlson at:
info@journeys-international.com carlsonrosa@hotmail.com
Or by phone at 505-310-1863
Important: Purchase of trip cancellation insurance is strongly recommended. If you have any pre-existing conditions for which you would like coverage, most companies require that you must purchase the insurance within 14 days of your first payment for the tour. You may be able to purchase coverage just for the amount of your deposit and later increase your coverage when the final payment is made. In addition, many health insurers, including Medicare, do not provide coverage for insured persons traveling abroad. Affordable health insurance for overseas travelers is readily available with companies such as Geo Blue, Medex, Travel Guard, Allianz Travel Insurance and similar companies.
BOOKING and RELEASE FORM – Puebla, Cuetzalan, Del Progreso and Mexico City, 2024
PLEASE ATTACH A COPY OF YOUR PASSPORT TO THE COMPLETED FORM:
First Name(s) _________________________________
Last Name(s)______________________________________________
Address___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
City ____________________________________________________ State _________________________ Zip Code ___________________
Telephone __________________________________________
E-mail_____________________________________________________
Seat preference (will do our best) __________________________ Single Supplement: Yes _____No_____
Sharing with: _______________________________________________
Meal requests /Allergies ____________________________
Emergency Contact: Name _____________________________ Telephone ______________________________________
The undersigned intends travel to Mexico on a program administered by Journeys International, Inc. The undersigned has been informed that travel and other activities can be dangerous for a variety of reasons and
may result in injury or loss of life and/or damage to property. The under- signed has been informed that neither Journeys International, Inc. nor anyone on its behalf has obtained insurance to insure the undersigned or her/his property. The undersigned understands that if he/she wants to insure himself/herself and his/her heirs, successors and assigns, the undersigned will obtain such insurance at his/her own cost. The undersigned hereby waives, releases, acquits, exonerates and discharges any claim, cause of action, demand or right of recovery against Journeys International, Inc., its agents, employees,
heirs, successors or assigns (the released parties) for any personal injury (including psychological injury), death, damage or loss arising out of, or any way related to, the said trip to Mexico, the United States or in
transit. The undersigned expressly understands that this Waiver and Release constitutes a bar to any and all claims against any of the released parties arising out of any claim waived or released herein. The undersigned has entered into this Waiver and Release of his/her own free will and accord, not being influenced by any representation of the released parties or by any other person. This document contains the entire agreement between Journeys International, Inc. and the undersigned concerning any liability, is severable and may be amended only in writing signed by Journeys International, Inc. and the undersigned. I HAVE CAREFULLY READ THE FOREGOING
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Signature Date
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