West MexicoMexico, the capital of Mexico with a population of 130 million, is one of the most populous cities in the world with a population of 22 million. As such, transportation is not easy, traffic is like a nightmare. But there are many places to see.

We will tour the Xochimilco canals, which are on the UNESCO World Heritage list, by boat. Six flat canal boats are led from behind by someone with a long bamboo stick. There are a lot of boats, it took quite a while to get out of the place we were tied to, we hit the left and right, and we finally reached the main channel. In the surrounding boats, like those who sell toys, food, drinks, souvenirs, orchestras that make all kinds of music, there are whatever you want. But the most interesting is floating orchestras. There are all kinds of players, singers in the boats, they walk around, looking into your eyes in the middle. We looked into the eyes of one of the orchestras with their local clothes, and we saw that it was already tied right next to us. The two boats are adjacent to each other, they both steal and say, hands dance. Mariachi are in their own special clothing that makes authentic music for seven or eight people. They played very well just for us, we enjoyed it very much. There are so many boats that we are like colliding boats, everyone can travel by touching each other. It sounded like a short time, but it was a long time, we couldn’t understand how it went.

We are in the 3rd largest Zocalo royal square in the world, one of the most important places in the city. Presidential palace, cathedral and archaeological remains of Aztec around the square. Also those who show up in the middle. The city of Mexico is where the Aztecs lived and had temples in the past. When the Spaniards begin to occupy them in 1517, they kill the Aztecs and destroy the most important sanctuary Templo Mayor Temple and build the oldest and largest “Metropolitan Cathedral where the Blessed Virgin Mary was taken to Heaven with stones”.

The Big City Cathedral is quite big, really magnificent, all over lace. The Metropolitan Cathedral, consisting of Baroque, Neo-classical and Neo-Renaissance styles, which started in 1573 and completed in 1813, that is, about 250 years, is also the authority of the Mexican Catholic Archbishop.

Today we decided to feast on ourselves and we are going to Cafe De Tacuba, which has been open since 1912. We end this night with goodies.

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After leaving the main road and climbing mountain roads, we came up to the slope of the valley where Monarca butterflies live in Ocampo. After that, there is quite another climbing path. In the probe on the road, with a horse or on foot, he answered mostly heroically by walking, but when he saw the place to go, nobody ate the gentle body, everyone was on horses.

Millions of butterflies fly around you, which are not very large. It’s an amazing natural phenomenon. Butterflies come here in September-October. Here, male moths die immediately after mating, while females die after spawning. When hundreds of millions of new-generation butterflies hatch from eggs, they reach puberty in a short time, they begin to fly from Mexico to Canada to the Quebec highlands. “Milky weed”, which is the only food source endemic on its roads after flying continuously for 4-5 weeks with a lifetime, descends to the valley where milk weed plants grow, and after mating, males die immediately after females lay eggs. Second-generation newborn butterflies begin to fly on the same route, again 4-5 weeks later, after weeding and feeding the milkweed, which is above their way, the mating, the death after males immediately lay females, the newcomers are adults and continue to feed again, 4-5 weeks of continuous wing After whipping, another dairy weed came down to the valley and mates, death to males and females, a new generation feed and continue on the road. Four generations later, they reach their feeding ground in the Quebec valley of Canada, which is their destination. The birthplace of the Monarca butterflies, where they are born, come to the Monarca butterfly valley in Mexico Ocampo, where their ancestors were born four generations ago, and they live here for nine months.

Following the path of the ancestors of the new generation of butterflies, who feed on finding only grass weed grown valleys that they never knew before, who have completed this journey in four generations with an average monthly life of each time, reaching Canada and this time they will have nine months of life. life story of rotating Monarca butterflies. Scientific studies carried out on these animals that feed on the same map and always continue the generation by following the road map transferred by genetic coding could not be solved exactly how genetic coding was transferred without error in an animal of this size.

The short story of Monarca butterflies is a strange life model in the strange world. This is a valley close to the town of Ocampo, a self-contained place in the north of Mexico city. When the life cycle of these butterflies was noticed, this place was named with the genus of these butterflies and named the Monarca Valley, and then it was included in the World Heritage list with the studies conducted. All these developments work over the past decade. Today, restaurants, shops and tourism structuring and people’s living standards have started to change. It will probably be one of the most visited places a few years later.

t is very important to be on the World Heritage list. Today, there are 18 registered in Turkey in early 2020 in the UNESCO list, who are aware of it, who have visited these places? How good it would be if we could introduce them more internationally. There is a Göbekli Tepe, believe me, you will give the day after months to visit. Vision is required for these. It is the most valuable thing to see and be able to win the future. If it doesn’t exist, you don’t understand, you don’t listen, you sink and go, look at us. In such cases, I always think of that beautiful song, which is the story of Hikmet Raif, “I do not complain to anyone, I cry my situation, I look forward to my future as I look at my future”

Anyway, let’s get back to our topic;

We travel north from Mexico city, the capital city of Michoacan State with a million population, typical Spanish city Morelia. The city center preserved the historical texture exactly when it was founded, so it was included in the Unesco World list. When the Spaniards decided to occupy an area and establish a city, they first built a large square in the middle of their location and a church or cathedral, an administrative building, arms stores, military buildings, a settlement and churches from the outer perimeter of the square. This characteristic structuring model is always the same in all Spanish cities, and many are called Plaza de Army or Plaza de Mayor. This is Morelia Army Square

We are in a delightful hotel that used to be a historical building and overlooking Morelia square.

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The hotel we stayed in worked as a monastery belonging to a religious cult in the past, and later served as the first medical school of this cult in Central America. We are in this hotel, you feel the smell of all these past cultures inside the building.

A large magnificent Morelia City Cathedral in the square. If the built cathedral or church is not built on behalf of any religious leader, it is referred to as a city cathedral. This is such a place. The cathedral is one of the largest cathedrals in Central America, and its organ is the 2nd largest in all of America. The building was built by an Italian architect in 1774, and its baroque interior structural design is empirical. Being in different styles gave a different feature here. 400 kg of gold and silver were used in interior decorations. It’s a wonderful place.

The indigenous people of this place, Purepechos, are known as warriors and the first movements of the war of independence started from here. In this sense, it is known as a historical and heroic city.

The Spaniards invested in health and social issues such as churches, monasteries, later roads, schools, and hospitals in their occupied places. This behavior is the general policy of the colonial states. It was the same here, as well as churches, we completed monasteries, libraries and beautiful university visits for women and men. All of the old buildings are typical Spanish architecture.

We are in the city of Patzcuaro, whose historical texture has never deteriorated, it is a really beautiful place. We spent a lot of time on the streets, churches, monasteries, military squares, sellers and so on, the sun and hot challenges started, all right, we said we’ll look at the rest.

There are places where you can have a nice meal in this historical texture, street players, street sellers, beggars who want money will be planted at your meal, and it is useful to check the account carefully.

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We are in the city of Tequila, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. As the name suggests, tequila drink is the place where it was born and got its name. We are going to see one of the tequila factories, how is it done? If it is easy, maybe we will do it in the future.

Tequila is made from the root of the agave plant, which is the genus of aloe vera and 240 of which is only blue. Here are mountain stone all over blue agave fields. It can be harvested 15 years if it is grown directly from seed, and 8 years if it is rooted and planted in seedlings. The leaves on the tubers between 20 and 100 kilos go to the factory after careful cleaning. The roots are cleaned and shattered first, then boiled and passed through the distillation process a few more times after the first distillation and fermentation process. The more distilleries are applied, the more beautiful and precious. Then rest in oak barrels for 3 to 5 years, buy tequila as if you are ready for me. The type of agave, the differences in the processes, the rest time determine the quality and difference of the tequila. As you can see, manufacturing is very simple, even at home with this recipe! The best part of visiting such places is that it is always tasting. We were mildly sweet when we got out of the door, especially in this heat, is there anybody looking at me … let’s get the money that we gave here. It is a modern facility that produces 60 thousand tons of tequila annually, just here, there are dozens of factories in this city, who drinks so much tequila! Some of the buses that serve in the city look like a barrel, everything is ok to encourage, tequila, for the purpose of healing.

Nothing is wasted on agave, other parts of the paper are used in chemicals. The establishment of the tequila factory we visited was 1836. That is the period of the Spaniards, there is a historical church in the courtyard of the main building that attracts my attention and it is working, and there are religious symbols in the pictures that tell the history of production. In other words, at least in the past, the church did not oppose this alcohol business. Also be aware that it had an aphrodisiac effect.

Totonac folk ritual rope and stroke shows, which I couldn’t match, I came here before I expected. Long live Yippuu…

The Totonac civilization ruled in the Totonacapan region until the 15th century and disappeared as a result of a major epidemic disease in the early 16th century. When he did not take the gods too seriously and pray, the angry rain god cuts the rains and the great drought begins. Thereupon, the Totanaklar cut the branches of the 30-40 meter tree they brought from the forest and climb to the top and from there they turn down with the rope they tied to their waist. This represents the appeal to the gods that the rain will come down to earth from the sky. Here we caught this show.

Someone like a shin-like instrument and a small drum at the tip of the guy is standing on top of the 40-meter pole, a sound is heard, you can be heard everywhere. Standing in a very narrow area at the top of the pole is also like a juggling. This is actually a call, then 4 people in turn hang down with the rope they tied to their waist over a wooden four-corner pulley that can climb to the top of the pole and turn around its axis. Another drum to which the pulley is attached, gradually rotates two persons in a balanced way and slowly lowers it. In the amusement parks, like ants, the men are tied up, going upside down, not easy. It is one of the traditions that the bugs still continue. For this reason, UNESCO (intengible word heritage) has been included in the intangible cultural world heritage list.

The weather is cold in the morning and after, it is seriously hot in the afternoon and afterwards, our setting is broken.

With five million inhabitants, the capital city of the state of Jalisco is the fourth largest city in Mexico and one of the important industrial areas, Guadalajara. This is typical Spanish city architecture. Plaza Mayor square, where there are plenty of artistic sculptures, the cathedral and administrative buildings around it. It is a big square, as if half of the city is here, people playing, making music, shows, people are socializing. It is also the birthplace of Mexico’s IT, international technology center, and the country’s traditional music, Mariachi music. One of the largest and oldest hospital complexes in America, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hospicio Cabanas was built by the Bishop of Guadalajara in 1791 as the home of the fools, the hospital, the orphanage and the elderly.

There are many beautiful wall paintings of Mexico regarding the liberation war, they are called Mural.

One of the most common things in Mexico is Mural murals. Due to the 1517 Spanish occupation and the low literacy rate afterwards, Mexico gradually started to lose its national identity, and everything, especially language, came under the dominance of Spanish cultural imperialism. This was much more effective, especially in rural areas. The Mexican government of 1921, the education minister, Jose Vasconcelos, realized that the concept of the national nation was largely lost, and initiated a study to describe Mexico’s struggle for independence and national values ​​in the murals. Due to the low level of education, the awareness of local people who could not follow the facts increased with these paintings and Mural murals became popular in the country with the support of the state. When mural murals started to contain revolutionary Marxist and Leninist messages in time, the state support was cut off, wall painters started to be supported by private companies, and then advertising or political pictures were started to be made in line with the opinions of sponsor companies. The traditional murals that can be seen in many places and still continue are really beautiful. The most well-known artists of this movement, which turned into an art style, are David Alfaro Siqueros, Jose Clemente Drozco, Diego Rivera.

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One of Mexico’s most beautiful cities is Guanajuato, the capital city of the state of Guanajuato, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. It is an interesting place with its painted houses, bumpy roads, underground tunnels. In the 1540s, very rich silver deposits were found by the Spaniards. Slaves brought from captive locals and from other places were employed in the mines and about 40 thousand tons of silver were sent to Spain. It is stated that Spain has made great moves with these. The region is so efficient as gold and silver mines that 14 large galleries are still being extracted from gold and silver today. They opened the road in the past and expanded the mine tunnels that are not used today. The city is filled with these tunnels, although it is not very smooth and tidy, it provides great comfort to traffic.

We went down to some of these places where the mine was mined in the past, we saw the working conditions of that day, when the word of ruthlessness and brutality remained scarce.

We’re going to the Mummies museum, we came to the museum when we were talking about what the mummy was looking for. Dozens of mummies, more than that, were on display in another city museum. Many, mummy, child, old and young mummies are exhibited standing in the glass, most of them are almost intact, some have teeth, some even have some of their clothes and shoes. When it came to saying what kind of a job it was, a serious cholera epidemic started in the region in the early 1800s, and the managers who were desperate in the face of the increasing epidemic, tried to prevent the epidemic by collectively burying the hopeless ones from the patients. Years later, when mass graves were opened, they saw that the bodies were intact. In the examination made, a natural active substance in the soil of this region prevented the decay of the corpses and kept them intact. I feel like I’m among the zombies, a lot of mummies looking at me all around me, all over me. Especially, there is someone alone, even if you see the hair, beard, teeth on the man’s clothes all right intact, you will know, full zombie.

In the past, the court where the inquisition and punishments were applied has been turned into a museum. Let’s see which torture and social and physical torture performed today are more effective. At the beginning of the 1200s, when Christianity strengthened and increased its influence, Muslim Arabs, Jews and non-Catholics in Spain were forced to change religion, and those who did not comply were killed by extortion courts with exemplary torture.

There are all torture devices in the museum. It is the place where unimaginable tortures have been applied to non-Catholic Christians or believers, such as hanging from the Protestant sect, squeezing them in the studded coffins, pressing them down the head, feeding the animals under the sun in the cage, tied them by feet and hands and stretching them. Most interestingly, not even God can save the man who deceived his wife. The man’s genitalia is smashed into pieces with mallets on the stone. Finally, the man’s death or alive is swallowed in lard and frying in the fire, feasting on animals. If it’s tight, do it. The one who cheats on her husband is also an end crowned with death. These punishments apply not only to those who do not want to be Catholics, but to all those who commit crime, so if you fall here, the painful journey begins. Even the darkest periods of Christianity, even the churches were darkened with dark glasses at that time, even the pictures were made darker, to create fear, to create an atmosphere of gloom.

From the root to religiousness is such a thing, to control society by releasing great fears. Let’s look at what Islamic organizations are doing to spread Islam, cutting with a knife, all kinds of non-human behavior. They are bigoted because they believe believing in God and serving him. Indeed, the back side of the business is the interests of those who have nothing to do with religion and faith, and the dishonest unscrupulous murderers who organize them.

What have Muslim countries not knowing why they fought each other for years, what have they done for the sake of civilization and science, is there a single developed country among them? A lot of strange leaners who don’t even know why he died. So there is a mistake in the system, the place is where the serious reform movement of Islam is absolutely necessary.

Let’s get back to our topic, this is actually a small town, a small square in the middle, of course, a large church. When it became clear that there was a silver mine here, someone close to the Spanish administration promised to build a big church, if he was given the operation of the mines, he made big money and built the church. Today, the schemes are the same, only those who worry are different. You get the tender but the mosque is a must ..

It was long today, we had a pleasant dinner in the evening, but before that, we said let’s go to the street of love. Do not get anything wrong, maybe one of the narrowest streets in the world is 60 cm. wide. For example, you can have a coffee or chat with the neighbor on the top floor in front of the window, or have a glass of something, or if the neighbor is suitable, you can easily relax with a light reach. When I see your spouse at the door below, “mine came, sugar, we’ll continue later”, get out of head!

We are going out of the program, the city of Dolores Hildago. In 1809, when Napoleon occupied and controlled many places in Europe, Spain started to withdraw its soldiers in their colonies. The independence movements that started due to the authority gap, integrated under the leadership of Dolores Hidalgo, declared the independence of Mexico for the first time in the church where he served on September 16, 1810.

Here we are in the city called the leader Dolores Hidalgo, who extended our path and integrated the independence movement and announced it and started the movement. The Mexicans gathered in the Church at 00.00 on the night, which connects September 15 to 16 every year, together celebrate the days of liberation by shouting “viva Mexico” three times together and the festivity continues until the morning.

We go to the Sanctuary of Atotonilco church cortex, built by Father Luis Felipe Neri de Alfaro in the 18th century, near the city of Allende in the Province of Guanajuato, and on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Embroideries, murals, reliefs, sculptures are truly a wonderful place. These Spaniards did not leave churches, they left churches wherever you go, and they are all magnificent buildings. Serious work, no matter how much slaves and indigenous people work free of charge, serious money, the guys exploited them.

We came to the city of San Miguel de Alllende, exactly its name. This is “magic city”, a fascinating city title. In order to get this title officially, there are values ​​such as the city being historical, protecting and maintaining cultural and spiritual values, organizations such as social activities festival, and keeping the city alive and increasing awareness. This is also one of the most visited places. It is really a wonderful peaceful and pleasant place, I did not think of such a place. Let’s walk around this beautiful city, of course, first the big square and the cathedral around it. Though there are more than one church at a distance of a few hundred meters, I asked if there is a congregation. The mosque has more mosques than us. Great cafes, restaurants, stylish shops, shops. There are quite nice products about ceramics. Side streets, roads, preserved the history and the past and they are still alive, well done I liked this place very much. This place is also on the UNESCO World Heritage list. It is a place where retired Americans settle, so the prices have flown a bit, and the houses are around a few million dollars.

Drink wine with my wife, tell me I’m looking for a light romantic place, I wanted to have a special dinner here today. Friends, this place is Mexico, they said to hang out here, I said “it is a must”, no answer, the decision to continue with plenty of tequila and margarita …

The hotel is a boutique hotel with lots of agave, different cacti and plants.

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In the morning, continue on the road after a pleasant breakfast in Allende city. We’re going to Queretaro, another UNESCO World Heritage city. This is one of Mexico’s great struggles on the way to liberation. This struggle is also a visit to the pantheon, where 16 heroes lead the monumental tomb. The sculptures of each of them on the path of independence and their short stories in a large garden.

In 1725 Martines falls in love with nun Maria in the monastery and wants to get married. Sister Maria tells that such a thing is not possible, nuns should never marry. Upon Marines’ extreme insistence, the priestess accepts the offer but stipulates that if you bring water to the city, which has a great water shortage. Martines is excited and, using all his means, he built aqueducts called aqueduct between 1728 and 1734 and brought water. Sister Maria is surprised at this event, which she deems impossible at first, and does not know what to do. Last resort, my sugar you deserve better! saying, he does not get married. Sometimes great love can be like this, the love story of the noble rich man and the priestess Maria.

We go to the historic Queretaro city center, which is on the World Heritage list. Around the big square Plaza de Army, the cathedral, the town hall, a large ornamental pool in the middle. Classic cleanly maintained Spanish-style streets, houses and many churches like other cities.

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n the morning we head to the capital city of Mexico, Padre Tembleque aqueducts, which is another UNESCO World Heritage list on the way. The water channel with a total length of 45 km, built between 1553 and 1570, with the logic of the ground level and the underground vessels in some places over the arches in some places. It is similar to Bozdoğan arches in Istanbul but ours is not a world heritage site.

One of the must-see places in the city of Mexico is the Frida Khalo museum. We have entered the house where he spent almost his entire life, the items he used, and his art works, and we found a way to find a way with many enthusiasts and serious queues.

The Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, which has become a popular culture icon in the 21st century, is known for her paintings as well as her bumpy private life and political views. Frida, who is known as a surrealist painter, tried to hold on to life as a cripple due to polio at the age of 6, at the age of 18, he survived as a miracle as a result of a major accident and started painting, mainly after that. She wants to show her work to a master artist at the age of 22 and marries Diego Rivera at the age of 43. Her husband and herself have different relationships, one of her known paintings is the picture of her husband’s infidelity with her sister. Having spent most of her life in bed, Frida dies in 1954 due to pneumonia.

Unam State University, which stands out in the world rankings with extensive research and innovation studies of Mexico and is an independent budget management.

A magnificent painting made from all four sides of one of the huge main buildings in a large campus. It looks really different and magnificent. This place has also been included in the UNESCO World Heritage list, but there is no reasonable reason to understand it, it seems like it has been included in the list.

Mexico is the land where many civilizations have left great traces in the past. Today, Spain’s cultural and social influence is strong, and on the other hand, it is a big country that tries to gain a national identity by highlighting its past culture and civilization. There are no men in the costume with bands, beards, kills, burns, washes, and bad looks in their mouths. It is the place where the social differences created by large economic class differences are clearly evident, but they have the freedom to protest and rally that express them. Mexico, where great bribery and corruption prevail, whilst trying to heal its wounds, attacking science in itself, having industry and magnificent beauties.

We try to go to places that are declared World Heritage sites by UNESCO especially during our trips to Mexico. They describe the history, national and cultural values ​​of that country, and most importantly, the traditional ways of life and traditions of people who created civilizations. Thanks to these places, we learn valuable information about those lands. We had the opportunity to visit 18 of 34 Unesco World heritage sites in Mexico, and the program was also in that direction. In this way, there is a chance to realize past civilizations, cultures, historical and national values. If these were not taken under the protection umbrella by UNESCO, many values ​​would have been lost. It is very important to be on the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites in order to protect and protect the values ​​that describe historical structures, cultural values ​​and people’s life styles. This work can be done with the effort of state and local administrations. On the economic side, visitors come here to make a significant contribution to the business development and development of the region. If we could introduce the culture and civilization of Anatolia in Turkey, although enough effort for them to be on the UNESCO list, it varies in a very serious economic and social structures in the region. Turkey also has 18 world heritage registered, they can not be made within the country and outside enough publicity. In the appeal immediately, Turkey should also ask if you visit a place with few list. One of the things we missed ..

We return home by plane early in the morning, both I miss and we are worried about boiling social and international problems and corana virus outbreak.

 

yours affectionately

Hayrettin KAĞNICI

March 2020