A Magical Hot Air Balloon Ride in Teotihuacán
Waking up at 3:30 AM on the first day of our Mexico City trip was not my idea of a good time. A car picked us up at 4 AM, along with some other tourists, and after an hour-and-a-half ride, we made it to Teotihuacán for a day trip I had arranged through Viator.
Just northeast of Mexico City, Teotihuacán is an ancient city that is truly worth exploring. The city itself dates back to around 100 BC, and while it has modernized somewhat, there are still very large remnants of the past—namely, the pyramids that are still standing. We were excited to start our day exploring, and what better way to see pyramids than from above?
Upon arriving at our destination, we were guided toward a field full of large wicker baskets. While we sipped coffee to stay warm, the pilots moved about, turning on gas flames to start inflating the hot air balloons. Sure enough, colorful balloons soon surrounded us, beginning to lift the baskets off the ground.
Moments before sunrise, we climbed into our assigned basket and quickly began our ascent. This was our first-ever hot air balloon ride, and I have to admit I was a bit nervous at first. But the pilot of our balloon was extremely adept at managing the flight. We didn’t realize how high we had climbed until we looked down. We were seamlessly steered through the air, giving us breathtaking views of the two largest pyramids—the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon. While everything else on the ground appeared quite tiny from the sky, the pyramids remained imposing and majestic. These magnificent structures are still as impressive today as they must have been centuries ago.
As the sun continued to rise, we gazed out over the pyramids and the other hot air balloons, whose passengers were admiring the same view. I’m sure the people who built the pyramids never imagined anyone would see them from this vantage point, and yet it almost felt like they were built to be viewed this way. It was incredible to see the pyramids like this—even for someone with an occasional fear of heights—and I was disappointed when we began our descent. After a slightly bumpy but safe landing, we were treated to a celebratory glass of Lambrusco. It may have been 7 AM, but it already felt like we had lived a full day.
We spent the rest of our time in Teotihuacán exploring this wonderful city. We had breakfast at a restaurant called La Cueva, which is built into a natural cave. We checked out some local artisans and had a pulque tasting, which was much better than I expected. We also got to walk around the archaeological site, which includes other pyramids and structures still standing. It was a beautiful and warm December day—a nice change from our home city of Philadelphia—and it was pleasant walking around and learning more about this ancient civilization that pre-dates the Aztec Empire.
It was a great way to start our trip to Mexico, and I’d happily do it again—even with the 3 AM wake-up call.
