Gunnar Wolf

We went to visit the Centro Ceremonial Otomí, which -according to several website descriptions- looked like an interesting, nice place. It is a reasonably drive away from Mexico City - On our way there, we took the Federal Mexico-Toluca highway, the Toluca libramiento, and after the Temoaya exit, the smaller road leading North - That is, however, a road with quite a bit of traffic and not very scenic - The ridge between Mexico and Toluca is quite beautiful, but after it there is a flat, swampy and smelly extension not very worth the trip. On our way back we went by the much smaller way North, via Las Canoas, Jilotzingo, arriving via Naucalpan - Although the road is by far in a worse shape than the one that got us there1, it is a very scenic, beautiful way into the forest. We found almost no traffic until arriving to Naucalpan, so probably we had also approximately the same time.
Anyway... Just the road (and enjoying a bit of fresh, clean air when March and the hot waves start to appear) was very worth the trip. But, what is this Centro Cultural Otomí?
The Otomí or Hñähñu people (More about the otomíes in Spanish) are one of Mexico's main (and most spread out) indigenous groups. But... What did this "Centro Ceremonial" hold for us?
Well... This is a place built in 1980, towards the end of the nefarious José López Portillo presidential term. And it shows.
This Ceremonial Center is... A disproportionate, gigantical, imponent set of structures with reminiscents of the Otomí culture. I cannot say how authentic are each of the elements, I can just say the compound is... Insanely huge and shows what I could not describe as good taste with a straight face.
Still, the place has a great view, and has an undeniable beauty. Anyway, I cannot comment more - here are the pictures.

• 1. shame we could not take a photo of the tremendous potholes, just by the Mexico State government publicity about the resources for road maintenance... Or of the workers supposedly fixing the potholes just filling them with dry ground... Or the dust that every car or truck raises when passing through said "fixed" potholes