Let`s start with the flag!In the centre of the flag there is an image of an eagle, on top of a nopal (type of cactus), eating a serpent.

This image is the most representational of Mxico, as it symbolises the foundation of Tenochtitlan, the first city ever established in our country. It was populated by the indigenous Aztec people.

d l se northern states because we want to learn more about them !!

l

This state is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, which is why Baja California Sur has been designed exclusively to offer tourists adventure, comfort and relaxation, and everlasting fun. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baja_California_SurHere there are beautiful blue waters (Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean), and the land has cool cities and towns, deserts and mountains. All of this together creates a beautiful place of natural beauty to satisfy any travelers` needs.

l ote Just north of Baja California Sur is Baja California Norte In the "Baja" there is great fishing, surfing, boating, diving, and beaches. Many world class hotels and resorts are in the south end. In the map below, you can see Baja California Norte in Green. Just below it is Baja California Sur.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baja_CaliforniaThe famous araches of Baja California Sur

While you are hereYou should go snorkeling

You should go whale-watching

You should go explore the caves and rare rock formations

You should go shopping at the funky markets

aThe Sierra Nevada Foothills are perhaps one of the most beautiful attractions in the state of Sonora, which is also called Gold Country. This city still has a historic charm; many of its buildings were constructed in the 1800s. If you go to Sonora, this should be your first stop!http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonora

Chihuahua Chihuahua is the biggest state in Mxico , in chihuahua there are canyons and the Chihuahua Desert is one extends to both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border (in the central-northern Mexico). The many canyons together form a network that is bigger than the famous GREAT CANYON.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chihuahua,_Chihuahua

Dug

We think the food in Durango is WEIRD!! If you are feeling adventurous, we would suggest that you try:Caldillo Duranguense - a light broth prepared with beef filet, onion, garlic, tomato and chili (watch outit is SPICY!)Cabeza de Res a la Olla - stewed cow head

http://www.mexicanmercados.com/food/states/durango.htm (This is what we say before we eat)

aloa Sinaloa is the state home of a very important Mexican figure: Pedro Infante. He passed away long ago, but we will introduce you to him anyways!http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_Infante

Pedro Infante was:*A singer *An actor*A movie producerHe is famous in Mxico; everybody knows who he is. He was born in Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mxico. Thisplace is a popular beachvacation destination on the west coast of Mexico! He died in 1957 at the age of 40.

Hello we are Monserrat A. and Monserrat M. We are going to talk about Central MexicoBecause its our Mexican Republic.

Zacatecas state of Mexico is located in the north-central region and it is surrounded by Durango in the north-west, Coahuila in the north, and San Luis Potos in the east.CitiesZacateca has five important cities: Fresnillo Zacatecas Sombrerete Jerez Tlaltenango

Activities:You can go toCathedral Cerro de la Bufa Mina El Eden Teleferico http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zacatecas

Guanajuato is a state that has a history about the independence. Guanajuato has a nickname that is Hill of Frogs. which comes from the local indigenous language.Government and politics:The Constitution of the State of Guanajuato provides that the government of Guanajuato, like the government of every other state in Mexico, consists of three powers: the executive, the legislative and the judiciary.

One of the major cities in Guanajuato is the city called Guanajuato. It is beautiful and there are

You can visit the Alondiga de Granaditas Mummy museum

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guanajuatomany colours. The city itself lies over a foundation of tunnels, and in fact you can only get into the city via these tunnels.

FoodCabrito (kid goat) is Monterrey's most popular traditional dish. Other local dishes and customs are the "semita" (bread without leavening) and the capirotada dessert (a mix of cooked bread, cheese, raisins, peanuts, and crystallized sugarcane juice).is the capital city of the Mexican state of Nuevo Len It has the third largest metropolitan area in Mexico, after Mexico City and Guadalajara.

Monterrey is the city of Nuevo Leon.In Monterrey you can visit Santa Lucia Riverwalk, The Cerro de la Silla The caves of Garcia or Kidzaniahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuevo_Leon

The capital of this state is the city of Santiago de Quertaro, but everyone just says Quertaro.

TourismTourism is increasing its importance in the economy. Quertaro has become the first non-beach destination.

You can visit the Aqueducts Museo de Arte de Queretaro Plaza de la Independencia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queretaro

Jalisco is located in central-western Mexico. It is bordered by 7 states. Can you believe that??The largest city in Jalisco is called Guadalajara.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jalisco

Jalisco is famous for: TequilaJalisco is the center of the Mexican tequila industry, and the town of Tequila, Jalisco, which gave its name to the famous liquor, is located there.MariachiMariachis are seen as a symbol of the Mexican Revolution and as Mexican pride. Huichol people Huichol is the people that lives in towns that are difficult to live in and they make beautiful crafts

Hi, friends we are Karina Contreras & Pamela Meza

And we want to introduce you to SOUTHERN MEXICO

The only part of Guerrero where there are no mountains is a narrow strip on the coast with beautiful beaches. Along this coastline are a lot of resorts. Tourism is the biggest part of Guerrero. The 3 major areas of tourism here are known as the Triangulo del Sol, or the triangle of the sun. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guerrero

Eco-tourism in Puebla is a big hit. Come see the Biosphere Reserve in the Tehuacn Valley. This is one of the world's largest biospheres and an area rich in plant resources. Another alternative is the Izta-Popo National Park. There you will find an area of over 25,000 hectares of hillsides and volcanoes, and the Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl mountains. Nearby there are pine and oak forests for hiking, trekking and hiking. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puebla,_Puebla

The state of Hidalgo offers many interesting cites to visit, like its capital city with places such as the Garden of Art, The Alameda, or The Bartolome Medina Park. Outside Pachuca is El Chico National Park that offers a gorgeous forest and outdoor activities and Mineral del Monte features beautiful landscapes and camping possibilities. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hidalgo_State

you can find: jungles, vast green valleys, beautiful beaches of the Gulf, lush vegetation, roaming cattle, sleepy villages,mid-sized cities, and even snow- capped mountains.A traditonal dance of Veracruz is the The Son JarochoHere, in Veracruz

Xalapa is the capital of the state, and it is also the city where we live!! You can see it on the map. There is a lot of culture in Xalapa! It is a fun city and we think that if you can`t come to Mxico without seeing it! It`s nick-name is City of Flowers. It is beautiful!

In Pre-Columbian times Chiapas was the home of the Maya civilization. It is nowhome to the famousZapatistas, a rebel army of indigenous peoples who are fighting against the government to reclaim their rights.

It is also home to Palenque (famous Olmecan ruins) and San Cristobal de las Casas (a beautiful colonial city)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiapas

The ruins of Uxmal are outstanding. Uxmal is pronounced "Oosh-mahl". The name is Pre-Columbian and means "Built Three Times".Tulm and is another highly visited site in this state. Look, and guess why!It is a Mayan ruin site built on the beach. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucatan

http://www.meridayucatanhotels.com/restaurants.html

Ancient cultures!Hi! were Lizbeth and Ceci and we are going to talk to you about the ancient Aztec culture that is so interesting because it is very important in Mexicos history.

The destruction of the 4 suns!

The first sun was called Nahui-Ocelotl, "Jaguar." According to the Aztecs, humankind was first destroyed by jaguars, which they considered to be the nahualli ("animal disguise") of the creator: a God named Tezcatlipoca.At the end of the second sun, Nahui-Ehcatl, "Wind," a magical hurricane transformed all people into monkeys. That disaster was caused by Quetzalcatl (the Feathered Serpent God) in the form of wind.A rain of fire had put an end to the third sun, Nahuiquiahuitl, "Rain." Tlaloc, God of thunder and lightning, ruled that period.The fourth sun, Nahui-Atl, "Water," ended in a gigantic flood that lasted for 52 years. Only one man and one woman survived, sheltered in a huge cypress, but they were changed into dogs by Tezcatlipoca, a God whose orders they had disobeyed.http://www.amherst.k12.wi.us/USERWEBS/faculty/faculty/gorddebr/myths/Vsuns.html

Well, right now, according to the Aztecs, we are living in the period of the fifth sun. We don`t know what will happen next, or how we will transition into the period of the sixth sun, but we think it will be peaceful.

We think that our country is very interesting because there is a lot of history about towns, peolple, customs, traditions. Historically, we consider it one of the most important countries in the world.What we think:

Aztec legend: the earth goddesThe bright and dark aspects of the creator are represented by two gods: Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipocal. The earth herself is the nourisher of life; but she is also the burial ground of the dead.One purpose of this myth is to validate the aztec custom of sacrificing live human hearts.

These two gods brought the earth goddess Tlalteuctli down to earth from the sky. All her body was filled with eyes and mouths biting ferociously, saying to each other we must make the earth, so they changed into two great serpents, one of whom seized the goddess from the right hand down to the left foot, the other from the left hand down to the right foot. They tightened their grip around her and split her in two. Her upper half became the earth, and her lower half went to the sky. The gods in the sky didn`t like her upper half being in the sky, so they took her down to earth.

They changed her hair into treesThey changed her skin into flowers and grassThey changed her eyes into wells and fountainsThey changed her mouth into rivers and cavesThey changed her nose into valleys and mountains

The Aztecs said that at night, this goddess still wails, thirsting for human hearts. For this reason, the Aztecs performed sacrifices they would take human hearts and feed them to her, as to keep her silent and keep her (and in turn the earth) fertile. http://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/Earth_Goddess-Aztec.html

The rag-picker and the priestNear the temple of Huitzilopochtli, an Aztek rag-picker discovered a painted book that told of a magical box hidden inside the ninety-third step of the pyramid.

The rag-picker agreed to split the treasure with the priest of the temple, and counted the stairs of the pyramid until they got to the 93rd one.

There, they found the magical box, hidden away. It was filled with magical items.

The priest said: These are sacred things. You don`t know how to use any of them, so they`re no use to you.

So the priest gave the rag-picker 300 pieces of gold and kept the rest of the treasure for himself. As the priest counted the gold coins, the rag-picker hit him on the back of the head with a magic wand and killed him. He threw the priest`s body into the lake and started to learn how to use the magical artifacts. It was too hard, though. The rag-picker didn`t understand any of it, so he packed the artifacts back into the box, and threw it in the lake.

The endIn this moment, the priest was reborn. He jumped out of the lake and caught the box in his hands. The priest took out the magic wand from the box and killed the rag-picker with it. From then on, the priest carried the sacred items with him always, so nobody else could get hurt.What is the moral of this story? The Aztecs were not greedy people. They believed in sharing, and worked for each other, not against each other. This is a lesson we should all learn http://www.native-languages.org/aztecstory.htm

HelloOur names are Renata & Alejandra, and we are working on this project which consists of knowing the strange bits of our mexican culture, especially in Catemaco, because this place is known as one of 3 cities populated by witches.

We are going to talk about..the location of Catemaco what kind of things the tourists do Cleansings The shamansWhite and black magicAnnual witch gathering

Where is Catemaco?This is the state of Veracruz. Jalapa (Xalapa) is the name of our town, and just to the South is the famous Catemaco.

Catemacothis community has been A power center for supernaturalEvents .the communitys celebratedhigh council consists of a dozen or more reglements to perform acts of black and white magic.The principal comunities of the region include San Andrs Tuxtlas, Santiago Tuxtla, and Catemaco cities of witches The students of elite magic and the dark arts practice their trade openly and proudlyhttp://www.catemaco.info/s/

CleansingsThe main business of Catemaco are cleansings, performed by the wizards & shamans who have set up shops. In this process they free peoples auras of bad vibes and bad fortune and they can also tell the future through the reading of cards. This is the main attraction for tourists.Tourists also like to take boat tours through the surrounding lagoons of Catemaco. Here, the boatman will stop and people can scoop up the nutrient-rich mud and spread it on their bodies to enrich their skin. This mud is said to have healing and rejuvenating effects.http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catemaco

SHAMANSMost shamans are male, and many of the shamans of Catemaco are born into their profession. However, it is not their parents who pass on the gift of sorcery; it is a gift that they are born with, no matter their origins. In fact, in once case, the daughter of a male shaman was born with the gift of magic, and her father tried to prevent her fom following the tradition. Why? Because there are different forms of magic: white and black (good and evil)A typical shaman in Catemacohttp://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catemaco

White vs. Black magicA shaman can practice different forms of magic. Often, if a shaman or witch practices both white and black magic, then he or she will have two huts for the practicing of their trade; one light hut and one dark hut.The dark hut can be full of danger, and the light hut rather peaceful.

White vs. BlackCleansings

Healing rituals

Fortune-telling

Spiritual helpRevenge

Selling of souls

Selfish desires

Sacrificeshttp://mexicolesstraveled.com/catemaco.htm

The Annual Witch GatheringEvery year in Catemaco there is a traditional gathering for witches. It is basically a witch convention.

It lasts the whole month of March, and at this time Catemaco is flooded with people; witches, shamans, sorcerers, tourists, knock-offs, and more.

The practicers of the magical arts (black and white) come from far and wide to share stories, experiences, potions, spells, and much more.

Our names are Daniel and Abril, and our topic is about some curiosities and myths about Mexico and we want to share some of these myths with you.

We were interested in this topic because it is interesting to know about all of the curious culture that is hidden within the nature of our nation.

The sand and the gold(Myth about the Macuitepetl mountain in Xalapa) In the macuiltepetl mountain it is rumoured that in the depth of its trees there is a secret cave that can only be seen once in a year. One day, a long time ago, a very poor woman was walking with her daughter on the mountain and it was the mourning of june 24th. She was very worried because their family didn`t have money to eat so she took a rest down at the foot of a tree and in front of her she saw a cave, full of curiosity. She decided to enter it with her daughter. When they were inside, the woman found a lot of money, so she decided to wait until the night so nobody could steal the money from her. She wanted to take it all but she couldnt because she was with her daughter. She left the daughter in the cave, making sure that nobody would steal the money. But when the woman came back she looked for that cave in all the mountain, she didnt find it.

One year later, during the same day, June 24th, the woman came back to the mountain and she saw again the cave so she entered quickly looking for her daughter, and she was playing inside of it. The mother took her out, but when the little child saw the sun she melted into millions of pieces of sand.http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macuilt%C3%A9pec

The zone of silence It is the name for a dessert patch in northern Mexico. It is located between the states of Durango, Chihuahua and Coahuila.

In the past, the silent zone was submerged under the ocean and that`s why some maritime fossils are present. There is also concentrate meteorite fractions and it is known for being home of rare animal species like the dessert tortoise and the purple cactus.

On July 11th of 1970, a rocket crashed over this zone and it was carrying two samll containers of Cobalt 57, a radioactive element.

The area is called the Silent Zone because radio waves cannot be transmitted due to local magnetic fields. This zone is frequently compared to the Bermuda Triangle, the Egyptian Pyramids and the Sacred Cities of Tibet, because all are located between parallels 26 and 28.

Some people claim that the area attracts meteorites and causes mental problems, also there are some stories after the rocket crash:1.-Inside the zone you cannot hear the conversation of other people2.-It is the location for UFO landings.3.-This was a spot where earth energy was concentrated, and on the other side of the world a place like this existed too.4.-It`s not rare to see light spheres flying over the zone.

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zona_del_Silencio

The Legend of Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl

In Aztec mythology, volcanoes were actually humans who were deeply in love. This Legend is about two lovers, the brave warrior Popocatepetl and the beatiful princess Iztaccihuatl. The father of Iztaccihuatl demanded something from Popocatepetl: to win the princess, he had to first engage in battle against the tribes enemy and return victorious. Treacherously, a rival of Popocatepetl sent a false message back to the ruler that the warrior had been killed. Upon hering the false news, the princess fell ill and succame death from a broken heart. When Popocatepetl returned triunphant he encountered that his beloved was dead

He carried Iztaccihuatls body to the mountains, where Popocatepetl died next to his beloved. The gods turned hte humans in to volcanoes so they could finally be together. On ocasion, Popocatepetl spews ash, reminding those watching that he will never leave the side of his beloved Iztaccihuatl.http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popocat%C3%A9petl

BYE!!BYE!!

*