December Continued-El Tajin

Our 2nd Visit to El Tajin
Located in the Papanteca Mountain Range
December 27, 2010

The Veracruz Temple Presidency
Presidente & Hermana Hilton
Presidente & Hermana Yañez
Presidente & Hermana Bickmore
The Pyramid of the Niches
This building has 365 niches,
 which coincide with the number
of years in the solar year.

One of the 17 ball courts
Evidence that ball games were an important part
of everyday life as well as ritual practices.



The Tajin belongs to the Totonaca culture.  It reached
its peak development between 800 and 1150 A.D.

The nucleus of the city is divided into
five sections

Let's venture into another section
"La Xicalcoliuhqui"
Try pronouncing that one!

The city was populated by the elite-
rulers/leaders, politicians and religious figures

Archaeologists believe El Tajin became a regional  power
about 100 A.D.

Some buildings were dedicated
as Temples



Tajin means "The Sacred City of the Dead and
Thunder In the Storm"

It covers about 1,250 acres and was believed
to have had a population of 30,000



Some of the Stone Carvings look just like.......



they could come to life.........



This paint job has lasted for 1,500 years +

There is always a need for some reconstruction



Rob found the bathroom

The men enjoying the day



and the women, too.....

December-Our First Year Coming to an End

                   Missing Important Events is a Sacrifice
                           offered while serving a Mission

Zaylie's Blessing Day

Roz and Andrew's Baptism Day
November 6th, 2010

Christmas Without Family and Snow

But with our Veracruz Family
 we were able to make the Holidays
A Fun Time for All

Before the Tejada's left the mission to return to Arizona
and after the Cook's had arrived to take their place
We took a city tour of Veracruz  atop this bus.



It was fun cruising around the heart of the city

We spotted a Burger King

We saw some wonderful Christmas Decorations
This tree was solid poinsettias

Nativity Scenes IN PUBLIC PLACES
are everywhere. This one in front of the
World Trade Center

Nativities are displayed in almost every store and business

Some of the Obreros got together for a farewell
breakfast for the Tejada's at this hotel
located near the temple

The Tejada's will certainly be missed

The hotel had a lovely pool overlooking the Gulf

We had seen this walkway across the highway many times,
but this was our first walk over it.   It is called the
"La Puente de Amor"

The Bridge of Love. 

We had 164 in attendance at our Obreros
Christmas Party.  We started by taking group
pictures at 3:30, a temple session at 4:00,
dinner at 7:00 and program at 8:30. 

Presidente Bickmore's 67th Birthday.  He loves
Peanut Butter, so I made him this peanut butter cookie



Every inch of the temple grounds were decorated. 
The Garden outside our front door was accended
with pink, white and red poinsettias

The Temple's Nativity is very detailed and elegant

It made the decorations on a house near the temple
look pretty humble

We were invited to three families homes for Christmas Eve,
we made it to two of them.  A lovely dinner at 3:00 at
Monica's and 7:30 at my best (Mexican) friends casa.
Janet (in red), her sister Susie and their
mother and father.

The Yanez's had never been to El Tajin and had a great desire to see the ruins, so as a Christmas present to them, we left after Sacrament Meeting on Sunday the 26 and traveled north.  Stayed in a nice Hotel and spent all day Monday at the ruins,(See: December Continued-El Tajin).  Returned home Tuesday just in time for the afternoon temple sessions.  The temple was open three days, then closed Fri., Dec. 31st until Jan. 18th for its semi-annual cleaning.
We (Hilton's and Bickmores) re-packed our bags and left early Friday morning for the road trip of a life time, thru' the Mountains and into the Jungle of southern Mexico to visit sites inhabited in ancient times by the Jaredites, Nephites and Lamanites. (See: Jan. 2011 Blog)


This past year in the Temple
has made us feel closer to Heaven
(Robert took this picture from the front door of our casa)