No Shit Trips

Trips, no traps!

    Category: Nature

    • The old, wise, mighty volcano

      There are a few things we ought to know about the pre-Columbian civilizations of present-day Mexico, in order to truly appreciate our visits to the different archaeological sites and museums dedicated to them. These civilizations, such as the Aztecs, Mayas, and Olmecs sprung in an area that specialists call Mesoamerica or Middle America, although there…

    • Aztecs: Masters of bio-engineering

      Now that we’ve uncovered why the Aztec capital had to be founded in the middle of a lake, why don’t we unveil one of the most stunning secrets in the history of engineering? The structures that guaranteed the empire’s food security: The ancient, yet still-living marvels called Chinampas. Chinampa is the name of the man-made…

    • Why did it have to be on a lake?

      “No matter what we do, Mexico City will founder. It’s a mathematical certainty”. A fair question, frequently asked, is: Why did the Aztecs found their city in the middle of a lake when they could have done so on firm land? It is helpful to understand that the pre-Columbian civilizations of present-day Mexico conceived knowledge…

    • Jacaranda trees blooming on the way

      There is a special, fleeting moment when Mexico City goes from green to violet. It happens between February and April, when Jacaranda trees bloom. We call it a little moment, because most of the locals wish these poetic violet flowers would last much longer—decorating the streets like Christmas lights in December, and creating nature-knitted carpets…

    • Thor, the Mighty God of Thunder?

      Did you think that Thor was the mighty god of thunder? Well, you might wanna think again! The Aztecs and the most iconic civilization before them dedicated temples to him. He was served by his own assistant deities, known as the Tlaloques. Their sacred duty was to smash clay vessels filled with water, thus releasing…

    • A living rock

      Two hours away from Mexico City lies a mountain pass known as Paso de Cortés. Legend has it that this is where conquistador Hernán Cortés first beheld the magnificence of Mexico-Tenochtitlan, the Aztec Empire’s capital, rising so majestically upon the surface of Lake Texcoco. Paso de Cortés sits directly between two volcanoes, whose names come…