the flowers, the incense. it was a very respectful affair. people were perfectly dressed for the moment. the individuals were taken to the top of the pyramid. when they actually came to the sacrificial platform, the victim was placed on this stone, and it was held by 4 priests, one for each limb. the fifth priest was holding the knife, the obsidian knife, and with this particular knife, he cut the chest open, extracted the heart out, and placed it in the vessel called the eagle vessel. then a further process took place. the skull was cut and placed in the skull rack. so...and of course, the victim was then thrown down the steps, and then it was picked up

from there and given to the captor. so the captive, in a way, was the product of the person who successfully had captured him in the battlefield. >> it wasn't just adults or prisoners of war that were sacrificed. children were also groomed as offerings to the gods. >> the child was placed here. he would have cried, and in turn, those tears were good omens of rain. >> really? >> the more the child cried, the better. >> when the spanish priests saw these sacrifices, they thought that the aztecs were barbarians and began making some radical changes. when the spanish came, they forced everyone to worship their own god. to make this happen, they set about destroying the aztecs' cities and temples, and then they built their own imposing cathedrals on site to get the message home.

after the aztec king montezuma was killed, cortes drained the lake to build new palaces and churches, but over the centuries, the weight of the new religion has taken its toll. if you look over there, you can see that the building is curving, and that's because the city is sinking. for the last hundred years, parts of the city have sunk over 9 meters. it seems montezuma is finally getting his revenge. although mexico's population is 90% catholic, it's often fused with the old indigenous religious beliefs and superstitions, and the sonora, or witches market, is where you can come to find potions and spells for anything. if mexicans fall ill, many will come here first before going to the traditional doctor. i'm on the hunt for a love potion. i think this is the place i'm gonna find it. do you have something for love?

any potions? any, uh...any good-luck charms? >> [speaking spanish] >> what is this? >> [speaking spanish] >> it's a hummingbird. it's a real hummingbird, and they put on a little string, and it's supposed to bring you luck and love. that's exactly what i want. >> hummingbirds are a symbol of love, devotion, and honesty, and people have been keeping them in their homes since before the aztecs. i'm gonna take one. so it's 30 pesos, about $3.00. i think it's worth it. all right. on with the next quest. what are these for? [speaking spanish] >> [speaking spanish] >> this is to attract someone in your life that doesn't want you. it's to get them to want you. and she also sells dolls, too, to get rid of people that you don't want in your life. that's good. so you have to put a photograph of the person that you want or don't want there, you have to write their full name, and then you have to do this oracion, this kind of

prayer-like thing that's written in there and say it, and then that should bring you or get rid of the person that you don't want in your life. very good. if you want to see mexico's history all in one place, you've got to come here to the palacio nationale. this is where mexican painter diego rivera made several murals depicting the history of mexico, from its birthplace to the 20th century. after the mexican revolution of 1920, most of the population was literate, and the new government needed something to promote the ideals of the revolution. so they commissioned large-scale murals around the country to help tell mexico's story to the people. diego rivera spent 10 years painting 3 giant murals here, and the main one is by the staircase and depicts everything from the aztecs to the conquistadors,

mexican independence to the revolution. but what was important to diego was to celebrate pre-hispanic history, as for centuries, the idea of a culture before spain was erased from the mexican subconscious. in 1950, he was commissioned on a project right here in chapultepec park. this giant mosaic stone fountain is dedicated to the aztec god tlaloc, god of rain and fertility. it used to be the ceremonial entrance of the lerma river, which supplied the city's water. he designed it to be seen from above, possibly as his own offering to tlaloc himself. the murals depict the importance of water as a life-giving source to the mexican people. they were restored at a cost of 20 million pesos in 2010 and are regarded as one of rivera's most important works.

diego rivera isn't the only mexican looking to the country's past to find a sense of national identity. i've come to meet a man about a dog. the dogs in question are an important connection between modern and ancient mexico. and gabriel here is going to fill me in. so, what kind of dogs are they? >> they are xoloitzcuintlis. >> charlied squindlies? >> xoloitzcuintlis. >> xoloitzcuintlis. it's a hard name. >> i know. >> and they've been around for how long? >> since aztec times and 200... 2500 years before. >> apart from great companion dogs and hunters, the almost hairless xolos were considered sacred by the toltecs, mayans, and aztecs because they believed that they guarded their masters' souls on their journey throughout the underworld. many human remains have been found with ceramic xolos, which are thought to have

accompanied people who didn't have or couldn't afford to be buried with their real dog. but it demonstrates the importance of xolos in aztec society. and why do you yourself breed these animals? >> well, um...i like the... the symbol that they represent these days within the... the mexican culture, especially the arts, because they used to be the kind of the dogs that belongs to... to frida kahlo and diego rivera, that are really big, um... well known... mexican artists, you know. many mexicans that are really into the old traditions likes to have one of them, because they feel like... like they are close... close of the... >> closer to their culture and to...yeah. >> and some cultures. >> well, it was great to meet you, gabriel. thank you.

and it was great to meet your lovely, unique dogs. >> great to meet you, too. >> mexican cuisine also owes a lot to its pre-hispanic period as you can see wandering around mexico city's food markets. the spanish found many foods here, among them chiles, tomatoes, and pineapples. they sell lots of different types of xx here, which are quite special because they're made from spices and chocolate. now, chocolate is very special to mexico because the cocoa beans originated from here. now, the ancient aztecs actually used to use cocoa beans as currency. and what they would do, they would open the cocoa beans, take the cocoa out, and fill it with mud and pretend it was money. [men singing in spanish] these guys aren't having a shouting competition. yes, it's the mariachis again,

and this is mariachi square, where for just a few pesos, couples can come and be serenaded. it can get quite competitive, though, with mariachis vying with each other for your attention. the beautiful thing about mexico is that it encapsulates the romance with the mariachi bands. [mariachi band playing loudly] it's so fantastic.

that's true. how did he know that? si, si! ha ha. how can he know that about me? mariachis came to national prominence in the capital in the 20th century, when displaced rural workers with musical talent moved here. they added more instruments and other musical influences,

like the polka and waltzes to their performances. mariachi bands are now an integral part of mexican culture. i'm getting the bus from mexico city to tepotzlan, where the descendants of the aztecs still speak the native language. now, it takes about an hour to get there, and it's about 108 pesos, which is about $8.00. good bargain. before i hit tepotzlan, i'm stopping at cuernavaca, known as the city of eternal spring for its lush and mild climate. this region has been a favorite summer escape for mexicans for over 2,000 years.

even the aztec emperors built palace retreats here, and so did a notorious conquistador. in 1529, hernan cortes finally received his reward for conquering the aztecs. this is where cortes built his family home after being given a vast amount of land from the spanish crown. now, the aztecs built temples all around here, and cortes destroyed the pyramid that once stood here and used the stone to build his home. [singing in spanish] it remained part of cortes' family for 200 years and then became a barracks and a jail during the mexican war of independence. now it's a museum. i'm now heading to the final destination on my journey. i'm in the town of tepotzlan. over 1,200 years ago, this was the birthplace of quetzalcoatl, the peaceful god of the aztecs. [mariachi band playing] i have a feeling i'm being followed.

musicians again. musicians follow me wherever i go. what's the deal with that? it's so beautiful, though. another song about me. hey! gracias! what a serenade. i've been invited by some locals to try the traditional mexican food and to meet the local character, alberto. oh, alberto. como estas? [speaking spanish]

we're going to eat and drink food that hasn't changed for over a thousand years and is served with almost every meal, day or night. so, this is catalina, and she's making tortillas, which is a staple in the mexican diet, the most famous food that they have here. it's only corn flour and water, and that's it. very easy. can i do one? >> si. >> ok. what... so just grab one? >> si. >> massage it first. ok. i don't think i did very well. look at this. it stuck to my hand. that's my tortilla. all right. next time. ah, so there's a wood-fired oven here. and she's just putting them on the top, and catalina, how long do they take to make? >> [speaking spanish] >> two minutes? that's it? two minutes each side? ah. two minutes each side. very quick to do the tortillas. they only need corn flour and water, a bit of heat, two minutes, you're done. nice. beautiful. a comer. to eat.

alberto, i made tortillas. you should be proud of me. taste the tortillas. ok. and what are we drinking? what are we drinking tonight? >> pulque. >> pulque? what is pulque? >> this is the drink that the aztecs, the mayans, all our ancestors had. grow it all over the mountains, and it's very medicinal. it's up-to-date. it's very, very healthy. >> and what is it made from? >> it's cactus. it's pure cactus. it's in the family of the tequila, the mescal. it's about the same thing. >> so it's an ancient drink? a drink of the gods? >> traditional mexican. salud. >> salud. >> salud. let me see. it smells good. it smells like tequila. >> salud. >> oh, that's good. it's almost like... it's almost like a cider, like a sweet cider. cheers and bottoms up. at the top of this mountain

is a pyramid built in the 15th century, and alberto is taking me to visit it. it's about a two-hour hike, and alberto has been doing it all his life, and i think it might be the secret to his eternal youth and vigor. there's a dangerous snake over there. ah! oh, my god. it's a rattlesnake. >> [speaking spanish] >> he says if the snake comes to us, he's gonna get it with the stick. but it's a poisonous one. [speaking spanish] >> [speaking spanish] >> that one, yes. that one is dangerous. >> [speaking spanish] >> it lasts 10 minutes. >> adios. >> the effect lasts 10 minutes. >> adios. >> oh, and then you die. i have an 80-year-old campesino, country man defending me from a highly poisonous snake. >> aqui. >> [shouts indistinctly] he's like, "don't be scared. i'll look after you." ah!

i think i might need something to protect me from him. vamos? >> si. >> ok. let's go. [speaking spanish] whew! well, finally we've arrived to the top of the mountain. [speaking spanish] and it's a beautiful pyramid up here and a spectacular view. [speaking spanish] >> [speaking spanish] >> it was worth the hike. ha ha ha. tepotzlan was believed to be the birthplace of quetzalcoatl, the ominent and peaceful god of the aztecs. tepotzlan is known to be a place of magic and healing,

and looking at these views, it's easy to see why. in my travels through mexico, i've discovered a country steeped in violence and struggle, from the ancient rituals of human sacrifice and the empire-building spanish conquistadors to independence and revolution. but meeting the people now, hearing the music, seeing the traditions, it seems that this blending of cultures has produced a people truly unique and proud to be mexican. across mexico and stretching into central america, the ruins of the once-powerful pre-hispanic civilizations remain, not just aztec or toltec, but of the mayans, too, at chichen itza, tical in guatemala, and copan in honduras. and as the conquering conquistadors moved south, we see the ruins of their mighty fortresses, used to protect the gold and silver taken from these lands, at puerto bello in panama, in cartagena in columbia. in the next episode of "globe trekker

around the world," brianna barnes follows the route of the conquistadors south from the land of the aztecs to peru, home of the incas. >> stay tuned for a special "globe trekker" extra. >> funding for this program is provided by subaru. >> at subaru, we build vehicles like the rugged outback, with symmetrical all-wheel drive standard and plenty of cargo space, for those who pack even more adventure into life. subaru, a proud sponsor of "globe trekker."

>> you can find more about the series on our websites. programs from the "globe trekker" series are available on dvd, or visit globetrekkerchannel.tv to find out where you can watch us online. music from the series is available on cd. you can also order "globe trekker" books featuring information on festivals, events, and outdoor activities. to order "globe trekker" products, call 888-565-0361 or visit globetrekkertv.com. >> the many churches dotted around the country are a reminder that the spanish colonizers brought their catholic faith and customs with them to mexico. one of these customs was cartoneria, or papier mache, which was used to create figures for church services and processions, and it's still

deeply embedded in mexican culture today. the linares family have been masters of the craft since the 1940's, when pedro linares shot to fame by taking cartoneria out of the churches and transforming it into a whole new art form that he called alebrijes. today his grandchildren continue the family tradition, and granddaughter elsa tells me how it all began. >> in 1936, he got very sick with, um...a gastric ulcer, high fever, and he hallucinate about the forest, and when he was walking in that forest, he was listening-- "alebrijes. alebrijes." and then "alebrijes! alebrijes! alebrijes!" louder and louder. "alebrijes!" and in this very moment, these trees and rocks took these forms like animals

but not exactly animals, different animals, strange animals. a donkey with wings was in front of the others. this animal told my grandfather to follow him. he saw a round window, and he thought that was the exit of that place. he woke up in the middle of a crowd of people, family and friends, crying, thinking he was dead. and after that, he started to work again in cartoneria technique, and he started to make the figures, the animals he saw in the dream. and suddenly people was asking for an alebrije. and that's the way the tradition of making alebrijes started. >> my first "globe trekker" show was in argentina.

i went to buenos aires, fantastic. the most memorable thing was going to a milonga, which was this big dance hall where everyone danced tango, and i was taken by this suave latin guy, taken to dance tango, and... [music playing] it was just... it was quite a magical night, i have to say. thank you. gracias. gracias. thank you. the most amazing experience? um...i have to say, i think it was in mexico when i had to do some cattle herding, or "cattle hurdling" as director peter boyd likes to say. i'm gonna try my hand at a little bit of cattle hurdling today. did you put the "hurdling" in? i mean, i like being on horses, but i really wasn't expecting this. we had to basically get about two dozen cattle from one big field

into a very small area of the countryside on horse, and that was pretty hard for me to do. >> what are we supposed to do? how do we get the cows in? what do we do? oh, oh, oh, oh. ok, ok, ok. it's got... they've all got in! i don't need to do anything. well, that was easy. 5-year-old boys without wearing any shoes could do it easier than i could. that was...that was hard, yeah. surprising. you know what the most surprising thing is? is that every show i've done, my suitcase has got lost. who has cursed judith with the curse of the lost suitcase? i don't know. i don't understand. every single one, it's either come in late, or i haven't got it on the other end, and it's taken, like, 2 or 3 days before i actually get it. stop it. stop it, god. the most interesting custom. uh, well, i think learning about... yeah, your camera is everywhere.

i think learning about the, um...aztec human sacrifice was very, very interesting for me. obviously, i didn't see it done, but we got the visual, we got the experience of it while we traveled around mexico. so that was very interesting for me. what do i enjoy most? gosh. where do i start? um...plenty of things. obviously, my passion for traveling, "globe trekker" fulfills all of those dreams and passions that i've had since i was a very, very young girl. um, but everything really, from, you know, landing in a new country, meeting new people, tasting new food, seeing the culture, and of course, working with the crew. there's a camaraderie that we get after you're with a crew for about 10 days, and it's just really nice. i think more than anything, though, when you're in a new country, it's really about the people and that feeling that you get and the energy that they give you, and that's the best thing about seeing a new country and a new culture. honestly, "globe trekker"

has the best group of crew members that i've ever worked with. really, everyone is so nice. they're up for a laugh, good energy, and even when we've slept, like, 5 hours, and we need to do 5:00 in the morning... you know, early mornings, it's ok. we're all there. we're all in it together, and we do it for the love of travel. so there you go. love the crews. i feel very, very blessed and grateful to be doing a show like this. and when i do tell people i do shows like this, they tell me i have the best job in the world, and i truly, truly do. i love doing "globe trekker." i love doing travel shows. and it really has become a very strong and great part of my life. so hopefully, more to come. [captioning made possible by friends of nci]

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. >>♪music. >>mankind has a way of always stepping in at the last possible moment, to make a change, to save a species. sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. join me on today's expedition as we explore stories of hope, survival and resilience here in california. >>♪music.