Snow in Puebla

Sunday, Jan. 5, 2014--Xalapa to Puebla

We didn't have to rush this morning.  Our bus departure wasn't until 11:00, and the hotel had a free breakfast--thick yogurt with fresh fruit, granola, fresh-squeezed orange juice, and coffee.  We did have to contend with the cold room.  It's amazing how cold the room always felt even though the air temperature got quite warm in the afternoon.

We climbed as we headed toward Puebla which is further up in the mountains and surrounded by volcanoes.  We went through farmland, desert, a mixture of pine trees and desert, etc., during the 2 1/2-hour trip.  It was strange.  Rather than a gradual change in ecology, you could see the line forming the edge of the desert and the beginning of the farmland.

The bus station in Puebla is HUGE compared to where we have been.  We managed to find the ticket counters and buy our outgoing tickets for Thursday.  Then we left the terminal to walk to the center of town.  It's a rather simple route, so we decided last night we might as well walk.  At first, however, we headed the wrong direction.  Fortunately, I realized it within 3-4 blocks and we turned around.  Most of the trip was through business and warehouse areas that were closed because of the holiday.  Many people were along the route, however, waiting for buses or out walking.  We checked 2-3 times to confirm that we were going the right way.  Finally, after an hour, we entered the historical (colonial) part of the city and easily found our hotel.

We are staying at El Hotelito which is in a historical building.  The ceiling in our room is probably 20 ft (about 6 m) high and consists of very large, old cross beams topped by wooden planks.  About 12 feet up, the wall has a painted frieze in a native-looking pattern.  We have a balcony with two doors that open to it.  We also have a kitchenette with a sink, cabinets, refrigerator and microwave oven. It's old, but clean.  Both the beds feel good.

Since it was 15:30, we hadn't eaten since breakfast, and we weren't sure of what would be open tonight, we asked the hotel manager for directions to some restaurants.  We found a very nice place just a block away which was almost full.  They had a set menu.  We had a bowl of cream of squash soup, a plate of rice cooked in chicken broth and mixed with vegetables.  We had a bowl that held a chicken leg and lots of dark poblano mole sauce.  (The mole was super rich and flavorful.)  For dessert, they served us rice pudding.  And for drinking, it included a pitcher of lemonade.  It was incredibly cheap at $3.07 per person.

From the restaurant, we walked to the main square to see what was happening.  Boy, were things happening there and on the nearby shopping streets!  Tonight is the night that children get their Christmas gifts.  The shopping streets were filled with crowds.  People coming out of stores were carrying multiple bags filled with boxes holding toys, electronics, etc.  On the zocalo, there were lots of activities.  In one area, couples were dancing to the traditional music of Danzon.  In another area, clowns were performing.  Around the square there were people holding unbelievably huge bundles of balloons for sale.  People were sitting at cafes having cakes and coffee.  Others were buying ice cream cones.  It was very festive.  It reminded me of what Christmas Eve used to be like at home before stores started closing early.

We returned to the hotel to rest and get our pullovers.  It was obvious that things would remain festive through the evening.  Wes wanted to buy a cola, so we walked to a supermarket 7 blocks away.  As we returned, people were arriving in cars and parking in the area around our hotel to head downtown (7 blocks away) for the events.

Around 19:45, we returned to downtown.  The crowds were still out.  Those who had been shopping and had big bags of purchases were coming toward us as they left the area for their cars and homes.  The zocalo, however, was full of people there for the entertainment.  And the streets and buildings in the area were alight with decorations--more than I have seen anywhere else in years.  It was so beautiful and helped make it exciting to be there.

On a stage built around the fountain in the center of the square, there were acts performing.  When we arrived a group of human-sized puppets were performing a skit.  Included were the 3 kings, the devil, Father Christmas, a donkey, a goat, and other animals.  Following that, an acrobatic group from Magic City performed tricks such as cheerleaders do today.  Then came a group of clowns from Magic City who did different acts.  The crowd grew and grew during all of this and moved closer and closer together.  I had a tall man holding a child in his arms in front of me that made it hard to see, so I squeezed into a small space to his right to be able to enjoy the show.  Finally, dignitaries, including the young mayor who seemed very professional, were presented.  They thanked everyone and then led the crowd in a countdown to the big event.  Snow blowing machines had been placed all around the plaza and started shutting out flakes of foam.  The crowd was mesmerized.  "Snow" accumulated on heads, clothing, lampposts, etc.  Then all the entertainers marched in a parade around the square to end the evening.

We were so lucky to be here today.  I had no idea that Puebla had such extravagant decorations and celebrations for Christmas.  It was so much more exciting than the quiet evening we have at home, and it kept the children's minds occupied so that they weren't anxiously asking how long it would be before the 3 Kings deliver their presents.