Sunday, Jan. 18, 2015--Cuernavaca to San Antonio
It was a long day of travelling, but all went well. We walked to Costco to have brunch before taking the bus from the station half a block from there. The bus took about 1 1/2 hours to reach the airport in Mexico City.
The Mexico City airport is greatly improved over the last time I was there--maybe 8-9 years ago. It is cleaner, nicer, and the rather undesirable neighborhood (which always had warnings about being cautious) is separated more from the terminal than it used to be. It was a bit frustrating finding out where to check in, though. Each airline has TWO check-in points--one for domestic flights and one for international flights. The directions to the latter were not easy to follow because they are in a new end of the terminal and require going up one level. Anyway, we found the right place and got checked in with plenty of time before our flight.
The Interjet flight was almost full. Most passengers are native-Spanish speakers. There was only a handful of us Gringos on board. Service is better than most U.S. flights. They gave us a choice of types of packages of chips and they served complimentary drinks, including alcohol. The flight took only about 1 hr. 45 minutes.
Immigration and customs in San Antonio is so much easier than in large hub airports. It took only about 15 minutes for us to get our luggage and get out. Of course, it helped that we got our luggage earlier than most other passengers and that we were in the line for citizens/residents rather than the line for visitors. I was surprised to see remodelling of the immigration/customs area is already completed since an announcement just 2-3 weeks ago was worded to indicate it would be done this spring. The expansion included an expansion of the underground hallway to make more of the gates (previously only 4 of them) available to accept international flights. The number of immigration agents and the space for lining up can now more easily handle situations when more than one flight has arrived at the same time. Unfortunately, they did not expand the luggage belts--they are still flat against the wall rather than snaking out from it to give room for more fliers to stand near the belt while waiting for their luggage. And as far as I know, they still require connecting passengers to take their luggage upstairs to be re-checked rather than using the side belt to send them from the immigration exit outside to be put on the next plane.
Spending Update: The trip was a rather inexpensive one. We spent a total of $1205.36 over a period of 16 days for an average per person of only $37.67.
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Exploring Cuernavaca Further
Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015--Cuernavaca
We had breakfast today at a more touristy place than where we would normally go. I recognized it from the guidebook, so we went in. If we had gone half a block further, we could have had the same breakfast for 60% of the price. Anyway, Las Iguanas Green's is unique. It is painted in bright colors and has handwritten notes on the walls left by customers. We each had chiliquiles verdes with chicken. It was tasty with a rich cream and cheeze on top.
We toured the three major tourist sites downtown after that. First came the Botanical Gardens. They are the grounds of an old mansion, and the plants were not as impressive as ones we have seen in private gardens around town. But they also had two art exhibits that were interesting. One was photographs of Cuernavaca over the years by Dutch photographer Bob Schalkwijk. The other was paintings from throughout the life of Mexican artist Angel Zarraga.
From there, we crossed the street to visit the Cathedral. It is really different from any of the major churches we have seen on this trip. It is an old building (from the early 1500s) and has some original paintings on the interior stucco. At the same time, it has a very modern alter. We were fortunate to be there while a choir was rehearsing for a wedding which was to begin within a few minutes.
After that, we walked to the Cortes Palace. It was the biggest disappointment of the day. First, it is a reconstruction of what they think it was like. Only the foundations remained along with a few drawings of parts of the exterior of the palace to guide the reconstruction. Second, nothing inside has to do with Cortes. It is like a small city history museum with a hodgepodge of exhibits. The best part was a series of murals by Diego Rivera showing the history of Mexico from the time of the arrival of the Spanish. They were on the outer walls of an upstairs patio.
We wanted to try to see some of the modern parts of the city, so we followed a plan to get to the nicer areas. It was interesting in that it seemed more like we were in California out there than in Mexico. The houses were nice, the office buildings were very modern. The plants were very colorful. And the businesses included Gold's Gym, Chili's, Subway, Krispy Kreme, etc.
We ate a final torta--pulled pork in a nice sauce.--for dinner. Then we wandered back to the hotel for the night after watching some native dancers in costume on the zocolo. Tomorrow is a travel day to get home.
We had breakfast today at a more touristy place than where we would normally go. I recognized it from the guidebook, so we went in. If we had gone half a block further, we could have had the same breakfast for 60% of the price. Anyway, Las Iguanas Green's is unique. It is painted in bright colors and has handwritten notes on the walls left by customers. We each had chiliquiles verdes with chicken. It was tasty with a rich cream and cheeze on top.
We toured the three major tourist sites downtown after that. First came the Botanical Gardens. They are the grounds of an old mansion, and the plants were not as impressive as ones we have seen in private gardens around town. But they also had two art exhibits that were interesting. One was photographs of Cuernavaca over the years by Dutch photographer Bob Schalkwijk. The other was paintings from throughout the life of Mexican artist Angel Zarraga.
From there, we crossed the street to visit the Cathedral. It is really different from any of the major churches we have seen on this trip. It is an old building (from the early 1500s) and has some original paintings on the interior stucco. At the same time, it has a very modern alter. We were fortunate to be there while a choir was rehearsing for a wedding which was to begin within a few minutes.
After that, we walked to the Cortes Palace. It was the biggest disappointment of the day. First, it is a reconstruction of what they think it was like. Only the foundations remained along with a few drawings of parts of the exterior of the palace to guide the reconstruction. Second, nothing inside has to do with Cortes. It is like a small city history museum with a hodgepodge of exhibits. The best part was a series of murals by Diego Rivera showing the history of Mexico from the time of the arrival of the Spanish. They were on the outer walls of an upstairs patio.
We wanted to try to see some of the modern parts of the city, so we followed a plan to get to the nicer areas. It was interesting in that it seemed more like we were in California out there than in Mexico. The houses were nice, the office buildings were very modern. The plants were very colorful. And the businesses included Gold's Gym, Chili's, Subway, Krispy Kreme, etc.
We ate a final torta--pulled pork in a nice sauce.--for dinner. Then we wandered back to the hotel for the night after watching some native dancers in costume on the zocolo. Tomorrow is a travel day to get home.
Last Stop
Friday, Jan. 16,
2015—Taxco to Cuernavaca
The hotel had a
small continental breakfast this morning (served only on Fridays,
Saturdays, and Sundays). We had apple juice, cereal, a toasted
waffle with jam and butter, and Mexican sweet bread. Then it was
time to head to the bus station. Our bus for Cuernavaca was
scheduled to leave at 10:10. The best part of that was that we were
leaving the noise and difficulty of getting around Taxco behind us.
Our hotel is the
Bajo el Volcan in Cuernavaca. It has a pool and lots of tropical
plants. Our room has a patio with a table and chairs overlooking the
pool. After checking in, we headed off to take care of the necessary
chore of buying our bus tickets to get to the airport on Sunday. We
walked to the Pullman Terminal, the bus company that sells tickets
for a bus that goes directly the the airport to get them.
Just half a block
north of the bus station was a Costco, so we headed there afterward
so I could buy some tequila to bring home. While there, we tested
the samples and then ate a late lunch.
Cuernavaca is not
what I expected. I thought it would be a beautiful and wealthy city. Maybe
wealthy people live here in beautiful homes outside the center of
town, but downtown is not attractive at all. Any colonial buildings
that still exist have not been maintained except for a few important
ones such as the Palace of Cortez and the Cathedral. Facing the
zocolo are some very ugly, cheaply-built buildings that look to be
from the 1950s. The best aspect of the city is the beauty of the
plants. It is a tropical garden.
We went to the
zocolo in the evening. Unfortunately, it is filled with many stalls
and seems more like a market than a plaza. (Note: The photos at the link do not show the stalls nor the ugly buildings, because no one would ever want to take a photo of them.) However, we went for one
particular event. On Friday evenings (and Tuesday and Sunday
evenings) they have danzon on the square—the dance from the
Veracruz area that we enjoyed seeing last year. The dancers were not
dressed as elegantly as the ones in Vercruz, and the music was
recorded rather than having a live band. However, some of the
dancers were great, especially a young couple who had more elegance
and more precision than the others. The music for danzon is really
nice—pretty, as well as catchy. I don't know how it has migrated
this far from the Gulf Coast, but I wish it would spread even
further. Here is another video of danzon in Cuernavaca but not at the zocolo.
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Taxco: Beautiful, But Difficult for Visitors
Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015--Taxco
Built centuries ago high in the mountains, Taxco is beautiful, but being a visitor here is frustrating. The streets are narrow without sidewalks and are mostly 2-way without being wide enough in many areas for vehicles to be able to pass. The streets twist and wind up and down the hills. There are limited routes to get from one part of town to another, so there tends to be vehicle after vehicle on each street. Pedestrians have to walk to the side and sometimes to even step up into doorways for a vehicle to pass. Vehicles often have to back up to a wider area for an oncoming vehicle to be able to get through. Besides the difficulty getting around by walking, the noise of the vehicles is a constant problem in the city. There seems to be no way of solving the problem, since the city is big enough that there are no open areas for trying to re-route traffic while getting it everywhere it needs to be. Taxis as are Volkswagon Beetles, so that helps a bit in letting the flow to work better, but there are also too many taxis as evidenced by many of those flowing in the traffic being empty and moving in anticipation of maybe picking up a fare.
We had breakfast in the local market, a surprisingly large facility that cascades down the mountainside with many levels between two main roadways. It's a maze, and it took us some time to find our way back out to the level where we needed to be.
Today, we climbed and climbed and climbed. The inclines can be very steep, so it is very tiring. We had hoped to make it to the top of one of the mountains that has a Christ statue, but it was impossible to know the route. We finally came to a high dead end where vehicles could not continue. But there were multiple stair step pathways continuing, and we had no way to know which to take. We gave up and returned to town.
We spent part of the afternoon at the Zocolo watching people, especially students in their uniforms who were passing through at the end of the school day. We each got another cup of mamay-flavored ice cream while there. We left about the time the children who sell items started showing up. They are a real menace. Not only will they not leave when you tell them you are not interested, but they will tag along with you talking and further pestering you by tapping your arm if you leave them.
The city is full of silver shops, but we haven't visited any. Mines still operate here, and artisans have been making and selling silver jewelry, plates, and other items for centuries. Another difficulty for tourists relates to these shops. Almost every one has someone outside the door as a hawker trying to encourage tourists to come inside the shop.
After resting a while in the room, we went back out to explore local eating places along the highway through town. We found several places, but we decided on a small three-table restaurant in the garage of a family home. The man and the woman living there were operating it. They had a spit of meat cooking over a flame. We ordered gringas, because I have never had them and they are always recommended in the guidebook. It consists of two flour tortillas which are toasted as cheese melts between the two of them. Then they peal the tortillas apart and slice meat off the pit to form a layer inside with the cheese. They slice the gringa into 4 quarters and serve it with salsas. They were good, but it wasn't enough for a meal, so we each got 2 tacos al carbon to go finish off the meal. There were 3 salsas, but one, a creamy green one, was the best. Ummmm!
Built centuries ago high in the mountains, Taxco is beautiful, but being a visitor here is frustrating. The streets are narrow without sidewalks and are mostly 2-way without being wide enough in many areas for vehicles to be able to pass. The streets twist and wind up and down the hills. There are limited routes to get from one part of town to another, so there tends to be vehicle after vehicle on each street. Pedestrians have to walk to the side and sometimes to even step up into doorways for a vehicle to pass. Vehicles often have to back up to a wider area for an oncoming vehicle to be able to get through. Besides the difficulty getting around by walking, the noise of the vehicles is a constant problem in the city. There seems to be no way of solving the problem, since the city is big enough that there are no open areas for trying to re-route traffic while getting it everywhere it needs to be. Taxis as are Volkswagon Beetles, so that helps a bit in letting the flow to work better, but there are also too many taxis as evidenced by many of those flowing in the traffic being empty and moving in anticipation of maybe picking up a fare.
We had breakfast in the local market, a surprisingly large facility that cascades down the mountainside with many levels between two main roadways. It's a maze, and it took us some time to find our way back out to the level where we needed to be.
Today, we climbed and climbed and climbed. The inclines can be very steep, so it is very tiring. We had hoped to make it to the top of one of the mountains that has a Christ statue, but it was impossible to know the route. We finally came to a high dead end where vehicles could not continue. But there were multiple stair step pathways continuing, and we had no way to know which to take. We gave up and returned to town.
We spent part of the afternoon at the Zocolo watching people, especially students in their uniforms who were passing through at the end of the school day. We each got another cup of mamay-flavored ice cream while there. We left about the time the children who sell items started showing up. They are a real menace. Not only will they not leave when you tell them you are not interested, but they will tag along with you talking and further pestering you by tapping your arm if you leave them.
The city is full of silver shops, but we haven't visited any. Mines still operate here, and artisans have been making and selling silver jewelry, plates, and other items for centuries. Another difficulty for tourists relates to these shops. Almost every one has someone outside the door as a hawker trying to encourage tourists to come inside the shop.
After resting a while in the room, we went back out to explore local eating places along the highway through town. We found several places, but we decided on a small three-table restaurant in the garage of a family home. The man and the woman living there were operating it. They had a spit of meat cooking over a flame. We ordered gringas, because I have never had them and they are always recommended in the guidebook. It consists of two flour tortillas which are toasted as cheese melts between the two of them. Then they peal the tortillas apart and slice meat off the pit to form a layer inside with the cheese. They slice the gringa into 4 quarters and serve it with salsas. They were good, but it wasn't enough for a meal, so we each got 2 tacos al carbon to go finish off the meal. There were 3 salsas, but one, a creamy green one, was the best. Ummmm!
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
A Steep City
Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2016--Mexico City to Taxco
We were worried about leaving too early this morning. We needed to get to the bus station on the south side of Mexico City, and the metro is the easiest and fastest way to do so. However, it is packed like sardines during rush hour. Wes got up early though. We decided it was silly to wait in the room for 1 1/2 hours, so we left at 9:00. We lucked out. We caught trains one-after-the-other and had plenty of room by going to the end of the platform and taking the last car on each one. Then when we got to the bus station, there was a bus leaving for Taxco just 15 minutes later. Within one one of leaving our hotel, we were on a bus to Taxco.
An interesting thing happened on the bus. When it was ready to leave, one of the employees took out a digital camera and went down the aisle making a film of the faces of everyone. If anyone was wearing sunglasses, he required them to remove them. My guess is that it is a process they use to connect names to bodies if anything goes wrong on the trip. The trip to Taxco involves lots of dangerous curves in the mountains.
We arrived in Taxco about 13:15. Thank goodness we had my phone to show where we were. The bus stopped out on the edge of town, and we had no idea which way to go until the GPS on the phone located us. Then we could look at a printed map we had that showed the location of our hotel and walk the shortest route. Taxco has NO straight roads, so it was important to find the best way to the hotel. The main highway where we stopped would have made a huge, unnecessary loop for us to follow. Instead, a couple of short, steep allies got us to the other side of the loop. Because of that shortcut, it really wasn't that far to our hotel. Much of it was uphill (STEEPLY UPHILL) however, and we were huffing and puffing to get there.
We are at La Casa del Laural. It's a small hotel in a great location--not too far from the bus station where we will have to go on Friday to leave, and not too far from the main plaza in town. Unfortunately, however, Taxco is a rather noisy town, so I will have to sleep with earplugs tonight to cover the traffic noise.
We were very hungry after checking into the hotel, so we walked to the Zocolo, the main plaza, and found a restaurant recommended for their pozole--Tia Calla Pozoleria. Pozole is a soup with hominy, chicken, fried pork skins, avocado, onions, and red pepper. We got one bowl of that to share along with a plate of enchiladas verdes. Both were delicious, especially since we hadn't eaten a real meal in about 28 hours!
We sat on the Zocolo and watched people for a while after eating. We saw people having cups of ice cream that looked good. We got two cups to share--one lime-flavored and the other mamay-flavored. Both were delicious.
Eventually, we walked through the very elaborate cathedral and then explored a couple of main streets in the city. And then we stopped at the bus station to buy our tickets for our trip to Cuernavaca on Friday. Then we returned to the hotel to rest. The film Frida was on TV, so I watched it while Wes napped some.
In the early evening, we heard some drumming and went to investigate. It was just next to our hotel. A group of about 8 young people were dancing choreographed steps to the drumming. It was much like the dancing we saw by the Jump Lords in Guadalajara. The dance steps here, however, were more detailed, and they had at least 3 different routines we observed. It was fun to watch them.
We returned to the Zocolo to watch people. And as it got dark, we bought a cup of corn each from a lady selling it on the street. It was delicious--in a tasty broth and served with ground chili powder.
We were worried about leaving too early this morning. We needed to get to the bus station on the south side of Mexico City, and the metro is the easiest and fastest way to do so. However, it is packed like sardines during rush hour. Wes got up early though. We decided it was silly to wait in the room for 1 1/2 hours, so we left at 9:00. We lucked out. We caught trains one-after-the-other and had plenty of room by going to the end of the platform and taking the last car on each one. Then when we got to the bus station, there was a bus leaving for Taxco just 15 minutes later. Within one one of leaving our hotel, we were on a bus to Taxco.
An interesting thing happened on the bus. When it was ready to leave, one of the employees took out a digital camera and went down the aisle making a film of the faces of everyone. If anyone was wearing sunglasses, he required them to remove them. My guess is that it is a process they use to connect names to bodies if anything goes wrong on the trip. The trip to Taxco involves lots of dangerous curves in the mountains.
We arrived in Taxco about 13:15. Thank goodness we had my phone to show where we were. The bus stopped out on the edge of town, and we had no idea which way to go until the GPS on the phone located us. Then we could look at a printed map we had that showed the location of our hotel and walk the shortest route. Taxco has NO straight roads, so it was important to find the best way to the hotel. The main highway where we stopped would have made a huge, unnecessary loop for us to follow. Instead, a couple of short, steep allies got us to the other side of the loop. Because of that shortcut, it really wasn't that far to our hotel. Much of it was uphill (STEEPLY UPHILL) however, and we were huffing and puffing to get there.
We are at La Casa del Laural. It's a small hotel in a great location--not too far from the bus station where we will have to go on Friday to leave, and not too far from the main plaza in town. Unfortunately, however, Taxco is a rather noisy town, so I will have to sleep with earplugs tonight to cover the traffic noise.
We were very hungry after checking into the hotel, so we walked to the Zocolo, the main plaza, and found a restaurant recommended for their pozole--Tia Calla Pozoleria. Pozole is a soup with hominy, chicken, fried pork skins, avocado, onions, and red pepper. We got one bowl of that to share along with a plate of enchiladas verdes. Both were delicious, especially since we hadn't eaten a real meal in about 28 hours!
We sat on the Zocolo and watched people for a while after eating. We saw people having cups of ice cream that looked good. We got two cups to share--one lime-flavored and the other mamay-flavored. Both were delicious.
Eventually, we walked through the very elaborate cathedral and then explored a couple of main streets in the city. And then we stopped at the bus station to buy our tickets for our trip to Cuernavaca on Friday. Then we returned to the hotel to rest. The film Frida was on TV, so I watched it while Wes napped some.
In the early evening, we heard some drumming and went to investigate. It was just next to our hotel. A group of about 8 young people were dancing choreographed steps to the drumming. It was much like the dancing we saw by the Jump Lords in Guadalajara. The dance steps here, however, were more detailed, and they had at least 3 different routines we observed. It was fun to watch them.
We returned to the Zocolo to watch people. And as it got dark, we bought a cup of corn each from a lady selling it on the street. It was delicious--in a tasty broth and served with ground chili powder.
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Chapultepec Park
Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015--Mexico City
Wes had never been to the city before, so going to see the Anthropology Museum was one of the things we knew we had to do. We postponed it until today, however, because we figured that Saturday and Sunday would be busy (Sunday is even free to Mexican residents) and because it is closed on Mondays.
We headed for Chapultepec Park where it is located with plans to visit the zoo first (because it has shorter hours than the museum) and then go to the nearby museum. We knew it would be a tiring day, and it was!!
We stopped on the way to the park to have a torta for breakfast. They were large ones, so we each ate half and saved half to have later in the day. However, when we got to the zoo, they wouldn't let us take food inside. We had to go to the side and finish eating the sandwiches before entering. (The only food service inside was McDonalds, so they probably have rule that no outside food can be brought inside.)
The zoo was nice. It has a good layout and very nice enclosures for the animals and birds. We wandered through it all. Only one of their pandas (for which they have a reputation as being one of the best zoos for panda births) was outside, and it was sleeping. And we had hoped to see a quetzal, the famous bird that was prized by the native tribes and is difficult to see in the wild, but they did not have one in the collection. We enjoyed the visit, however, which lasted about 1 1/2 hours.
We walked to the Anthropology Museum from there. It is so huge that everyone gets exhausted trying to see all the exhibits. We spent about 4 hours there and were very tired as we left. It is a great museum filled with treasures from all the archeological sites in Mexico. It was my third time to tour the museum, and I hope it will be my last since it is such an exhausting experience.
This is our last day in Mexico. We will leave for Taxco tomorrow. We have a hotel reservation, but we don't have a bus ticket. We couldn't find a way to get one in advance without going to the station. We will just go there tomorrow and hope that we won't have to wait long for a bus that has seats available.
Wes had never been to the city before, so going to see the Anthropology Museum was one of the things we knew we had to do. We postponed it until today, however, because we figured that Saturday and Sunday would be busy (Sunday is even free to Mexican residents) and because it is closed on Mondays.
We headed for Chapultepec Park where it is located with plans to visit the zoo first (because it has shorter hours than the museum) and then go to the nearby museum. We knew it would be a tiring day, and it was!!
We stopped on the way to the park to have a torta for breakfast. They were large ones, so we each ate half and saved half to have later in the day. However, when we got to the zoo, they wouldn't let us take food inside. We had to go to the side and finish eating the sandwiches before entering. (The only food service inside was McDonalds, so they probably have rule that no outside food can be brought inside.)
The zoo was nice. It has a good layout and very nice enclosures for the animals and birds. We wandered through it all. Only one of their pandas (for which they have a reputation as being one of the best zoos for panda births) was outside, and it was sleeping. And we had hoped to see a quetzal, the famous bird that was prized by the native tribes and is difficult to see in the wild, but they did not have one in the collection. We enjoyed the visit, however, which lasted about 1 1/2 hours.
We walked to the Anthropology Museum from there. It is so huge that everyone gets exhausted trying to see all the exhibits. We spent about 4 hours there and were very tired as we left. It is a great museum filled with treasures from all the archeological sites in Mexico. It was my third time to tour the museum, and I hope it will be my last since it is such an exhausting experience.
This is our last day in Mexico. We will leave for Taxco tomorrow. We have a hotel reservation, but we don't have a bus ticket. We couldn't find a way to get one in advance without going to the station. We will just go there tomorrow and hope that we won't have to wait long for a bus that has seats available.
Monday, January 12, 2015
Gigante Liquado
Monday, Jan. 12, 2015--Mexico City
Like Sundays, Mondays also have their limitations for tourists. The main one is that museums tend not to be open. We made the Historico Centro (the historical center of the city) our focus today. Although most museums were closed, we could enjoy the atmosphere, the architecture, etc.
We walked all day. Our first stop was a market which our guidebook said had good food stalls. We picked out one that was popular and was serving nice tortas and where they were slicing beautiful pork. We each ordered a pierna torta Oaxaca-style. It had roasted pork, stingy cheese that was melted, tomato, avocado, and cilantro and was about 10 inches long and 4 inches wide (25 cm by 10 cm). As we ate them, two other customers ordered liquados--blended milk drinks (one strawberry and one chocolate). As we ate at the counter, we watched the employee make them. Each was 1 quart in size (1 liter). We thought they were making them to poor into glasses for serving. But they handed them over the counter to the two customers--the whole pitcher for each one! We immediately opened the menu and found the right page for liquados. We ordered one gigante (the same size as the others) in chocolate. UMMMM!
The rest of the day, we explored all the historical sites--the Zocolo, the Cathedral, and all the other places that tourists visit in the downtown area that are open on Mondays. We saw the murals by Diego Rivera in the Ministry of Education building. We saw the art exhibit at the Banamex Cultural Center in the Palace of Iturbide which included wonderful art collected by the bank over decades. We walked up and down all the streets seeing the interesting old buildings throughout the center of town.
We stopped at Panadaria Ideal, a place I always go when in Mexico City, on 16 de Septiembre. It's a huge and very busy bakery--unbelievably huge and busy. We bought two pastries and took them to Parque Alameda to eat them.
From there, we wandered back to our hotel passing by the Monument of the Revolution and to the hotel. We had been walking for 8 hours!
Like Sundays, Mondays also have their limitations for tourists. The main one is that museums tend not to be open. We made the Historico Centro (the historical center of the city) our focus today. Although most museums were closed, we could enjoy the atmosphere, the architecture, etc.
We walked all day. Our first stop was a market which our guidebook said had good food stalls. We picked out one that was popular and was serving nice tortas and where they were slicing beautiful pork. We each ordered a pierna torta Oaxaca-style. It had roasted pork, stingy cheese that was melted, tomato, avocado, and cilantro and was about 10 inches long and 4 inches wide (25 cm by 10 cm). As we ate them, two other customers ordered liquados--blended milk drinks (one strawberry and one chocolate). As we ate at the counter, we watched the employee make them. Each was 1 quart in size (1 liter). We thought they were making them to poor into glasses for serving. But they handed them over the counter to the two customers--the whole pitcher for each one! We immediately opened the menu and found the right page for liquados. We ordered one gigante (the same size as the others) in chocolate. UMMMM!
The rest of the day, we explored all the historical sites--the Zocolo, the Cathedral, and all the other places that tourists visit in the downtown area that are open on Mondays. We saw the murals by Diego Rivera in the Ministry of Education building. We saw the art exhibit at the Banamex Cultural Center in the Palace of Iturbide which included wonderful art collected by the bank over decades. We walked up and down all the streets seeing the interesting old buildings throughout the center of town.
We stopped at Panadaria Ideal, a place I always go when in Mexico City, on 16 de Septiembre. It's a huge and very busy bakery--unbelievably huge and busy. We bought two pastries and took them to Parque Alameda to eat them.
From there, we wandered back to our hotel passing by the Monument of the Revolution and to the hotel. We had been walking for 8 hours!
Sunday, January 11, 2015
Library and Coyacan
Sunday, Jan. 11, 2015--Mexico City
Sundays are lazy in Mexico City. Not much happens on Sunday mornings because people stay up so late at clubs and doing other things. Little is open in the mornings. We went out at 10:00, and it took us 45 minutes to find a place serving breakfast at that hour. It was a small place, and breakfast was okay, but not exciting.
We spent the afternoon doing two things. First, we explored the National University campus which is home to the library with the famous murals by Juan O'Gorman and is a World Heritage Site. Many people were on the campus biking, playing games, walking, etc.
From there, we explored Coyacan, an old colonial town near the university which is now completely surrounding by the Mexico City. We passed by the Frido Kahlo Museum which had a long (LONG!) line of people waiting to get inside at 16:30. We went to the old colonial center of the city which was crowded with people enjoying a nice Sunday afternoon. We sat on a bench watching people. Lots of families were out walking together. Clowns were entertaining crowds. People were eating snacks. The city, besides having a colonial core is filled with more modern homes of great value. We expected it to be a bit like Tlaquepaque in Guadalajara, but it was much different with the combination of colonial and modern. It was be a nice place to live in Mexico City.
Sundays are lazy in Mexico City. Not much happens on Sunday mornings because people stay up so late at clubs and doing other things. Little is open in the mornings. We went out at 10:00, and it took us 45 minutes to find a place serving breakfast at that hour. It was a small place, and breakfast was okay, but not exciting.
We spent the afternoon doing two things. First, we explored the National University campus which is home to the library with the famous murals by Juan O'Gorman and is a World Heritage Site. Many people were on the campus biking, playing games, walking, etc.
From there, we explored Coyacan, an old colonial town near the university which is now completely surrounding by the Mexico City. We passed by the Frido Kahlo Museum which had a long (LONG!) line of people waiting to get inside at 16:30. We went to the old colonial center of the city which was crowded with people enjoying a nice Sunday afternoon. We sat on a bench watching people. Lots of families were out walking together. Clowns were entertaining crowds. People were eating snacks. The city, besides having a colonial core is filled with more modern homes of great value. We expected it to be a bit like Tlaquepaque in Guadalajara, but it was much different with the combination of colonial and modern. It was be a nice place to live in Mexico City.
Saturday, January 10, 2015
Teotihuacan
Saturday, Jan. 10, 2015--Mexico City
I've been to the pyramids outside Mexico City at Teotihuacan several times, but Wes is here for his first visit. Therefore, today was dedicated to going out there. We took public transportation--the metro to the bus station on the north side of town and a bus from there. We spent maybe 3 hours travelling and another 2 1/2 hours at the pyramids. I was surprised to see a couple of new attractions since the last time I was there about 30 years ago with Arne. Essentially, however, it is the same. I decided not to climb the Pyramid of the Sun, since I have climbed it at least 2 times in the past; I sat and watched as Wes climbed it and returned. Fortunately, I took my umbrella with me, remembering that there is no shade and that the sun is hot. (I already have a sore nose from being in the sun too much on this trip.)
For someone who has never seen other pyramids, this is am impressive sight. For someone planning a trip throughout Mexico (and maybe Guatemala) to see pyramids, this should be one of the FIRST stops so that they are not disappointed. The pyramids in the Yucatan (including Tikal in Guatemala) are much more interesting and exciting to visit.
After returning to town, we wandered through the Zona Rosa District. Although our hotel is in the area, we have not explored it much at all. I found that the restaurant that I used to enjoy 50 years ago, El Refugio Fonda, is still in business. I doubt that the food is as good as it used to be. Remember when Holiday Magazine recognized the better restaurants around the world? This was one of them--great food at reasonable prices. Actually, all of the Zona Rosa is rather worn looking these days. Whereas it was the main tourist entertainment area 50-60 years ago, today it is still popular, but it has been replaced by other neighborhoods as the "in" places for tourists to stay, eat, go out for entertainment, etc., in Mexico City.
I've been to the pyramids outside Mexico City at Teotihuacan several times, but Wes is here for his first visit. Therefore, today was dedicated to going out there. We took public transportation--the metro to the bus station on the north side of town and a bus from there. We spent maybe 3 hours travelling and another 2 1/2 hours at the pyramids. I was surprised to see a couple of new attractions since the last time I was there about 30 years ago with Arne. Essentially, however, it is the same. I decided not to climb the Pyramid of the Sun, since I have climbed it at least 2 times in the past; I sat and watched as Wes climbed it and returned. Fortunately, I took my umbrella with me, remembering that there is no shade and that the sun is hot. (I already have a sore nose from being in the sun too much on this trip.)
For someone who has never seen other pyramids, this is am impressive sight. For someone planning a trip throughout Mexico (and maybe Guatemala) to see pyramids, this should be one of the FIRST stops so that they are not disappointed. The pyramids in the Yucatan (including Tikal in Guatemala) are much more interesting and exciting to visit.
After returning to town, we wandered through the Zona Rosa District. Although our hotel is in the area, we have not explored it much at all. I found that the restaurant that I used to enjoy 50 years ago, El Refugio Fonda, is still in business. I doubt that the food is as good as it used to be. Remember when Holiday Magazine recognized the better restaurants around the world? This was one of them--great food at reasonable prices. Actually, all of the Zona Rosa is rather worn looking these days. Whereas it was the main tourist entertainment area 50-60 years ago, today it is still popular, but it has been replaced by other neighborhoods as the "in" places for tourists to stay, eat, go out for entertainment, etc., in Mexico City.
Friday, January 09, 2015
Off to the Big City
Friday, Jan. 9, 2015--Morelia to Mexico City
The lady who makes breakfasts showed up late this morning at our hotel, so we wasted time getting up earlier than we needed for getting ready and packed. We waited another 15-20 minutes for her to have breakfast ready for us. But things went well from there. We had no problems walking the 6 blocks to where we could catch the combi to the bus station; only a few people were on the sidewalks. Then the combi we needed was right there waiting for the light to change when we arrived at the corner. We actually got to the bus station about 50 minutes before our bus was scheduled to depart.
It was a 4-hour bus trip that was uneventful. We entered Mexico City in the Santa Fe section of town--a new, high-rise, high-income section of the city. It's amazing how much growth in construction is taking place there and in other parts of this city. I bet they have added as many people to the city within the last 10 years as live in all of San Antonio!! From our hotel window, we can see 3 highrises under construction. And that is in the Zona Rosa, an older part of the city.
We are at the Eurostar Suites Zona Rosa. It's a nice hotel, although the upholstery on the sofa and chairs needs updating. It's in a convenient location for exploring the areas where we will go.
Our first outing today was to go to a tourist office in Condesa, a part of town with very nice older individual homes, and get a map so we could more easily find our way around the city. While there, we spent time at two parks (Espana and Mexico) which are especially nice, and we walked up and down Av. Michoacan, a trendy street with fancy restaurants serving high-income people.
We were tired, and it started to drizzle. We ate a quick torta from a street truck, and then we rushed back to the hotel to relax the rest of the evening.
The lady who makes breakfasts showed up late this morning at our hotel, so we wasted time getting up earlier than we needed for getting ready and packed. We waited another 15-20 minutes for her to have breakfast ready for us. But things went well from there. We had no problems walking the 6 blocks to where we could catch the combi to the bus station; only a few people were on the sidewalks. Then the combi we needed was right there waiting for the light to change when we arrived at the corner. We actually got to the bus station about 50 minutes before our bus was scheduled to depart.
It was a 4-hour bus trip that was uneventful. We entered Mexico City in the Santa Fe section of town--a new, high-rise, high-income section of the city. It's amazing how much growth in construction is taking place there and in other parts of this city. I bet they have added as many people to the city within the last 10 years as live in all of San Antonio!! From our hotel window, we can see 3 highrises under construction. And that is in the Zona Rosa, an older part of the city.
We are at the Eurostar Suites Zona Rosa. It's a nice hotel, although the upholstery on the sofa and chairs needs updating. It's in a convenient location for exploring the areas where we will go.
Our first outing today was to go to a tourist office in Condesa, a part of town with very nice older individual homes, and get a map so we could more easily find our way around the city. While there, we spent time at two parks (Espana and Mexico) which are especially nice, and we walked up and down Av. Michoacan, a trendy street with fancy restaurants serving high-income people.
We were tired, and it started to drizzle. We ate a quick torta from a street truck, and then we rushed back to the hotel to relax the rest of the evening.
From Colonial to Modern
Thursday, Jan. 8, 2015--Morelia
We had investigated most of the central part of Morelia, so we set our sights on a few places just barely inside the colonial part of town or just outside it. We first headed to see the aqueduct which runs for some distance on the far eastern edge of town. On the way, however, we stopped at a couple of huge buildings from the 1600s and saw the murals inside them.
The aqueduct is in a very pretty part of town with statues, fountains, parks, and a nice promenade. It has high, graceful arches that continue past block after block of the city, and several of the arches serve as entrances of streets into the colonial center of town.
From there, we walked to the zoo. It is very reasonably priced and is quite nice. It is also undergoing lots of new construction and remodelling. It must have one of the most successful breeding programs anywhere. It was amazing how many of each animal they had--whole herds, prides, etc., of exotic animals and birds. While there, we saw them moving a female brahma cow to an enclosure for her to breed with one of the several males inside it. They moved her by taking both her and her present calf down the walkway--her lassoed and the baby obediently following behind. She wasn't happy when they locked the gate behind her without the calve, though. Anyway, it was fun to see them all walking in the open down the pathway.
From the zoo, we headed to the new campus of the University of Michoacan which houses mostly science and engineering programs. It consists of many modern buildings and is more like an American college campus.
As with most campuses, the neighborhood had lots of small shops and restaurants. We stopped at one of the latter and ate a late lunch/early dinner. It consisted of TWO soup servings--vegetables in a broth and fideo (noodle soup), a choice of meats with sauces (we both got chicken mole) which came on a plate with rice, a small dessert (mango flan), and fresh fruit water (pear). It was delicious and filling.
We had missed one last place we wanted to visit when we were near the aqueduct, so we headed back to there to visit probably the most ornate church in Morelia--Guadalupe Sanctuary. Every bit of every wall was covered with detailed work in gold.
After that, we returned to the hotel. We had been wandering for 9 hours. My nose was burned and we were tired.
We had investigated most of the central part of Morelia, so we set our sights on a few places just barely inside the colonial part of town or just outside it. We first headed to see the aqueduct which runs for some distance on the far eastern edge of town. On the way, however, we stopped at a couple of huge buildings from the 1600s and saw the murals inside them.
The aqueduct is in a very pretty part of town with statues, fountains, parks, and a nice promenade. It has high, graceful arches that continue past block after block of the city, and several of the arches serve as entrances of streets into the colonial center of town.
From there, we walked to the zoo. It is very reasonably priced and is quite nice. It is also undergoing lots of new construction and remodelling. It must have one of the most successful breeding programs anywhere. It was amazing how many of each animal they had--whole herds, prides, etc., of exotic animals and birds. While there, we saw them moving a female brahma cow to an enclosure for her to breed with one of the several males inside it. They moved her by taking both her and her present calf down the walkway--her lassoed and the baby obediently following behind. She wasn't happy when they locked the gate behind her without the calve, though. Anyway, it was fun to see them all walking in the open down the pathway.
From the zoo, we headed to the new campus of the University of Michoacan which houses mostly science and engineering programs. It consists of many modern buildings and is more like an American college campus.
As with most campuses, the neighborhood had lots of small shops and restaurants. We stopped at one of the latter and ate a late lunch/early dinner. It consisted of TWO soup servings--vegetables in a broth and fideo (noodle soup), a choice of meats with sauces (we both got chicken mole) which came on a plate with rice, a small dessert (mango flan), and fresh fruit water (pear). It was delicious and filling.
We had missed one last place we wanted to visit when we were near the aqueduct, so we headed back to there to visit probably the most ornate church in Morelia--Guadalupe Sanctuary. Every bit of every wall was covered with detailed work in gold.
After that, we returned to the hotel. We had been wandering for 9 hours. My nose was burned and we were tired.
Wednesday, January 07, 2015
Another Colonial City
Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015--Patzcuaro to Morelia
It was a short bus ride from Patzcuaro to Morelia--about an hour. Before leaving the terminal, we bought our ticket to get us to Mexico City on Friday. Then we started determining how to get downtown. Only taxis seem to be allowed within the terminal area, but we knew if we walked outside we should be able to find a bus of some kind going into town. Poor people have to have a way to get to the bus station, and taxi fares are not reasonable for them.
As soon as we got out to the street, we saw combis (mini-van buses) saying "Centro." We didn't get into one, because they were going the wrong direction. Their signs never change, so it could be that the combis were travelling AWAY from downtown rather than about to turn around and head that direction. Just behind the station, however, we found the combi station where they were all parked at the end of their line. We got onto the next one leaving for the Centro. It went back by the front of the bus station and then turned around and headed toward town. We saved enough by taking the conbi to buy our dinner and a dessert.
The Hotel Meson de los Remedios is smaller than where we have stayed so far on the trip, but it is a nice place in a colonial building about 5 blocks from the cathedral. That means it is convenient for exploring the colonial center of Morelia.
We headed out immediately to explore. We went to the Museo de las Artisanias en Exconvento de San Francisco. It's an old convent that now houses a combination of a museum of artisan products from different sections of Michoacan and a series of small shops selling products by today's artisans. The museum pieces were wonderful, and most of the work for sale by present-day artisans was of very high quality. It has a high rating on TripAdvisor, and I would advise anyone stopping in Morelia to visit it.
From there, we headed to toward the Cathedral. On our way, we saw a nice small church that reminded me of the missions in San Antonio, especially on the inside. It is Templo de la Cruz and, like the missions in San Antonio, was built before a city existed here in an effort to bring Christianity to the local native people.
From there, we continued to the Cathedral, a great building both inside and out. It rises above the city with beautiful tiled domes and tall bell towers. Inside, it is very elegant and pretty. It's a magnificent structure.
We sat in the park beside the cathedral for a while watching people. Everything seems to be back to normal now that 3 Kings Day has passed. Students are back in school, people are at work. The Christmas decorations are being dismantled, etc.
It was time for us to look for a place for an early dinner, since we had not eaten since having breakfast at the bus station. As we wandered the side streets looking for a restaurant, we came across the Mercado del Dulce. It's a market and that has artisan shops, too, but it has many stalls specializing in all kinds of sweets to eat!!
We eventually found a place to eat at the main market in the city. I was surprised that a restaurant stall would still be open at 17:30, but it was doing a booming business. We got two plates of food. One had milanesa (battered and fried beef) and the other had bistek (thin slices of beef cooked on the griddle). Each plate also had macaroni in sour cream, guacamole, salad, and refried beans topped with crumbled white cheese. Together, both big plates cost $5 US!
Although we were filled from eating--Wes even helped finish my plate, we stopped at an ice cream shop and had two milk-based palettas (ice cream bars). I had nuez (pecan) and Wes had chocolate.
We were tired by then and returned to the hotel for the evening. It's cold here at night, so we were diving under the covers by 20:00!
It was a short bus ride from Patzcuaro to Morelia--about an hour. Before leaving the terminal, we bought our ticket to get us to Mexico City on Friday. Then we started determining how to get downtown. Only taxis seem to be allowed within the terminal area, but we knew if we walked outside we should be able to find a bus of some kind going into town. Poor people have to have a way to get to the bus station, and taxi fares are not reasonable for them.
As soon as we got out to the street, we saw combis (mini-van buses) saying "Centro." We didn't get into one, because they were going the wrong direction. Their signs never change, so it could be that the combis were travelling AWAY from downtown rather than about to turn around and head that direction. Just behind the station, however, we found the combi station where they were all parked at the end of their line. We got onto the next one leaving for the Centro. It went back by the front of the bus station and then turned around and headed toward town. We saved enough by taking the conbi to buy our dinner and a dessert.
The Hotel Meson de los Remedios is smaller than where we have stayed so far on the trip, but it is a nice place in a colonial building about 5 blocks from the cathedral. That means it is convenient for exploring the colonial center of Morelia.
We headed out immediately to explore. We went to the Museo de las Artisanias en Exconvento de San Francisco. It's an old convent that now houses a combination of a museum of artisan products from different sections of Michoacan and a series of small shops selling products by today's artisans. The museum pieces were wonderful, and most of the work for sale by present-day artisans was of very high quality. It has a high rating on TripAdvisor, and I would advise anyone stopping in Morelia to visit it.
From there, we headed to toward the Cathedral. On our way, we saw a nice small church that reminded me of the missions in San Antonio, especially on the inside. It is Templo de la Cruz and, like the missions in San Antonio, was built before a city existed here in an effort to bring Christianity to the local native people.
From there, we continued to the Cathedral, a great building both inside and out. It rises above the city with beautiful tiled domes and tall bell towers. Inside, it is very elegant and pretty. It's a magnificent structure.
We sat in the park beside the cathedral for a while watching people. Everything seems to be back to normal now that 3 Kings Day has passed. Students are back in school, people are at work. The Christmas decorations are being dismantled, etc.
It was time for us to look for a place for an early dinner, since we had not eaten since having breakfast at the bus station. As we wandered the side streets looking for a restaurant, we came across the Mercado del Dulce. It's a market and that has artisan shops, too, but it has many stalls specializing in all kinds of sweets to eat!!
We eventually found a place to eat at the main market in the city. I was surprised that a restaurant stall would still be open at 17:30, but it was doing a booming business. We got two plates of food. One had milanesa (battered and fried beef) and the other had bistek (thin slices of beef cooked on the griddle). Each plate also had macaroni in sour cream, guacamole, salad, and refried beans topped with crumbled white cheese. Together, both big plates cost $5 US!
Although we were filled from eating--Wes even helped finish my plate, we stopped at an ice cream shop and had two milk-based palettas (ice cream bars). I had nuez (pecan) and Wes had chocolate.
We were tired by then and returned to the hotel for the evening. It's cold here at night, so we were diving under the covers by 20:00!
Tuesday, January 06, 2015
More Adventures in Patzcuaro
Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2015--Patzcuaro
We slept late this morning. Then we did trip planning before leaving the hotel. We decided to change the order of our itinerary. Instead of trying to go to Taxco, then Cuernavaca, then Mexico City, we decided it would be easier to go first to Mexico City. Then we can go to Taxco and finally to Cuernavaca from which there are buses to the airport in Mexico City every 30 minutes meaning we will not have to return to Mexico City for a final night. Due to that change, we researched hotels and made a reservation for one in Mexico City beginning Friday and staying until next Wednesday.
Then we were off to explore Patzcuaro some more. The city was still active today with its huge market and all the special market stalls just for the holiday gift-giving season. We found a small restaurant on our way to see the main church in town and had breakfast there--an egg and ham torta which was delicious and inexpensive (about $1.25).
The Basilica of Our Lady of Health is not on one of the plazas as the main churches often are in Mexico. Instead, it is a long block away and on top of a hill. It's a beautiful church that is surrounded by its own colonial neighborhood.
From the church, we walked to Lake Patzcuaro. We sat beside the lake at the point where water taxis come and go taking people between here and the towns and villages that are located around the lake. The waterfront is lined with restaurants and souvenir shops. It's quiet and pleasant. We sat and enjoyed the atmosphere for some time. As we left, we passed up the free offer of a tiny whole fried fish--the WHOLE thing.
We took a combi back to town--a small mini-van that takes paying riders. Then we explored the side streets of town that we had not yet seen. On the way, we met George who talked to us for a while. He went to the US when he was 9 and speaks English well. However, he got into trouble and was deported back to Mexico 2 1/2 years ago with a 10-year sentence before he can return without being sent to jail. He seems like a nice man today. Our guess is that he got into a gang or the wrong crowd. He was on a corner with a small cart selling coconut milk.
As we approached the Plaza Grande, there were long lines of people. We went closer to see what was happening. Long, straight versions of kings cakes (to celebrate the arrival of the 3 Kings) were being placed in two rows all around edge of the central fountain, and the people were waiting in line for a piece of cake and a glass of hot chocolate.
Because there were no benches there, we went to Plaza Chico to sit and watch people for a while. When we headed back to Plaza Grande, the last pieces of cake were being given out with people still in the lines and being turned away. But then we saw that there were very long lines on the side of the plaza leading to the front of the city offices. We went closer to see what was happening there. They were giving each child a plastic air-filled ball and a small packet. There was a choice of two packets--one holding several mini-cars and the other filled with lots of small items that were not distinguishable from our view. Many of the families in line looked to be very poor, and we speculated that these gifts may be the only ones their children will get to celebrate 3 Kings Day today.
Many children in the areas we walked though, however, did have nice gifts they had received last night/this morning--remote-controlled cars, dolls, scooters, pump water guns, soccer balls, etc. Today was still a big shopping day, however. Maybe it was for those seeking bargains.
Before returning to our hotel, we stopped at one of the ice cream carts on Plaza Grande. We each got two flavors in a cup. I got coconut-pineapple and chocolate, and Wes got strawberry and chocolate. The coconut-pineapple and the strawberry were sherbets. The chocolate was a thick milk-based ice cream and really delicious! The milk ice creams are one of the famous treats from Patzcuaro.
We had one final surprise as we left to return to our hotel. There was ANOTHER 3 Kings parade happening. These kings were riding horses and were in simpler costumes than those of last night. But there were big crowds along the street to see them and they were followed by a float with a live manger scene.
We slept late this morning. Then we did trip planning before leaving the hotel. We decided to change the order of our itinerary. Instead of trying to go to Taxco, then Cuernavaca, then Mexico City, we decided it would be easier to go first to Mexico City. Then we can go to Taxco and finally to Cuernavaca from which there are buses to the airport in Mexico City every 30 minutes meaning we will not have to return to Mexico City for a final night. Due to that change, we researched hotels and made a reservation for one in Mexico City beginning Friday and staying until next Wednesday.
Then we were off to explore Patzcuaro some more. The city was still active today with its huge market and all the special market stalls just for the holiday gift-giving season. We found a small restaurant on our way to see the main church in town and had breakfast there--an egg and ham torta which was delicious and inexpensive (about $1.25).
The Basilica of Our Lady of Health is not on one of the plazas as the main churches often are in Mexico. Instead, it is a long block away and on top of a hill. It's a beautiful church that is surrounded by its own colonial neighborhood.
From the church, we walked to Lake Patzcuaro. We sat beside the lake at the point where water taxis come and go taking people between here and the towns and villages that are located around the lake. The waterfront is lined with restaurants and souvenir shops. It's quiet and pleasant. We sat and enjoyed the atmosphere for some time. As we left, we passed up the free offer of a tiny whole fried fish--the WHOLE thing.
We took a combi back to town--a small mini-van that takes paying riders. Then we explored the side streets of town that we had not yet seen. On the way, we met George who talked to us for a while. He went to the US when he was 9 and speaks English well. However, he got into trouble and was deported back to Mexico 2 1/2 years ago with a 10-year sentence before he can return without being sent to jail. He seems like a nice man today. Our guess is that he got into a gang or the wrong crowd. He was on a corner with a small cart selling coconut milk.
As we approached the Plaza Grande, there were long lines of people. We went closer to see what was happening. Long, straight versions of kings cakes (to celebrate the arrival of the 3 Kings) were being placed in two rows all around edge of the central fountain, and the people were waiting in line for a piece of cake and a glass of hot chocolate.
Because there were no benches there, we went to Plaza Chico to sit and watch people for a while. When we headed back to Plaza Grande, the last pieces of cake were being given out with people still in the lines and being turned away. But then we saw that there were very long lines on the side of the plaza leading to the front of the city offices. We went closer to see what was happening there. They were giving each child a plastic air-filled ball and a small packet. There was a choice of two packets--one holding several mini-cars and the other filled with lots of small items that were not distinguishable from our view. Many of the families in line looked to be very poor, and we speculated that these gifts may be the only ones their children will get to celebrate 3 Kings Day today.
Many children in the areas we walked though, however, did have nice gifts they had received last night/this morning--remote-controlled cars, dolls, scooters, pump water guns, soccer balls, etc. Today was still a big shopping day, however. Maybe it was for those seeking bargains.
Before returning to our hotel, we stopped at one of the ice cream carts on Plaza Grande. We each got two flavors in a cup. I got coconut-pineapple and chocolate, and Wes got strawberry and chocolate. The coconut-pineapple and the strawberry were sherbets. The chocolate was a thick milk-based ice cream and really delicious! The milk ice creams are one of the famous treats from Patzcuaro.
We had one final surprise as we left to return to our hotel. There was ANOTHER 3 Kings parade happening. These kings were riding horses and were in simpler costumes than those of last night. But there were big crowds along the street to see them and they were followed by a float with a live manger scene.
Monday, January 05, 2015
Arriving with the Three Kings in Patzcuaro
Monday, Jan. 5, 2015--Patzquaro, Michoacan, Mexico
Breakfast doesn't start at our hotel in Guadalajara until 7:00. Our bus for Patzcuaro was scheduled to leave at 8:30, and the bus station was at least 30 minutes from our hotel. Therefore, we had to plan everything just right last night and this morning. We were very tired from a long day of exploring, so we went to bed at 20:30 and set the alarm for 6:15. We were ready to leave the room by 6:45, but the kitchen wasn't early. Therefore, we had to wait 15 minutes before breakfast was served. Then we gulped it rather fast. We caught a city bus for the long-distance bus station about 7:20; it was arriving at the nearby bus stop just as we were walking toward it. Fortunately, too, the bus had plenty of room so that there was no question of our taking our luggage on board. The trip went rather fast, so we were at the bus terminal about 7:55. Our bus to Patzcuaro was already there, but not loading yet. All worked out well except that it would have been nicer to have spent more time enjoying breakfast.
The bus was fantastic. It had both men's and women's toilets. We were given a soft drink and a pastry to eat. It had free wi-fi. And each seat had individual screens for watching films, playing games, connecting to the Internet, or watching TV programs. How nice it would be to have such buses everywhere!
Our destination was Patzcuaro, and this is the only direct, non-stop bus we could get. For the rest of the day, it is necessary to go to the city of Morelia via one bus and then buy a ticket for another bus to Patzcuaro. Our trip took only 4 phours. Going through Morelia would probably have taken 6-7 hours.
The reason Patzcuaro was our destination is because I have heard my friend Bob Maroney talk about a trip he, Judy, and Marie and Sam Pennington made here many years ago. At that time, Patzcuaro was not a major tourist town or a retirement center as it is now, so coming here was adventurous. I think they took an overnight train from Mexico City. Anyway, I knew from Bob that it is a wonderful city, and I wanted to visit it so that we could have the pleasure of talking about our visits together. I called him tonight to tell him about today's arrival and activities.
Patzcuaro is in the mountains beside a very large lake. It is one of the older cities in Mexico. The old colonial center is quite large with two major plazas--Plaza Grande and Plaza Chica. Then there are streets running between the two plazas and away from each in various directions. Apparently there as been a concerted effort to keep the "style" of decoration for the original buildings which all seem to still exist without having been destroyed by fire or by earthquakes. The buildings have red tile roofs (which look original in most cases) and stucco walls which are painted with a blood-red band along the bottom and white above that. All signs are in the same style font and are painted with the first letter of each word in red and all the other letters in black.
We arrived on a great day. Tomorrow is 3 Kings Day when Mexican children get their Christmas gifts. The city was overrun today with market stalls cascading out of the regular market down nearby streets and also around the edges of Plaza Grande. The Santuaria de Guadelupe, one of the main churches in the city, had a stage set up in its courtyard, and another stage was in one corner of Plaza Grande.
During the afternoon, we walked through the market area looking at all the wonderful fruits, vegetables, etc., and seeing what everyone was eating at the various food stalls. We walked around both plazas. We walked the streets between the plazas. We went into a few craft shops. We were fondly greeted everywhere. Twice in the meat section of the market, guys got all excited and wanted to know where we were from and expressed their happiness that we were here.
We bought tortas at a portable cart on the corner of Plaza Chica. They had a big crowd there. Each torta had fried cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, peppers, and mayonnaise. We got one with roasted pork (pierna) and the other with chicken (pollo) and had them cut in half so we could try each.
At 17:00, the festivities at the stage in front of the church began. Actually, it was a huge open-air mass that lasted an hour. So I went to church for a second time in two weeks! When that ended, a parade began through town. There were a number of parade entries, but the man purpose for it was for the three kings to arrive with each being on his own float.
When the parade ended, we went to the stage at Plaza Grade. Entertainment was being provided as everyone waited there for the three kings to arrive. Eventually, they started announcing that the kings had been sighted. The children were thrilled and looked to see if they could see them coming. Each king arrived separately, one after the other along a catwalk that went the entire distance of one side of the square. The young children were so excited--just as children would be in the U.S. awaiting the arrival of Santa. Those around 12 years of age seemed happy to be there, but it was obvious they wanted their parents to know that they weren't excited because they knew the story is a myth. Anyway, smaller children rested in the arms or on the shoulders of their parents so they could see the arrival of the kings--the same ones who had been in the parade earlier. It was fun to watch it all. It made for an exciting evening in a city which the guidebook says that little happens in the evenings!
Our hotel is really nice. We are at Mision Centro Historico Patzcuaro. It is in an old colonial building and is quite elegant. Our room is large with a small balcony having French-style doors and facing a patio. We will be here one more day and evening.
Breakfast doesn't start at our hotel in Guadalajara until 7:00. Our bus for Patzcuaro was scheduled to leave at 8:30, and the bus station was at least 30 minutes from our hotel. Therefore, we had to plan everything just right last night and this morning. We were very tired from a long day of exploring, so we went to bed at 20:30 and set the alarm for 6:15. We were ready to leave the room by 6:45, but the kitchen wasn't early. Therefore, we had to wait 15 minutes before breakfast was served. Then we gulped it rather fast. We caught a city bus for the long-distance bus station about 7:20; it was arriving at the nearby bus stop just as we were walking toward it. Fortunately, too, the bus had plenty of room so that there was no question of our taking our luggage on board. The trip went rather fast, so we were at the bus terminal about 7:55. Our bus to Patzcuaro was already there, but not loading yet. All worked out well except that it would have been nicer to have spent more time enjoying breakfast.
The bus was fantastic. It had both men's and women's toilets. We were given a soft drink and a pastry to eat. It had free wi-fi. And each seat had individual screens for watching films, playing games, connecting to the Internet, or watching TV programs. How nice it would be to have such buses everywhere!
Our destination was Patzcuaro, and this is the only direct, non-stop bus we could get. For the rest of the day, it is necessary to go to the city of Morelia via one bus and then buy a ticket for another bus to Patzcuaro. Our trip took only 4 phours. Going through Morelia would probably have taken 6-7 hours.
The reason Patzcuaro was our destination is because I have heard my friend Bob Maroney talk about a trip he, Judy, and Marie and Sam Pennington made here many years ago. At that time, Patzcuaro was not a major tourist town or a retirement center as it is now, so coming here was adventurous. I think they took an overnight train from Mexico City. Anyway, I knew from Bob that it is a wonderful city, and I wanted to visit it so that we could have the pleasure of talking about our visits together. I called him tonight to tell him about today's arrival and activities.
Patzcuaro is in the mountains beside a very large lake. It is one of the older cities in Mexico. The old colonial center is quite large with two major plazas--Plaza Grande and Plaza Chica. Then there are streets running between the two plazas and away from each in various directions. Apparently there as been a concerted effort to keep the "style" of decoration for the original buildings which all seem to still exist without having been destroyed by fire or by earthquakes. The buildings have red tile roofs (which look original in most cases) and stucco walls which are painted with a blood-red band along the bottom and white above that. All signs are in the same style font and are painted with the first letter of each word in red and all the other letters in black.
We arrived on a great day. Tomorrow is 3 Kings Day when Mexican children get their Christmas gifts. The city was overrun today with market stalls cascading out of the regular market down nearby streets and also around the edges of Plaza Grande. The Santuaria de Guadelupe, one of the main churches in the city, had a stage set up in its courtyard, and another stage was in one corner of Plaza Grande.
During the afternoon, we walked through the market area looking at all the wonderful fruits, vegetables, etc., and seeing what everyone was eating at the various food stalls. We walked around both plazas. We walked the streets between the plazas. We went into a few craft shops. We were fondly greeted everywhere. Twice in the meat section of the market, guys got all excited and wanted to know where we were from and expressed their happiness that we were here.
We bought tortas at a portable cart on the corner of Plaza Chica. They had a big crowd there. Each torta had fried cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, peppers, and mayonnaise. We got one with roasted pork (pierna) and the other with chicken (pollo) and had them cut in half so we could try each.
At 17:00, the festivities at the stage in front of the church began. Actually, it was a huge open-air mass that lasted an hour. So I went to church for a second time in two weeks! When that ended, a parade began through town. There were a number of parade entries, but the man purpose for it was for the three kings to arrive with each being on his own float.
When the parade ended, we went to the stage at Plaza Grade. Entertainment was being provided as everyone waited there for the three kings to arrive. Eventually, they started announcing that the kings had been sighted. The children were thrilled and looked to see if they could see them coming. Each king arrived separately, one after the other along a catwalk that went the entire distance of one side of the square. The young children were so excited--just as children would be in the U.S. awaiting the arrival of Santa. Those around 12 years of age seemed happy to be there, but it was obvious they wanted their parents to know that they weren't excited because they knew the story is a myth. Anyway, smaller children rested in the arms or on the shoulders of their parents so they could see the arrival of the kings--the same ones who had been in the parade earlier. It was fun to watch it all. It made for an exciting evening in a city which the guidebook says that little happens in the evenings!
Our hotel is really nice. We are at Mision Centro Historico Patzcuaro. It is in an old colonial building and is quite elegant. Our room is large with a small balcony having French-style doors and facing a patio. We will be here one more day and evening.
Sunday, January 04, 2015
A Few Last Sights in Guadalajara
Sunday, Jan. 4, 2015--Guadalajara
We went through the guidebook and marked a few final sights we would like to see before leaving Guadalajara. That's what we did today.
We started by taking the bus to Tlaquapaque. It used to be a small town outside the city known for its artisans. Now, although a separate city, it is a part of Greater Guadalajara. It still has a quaint center of town with cobblestone streets and colonial-period buildings. It is filled with nice shops selling high-quality products including lots of folk art. It also has many bars and restaurants. In that respect, it is the San Antonio Riverwalk of Guadalajara.
We wandered the streets looking at the sights and the people. We sat on the square. We went into the churches. Etc. Wes got to see the Flying Indians on the main square--something he had not seen before.
Back in town, we went to see the Ninos Heroes Monument--a monument to the military academy cadets who turned back the US Military before it could capture Mexico City during the Mexican-American War.
From there, we spent a lot of time in a street median (Chapultepec Avenue) that goes for many blocks and is wide enough that it is an area with fountains, benches, people dancing, people skating, etc. One group that was especially interesting was the Jump Lords, a group of dancers with specific steps to various fast songs.
Back in the downtown area, we watched lots of street entertainment. We saw VERY long, unbelievable, lines for the ice skating rink.
It was just a busy day of seeing various sights. Then we stopped at a restaurant for dinner before returning to our room.
We went through the guidebook and marked a few final sights we would like to see before leaving Guadalajara. That's what we did today.
We started by taking the bus to Tlaquapaque. It used to be a small town outside the city known for its artisans. Now, although a separate city, it is a part of Greater Guadalajara. It still has a quaint center of town with cobblestone streets and colonial-period buildings. It is filled with nice shops selling high-quality products including lots of folk art. It also has many bars and restaurants. In that respect, it is the San Antonio Riverwalk of Guadalajara.
We wandered the streets looking at the sights and the people. We sat on the square. We went into the churches. Etc. Wes got to see the Flying Indians on the main square--something he had not seen before.
Back in town, we went to see the Ninos Heroes Monument--a monument to the military academy cadets who turned back the US Military before it could capture Mexico City during the Mexican-American War.
From there, we spent a lot of time in a street median (Chapultepec Avenue) that goes for many blocks and is wide enough that it is an area with fountains, benches, people dancing, people skating, etc. One group that was especially interesting was the Jump Lords, a group of dancers with specific steps to various fast songs.
Back in the downtown area, we watched lots of street entertainment. We saw VERY long, unbelievable, lines for the ice skating rink.
It was just a busy day of seeing various sights. Then we stopped at a restaurant for dinner before returning to our room.
Saturday, January 03, 2015
First Time in Guadalara in 35 Years or More
Saturday, Jan. 3, 2015--Guadalajara
Wes and I flew down yesterday on Interjet. It's only a 2-hour non-stop flight, and the airline is great. Ticketing is much like Southwest--the earlier you buy a ticket, the cheaper it is. They allow two free checked bags per person. But unlike Southwest, they allow you to make seat assignments, and they give free drinks (including alcoholic beverages) on their flights. We will return by Interjet also, but from Mexico City on another non-stop flight. Interjet flies from San Antonio non-stop to Monterrey, Mexico City, Toluca, and Guadalajara.
Our hotel has a free breakfast buffet--a Mexican-style one. This morning, there were refried beans (very runny, very light ones that are different from those in San Antonio), tortilla chips with a green chile sauce to put over them (their version of chilequiles), barbacoa (roasted cow head meat) in green chile sauce, orange juice, coffee, fresh fruits (papaya, mango, and watermelon) with sauces to put over them, cereals, sweet breads, fantastic bolillos (a Mexican version of French bread which is crusty and so much better than the fake versions we have in San Antonio), jam, etc. It's possible to order eggs freshly made. The buffet was different, and it was filling.
We walked a lot today. We went westward from the historical center of town through the Zona Rosa and Minerva districts. These are areas that are more modern and are also popular with tourists.
Then we spend part of the afternoon walking to the new bus station on the edge of town. We could not get information about which buses went there, but we knew the right street from our hotel. We copied down the numbers of the buses leaving that area. Then when we arrived at the bus station, we checked off the ones we found stopping there (about 3 buses of our list of 10 buses).
We got our tickets to take us to our next location, but even that wasn't easy. The bus station consists of many terminals around a large loop (much like an airport). First, we knew the bus company as Autovia and could not find it. Some taxi drivers kept telling us it was two doors down (where we had already passed). We asked again at one bus counter, and the lady pointed one direction and said, "The caballero." I went to the guy down the way, and his counter said La Linea. It was only then that we discovered the full name of the bus company is La Linea de Autovia. But then the lady (who helped us instead of the man who was busy) didn't know about any buses to our destination. I showed her the printout from the tourist office the day before. She searched and searched. Finally, she found it. There is only one bus each day, but we already knew that. She, like everyone else, wanted to tell us we would have to go throuh Morelia. But then she realized we knew what we were talking about!
There was a Sam's Club across the street from the bus station, so we went into there and tried their samples, checked the prices for tequila, and watched to see what people were buying. We decided to eat there, since it had been about 7 hours or so since we had eaten breakfast. We each had a ribeye burger, chunky fries with cheese, and a cola.
After catching the bus back to our hotel, we put on long sleeves and went back to the Cathedral area to watch people for about two hours. Guadalajara is a nice city, but we had more fun last year in Veracruz. At the latter, we could watch people, see the dancing on the squares, walk along the waterfront, etc. There was more variety to what we could do to entertain ourselves in the plazas.
Wes and I flew down yesterday on Interjet. It's only a 2-hour non-stop flight, and the airline is great. Ticketing is much like Southwest--the earlier you buy a ticket, the cheaper it is. They allow two free checked bags per person. But unlike Southwest, they allow you to make seat assignments, and they give free drinks (including alcoholic beverages) on their flights. We will return by Interjet also, but from Mexico City on another non-stop flight. Interjet flies from San Antonio non-stop to Monterrey, Mexico City, Toluca, and Guadalajara.
Our hotel has a free breakfast buffet--a Mexican-style one. This morning, there were refried beans (very runny, very light ones that are different from those in San Antonio), tortilla chips with a green chile sauce to put over them (their version of chilequiles), barbacoa (roasted cow head meat) in green chile sauce, orange juice, coffee, fresh fruits (papaya, mango, and watermelon) with sauces to put over them, cereals, sweet breads, fantastic bolillos (a Mexican version of French bread which is crusty and so much better than the fake versions we have in San Antonio), jam, etc. It's possible to order eggs freshly made. The buffet was different, and it was filling.
We walked a lot today. We went westward from the historical center of town through the Zona Rosa and Minerva districts. These are areas that are more modern and are also popular with tourists.
Then we spend part of the afternoon walking to the new bus station on the edge of town. We could not get information about which buses went there, but we knew the right street from our hotel. We copied down the numbers of the buses leaving that area. Then when we arrived at the bus station, we checked off the ones we found stopping there (about 3 buses of our list of 10 buses).
We got our tickets to take us to our next location, but even that wasn't easy. The bus station consists of many terminals around a large loop (much like an airport). First, we knew the bus company as Autovia and could not find it. Some taxi drivers kept telling us it was two doors down (where we had already passed). We asked again at one bus counter, and the lady pointed one direction and said, "The caballero." I went to the guy down the way, and his counter said La Linea. It was only then that we discovered the full name of the bus company is La Linea de Autovia. But then the lady (who helped us instead of the man who was busy) didn't know about any buses to our destination. I showed her the printout from the tourist office the day before. She searched and searched. Finally, she found it. There is only one bus each day, but we already knew that. She, like everyone else, wanted to tell us we would have to go throuh Morelia. But then she realized we knew what we were talking about!
There was a Sam's Club across the street from the bus station, so we went into there and tried their samples, checked the prices for tequila, and watched to see what people were buying. We decided to eat there, since it had been about 7 hours or so since we had eaten breakfast. We each had a ribeye burger, chunky fries with cheese, and a cola.
After catching the bus back to our hotel, we put on long sleeves and went back to the Cathedral area to watch people for about two hours. Guadalajara is a nice city, but we had more fun last year in Veracruz. At the latter, we could watch people, see the dancing on the squares, walk along the waterfront, etc. There was more variety to what we could do to entertain ourselves in the plazas.
Friday, January 02, 2015
Hello Guadalajara!
Friday, Jan. 2, 2015--Guadalajara, Mexico
Christmas is over in San Antonio. I took down my tree and decorations on Dec. 31. On Jan. 1, I entertained Nurse Grethe visiting from Denmark for the past 2 1/2 weeks for the last time by taking her to a musical at the Cameo Theater in San Antonio. We saw The Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical, a rather irreverent musical comedy based around characters occupying a run-down mobile home park.
Grethe caught a flight at 6:00 a.m. today, and Wes and I took a flight at 11:50. We arrived here in Guadalajara at 13:55. San Antonio has been cloudy, occasionally rainy, and colder than normal (more like typical Danish weather) during the time Grethe was visiting. Now we are in sunny and warm Guadalajara!
We were lucky at the airport. We could not find any information about alternative ways to get from the airport to downtown. Occasionally there was a reference to a bus, but there were no details about it other than it was often said that it ran only every hour. As soon as we left customs, we found an airport information counter (for airport information, not city information). But the young man there was very friendly. He directed us to the bus and said it should be here within 15 minutes. As soon as we got to the stop at the end of the terminal, the bus was there and took us on as passengers. We were downtown and to our hotel having taken only maybe 15-20 minutes longer than a taxi would have taken. Our bus cost a total of 10 pesos, but the taxi would have cost 340!
Wes picked out the hotel--the Portonovo Plaza. There was a nicer one for just a few dollars more, but he thought this one had a better location. Also, he liked that this one has a buffet breakfast, whereas the other one had only a continental breakfast.
We are just south of the hold historical center of Guadalajara. We walked to there and started exploring. The streets were filled with Christmas shoppers, since gifts are not given here in Mexico until Jan. 6--Three Kings Day. Along with the shoppers were lots of entertainers--acobats, a man dressed as a transformer, a man dressed as a silver (all over including his skin) cowboy, TWO Santas, etc. Most popular (as judged by the lines) were an ice skating rink and an ice hill to sled down on using a tire innertube.
We stopped at a small outdoor restaurant and had a late lunch/early dinner--pork ribs with green sauce, rice, beans, and tortillas. The pork was tender, and the sauce left a tingle in our mouths.
As it got dark, the Christmas lights came on in the many plazas in the center of town. We walked through the plazas enjoying the atmosphere. We stopped and sat on a bench in one beside the Cathedral. Eventually, it became too cool, so we headed back to the hotel for the evening. For some reason, we are both exhausted even though it is only 20:00!
Christmas is over in San Antonio. I took down my tree and decorations on Dec. 31. On Jan. 1, I entertained Nurse Grethe visiting from Denmark for the past 2 1/2 weeks for the last time by taking her to a musical at the Cameo Theater in San Antonio. We saw The Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical, a rather irreverent musical comedy based around characters occupying a run-down mobile home park.
Grethe caught a flight at 6:00 a.m. today, and Wes and I took a flight at 11:50. We arrived here in Guadalajara at 13:55. San Antonio has been cloudy, occasionally rainy, and colder than normal (more like typical Danish weather) during the time Grethe was visiting. Now we are in sunny and warm Guadalajara!
We were lucky at the airport. We could not find any information about alternative ways to get from the airport to downtown. Occasionally there was a reference to a bus, but there were no details about it other than it was often said that it ran only every hour. As soon as we left customs, we found an airport information counter (for airport information, not city information). But the young man there was very friendly. He directed us to the bus and said it should be here within 15 minutes. As soon as we got to the stop at the end of the terminal, the bus was there and took us on as passengers. We were downtown and to our hotel having taken only maybe 15-20 minutes longer than a taxi would have taken. Our bus cost a total of 10 pesos, but the taxi would have cost 340!
Wes picked out the hotel--the Portonovo Plaza. There was a nicer one for just a few dollars more, but he thought this one had a better location. Also, he liked that this one has a buffet breakfast, whereas the other one had only a continental breakfast.
We are just south of the hold historical center of Guadalajara. We walked to there and started exploring. The streets were filled with Christmas shoppers, since gifts are not given here in Mexico until Jan. 6--Three Kings Day. Along with the shoppers were lots of entertainers--acobats, a man dressed as a transformer, a man dressed as a silver (all over including his skin) cowboy, TWO Santas, etc. Most popular (as judged by the lines) were an ice skating rink and an ice hill to sled down on using a tire innertube.
We stopped at a small outdoor restaurant and had a late lunch/early dinner--pork ribs with green sauce, rice, beans, and tortillas. The pork was tender, and the sauce left a tingle in our mouths.
As it got dark, the Christmas lights came on in the many plazas in the center of town. We walked through the plazas enjoying the atmosphere. We stopped and sat on a bench in one beside the Cathedral. Eventually, it became too cool, so we headed back to the hotel for the evening. For some reason, we are both exhausted even though it is only 20:00!
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