The Paricutin ... one of the wonders of Mexico

After a few quiet days in Pátzcuaro I moved on a bit further south to the city of Uruapan. It is again an interesting city with old houses, churches and museums (and a building that once was the oldest hospital on the American continent...) plus a wonderful park with fountains and waterfalls, the Parque Nacional. But my main objective was a trip to the village of Angahuán, to see the ruins that were left over when in 1943 the volcano Paricutin was born.

The Paricutin is the youngest volcano in the Western Hemisphere and during the years it took for it to be created, an Indian village was destroyed (the inhabitants could be relocated). Everything is covered by a mountain of black lava... and plants growing again out of it. Only the church towers can still be seen  - and the altar. It is really a miracle that the lava stopped and spared the altar of the church. I just had to see this with my own eyes.

Usually you go through the village of   Angahuan to the visitors' centre where you can also stay over night and from where you can start your way to the lava fields either on horseback or on foot. On the day I was there, however, the village was closed because of a "fería", but there were "shuttle horses" between the parking place and the ruins. There and back for 150 pesos. Oh my, the last time I had been on a horse was when I was 12, so I had my panicky 10 seconds, but then decided that the horse knew what it was doing and relaxed. It was also good that I had gone fairly early, because I not only avoided the midday heat, but also could enjoy the peace and quiet on the way through the forest, which has a certain magic quality. It is a place to think and remember that nature is stronger than humans and that we cannot control everything.

My Indian guide was also with me in the ruins, which was a good thing, because climbing around on the lava rocks is quite a challenge , but I managed with a helping hand now and then. And then I finally stood in front of the altar. I remembered the first time my friend had told me about it. It is a sight that makes you wonder ...

The things I had seen, heard and smelled on this morning did not leave me for the rest of the day and even now, a few days later, I still feel the atmosphere of that place. It is a special place and I am happy I could see and experience it ... it is one of the many wonders of Mexico.

The altar .. I am standing on the lava

Hotel Estancia de al Era, Pátzcuaro

After Guanajuato I moved south to the Mexican state of Michoacán and did some sightseeing in its capital, Morelia, where I learned a lot about the fight for Mexican independence.Then I took a bus to the province town of Pátzcuaro, which is a lovely place that reminds me a bit of South Austria... if it was not for the language. But here I stayed in the cutest hotel I have ever seen: Estancia de la Era.

The owner is a painter and you can see her artistic touch in every corner. The beauty and harmony of the place comforted my soul and gave me peace after all the hustle of the big cities. I had time to think and to write and was spoiled like a queen. I got a different Mexican breakfast every day, good tips what to do and where to go and always a cup of coffee or a glass of wine in front of the fire when I needed it.

If you should be in the Morelia/Uruapan area and want to get some peace : go to Pátzcuaro and stay here. You will not regret it !!

http://www.delaera.com/

Guanajuato

After an educating and relaxing weekend in Aguascalientes, I am on the road again for the second half of my Mexican adventure. Thanks to tons of tips and ideas from my friend, I will not be bored and am sure I will get along fine.

Today I discovered the old mining town of Guanajuato, which is a maze of little streets, stairs, underground streets and coloured houses. I started the day with a beautiful breakfast : most Mexican food does not only taste interestingly, it also is arranged to look good and the colours alone water your mouth. After a breakfast like this I don't need any food until the evening.

Then I walked along the northern part of the center, past the university, to the Alhóndiga de Granaditas, a local monument from the fight for independence. A local hero connected with this place is José Martinez, called Pìpila, from whose monument high above the city you have a great view.

Unfortunately, either my computer or the Internet connection don't allow me do upload  any more pictures, so I must continue without them. You can walk up from the city center to the monument of El Pìpila, but there is also a cable car, which I took. When I came down again, there was a film crew near the Teatro de Juárez making the same 20 people walk across the same square for 100 times, so I went to the Museo Iconográfico de Quijote, which has a collection of pictures and other pieces of art inspired by the novel by Cervantes. Every year in October this city hosts the Cervantes Festival with music and theatre performances.

Speaking of music... near the central Jardín de la Union you can find groups of young men who play instruments and sing, they are called Estudiantinas and you can hire them to play a serenada for the girl you love. Or on Mother's Day for your mom... They look great in their traditional suits and, well.... who is going to pay for a serenada for me ? Nobody? Well, then I will get my own ticket for a nightly tour around the little Callejones with them !!

Mexico: Traffic

My first two weeks are over and  I have gotten used to some of the small things that are different than at home. Traffic for example.

In Germany, which is a country of rules and law and order, there are strict rules for the traffic and although German drivers feel like racing drivers on the Autobahn , as a pedestrian in a town you can pretty much rely on the rights you have. You have the right of way at a zebra crossing and when a car goes around a corner,it must let pedestrians pass. And you wait at red traffic lights. Even in the middle of the night. Even when there is no car to be seen within a radius of 50 km. You wait until the lights are green.

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that Mexico is a country of no rules. There are rules, but they are different. Rule one: as a pedestrian you have no rights whatsoever. Don't expect a car to stop just because you are crossing the street. The car is stronger and therefore always right. Look where you are going and improve your running skills so that you can escape should you have misjudged a car's speed.

Rule number two: Cross the street when it is possible, ignore the lights, trust your own judgment. Actually, this is an unwritten rule that you find in a lot of countries also in Europe. You can always spot the Germans in England or Italy, for example: they are the ones standing at the red traffic lights with the locals rushing across the street because there is no car around.

So when I am awake and alert, I make my way like a Mexican. But when I am tired, I can be found standing dreamily in front of a red traffic light, eyed suspiciously by the locals who look at me as if I was an imbecile.Or a tourist.....

Tequila

Last weekend I went on an excursion to the little town of Tequila, because I am right in Tequila country here. Actually, Guadalajara is a good place to see the "real Mexico", because this is also the region where the Mariachi music comes from.

Anyway, we first stopped at a hacienda where they make Tequila and could see all the steps of the process from the agave plants to the finished product. Of course, we got to try some and also could buy bottles of different sizes.

Then we had a look at the town, which is a typical little Mexican town with a nice marketplace and a beautiful church. In the end my friend and I got some fruit flavoured water and ice cream and sat down in the shade to have one of these endless women talks .... it was a great day !

Guadalajara:Churches

Guadalajara is an old colonial town , today the capital of the Mexican federal state of Jalisco. You can see a lot of churches here, I want to show you two of them. First the Cathedral, which for me looks more like a fortress from the outside. It was built in the 16th century and as it took them about 60 years to finish, a lot of different styles can be seen. The towers were destroyed in an earthquake  at the beginning of the 20th century and were rebuilt  in this way then.

A look at the stone masonry in the chapel to the right.

This church is called  Templo Expiatorio and was built in the Gothic style between 1897 and 1931. It is an impressive and, in my opinion, very beautiful church, as the only decoration inside are the architecture and the beautiful glass windows.

Finally I saw these guys heading for an old building of the university... aliens studying in Guadalajara as well, it is a famous university !!!

Mexican Adventure:Rain

As I said before, it is the rainy season in central Mexico and I did well to escape the European heatwave by travelling to Mexico. But on Monday I was caught in a tropical torrential rainfall that turned the streets and pavements into rivers within minutes. I was lucky, a lady in a shop asked me to come in and wait there, but still, being stuck for an hour because of the weather is something that a German finds hard to swallow.

In Germany people would get upset, look at their watches and blame the government. Or the opposition. Or both. In any case, they would expect the world to end soon. Here in Guadalajara, however, everybody just waited patiently until the street appeared again and one could walk on. And isn't that the best way to cope? After all, we cannot change the weather, so why get a heart attack about it ?