Diary of 3 Weeks in Mexico

June 24th
Sunday, 5:45pm

Sometimes I feel like I don´t know where to start with these journal entries- when too much time has passed, crammed with too many things to share- it´s so hard to make a decision- and then to remember to write each of things I want to remember forever.

With that being said, it serving no purpose but to delay my decisions further, I´ll begin again with just how much Ive loved this beautiful city. We just got back on a bus and I was so sad to say goodbye- this is the first place in Mexico where I really think I could have stayed forever- and really feel the need to return to. It´s such a charming place, with fun friendly people, great restaurants and bars, and so many things to see and do.

We went out early(ish) yesterday morning to hop a bus to the mummy museum- apparently this town, known for and wealthy because of mining, in the early 1900´s discovered a cemetary of about 150 not decomposed, but rather mumified bodies. Surprised scientists have decided this mumification is due in part to a high concentration of mineral in the soil. Anyway, now almost 100 of these mummified bodies, excavated in the early 1900´s are on display, each with their own story, in a newly redone museum on the city´s westside. Being the Mexicans are so infatuated with celebrating the dead (ex. El Dia de Los Muertos) this museum, though morbid and grotesque, is culturally fascinating.

We then hopped a second bus to the Ex-hacienda de San Gabriel... This hacienda spanning 17 acres- is the most beautiful estate Ive ever seen. As you stroll through the gardens, past glorious sculptures, fountains, plazas and delicate buildings, around each corner you reach another magnificently beautiful surprise awaits. The buildings making up the hacienda are equally as gorgeous- now housing a museum that showcases what life was like for the hacienda´s owners displaying rooms filled with luxuries antiques and feeling like a palace. Part of the hacienda that was the community kitchen and some living space has also been converted into an artisan shop with some of the most beautifully painted pottery I´ve ever seen.

We walked back to the downtown are from the hacienda, leisurely strolling through parks, and past beautiful aquiducts and artisans plazas. One of the parks was playing host to a dog show and attack dog demonstration by the local police. We walked through the cages of the beautifully primped and proper dogs, as well as the puppies for sale, stopping to pet a few of our favorites.

After a brief rest we met up with a friend we´d met earlier in the trip, in Puerto Vallarta, Fernando for dinner in our favorite plaza. Fernando only speaks spanish so it was so good to challenge myself with complicated discussion topics in Spanish. After dinner we walked east a few blocks past the University and Basilica and discovered the most magical theatre and the Jardin Union (the city´s main plaza and gardens though there are a great bunch of quaint plazas throughout the city) as well as the Catholic Temple. Suggesting a trip to the Monument of Pipila, we boarded a little trolly to take us up a steep hill to an overlook of the gorge. From there all the gardens, university grounds and beautiful churches could be seen and scattered amongst the colorful buildings- all set with a backdrop of rolling green mountains and big puffy clouds.

The monument behind us, set on the highest point on the hill is an ode to a man named Pipila...famous in all eyes in Guanajuato. The monument is huge- about 30 meters high, it was built in 1939 and commemorates Pipila, the miner who torched the Alhondiga´s front door and opened the way for a riotous masacre of the Spanish during the war of independence. Like the Statue of Liberty, Pipila also holds a torch in his stone hand, and the Guanajuatians also explain it as a symbol of freedom.

We then decided to go for a drink (or 2) at a really cute bar playing live Mexican music... or more truly live music in Spanish. The second floor bar overlooked Calle Juarez, the city´s main street and proved the perfect spot for people watching. At about 9:30 we left to shower and get ready for a night out. We found a bar crowded with students offering all mixed drinks with tequila for only 1 peso before 11:30 - 1 peso is not even 10 cents in American dollars... and we got two drinks in before the deal ended. We left to find some dancing and instead found a break dancing competition at an underground bar with the feel of a cave. We bar hopped a few more times, often not even ordering a drink, but playing some foosball and observing the atmosphere. We ended up dancing for awhile at the same bar we had started at, but it had become extremely crowded and we didnt stay long.

Church bells and fireworks woke us up this morning as the Mexican Catholics are celebrating ´El Dia de San Juan´ in honor of St. John and like the Spaniards, everyone named after that saint celebrates the day as if it´s their own birthday.

Curious to go to a Mexican mass, as we´ve observed catholicsm as such an intregal part of Mexican familial culture, Fernando offered to go with me to church this morning. At 10am, we passed a few of the grand churches halfway through masses and packed full of people. After asking around, we discovered El Templo de Compania- also filled with people but had a mass that was just beginning (or at least close enough). The Temple was one of the most magnificent churches Ive yet seen and has quite a story- as it was originally built as a Jesuit Temple and college in the 1700´s, but was shut down in 1785 when the Jesuits were expelled from Spanish colonial America. The building later sparked the founding of the University and now serves as yet another of the 6 main catholic churches in the city- and all are packed full offering a stack of masses at each. The old school, once part of the Jesuit Temple, now houses a museum of art. Anyway, mass was absolutely beautiful with the powerful organ and the blended choir voices resonating through the grand stone-columned and brightly but simply decorated inside.

We met up with Kristen for breakfast back in our favorite plaza before a long stroll through all parts of town left to be explored. We ended our walk with a search for El Callejon de los Besos- a tiny, steep, winding alley with brightly colored and tiny buildings serving as a barrier on each side of the street, leaving room for just two people to walk through side by side. There we met little 8-year-old Augustine who proceeded to tell us about the legend that makes the street so famous- the one with the father angry at his daughter´s choice for a lover... but then explained that now the church is good luck and kissing someone in different ways on the third step of the street brings different kinds of good luck to the kissing couple... the best luck comes though when kissing a Mexican man of course.. Augustine got kisses from both Kristen and I, what a lucky little guy.

We spent the afternoon in the Jardin Union at a cafe broadcasting the big USA vs. Mexico soccer game on the patio. The game was very exciting and the crowd continuously grew and intensified throughout the 90 minutes of play time. With USA actually pulling out the 2-1 victory, Fernando as well as all the Mexicans in the place were clearly upset with mine and Kristen´s presence... so we paid our bill and left quickly.

Saying goodbye to Fernando and this awesome city was such a sad moment. I really had the most fantastic of weekends. I did notice posted fliers in the bus station though looking for english teachers for a private school in town.. that also pays for the teacher to take classes at the University... so who knows? Maybe I´ll be back sometime soon.