Guanajuato

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As you can see I have moved on in my journey. Guadalajara is an interesting place and it was a great place to begin the adventure . However it is a big city and one does get tired of big cities. So I escaped, with a young woman from Switzerland ,on a day trip to Lake Chapala .Wow what a beautiful sight that lake was. Nestled in the hills with mist rising off it Alex said it reminded her of Lucerene . Ajijic is charming with it's cobbled streets and very laid back atmosphere. The huge walled areas were impressive as well. Peeking inside any chance I got was revealliñg about how the wealthy spend their time at the lake ! It is a pretty place and we spent a fair bit of time walking along the lake and enjoying the peace and quiet .After lunch ,we bused back to the town of Chapala and again spent time down by the water watching people and being entertained by musicians.The return to the city was on a 2nd class bus. Slower since it stopped at several places but quite comfortable and interesting.

Sunday I moved on to Guanajuato .What a surprise this city was !The descriptions I have heard did not do it justice. It is a UNESCO heritage site and I understand why. Tucked into a bit of a valley the HUGE buildings , churches ,theatres ,university campuses and the homes of wealthy silver barons of the 17th C have been maintained and/or redeveloped and it seems to me none are derilict or abandonned. They are surrounded by the slopes of the mountains and here is where the multicoloured homes of the residents are, on quite steep slopes connected by foot paths . The valley area really is small. and walking is a pleasure as there are few driving streets. In the evening life is llived in the plazas and on the pedestrian walkways that join them..There are 5 main ones and each has it's own charm ...restaurants ,cafes ,musicians ...the opportunities for people watching are endless.

This is home to Vincente Fox and some very wealthy people , middle class Mexico on holiday and students . There are 20,000 students here at the University and the major areas of study are the arts (nusicians stroll about town as minstrals in the evening and there are 3 Huge theatres ), architecture ,engineering and international business .It is an interesting mix of people and a vibrant place.

The computer here at the hostel can't upload photos so this time I send only words. Google the town for some great visuals.

Hope all is well. Keep in touch.

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