Blogs from Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Mexico, North America
May 23rd 2012
Today we took a day trip to Guanajuato. Diego told us that is the most gorgeous town in all of Mexico, and I definitely believe him. After breakfast in the hotel, we walked down to the Tec campus and began the two hour drive to Guanajuato. Louis brought Catch Phrase and we played couple really intense games. Once we got to Guanajuato, we went to the famous mummy museum which has dozens of mummies on display that were exhumed from the surrounding area. I don't really know why the bodies were preserved so well, but Diego said it had something to do with the dry climate. I thought the museum was incredible and really looking at the mummies was SO interesting. I bought a little ash-tray souvenir that I can use to put rings or paper ... read more
April 4th 2012
Obviously a city in Mexico comes with some preconceptions from a typical person's point of view. Some might expect it to be dirty, completely unsafe, and in shambles. To be honest, the city we visited was one of the most beautiful places we've been to. Guanajuato is a hidden gem in central Mexico. It’s architecture, churches, squares, and allies are very charming making it feel more like an old European city. The entire downtown colonial area is a UN World Heritage site, which is a prestigious status to have, yet it deserves it. The city itself means, “Places of Frogs” and is situated in a valley. The heights here add to the awesome panoramic views of the colored buildings. I’ve never seen anything like it, it’s as if time stopped and you are stepping back into ... read more
RVing in Mexico with Raymondo y Marsia - 2012
Published: March 3rd 2012North America » Mexico » Guanajuato » Guanajuato
March 1st 2012
Thursday, 23 February, we moved north to the city and state of Guanajuato. The city of Guanajuato is considered to be the most beautiful, romantic and "one of the best preserved" of Mexico’s colonial cities. This being only our second colonial city but we wonder how any town could seem more ancient. The city sits at the bottom of scenic canyon. Many of the inner city streets are a maze of old mining tunnels. Walls resemble fortress like fortifications though we have not read that they were built for that reason. Houses hug the canyon’s different levels, with the foundations of one house sitting at the rooftop level of the one below. There are two campgrounds in the vicinity. We chose Morrill Trailer Park because of its proximity to the city – we could walk to ... read more
February 25th 2012
Guanajuanto is an incredible Colonial City. The large historic area is located in a central valley with numerous museums, tree lined Plazas, opulent Theaters, and meandering pedestrian areas, all connected by underground tunnels which were formerly rivers. The colorful houses line the steep cobblestone hillsides. On our way from Patzcuaro, we were pulled over by a Mexican motorcycle cop. He wanted to know why we did not have a front license tag and Ray did (He has California plates also)? Ed kept his cool and just kept saying, in English, 1 or 2 plates, it doesn´t matter. He finally gave up and sent us on our way. We had a nerve wrecking trip through the streets of Guanajuanto. Merrill Campground is on the top of the hillside. The directions in the campground book are given to ... read more
Mexican driving adventures
Published: January 10th 2012North America » Mexico » Guanajuato » Guanajuato
January 10th 2012
Well hiring a car in Mexico was easy. Finding our destination was definitely not. We left our happy little hostel at 6.30 am from Oaxaca and flew via Mexico city to Guadalajara, where we then picked up a rental car and thought that we would arrive in the pretty little town of Guanajuato by about 3.30 pm, after an easy drive through the Mexican highways. How wrong we were. The car hire was easy, and the lovely man at Budget was very kind to us. Firstly we got an upgrade, from what must have been a midget car to a small car, and then he gave us all manner of advice about driving in Mexico, including telling us not to give the gas station our credit card and if the police should stop us and ask ... read more
November 16th 2011
If San Miguel is all about sol (sun), Guanjuato is more about sombra (shade). This is not because the skies are cloudy, but more a description of mood, history and geography. Its chiaroscuro streets and enticing alleyways remind me of other places all at once, and I struggle to remember where and to fit the pieces together. Meanwhile, Lorena, our Mexican property manager, settles us in and offers her services as a tour guide. We warm to her immediately. She is lanky and handsome, and laughs easily. Like obedient ducklings, we follow behind as she rushes ahead, her mannish blue jeans riding high on her long legs. She sluices us through the cool stone labyrinth of underground roadways in her battered VW, swearing at the slower drivers. “Cheesus Christ!” she grumbles, as if barrelling through the ... read more
Mexican Independence Day, Guanajuato style
Published: September 16th 2011North America » Mexico » Guanajuato » Guanajuato
September 16th 2011
Tomorrow, September 16th is officially Independence Day in Mexico; however, you got to start early! Let me give the background story, Nanci style. In 1810, a priest named Miguel Hidalgo was unhappy with colonial Mexican society; in particular, how it was determined by skin color, parentage and birthplace. At the top of the tree were the Spanish-born colonists, followed by criollos (most of whom were extremely wealthy), the mestizos (people of mixed ancestry), and lastly the indigenous people and African slaves. The criollos started to rebel against the Spanish rule and Padre Miguel Hidalgo gave his ‘Grito de Indepencia’, or shout for independence. When Hidalgo, Allende, Aldama and Jimenez were fighting in Guanajuato, the city decided to put the colonists and the criollos in the Alhondiga, where they’d be safe. They were wrong. A Mexican miner ... read more
August 1st 2011
One last excursion before i head to the states. Gunanjuato is probably my favourite city in Mexico so far, it reminds me of Italy, cobbled streets with little alleyways set in a valley with brightly coloured houses that surround the town. With lots of old buildings that stand out when up high in the hills looking down on the town. Its the city of the mummies (not the ones pushing strollers around). The story is that years ago they dug up the old graves to make way for new ones, only to find the bodies had naturally 'mummified' from the minerals in the soil. So as you know that kind of thing is right up my alley i went to see them, and they didn't disapoint. After the mummies i walked to the Hidalgo markets, which ... read more
You want me to climb where?!
Published: August 1st 2011North America » Mexico » Guanajuato » Guanajuato
July 31st 2011
As I was writing my blog last night, I looked out our window to La Bufa for inspiration. La Bufa is a huge (to me, anyway) rocky cliff above Guanajuato. There were hundreds of torches making their way to the top of La Bufa. July 31st is the annual pilgrimage to the cave of San Ignacio. Last night several hundred people were going up, but it was nothing compared to all the people that were on the way up today. There were tons of people of all ages – little babies being carried to little old ladies. I, however, was a bit chicken. I could blame it on my shoes, I could blame it on my age, but it reality I was almost crying like a little girl! We finally made it to the cave! I ... read more
July 30th 2011
A couple of weeks ago the State of Guanajuato began its Film Festival. It started in the city of Guanajuato this past Wednesday. We went to the movies for the past four days. Wednesday night we went to the movies on the University of Guanajuato’s staircase. The staircase is 113 stairs, so it held approximately 300 people. When we walked down the hill, the sky was very ominous. Lightning was flashing all around the statue of El Pipila, the famous miner from the Mexican War of Independence, as well as all the churches. Luckily, I brought my umbrella, so it never started to rain. We watched a classically old Mexican movie; unfortunately, it was in Spanish with no subtitles, so while we didn’t get everything that was said, we got the humor from the crowd. Thursday ... read more
