Thanks to the dogs....

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"The town, so the story goes, owes its founding to a few over-heated dogs. These hounds were loved by a Franciscan friar, Juan de San Miguel, who started a mission in 1542 near an often-dry river 5km from the present town. One day the dogs wandered off from the mission; they were found reclining at the spring called El Chorro. The mission was moved to this superior site."

Our day started off with firework explosions at 6:00am, followed some more sleep, and then a run for me around 10:00 am..I headed for the Parc Juarez, about a mile away. Running on uneven sidewalks and cobblestones really makes you focus! I saw more and more joggers as I neared the park, both Mexicans and Anglos. The park itself is beautiful, and has local artists selling their work on the weekends. I continued up the steep hill to visit the site of the springs mentioned above. Women still wash clothes there!

After a run back home, breakfast, and shower, we headed back to the park, where I bought a handmade book and small watercolor from local artists. We walked up the steep hill above the city for awhile, and then headed back down, past the bull ring and to my Spanish school where I start classes tomorrow. We shopped, and then people-watched in the crowded Jardin, before heading home for a Modelo Negro and cheese and crackers on the terrace....

We ended up strolling for about three and half hours, and covered almost 4 miles.... The hardest part is choosing which beautiful street to take next!

This afternoon after our siesta, I finished making sour dough bread from the starter I brought with me...not as good as I make at home, but OK.. I was hoping that I didn't have to explain at Customs what was in the baggie full of starter goo!

I'll add more history another time....

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Photos

A woman washing clothes in the spring water
You use a bucket to dip water from the stream and fill a basin

Spring water
The basins were built in 1960