Puebla

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Well woke up in Puebla and felt really bad - Mexico belly had really hit home so decided that I would drop into the chemist and get something. Now to be honest I should have brought some stuff for dicky tummy but hey ho I did not so off to the chemist I go. Well this was an experience because I went into the chemist and they gave me a ticket and took me next door before I had even mentioned what was wrong - so immediately I thought do I look that bad!! Anyway the doctor did not speak a word of English so I said I would come back with someone who spoke Spanish. Then I researched using google, not a good thing I know, and wrote down on a piece of paper what I needed and sent Mike in and lo and behold in 10 minutes he was back with the stuff. So doctor Paula it is now with nurse Mike!!



We go on the walking tour which starts outside the Fountain in the main old square in front of the Cathedral. Now to start with our guide was lovely - he really took things seriously and bless his little cotton socks he had a dickie bow tie on. He could not take us in to the cathedral due to a mass being held so we vowed to go back later. He then took us to the library - well this is no ordinary library, it is officially called the Biblioteca Palafoxiana and was founded in 1646 and was the first public library in the Americas. It is such a handsome library, housing 100s of rare books on its ornate shelves including one of the earliest new world dictionaries (I think I need this most of the time, thank god for spell check is all I can say). Well unfortunately then we were passed over to another guide who was good but not as charming as our original guide.





This time we were taken to see the Museum International Barroco which, it is said, was a house originally. It was built by a gentleman who wanted to marry this lady. She said she would only marry him if he built her the most beautiful house in Puebla - well he certainly did that with the top of the building looking like a meringue. We did not go in but then he took us around a couple of markets etc which was okay but by now the sun was getting really hot and we had been on this walking tour for over 2 hours. I know this is wrong, as a free walking tour you should give tips, but by now I had to go to the loo desperately and also I needed a very, very cold drink - so unfortunately I bailed which if honest I am not proud of but come on you are doing a walking tour that starts at 11am and goes on for more for more than 2 hours - what immediately springs to mind is “mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the mid day sun”. Well that is totally what was happening but now not controlled by an Englishman.



I met Mike back at the hotel as he had already bailed due to not feeling well also - what a pair we are. We had a break and then decided that we would go out on our own and see the cathedral and other sights.



So we go off to Puebla Cathedral and it is a pretty cathedral inside but not a lot different from a lot of others. We are told though you should definitely go to Capilla del Rosario which we made our way towards. This was only open certain times which I was not quite sure about as it did not seem to have a lot of services but hey ho we went when it was open and although it was free we decided to get an audio guide so paid our pesos over. This was a total mistake as it was a tablet and for one in a church it should have ear phones. It was so loud so we decided to find the volume button and lost the guide and this happened so often we decided to give up as we could not be louder than the message playing with a description of the alter. The cathedral was very, very ornate which again gives rise in my mind to the question of the church’s wealth versus human poverty!!



In the evening we all went for something to eat. Now I have a revelation, but I will not give the two girls’ names in our group as they are both young and still working and I would not like to have anything to do with their future lives if someone found out their names!! Did you know, yes did you know some people have a fear of butterflies?!! - yes to me those really pretty little things that fly around and if honest seem to be more extinct the older I get. Well the girls’ theory is that butterflies are sly and in disguise as if you look at their faces they have an evil look - well after nearly falling off my chair with laughter they were so pleased that there was more than one of them who thought this so I think this was probably good therapy which cost nothing - I am going to look at the next butterfly I see differently and check out its face.



Tomorrow we are all up early with a long drive to Oaxaca which is supposed to be a fab city so looking forward to this but not the drive as still not quite right in the diarrhoea area but hopefully better tomorrow.

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Photos

Loved this do you think I can ship home
Mike says NOOOOOOO