Guanajuato

The ride to Guanajuto (GTO) was uneventful but nice. Without cold and rain we could relax and enjoy riding our bikes in a foreign land. There were still unexpected targets to dodge and missing road signs but we were getting used to these challenges and felt a little proud of ourselves for adapting.

One interesting note to our trip was our lunch. We stopped at a road side taco stand quite possibly the filthiest in Mexico. After ordering our meal Alfred asked the lady in charge where the baño was. Instead of directing him, she just laughed and told him anywhere behind the stand would be fine. My tacos of chorizo were fantastic. The flavor enhanced by the bacteria, you know the way some cheeses or beer are enhanced. The woman had several children working with her. A young boy around 10-12, a small girl around 8 and several older daughters. The boy took interest in our bikes so we told him whatever we could about them. The little girl occasionally poked her head and smiled. We enjoyed their company so before we left I reached into my bag of tricks and pulled out several toys. For the boy two super balls and for the girl a "beanie baby" puppy that my daughter Britton donated for the trip. Alfred remarked that she squeezed that puppy as if were real and grinned from ear to ear. Thanks, Britton for giving up your collection. That little girl won't be the last to smile from your generosity.

We cruised into GTO in the afternoon into a maze of underground tunnels which made up the majority of the city streets. The tunnels wove their way in an impossible maze giving one no clear idea of direction or reference point as we were underground. Occasionally the tunnels would open up revealing houses and buildings hanging over head.

Becoming masters at reading streets signs it didn't take long for us to find our hostel, "Hostel del Tio". We unloaded the bags and headed out to discover our new home.

GTO is quite possibly one of the most beautiful cities I´ve visited. If Quebec City is to old France, GTO is to old Spain. We didn´t think it could get better than Zac but it did. We loved GTO. The main square is as polished and sophisticated as any I've seen in Europe. Triangular shaped with manicured trees just overhead a band played in the center. Around this green triangle are open air restaurants and shops with the main Teatro dominating one side. I don´t have the patience to describe it all in detail but I will post some pics in the next few days.

We went out that night with kids way too young for me to hang with but I still managed to have a good time. I left the young crowd around midnight and was happy for it. The old style streetlights filled the streets with soft light which actually made the city more beautiful. I know you´re not supposed to walk in dark alleys in Mexico at night. The problem is GTO is almost all alleys. I felt as safe as if I were walking in my hometown at noon.

The next day Alfred and I took to the same pace as GTO. We sauntered to the cafes and squares of the old town and soaked in the experience. Children played, pigeons strutted trying to impress a lady friend and we sipped coffee and tried to write in our journals. We continually interrupted each other´s writing to acknowledge how much we loved this town. We decided to bring our wives here as soon as we could.

We felt a little lazy watching life go by so we decided to visit the rest of the town. Our first stop was the mercado. A huge old building filled with everything you might need is the daily shopping stop for many of the locals. Dresses, seeds, candy, videos, flowers (fresh or dried), lunch, fruits vegetables and meat and chickens. I had a great time wandering the aisles of fruits piled high in colors we don´t see in our supermarkets. The most interesting though was the butcher´s areas. Calf livers and chicken feet out in the open air most with a slight sickly sweet scent while occasionally the smell of rotting flesh made us rush to the next stall. We had fun with some young pork butchers playing with a pig´s head (pictures to follow). They appreciated our interest in their work and we appreciated how hard they worked to feed their families.

Exiting the mercado we set off up the hill for the mummy museum. Years ago the town ran out of room in the cemetery and decided to exhume the older residents. They soon realized that something was mummifying their long dead friends. So why not open a museum? Truth be told it was rather grisly. While in Dallas I went to the Body Worlds exhibit. I´ve had my fill of dead people. No more for this trip.

Alfred and I truly enjoyed this gem of a city. I´m surprised I´ve never heard of it until I began to research this trip. All good things must come to an end so after two days and nights we set off for San Miguel de Allende. I was excited because I´ve heard so much about this quaint colonial town which had drawn so many expats that the locals call it gringo land.