On Sunday we left Mexico City for good and caught a bus to Guanajuato, about 5 hours to the northwest. Guanajuato is and old silver mining city that was built in the middle of a bunch of big hills. Nothing here is flat or straight. There isn't a single square block in the city and the buildings are literally built on top of each other as they climb up the steep hills leaving the main center. One can either walk up and down the main street in the center or climb a steep hill. The pictures really don't do it justice. There are actuall very few roads for cars to drive on to get up the hills. Most people walk up narrow paths and stairways between all the buildings. It's like a maze, you just find a narrow opening between two buildings and start climbing. Some dead end and some go through. When it's windy the wind rips throught these walkways like you're in a narrow canyon, which you are. This place actually reminds me of scrambling around the rocks and canyons in Joshua Tree National Park.
Since the roads are so narrow and there are many cars they built underground roadways toaccomodate all the traffic (pictured below). The city has like 30 tunnels or something going under the main downtown area and under all the hills. and they have sidewalks through them. It's where you have to go to catch the bus. And they look like they're about 150 years old, which they probably are. From what I've seem I'd say this is about the most beautiful city I've seem in Mexico. although not the best for accomodations. We just moved hotels today from a gross, dirty room with a sink that didn't drain (and when it finally did drain it just leaked all over the floor making a huge puddle) to a not as dirty room just down the street. It's funny how a place can cost 30% more than the place we stayed at in mexico city but be about 60% less apealing.
Well I hope our little house hasn't floated away or been crushed by a giant tree in the storms at home. We finally had some rain in Mexico City, but now it's back to the sun. Trying to figure out how we want to spend the last two weeks of our travels. Looks like tomorrow it's off to Guadalajara for Mariachis and tequila.
3 comments:
They don't call it a bog for nothing . .. I, too, hope your sweet little house isn't under water. I think it will at least drain out before you get back :-)
happy trails - Tamara
LOve your blog! I saw your post about the La Carrera Race cars and I was one of the drivers. If it's La Carrera Panamericana car you enjoy here is my blog... http://lacarrera2007.blogspot.com/
Click on the videos and you can ride along as I do 150 miles per hour in Downtown Mexico City. Very exciting indeed.
Phi and I were just talking about climbing around Joshua Tree - we're going to miss you this year!
Also, your house is pretty much okay. I only ever remember to check in on it after it is all twilighty and usually can't seen much by the time I beat off those cracra dogs.
Anyway the only major damage I've noticed is that your woodstove flooded? Which seems silly.
I thought about bailing it out, but then I decided it was too dark.
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