Zacatecas; A Colonial Treasure

We've made it to the enchanting city of Zacatecas, deep in the heart of central Mexico! It is a city of narrow cobblestone streets, bright pastel houses, and cool mountain breezes. But before we got here, we still had some more to do in Guadalajara!

Our weekend started with a picnic date at the nearby Parque de Agua Azul. First, however, we had to navigate the pure chaos that is Mexican Wal-Mart on a weekend! It was the loudest, most crowded, frantic shopping experience I can remember, and may have sworn us off from the store for good. There were stands blasting music, tons of vendors trying to sign you up for things, everything was horribly overstaffed (13 ladies working the cold cuts section, though nobody wanted ham) and this resulted in the employees heckling you to buy stuff you didn't want (e.g. "Hey! You! You want some of this chorizo?" as we look at the parmesan). We made it out in one piece, and headed to the park. Right outside the park was a huge, free, punk-music concert of some kind, and the "emo's" and "goths" were out in force. Once inside the park though, we were transported to a serene, tranquil oasis in the middle of Guadalajara. We enjoyed our picnic on the lush grass, and watched a group of girl scouts wander about, doing chants and playing games. The park featured a parrot aviary, as well as a mariposeria, or butterfly garden. The latter was a huge sphere of metal and mesh that towered over the garden. Sadly, we weren't aware of their hours, and just as we finished our lunch, they locked the doors. There did not allow balls, pets, anything with wheels, or alchohol. Beats the point if you ask me, but it was still a nice romantic escape (much of the clientel were on a date).

That night we ate at "La O". Hailed as a nuveau-Mexican tapas bar, we spent a good hour trying to find it (the roads are not well marked in Guadalajara). It had a beautiful decor, with glowing orbs lighting the roof and a fountain filled garden on the patio. For just 155 pesos ($10 U.S.), you got a tapas order, homemade bread basket, unlimited trips to their luxurious salad bar (tempura fried veggies, serrano ham, and other delicious offerings), and a main course as well! We munched on our salads, toasty empanadas with a garlicky chimichuri, and even jumbo shrimp cooked in a jamaica (hibiscus) sauce! Delish! We got a treat by watching all martinis poured from the bottle at the guest's tables, and the full bottle of tequila brought out when someone wanted a shot to toast.

Saturday we headed for the weekly ballet folklorico in the historic Teatro Degallado. Buying the second cheapest tickets in the second balcony, we eagerly awaited fro the show to begin. Moments before opening, however, we were ushered down to better seats on the ground floor by on of the staff (I'm still fuzzy as to why). With killer seats, we sat in the dark as the huge red curtain raised and the choir began to sing. The show was essentially 6 different numbers, broken up into 2 acts. Most of the numbers were based on a Mexican state, or region, such as Jalisco or Michoacan. There were about 40 performers, half choir, half dancers, with a live band on stage as well. For each number, they wore the traditional garb of the region, and sang about the people and the land. The dancers were terrific, with a large ammount of the show being tap-dancing numbers (whether with clapping sandals or tapping dress shoes). Each number had some kind of gimmick, too, related to the material. Jalisco had Mariachis, and Michoacan had a large dancing fish and men trying to catch it in a net. Julia and I thought it was a complete hoot, and when the last number came up (Jalisco: aka the home team), the crowd went crazy! Cheering, whistling, and having a ball, the show ended in a standing ovation.


We spent the remainder of our day in Guadalajara cruising the Mercado Libertad for gifts. I am improving my bartering technique, too! I can usually talk them down 25% of their "best" price, occasionally even 40%! I also learned that if they want to be stubborn, I say to Julia "Nah, that's too expensive," and start to walk away. About 50% of the time they'll holler back "Okay! I'll give it to you for 320!" They know that there's another guy selling the exact same thing next door.

Monday we took the 5 hour bus to beautiful Zacatecas. It is a windy, dry, beautiful city nestled in the mountains. The landscape reminds me of Albuquerque more than anything else, though Julia described the actual city as "The Switzerland of Mexico". Maybe it's a blend of both? The streets are narrow and winding, with gardens, plazas, and fountains nestled everywhere. You can see the looming mountains on all sides. The buildings themselves are clean, all different shades of pastel colors (think Easter eggs), and many date back to colonial times. Our accomadations are at the terrific Hostal Villa Colonial, right in the heart of the historic distric. We actually rented a studio apartment for the week for $100 with a kitchen, private bath, and stellar view of the nearby cathedral. We have full access to the hostal's facilities (just 10 steps away), such as free coffee, a 4 story high terrace, and (reportedly) the cheapest beer in town. Yes, the hostal sells beer, and it even has an impressive little library! The owner, Ernesto is the friendliest man you could ever hope to meet, offering to accomadate you in any little thing you could imagine. You need to do a load of laundry? Bring it here, I'll get it back to you by tomorrow. You want a broom for the apartment? I'm sending a cleaning lady over there today. He even plans trips to visit any place you could want in the area (so long as you have four people).

Towering over the hostal is the small mountain called "La Bufa"... meaning wine skin in Castellano Spanish. It's about 45 minutes to the top by foot, or you can take the Swiss-made tram car if you prefer (This makes Julia very proud). We've hiked up there almost every day we've been here, taking in terrific views of the town and the outlying mesas/mountains. There's reportedly even a zipline to the bottom, but I have yet to confirm this.


Yesterday we asked Ernesto to see if anyone wanted to go to the nearby ruins called La Quemada. Sure enough, he got a group together, and we drove about an hour away to the site. There were 11 of us tourists in the car, everyone spoke English, but nobody was from the US! It was a delightful change of pace. We chatted it up with Brits, Scotts, Canadians, a Frenchman, and a German. La Quemada is an archaeological site that dates back to the fifth century AD, and it's not discovered by the tourism mainstream yet. It is five levels high, and a formidable hike. Historians disagree as to whether it was a city, a fortress, a temple, or something in between. They also don't know for sure who lived there. Nevertheless, it's very impressive, very high, and very windy. There were signs all along the way informing us of the uses of the various structures (the seemed to all have some relation to human sacrafice though... even the ball court!).

As for our future plans? Well, it's up in the air at this point. On the 27th we'd planned on another WWOOF stint in San Miguel De Alende, but just yesterday our host pulled out because of financial concerns. We still hope to go to Guanajuato next, and we're considering a WWOOF farm in Michoacan that a couple at the Hostal recommended yesterday. Oaxaca may or may not happen, because it's very far away, and our allotted budget is reaching it's end. We can use more savings if we decide to, but that's always a tough choice to make.


I know it's been a long post. Now that we have internet access all the time, I'm considering updating more often (and if anyone out there would like more frequent updates, I'd like to hear from you). Also, if you're reading the blog, but not commenting, come out of the shadows! We love to hear from you as much as you like to read about us. If you're reading, but not following, start following so we know you're out there! And if you read it each week, tell us how things are back home, ask a question, or just tell us a funny story. A highlight of our day is to bring up our blog and see that we have a new comment. So keep 'em comin'!

Hasta proximo vez!

--Philip