Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Our time in Guanajuato (1 of 3) The City




The house where Diego Rivera was born, now a museum containing many of his early, experimental works from when he was an art student in Europe.



The singers who lead large groups of (intoxicated) revellers around the city's many winding, narrow alleys.




Teatro Juarez


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Iglesia de San Francisco






Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guanajuato




Museo del Pueblo


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El Callejón del Beso (Alley of the Kiss)- Famous because the only contact two young lovers from feuding families were able to have was from leaning across the extremely narrow alleyway from their balconies and kissing... or something. We have mailed you all souvenir Callejon del Beso teaspoons and t-shirts.

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Alhondiga de Granaditas-This building is a former granary which played an important part in the Mexican war for independence. The Spaniards barricaded themselves inside this building for protection against the rebels but el Pípila was able to crawl under the large wooden door and light it on fire, allowing the rebels to storm the building and win this particular battle. However, this was early in the war and four of the revolutionary leaders were later executed and their heads hung from hooks on the four corners of the building as a 'deterant' to any other would-be revolutionists. The heads remained there for 10 years until Mexico achieved independence in 1821. Today it is a museum, and great backdrop for outdoor concerts.



One of the hooks


A monument to the revolutionary hero El Pípila which overlooks Guanajuato



Guanajuato is a Unesco World Heritage site and as a result no new building has taken place since the 1980's. This also means that there are no neon or traffic lights in the entire city, just traffic cops with whistles. Because the colonial streets are quite narrow (almost all one-way roads) much of the traffic is hidden under the city in tunnels (also one-way), some of which used to be mines. In the rainy season some of these tunnels carry the rising river under the city to avoid flooding.


Aqueduct/ Museo Olga Costa Jose Chavez Morado















Trip to Cristo Rey (zoom way in to our google map to see the spirally route)





Guanajuato's Cristo Rey del Cubilete is the world's fourth (2nd according to our four year old guide book) largest representation of Jesus after Brazil's Cristo Redentor.

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Saturday, November 22, 2008

Day of the Dead in Guanajuato (Nov 1 and 2)



Look closely at the skull.



Lots of flowers for sale















At the cemetery









Lots of candy for sale as well



























WARNING:
We went to the Museo Momia (Mummy Museum) on November 1st, and the following photos may be disturbing to some...so scroll past with your eyes closed if you don't want to see them.













You have been warned
























Thursday, November 20, 2008

Arrival in Guanajuato (Oct 31)

The "air-bus" to Guanajuato
This bus company is trying to be as similar as possible to an airline, complete with the driver being separated by a door and barrier from the passengers and a safety video demonstrating the safety procedures and emergency exits. The seats were extremely comfortable.


arrival in the empty Guanajuato bus station at about midnight



After wandering around the city for 2 hours trying to barter with hostels operators charging 200 pesos per person for dorm rooms we settled on a sleezy hotel situated above the loudest nightclub in town. Although we felt like we were inside the nightclub at least we were able to lie horizontal which is more than we can say about
night buses.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Halloween kids parade



Jose was also able to recover our videos!

Saved!

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Our hero, Jose*, outside of his cyber-cafe. He was able to recover all 597 photos (all our pictures from Mexico) from the renegade memory card for $5! Unfortunately not the video, but we are still hopeful about recovering this as well. Thanks Jose!


Here are some of the photos of Zacatecas that we had lost:







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Las Ruins



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A Day of the Dead display (a tribute to cowboys)


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Halloween day



The aqueduct


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Museo Rafael Coronel


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*not his real name