Wanna go to Guanajuato

Feb 4 Guanajuato day trip

Today we got up early which was difficult because the wonderful brownie made for a short night of sleep. Oh that chocolate. We caught a first class bus to Guanajuato which is the capital of the state. It is much larger than SMA and quite beautiful. It was an important mining town back in the day and the town is built on top of the mining tunnels so many roads are subterranean. This region of Mexico provided 1/3 of the world’s silver.

The town is built on very steep hills and makes for winding streets and nothing is on a grid pattern. It adds to its charm. The main town square was swarming with tourists. We saw some wonderful sights, being our own guide.

We started with a cup of Starbucks then headed to the funicular which took us up to El Pipila, a statue of a mythical hero who fought with Father Hidalgo’s rag tag army for independence from Spain.

From here we got a 360 degree view of this colorful city. It was a
perfectly clear day. We went back down to explore Diego Rivera home where he was born which is also a museum that carries much of his early works as an artist.

Our favorite sight was the Teatro  Juarez, built in 1903 and it was
spell binding with all its intricate decoration. The ceilings, the original seats, the iron work, the tilework and on and on it went. The woodwork in the cantina which was closed was gorgeous. We could see through the glass and an open door. We spent a long time walking around and Ron took scores of photos. It was truly a feast for our eyes.

We ate at one of Steve’s favorite restaurants and we were not disappointed. Ron and I often order different dishes then switch mid meal so we get to try two dishes at each meal. Then we will have a light supper. I had beef tacos and Ron had a stuffed poblano pepper with meat, rice and sauce. Oh my, we both enjoyed both dishes. Yum and thanks to Steve.

After lunch we walked around some more and made our way to the old granary which turned out to be a beautiful building not what we expected at all. It was built between 1798-1809. It is now a museum with displays of Meso-American artifacts and a tribute to Mexico’s independence movement.








We also visited the Mercado with vendors of every type.

We headed back to the main square after resting in one of the smaller squares taking pictures of locals.

We spied a taxi and grabbed it to take us to the bus station. We arrived early but we were tired of being on our feet all day and our lack of sleep was taking its toll. We got home around 6:00 and rested briefly then decided to grab a gumbo and salad at Harry’s Restaurant and Bar around 7:30. OMG. The troops had landed. The place was jammed with Americans drinking and the music was blasting in the bar. We got a table in the dining room and moved to a quieter one and even then it was hard to carry on a conversation. Next time we will go early before the party guys arrive.