Hi again. Greetings from Guadalajara. I got here yesterday after about a week in Zacatecas and a town of about 40,000 an hours south of there, Jerez.
Zacatecas is a pretty good town. It’s nothing to write home about, though here I am writing home about it. What’s to say? Let’s see. It’s got it’s own character. Though it’s mostly urbane, the area around is cowboy county. It’s at about 2600 meters elevation, on the edge of what becomes increasingly desert as you go north. It’s still cool, with the highs in the teens and 20’s centigrade, and no mosquitoes. That alone makes it worth visiting. Things to see? Well, it’s got an extensive historical district with stuff like you’ve been looking at on this blog, and a famous mine which was in operation for 450 years. Other than checking that out, I just soaked up the goings on.
I stayed at the only hostel I know of in town. It was just fine, with a kitchen which I like so I don’t have to buy food at restaurants. My roommates were quiet. The wifi was okay. I don’t need much. There was a nice roof terrace.
And it is located right behind the cathedral in the center of town. Here the back of the cathedral view from terrace.
Here’s a nice feature on the front of the cathedral.
The mine is right in the mountain in the background there. It’s proximity to the city is one reason it was closed. The noise and waste just didn’t go with the modern city. I went on a tour of the mine, but there were no good photo ops. Too dark. Like in Bolivia, it’s no wonder the average miner for most of that 450 years lived to be about 35. Of course, in Bolivia, they still only live till 35. This mine tour was nothing like that one. Whew, that one was tough, up and down through narrow passages, coming across miners chopping away. This one only went on the main, flat passages.
Zacatecas had the most music of anywhere I’ve been. In at least four areas just in the nearby center, there was live music and people singing and dancing well into the night.
On top of that, there are elections on Tuesday. The candidates get a crowd by putting on a show. If there is music, Mexicans will gravitate toward it every time.
I know y’all are into rodeo. One day I went with three hostel-mates to a semi-big rodeo. There were only two events, women’s barrel racing and men’s bull riding. The women were locals. The guys were professionals, mostly from all over northern Mexico. There was even a Brazilian and an American. The barrel racing was boring.
That particular contestant fell off her horse, landed hard, picked herself up and started crying. Here the cowboys are consoling her. I guess even cowgirls get the blues.
Before the bull riding event, the riders were introduced, then there was a moment of prayer. Maybe not a bad idea. I saw a TV show in China that was nothing but fatal rodeo accidents. It was gruesome, like Jackass for real.
Here are some random pics.
I got some nice smiles for being so out of place looking there, but I am a city guy and definitely not from there.
Back in the city… After going on that mine tour, there’s a gondola ride to the hilltop opposite the city below, up behind the center. I went on that and walked down.
Here’s the view from the gondola.
For me, the best site in Zacatecas is a partially restored 17th century convent. Parts are as they are, that is, ruins. Part is an amazing mask museum.
I probably should have taken pictures of the 1000-some masks. Or maybe photography wasn’t allowed. Maybe that’s it. I can’t remember. Anyway, here was the entrance to the exhibit. This area was very nice inside.
There is a pretty courtyard. While I was there, a wedding was getting started. What a nice place to get hitched! It must cost a pretty penny to rent that.
This brings me to the end of Zacatecas. My next major stop was Guadalajara, but Lonely Planet had a boxed spiel about Jerez, about an hour down the road to Guadalajara. LP called it “charming” and “as Mexican as tortilla”. I stopped there, thinking I could kill an afternoon and continue on. It was charming and I stayed two nights.
I figured it would be tranquil compared to Zacatecas, but the first night was an election show, though this one was more traditional music as befitted the populace there. Jerez seems to be a PRI stronghold
I just have one more picture I’d like to share. When Myung and I were in Korea, we got real, fresh honey. 95% of Chinese honey is drastically watered down and expensive. They have real honey in Mexico. A guy on the street in Jerez was heating a honey comb so it would drip into a container. Yum! This is the real deal.
So, now I’m in Guadalajara, a village of 4 million people. Some people asked me why I would want to go there, implying it didn’t have anything to offer. I like it so far, though. I think I will stay a few days.
Talk to you later. Be well, all of you,