FEBRUARY 21-22, 2012: We left San Miguel de Allende at around 1200H and drove to Guanajuato for almost an hour. We took a short cut from San Miguel de Allende as instructed by the guard whom we asked at a local golf club because we missed our exit.
The short cut road was consisted of an asphalt road with only one lane for each directions. It was also a lonely road situated in a savanna-like place, which is a rocky and hilly place, full with scattered shrubberies, a very bosky terrain.
As we continued along the road we saw a little lake and we stopped there to take some pictures. We also spotted some ranch and cacao plantations along the road. We joked, sang crazily, and screamed on top of our voice as we drove to make our drive enjoyable and not boring. We had a lot of fun during that lonely drive at the savanna.
When we reached the Highway 45 going to Guanajuato we were happy because we felt we have reached the civilization. Hahaha. When we saw the sign saying; "Bienvenidos a Ciudad Guanajuato!" we were even ecstatic like crazies. Hahaha.
I was very excited and nervous at the same time because I know the driving there is not good because of a lot of tortuous tunnels below the city, which was once a mining town, as what I have read from Wikipedia before I went to Mexico.
As we approached the mouth of the heart of the downtown, I can see the colored houses on top of the hills. It was very beautiful to look at and I was fascinated by it. The scenery was awesome like it a painting and I just can't stop saying my "Oohs" and my "Aahs". It seems that my friend Ricky knew how to drive this place so I let him take me wherever he wanted to bring me.
As we drove along the hilly stoned roads and passed the twisted tunnels I've noticed we were already heading up the hill and then we stopped on top of the hill where there's a statue of a man holding a torch. They called it "El Pipila" who was considered a hero among Guanajuanians during the fight for independence in the 1900s. He was the one who set fire on the granaries that were long protected by the Spaniards to starve the whole city.
From there I can see the aerial view of the place and the very important buildings can be seen also from there. The beautiful colored houses were even appreciated greatly from there. It was a magnificent sight to look at. Very beautiful and awesome! I just can't stop clicking my camera and iPhone to take several pictures of the awe-inspiring view.
Ricky had hired a guy to explain and point to me in English the very important and historical places we can see and visit later on from the scenery in front of me and he encouraged us some places to visit and check out later on.
After we're through there, Ricky decided to leave his car there and we took the cable in going down near the downtown. The car stopped at the back of Teatro Juarez so from there we ambled around and checked the front side of the theater. It was very beautiful with statues standing on top representing the famous performers of the Greek Mythology.
Beside the theater on the left side is a small church of San Juan de Alcala. We checked the facade and also the inside of the church then checked also the courtyard which currently had some statues being exhibited there.
We ambled towards the East side of the town and Ricky spotted the San Diego Hotel, which is adjacent to the church, so he went in there to inquire about the charge which was very reasonable and affordable. We checked the room and we liked it so I paid the rent for one night. It's good because the hotel was situated at the heart of the city.
We also decided to sign in for the four hours tour of the city at 1600H so I asked Ricky to take his car from up the hill at "El Pipila" then parked it at the hotel's parking lot, while I am roaming around the main street waiting for him till 1600H for our tour around Guanajuato.
I checked the Church of Nuestra Senora de la Guanajuato, which is the yellow church at the heart of the downtown but apparently I can't go inside because there was a burial mass being held inside. I just went to the Plaza de la Paz, which was the little manicured garden with a very intricate sculpture at the middle of the garden situated n front of the yellow church.
After there, I went back to the hotel because it was almost 1600H and our tour will begin shortly. I was at the hotel waiting for Ricky, who apparently was parking at the hotel's parking lot, when the lady who's suppose to pick us up for the tour came. Shortly after, Ricky came and we were lead to a Toyota Forerunner waiting for us at the corner at the back of the nearby church.
The first stop was the El Nopal Mining Co. There, a cute guy had explained to us how mining was being done and he explained to us a brief history how mining had started in Guanajuato. Then he led us to a tour at one of the tunnels. It was a very interesting and educational tour we had there.
After the tour we went back to the truck then the driver was talking to Ricky extensively of the buildings we had passed. We were just looking at each other because we both thought it was a private tour.
The next stop was the Valenciana Church visit which boasted a 23 karat gold Virgin Mary statue. The church has a facade of brick stones with statues of different saints decorated in every level of the facade from top to bottom. It was beautiful to look at. It was just a small church but very pretty inside and out.
There were already a group waiting for us and the tour guide had already started explaining about a little history of the church. The altars were also made of wood intricately carved and painted in gold. There were the main altar at the center and two more altars on each side of the cross lay-out of the church.
After there, the guide led the group to a mini-museum that housed different dolls with different Mexican costumes as well as how to make cloths out of the maguey fibers. Ricky and I had declined to go because we already know how it was made from our trip at Teotihuacan and besides we don't want to pay a $25 entrance.
Ricky complained to the guide that the fee we paid for the tour was for the Church of Valenciana, Mummy Museum, and the Cristo Rey. But the guy told us that we were on the wrong tour. Ricky was mad and demanded us to be drove back to the hotel so that he can drive me to Cristo Rey since we still have an ample time.
The guy who drove us back to the hotel was very drunk and he kept buzzing and telling us funny stories. I was mad at Ricky because I told him that we were just wasting our time with the tour. We could have made it ourselves. He made me chose to go see the mummies or go to Cristo Rey. Since I do not want to see the mummies I told him that I wanted to see the statue of Cristo Rey.
When we arrived at the hotel it was already 1700H but the sun is still out. We took the car from the garage and started to drive out from the city of Guanajuato to Cubilete where the famous Cristo Rey was situated.
We didn't know that it was that far. Cubilete was 40 kilometers from Guanajuato proper and we took the Silao Libre road. Cubilete was a mountainous road and the road was very stoney and bumpy. Because of the pressure of time plus it was getting dark, Ricky drove the car fast on the stoney road.
I told him to take his time and not to pressure himself but he was not listening to me. He drove fast on the bumpy road at 80-90 kph. I was just quiet because he was already stressed out because I blamed him about the tour fiasco.
The drive to Rey will be written in another blog because I needed to explain our scary experiences about it. Please keep reading and thanks for the continued patronage.
When we got back from Cristo Rey it was already 2100H. We went back to the hotel and parked the car then went out to look for a restaurant to eat because we were so hungry. We ate at the restaurant near the Union Placita and we ordered a combination fajita plate and sipped margaritas at the restaurant.
After the dinner, we roamed a little bit around the downtown area. We went to check the Callejon Beso, the Granarditas building, the Hidalgo Market and the small church in front of it. We also went up the hill and checked the house of Diego Rivera, who is Frida Kahlo's husband, and we saw his sculpture on one of the streets. We also checked the Church of Nuestra Senora de la Guanajuato and the Teatro Juarez.
When we got tired we went back to the hotel and retired because we had a long day and a bad experience with the tour planners. I did not insist to fight with Ricky because I don't want to pressure him and ruin his night. I just left it like that because we were okay again. We were arguing at the car when we're on our way to Cristo Rey but I don't want to argue with him anymore because it seems that he does not accept it was his fault.
Well, eventhough I had a bad day yet my recollection of my reaction upon seeing the whole of Guanajuato at the "El Pipila" site was very memorable and I could not explain that feeling of awe and surprise. At least my trip here had given me the chance to know the importance of mining and I am very lucky to have experienced it first hand.
My trip will culminate tonight and tomorrow I will be going back to Los Angeles and face reality again but I've enjoyed everything to the hilt. I can't ask for more but to thank Ricky for every thing he had done so far. Despite our slight arguments and misunderstandings we still maintained a professional relationship at each other.
Guanajuato will be forever remembered. I wish I could be back here in the near future if there will be another big opportunity because I just wanted to explore and savour the place fully next time at my own pace.
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