It was quite a long time that I haven't gone for a long vacation so leaving Los Angeles gave me some jitters. It was a mixed feelings and emotions. Leaving my job for quite sometime made me quite nostalgic because I have to leave my dear patients and colleagues for quite sometime. As well as made me excited because I'm embarking on another wholesome adventure and experience. Can't quite contain my excitement but I have to because I love Mexico a lot and I just can't wait to explore more things about it.
My first stop was Guadalajara. Dubbed as the second largest city it was quite a quaint town. A lot to offer for tourists like me. Athough I stayed at the central (downtown) part of the city I enjoyed browsing some notable edifices like the cathedral, the city hall, the cultural theater, the main plaza, the modern art museum, the parks, and many more.
The people were quite concentrated and focused more on spending time with their families as evidenced by the bossoming zocalo teeming with playing children being watched by their respective parents. It was a very laid back city.
The following day I signed up for a tequila tour wherein I have to tour one or two tequila distilleries. We went to Tres Mujeres and La Confradia distilleries which had offered us a bit of information on how to make tequila. We even did some tequila sampling which I liked most because I didn't know there were a lot of kinds of tequila. We also went to a tequila plantation and saw vast array of blue agave plants lined up in straight rows on the fields. There was also a demonstration on how to harvest the agave plants for tequila extraction. It was a very educational tour. I learned a lot about making and manufacturing tequila.
After the tour of the distilleries we then proceeded to the heart of it all. We headed to the town of Tequila where everything had started. The group dispersed individually and agreed to meet in two hours at the bus station.
I toured the whole town alone ambling around starting at the front of the cathedral and then the mercado and browsing each corners of the streets until I saw the Cuervo Mansion at the far end of the main street. I then went to check the mansion out and enjoyed a little tour around checking out the corners of the opulent structure not leaving anything unchecked which is now donated to the town and was eventually made as a museum for visitors and tourists to browse.
I further roamed around the town and saw the Cholula's as well as Abuela's outlets. After that I went back to the bus station and meet up with the group so that we could go back to Guadalajara. It was a very educational tour and it was fun as well interacting with a very paticipative and cooperative group.
The second day, I woke up early at five and went to the bus station heading to the industrial town of Leon known for its high quality leather boots and belts. It was still dark when I left Guadalajara and hopefully in three hours I will be in Leon.
I arrived at Leon at 0800H and the town was just waking up from a foggy and cold night. I just arrived at the right time so I hired a taxi to drop me off at the centerville. I noticed that the town was teeming with factories around the town and that the people were just accustomed to walking because there were no buses at the town center but only taxi cabs. There were not much tourists as well as I noticed because Leon is not really a touristic place.
I walked and walked starting from the town center checking its nooks and crannnies not leaving anything unchecked. From the zocalo, the plaza were beautifully adorned with manicured mushroom-shaped fica trees and the huge plaza appeared like a man made labyrinth in person. It was very beautiful there.
I also checked the cathedral and couple of churches, the mercado, the downtown area (where I was looking for some quality leather belts but I haven't found any), checked out the expiatorio where Pope John Paul II had a mass in the past, and the Arco de la Calzada bearing a bronze Lion on top reminiscent of the Arch de Triomph in Paris.
From Leon, since I still have time, I decided to hop on a bus and go to Guanajuato which is only thirty minutes from Leon. I've been to Guanajuato in my past travels to Mexico but I just can't get enough of this very romantic and progressive town.
So I went to the bus station and bought a ticket going to Guanajuato. I didn't even realized it was a Saturday, so when I hit out of the bus station I immediately hired a taxi to drop me off the centro. It was still vivid in my mind the last time I went to this silver mining town nestled on the mountains and hills. The colorful boxes houses as seen from the top of the hill was faacinating and the aerial view of the town from the top was stunning. Can't really forgot those awe moments I've had in the past.
Having dropped bu the taxi at the centro, I realizes there was a music festival (what a coincidence) and the streets were teeming of revelers and tourists alike. The streets were closed to any public transportation but it is still crowded will people flowing in and out from any directions.
The city was still colorful and beautiful as it was. I revisited some of the places that I've been before like the zocalo, Teatro Juarez (which is very elegant with its statues proudly standing on its rooftop), the La Granaria, the Cathedral of Guanajuato (colorful as it is on its yellow hue, standing amidst the center of the town), the artful facade and endless stairs of the University of Guanajuato, the colonial edifice of the Mercado Gomez, and many more places that I even forgot to remember.
The throngs of people every where were just insane, the wooing Romeo's serenading women and girls eating at the nearby restaurant was a fascinating site, the upbeat music of the mariachis singing in front of their patrons was even captivating, I just can't held stopping and listening to them.
The fast warm Saturday afternoon was even aggravated by the crowded throng of people everywhere but still it was a happu feeling that I'm back at this very laid back, romantic, colorful, and artful city. It was just a sigh of relief to have roamed again to places that I've been through before. I just won't forget the moments that I've been with a very very close friend. Haist.
After my time had lapsed I went back to the bus station bound for Leon then going back to Guadalajara. It was already 2200H when I git back. It was a really awesome trip I've had that day and when I got to Guadalajara, I was already statving so I decided to feast and get drunk on my last day for tomorrow will be another long journey.
I was contemplating to go to Puerto Vallarta the following day before I leave Guadalajara but it seems that the fatigue from too much walking that day had given a toll on me. I dumped the idea and decided to rest and woke up late for I have to travel seven hours by bus to Mexico City for my transit trip to Oaxaca.
The following day, I woke up late getting ready for my long trip to Distrito Federal. The bus trip was smooth and uneventful. I saw some nice sceneries from my window seat and I didn't even got bored furing the long trip. It was long yet I was being entertained by the nice view of nature and villages along the road. It was really a great experience and a fun bus ride.
When I got to Mexico City Bus North Terminal, I immediately purchased a ticket going to Oaxaca. The bus leaves at 2330H so it turns out that I will be spending the night on the road. The bus left on time and it turned out it was a smooth and uneventful ride.
We arrived at Oaxaca at 0650H, so I immediately hired a taxi upon coming out of the terminal. When I got to the hotel, I was entertained by a very amiable lady and I explained to her that I came early because I needed to tour to Monte Alban. She was kind enough to have my luggage left at the depository and told me to just check in later when I come back from the tour.
Since the tour starts at 1000H, I still have time to roam around the centerville then I come back once it's time to leave.
I went to the zocalo, which was still quiet that time because it was still early in the morning. It was quite cold that time and I kind of liked it. I went north not knowing where to go until I saw a church belfry. I followed the road going there and I felt fortunate because it was the Dominican church of Santo Domingo, where I missed before when I went here in the past years.
The church facade was very intricate and symbolic of a Dominican dominion. Inside was a very intricate interior filled with awe-inspiring tiled relief of gilded Poblano ceramics. It was very beautiful to look at even though I needed to crane my neck. From the entrance until the altar side the ceiling was very pretty. On the otherhand, the gold altar was very stunning to look at. I heard rumors that it was made of tin gold foils intricately plastered by hand on a mahogany made ballusters. It was very shiny and beautiful to look at from a distance.
After meticulously inspecting the church interior, I left the church and headed to check the streets and its corners. I ambled endlessly killing time and decided to go back to the hotel before the tour guide picked me up at the hotel. Thinking I still have some ample time, I decided to take a breakfast at the hotel and there I met the house chef who was originally from San Fernando Valley, CA. We talked for a while and she recommended me some places to visit which I was very appreciative of her kindness.
The tour guide picked me up after breakfast then he continued to pick up more clients at the plazuela. There I met my newfound friends from Korea (Hyun) and from London (Vickie).
Monte Alban was a very laid back place on top of a plateau just a few miles from the city. We browsed all the nooks and crannies of the old civilization which housed the Zapotec tribe four thousand years ago as per our benevolent guide Joe who tirelessly supplied us a lot of information about the place. I just can imagine how progressive the place four thousand years ago. I can see some unique arts and architectures from the ruins which really had puzzled me why they suddenly disappeared just like the case of the Mayan tribes. The Zapotecs had dominated the southwestern side of the country which was mainly comprised of the current Estado de Oaxaca.
The group also went to visit two artisan places which makes intricate painted wood carvings and shiny black ceramics which we eagerly watched their return demonstration of the products they were making.
After that we also visited the doomed church of Cuelapan erected by the Dominican friars in the 1500 century which was never finished since its inception because of the less support of the Spanish royalty to fund the said church. The church was of historical value though because it is where Pope John Paul II baptized the last documented king of the local Zapotecs.
After the tour we returned to the city and then I checked in at the hotel and rested because I was really super tired from the trip and from the tour.
The following day I decided to take a rest day and just hang out at the zocalo and listen to the free orchestra privided by the city government in celebration of the Oaxaca Filmfest Festival. I was very lucky to come there witnessing the said events. There were tents and exhibits about past and present entries and I was eager to had browsed, watched, listened, and read them. It was very informative and educational.
I then went back to my hote and meet a newly found local friend named Armando. We just talk and talk and was just really into our conversation trying to know each other and making good impressions. It was nice meeting him and he showed me some of the key places of the city which I've never been. I was really thankful that I met him. If not for him I never knew about Oaxaca, it's culture and customs, and gastronomic value to the country. Most of the produce of Mexico comes from this state as explained to me by Armando. We parted with good vibes vowing to keep in contact with each other. He taught me more Spanish slang common to the place which had really added to my small array of Spanish knowledge.
I woke up early the following day to catch for my flight going to Cancun. I checked out at the hotel at 0500H and called a taxi to drop me off at the airport. I checked in and waited for the plane to leave at 0800H with a lay over at Mexico City then transferred with another plane going to Cancun. The flight was delayed so the receptionist upgrade my ticket to a business class which really surprised me. First time that happened to me from AeroMexico flights.
The plane left at 1130H and I arrived at Cancun at 1445H. The flight was a full flight and smooth. Upon coming out of the airport I immediately took a shuttle and have me dropped off at the hotel. Immediately the amiable receptionist entertained me for check-in and gave me an oceanview room which was perfect. I liked it so much.
I took a nap for a while because I woke up early that morning and was really tired of the trip. I woke up at 1630H, changed myself and went down to the swimming pool and tried to feel the scenery of the Carribean Sea from there. I then went to the sea and dipped myself in the cool blue waters. I liked it and I feel so free at that time swimming for a while. I then took a bench and then layed there for quite sometime enjoying my free time in Cancun. That is why I went there to just forget about myself and feel the beat of the splashing waves kissing the sandy shore sipping some cold mai tais and margaritas. I had a blast alone.
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