We went up the stairs and inquired at the reception area. There we greeted by the courtly smiling receptionist. After proper introductions and banal formalities we explained our plight why we were late and missed our reservations last night and after a very lenghty explanation by my friend the manager had considered our reservation from yesterday. I am very happy that they would not charge me for another day. Thank God!
We left our luggage at the hotel's storage because they will start the check-in at 1400H. There were still people checking out and rooms are needed to be cleaned yet. We came there at 1130H which is roughly more than two hours early. After depositing our luggage at the hotel's concierge we never wasted time, we started roaming the cobblestoned streets of Taxco and wander its narrow streets with much anticipation and glee.
Taxco de Alencar, as what it commonly called, is a mountain town in the state of Guerrero which is apparent of its hilly slopes, boulevards, avenues, and streets. The roads inside the town were intricately covered with a mosaic of crushed tiles and seashells which were meticulously plastered on the cobblestoned streets. On the major periphery roads connecting the town from the next town were various vehicles huddling for the traffic but on the hilly slopes only small cars can penetrate it. And the only vehicle we can see roaming around the slopy roads were the white VW beetle taxis that only exist in that area. They appeared uniformly aligned on the tiled streets especially where there is a crowded traffic.
We ambled around the placita appreciating the beauty of the famous Santa Prisca Cathedral with its famous unique symmetrical twin belfry carved in a baroque sculpture statusquely standing on the facade of the iglesia. There were throngs of people, locals and tourist alike, roaming and trekking the streets trying to participate in the week long celebration of this unique town situated in one of the mountains in the state of Guerrero.
We went inside the cathedral and checked out its interior. There were a lot of people inside and going through there is impossible but we manage to creep inside the huge crowd. Once we were inside we toured the church and I started snapping pictures or it's uniquely carved gilded altars on the sides of the cathedral as well as the main altar. It was beautiful and elegant inside. It was indeed a very beautiful church as what I've read about it online. No wonder why it is famous.
When were done checking out the cathedral we went out going to the placita outside the church and continue to observe the crowd getting thicker and thicker. There was a procession of the Holy Sacrament outside the placita so we decided to watch it first and let it pass through.
After the procession we continued walking around Taxco, going to the major road downhill. We followed the intricately adorned streets with fiesta flaglets in white and purple ruffled colored Japanese crepe papers. We visited the convent downhill which is only like 100 meters from the cathedral.
Outside the convent were three statues called "penitentes" who are members of the religious "confradias" or brotherhood depicting the three persons who do penitence for the Holy Week. All three statues appears to be male wearing a black fabric hood with only eye holes to cover their identity and a black skirt robes cinched at the waist with a horsehair belt. The first guy on the left was a burly man carrying a thorned blackberry stalks or twigs bundled together to form like a big log weighing at least 40 to 50 kilos. They called him an "encruzado penitente". His arms were outstretched and tied on the heavy load and he appeared bending on his back because of the weight of the burden. The only rest is through attendees who helped with the weight for the periods when the procession does not move.
The one on the middle was a muscular man carrying a cross on his crooked chained outstretched arms in front of him. They called him the "flagellante penitente". The cross appears heavy for him also which almost weighs 100 pounds because he was bending on his back as well. In his hand he carries a rosary and a whip with metal points on the end. At certain times and places, he handed the cross to the attendees, kneeled and swung the whip over and onto his back. This is done on alternating sides, creating two bloody areas.
The third statue on the left wears a robe with a cover of his head. He has chains attached to his ankles that rattle as he walk. They called him "animas penitente" He walked bent on the waste at 90 degrees carrying small crosses or lighted candles. If the procession stops they are allowed to rest only by going down on hands and knees. This is the only "confradias" that permits women as members, who drag individual chains in the procession. The men are chained together in groups of twenty. Since they must always face the ground, these penitents have attendants which guide them during the procession.
These will be the typical people we gonna see at the procession tonight and will be the highlight for this Holy Thursday which will start at 1900H. There will be another procession at 2230H dedicated for the crucified Jesus in the Calvary participated by each "sitios" or "barangays" of the town. It will be a long night tonight so we decided to go back to the hotel to check in and rest in order to prepare for tonight's festivities.
After ambling around the whole town and appreciating it's hilly terrain, uniformly arrange white boxed houses on the hills, cobblestoned narrow streets, restaurannt filled main boulevards, interestingly styled churches, artisans selling their products on the streets, locals and tourists walking towards the placita and crowded the zocalo, and slow processions passing by we went back to the hotel to rest.
We checked in at the reception area and then we were guided to our room on the fourth floor overlooking the placita and the cathedral. See how lucky we are getting this room? We unpacked our luggage and then took our much needed rest after our tiring travel from Cuernavaca and the heavy walk around the town trekking its slopy roads.
We woke up at 1800H and then scurried to prepare ourselves for tonight's affair. We left the hotel after one hour then decided to eat at La Paroquia Restaurant which was just in front of the placita and the cathedral. We asked for a veranda table in front on the placita so that we can have a good view of the procession later which will gonna start in one hour. Luckily there was one table in the veranda on the left edge of the building so we took it right away for the restaurant will be crowded later. It was just right in front of the placita. Another lucky situation. Can't just be happy for that.
We ordered a three course meal to buy our time while we enjoy our good view. We ordered drinks first then followed by an appetizer. For drinks we ordered margaritas. I ordered the mango flavored ones while my friend ordered the lime flavored one. For apperitif we ordered the mozarella fondue topped with sauted mushroom. We enjoyed our food well while sipping our delicious margarita.
After we finishedd our appetizer we ordered our entree. My friend ordered a steak a la plancha Mexican style and I ordered a pescado a la paroquia style. After we placed our orders the procession started. We can see from the veranda that the placita was already crowded and the penitentes were seen coming out one by one from each corners of the streets and from the church assembling themselves in front of the placita until the main procession will get started. I took pictures of them from the veranda where the view of the crowd was excellent.
Thirty minutes later our food arrived so we ate it savoring every bit of it while we also watched the ongoing procession from the veranda. The procession was slow and long and were still halfway our three course meal. I ordered another mango margarita and my friend ordered a Corona beer. I can see many people outside the restaurant were waiting to be seated but it seems that it was full already. We were just lucky to get there early and enjoy our good view from the veranda.
It was 2100H at that time yet the procession had just barely started. We were just finishing up our entree and was just waiting for our dessert. I ordered the vanilla creme brulee and my friend ordered the tiramisu flavored mexican empanada. When our desserts had arrived we ate it with much gusto and at the same time enjoying to watch the procession happening on the streets. It looks like a night fiesta at the placita at that time because of the people crowding the little plaza and the streets.
At 2130H we finished eating. We paid for our food then we went down and joined the people on the streets. I took a lot of pictures of everything that was going on that night. The procession of the penitentes were still ongoing and now roaming around the streets of Taxco and then the placita was still teeming with people as if waiting for something to happen that night. Young and old, slim and fat, ugly and beautiful, tall and stout, etc. where just sitting and talking on the sides of the street. It was a pandemonium there.
At 2230H, another procession was started up the hill and its going down towards the placita roaming around the streets of Taxco. The procession de la Cristos en la crucifixion was also started in one of the church up the hill and is on its way to the placita. Different sitios of the town represent their own statue of the crucifixion and adorned the carried statue with fresh flowers on the table they hosted on their backs. There were bands playing solemn music for each sitio representatives. This was the longest procession I've ever seen in my entire life because there where almost twelve Cristos parading all over the town.
At 2400H the procession was still ongoing around the town and the placita was still crowded with a lot of people. Fireworks were popping up in the skies and bands were playing making the entire place more festive. We have no idea when will the procession will end. We were tired already so we decided to go back to the hotel. Plus I was a little bit drunk already from the two mango margaritas that I have consumed earlier from our hearty dinner.
When we got back to our room we can still hear the noise from the streets and we don't mind it at all because we have no idea when will it end. We packed our things for we are leaving tomorrow night going to Oaxaca so we decided to leave our luggage at the hotel storage tomorrow while we will go outside Taxco visiting the Cristo Rey on top of the hill and the famous Pozas de Azules which was highly recommended at the hotel's reception area when we checked in this morning.
Tomorrow will be another exciting day and today was very interesting and fun. I never regretted coming here to Taxco witnessing their week long celebration of the Holy Week despite of our bad experiences on the way here. It was worth the long travel. All the fatigue and frustrations we've had along the way were been paid of. I'm glad we've made it here and participated celebrating the festivities.
And thank God everything were all right despite of all the discouragements and negative comments of my friends about the dangers of traveling to Mexico. So far I've enjoyed every moment of it and I am safe and sound here. Good night guys!
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