Guts, Glory, Grandeur and tracing the Catholic's steps enroute to a Volcano

Well, it's been raining quite a lot in the last few days which is kind of funny as this is the City of Eternal Spring...I just didn't know that it was Spring like in Victoria!  But we've become spoiled after 4 winters in Mexico where we haven't seen more than an occasional shower...this is a much needed rainfall for the farmers of the area and other than the coffee growers who are currently in their harvest season, the rain is a welcome relief.

So we've decided to use these cloudy days to get educated about the inner city, El Centro Historico and the museums that it has to offer.  Now that we feel confident driving the approx. 5 kms. to a paid parking lot for Cori to spend the day, we've expanded our horizons to see some of the grandeur and learn more about the history of the country and particularly this area of Mexico.  

We started by touring the Palacio Cortez, which boasts a fabulous mural by Diego Rivera that outlines in graphic format the period of time between Hernando Cortez's landing in Mexico, the eradication of the native culture and the building of the Spanish Empire, including the rebellions that lead to the Mexico of today. 


We learned that in a relatively short period of time, this country was plundered, colonized, and then liberated and at each step a lot of blood was spilled.  I think that where the Spaniards chose to situate the palace was the ultimate insult to the Indians as the palace was built smack on top of one of their pyramids and this disregard of their culture was the gesture that emphasized the power and control held by  Spain in the New world. 

At the other end of our neighbourhood stands a huge statue to Emilio Zapata - a more modern day rebel who led the Mexican people in another revolt against the Spanish government in the early 1900's.   The area around Cuernevaca is full of towns where he is revered as a hero to this day.

So the battles of the Mexico of today don't seem too far removed from the Mexico of only a few generations ago. 

Our neighbors at Villas de Bellavista, a lovely couple from Ladysmith BC!!- recommended we see the Robert Brady Museum.  This exquisite residence is situated on the most attractive street that Cuernevaca has to offer and we agreed that the state of the home and the art treasures inside far surpassed our expectations, this is handsdown my favorite "museum" of all time.





 Robert Brady was a handsome bonvivant with a taste for men who befriended one of the local Bishops.  Suffice to say his world travels and aquisition of all things tasteful in one of the most stunning Spanish villas is worth the paltry 30 peso price of admission.  Gene who is normally not that enthralled by displays of excess remarked "I now realize that you can't have too many masks"...a comment our friend Iris will appreciate! 

Nearby, the once grand Jardin de Borda which was used as the garden party site for the likes of Emperor Maximillian and Carlotta and was the former home of the silver magnate who built Taxco, left us unimpressed.   It clearly shows the decline that can occur when maintenance is deferred in this semi-tropical climate.  However, the lovely adobe walled buildings which now house an art gallery always catch my eye,  the simple but solid and artistic construction is timeless!  Oh, and a few fading lifesize Catarina's in the lakeside pavillion seemed to echo the glory days of the past in the park. 

So after a couple of days touring the inner city, the countryside beckoned.  We noticed with delight that the clouds had lifted in the southeast, so off we went yesterday to explore the Ruta de Volcans -  a winding countryside drive to the eastern border of the state of Morelos and a chance to view the touring volcanoes locals refer to as Popo and Iza up close. 

There are a lot of small country towns in this state and each has it's own charm or lack thereof.   But on the day before Valentine's every street was full of the vendors selling what must be the most popular gift in Mexico for young lovers....balloons!! 

We eventually wound our way up the to the final town named Tetlan la Volcan...and we realized we have to come back.  Not only were the dark rainclouds obscuring the mountains, but the lovely senora who toured us through the convent cloisters informed us that the town's festival is next week...vamos regressar! 

On our trip home we were given one of nature's light shows as the black ominous clouds hung over the Tepozteco mountains to the north and the light shone on the corn and cactus fields along the highway.  If only I could paint.....

So today is Valentine's Day - and after a morning yoga class in the park, and a late and leisurely breakfast we ventured out to experience firsthand something we have never before done in Mexico....shopped at Costco!  I know that the culture of Mexico is changing...big box stores are sweeping the country and the locals are flocking to them just like they did in the US and Canada...but I never expected that Costco would play a role in changing the personal habits of the public....I laughed when I read this sign as I recently told our condo manager in Zihua that you will never get a group of gringos to not flush toilet paper...well I wonder if the reverse will also be true??

Cuernevaca - an opportunity to study the contrasts in Mexico

We tend to seek out the "old", the historic and the quaint.  So yesterday, we decided to visit the ancient ruins at Xochicalco.  This is the 9th pre-hispanic archeological site we have visited in Mexico...and Gene and I reached the same (albeit superficial) conclusion - "if you've seen one, you've seen them all".   I'm not sorry we visited this site, nor any of the others, but I realize that what I love about Mexico is the combination of the Spanish culture combined with the indigenous ways of life that has created a country with such diversity.

I know that people who are much more educated and informed about anthropology than me are finely tuned to the nuances between each of the Archeological sites, but for me there is a common theme....the sites are spectacular, located in areas where the inhabitants could get views of the surrounding areas (better to spy on potential invaders) and they lived in structures of mainly black and white rock  - albeit there were paintings that are no longer very visible in some places, but overall, they didn't enjoy what I love about the Mexico of today...COLOR!!  

Just like today, the inhabitants were stratified into the "haves" who lived high up in the temples, and the "have-nots" who lived in the dark and no doubt harsh lower floors.  The city of Cuernevaca offers just that same stratification as we drive through the various colonias...it is clear, there are the areas that are desireable but there are many areas, especially on the periphery of town where the "have-nots" must spend their days.   While we grab a "latte" at Starbucks or a treat of fabulous sushi at our local cafe, there are women making their tortillas on a comal over a wood fire only a few blocks away. 

When we first arrived here, I was told that there are no artesans in the state of Morelos, and all of the crafts for sale are from other states. I was worried that I would be disappointed because of that, but not at all,  I see the lovely combinations of familiar art from regions I know and love and Gene and I have even been able to purchase the Saltillo tiles for the floor and talavera tiles for the counters in our small apartment where we are planning a renovation to the kitchen in the "off season".  

The skies have been grey off and on since we left Zihuatanejo over a week ago.  Clouds are a rare occurrence in our winters in Mexico, and I am trying to use this break from the sun to relax, regenerate and explore new experiences here in Cuernevaca.   We are alternating between days in town and days exploring the countryside, saving a drive to the viewpoint for Popocetapel until the skies are clear again.   I've also found my local "recreation center"....the Parque Tlaltenango - a city park that once housed a beautiful hacienda and now offers recreational programs throughout the day.  

I've planned to alternate a day for my soul (yoga) with a day for my body (zumba).  I'm new to Zumba and I guess I thought it would be easy...what's not to like about some great Latin music and some familiar aerobic moves.   The maestra has been very kind and patient as she sees that my hips and torso just don't have the same flexibility as the other women in the class.  I am the only "foreigner" and no doubt I have cemented the belief in their minds that "white women can't dance"!    I've also started Spanish classes with a wonderful maestra from the famous Spanish Language Institute.  She has offered to provide me with one/one instruction at a time of my convenience over the next 2 weeks.  I am honored to have this opportunity and these focused learning opportunities are just what my mind needs! 

This weekend we are going to devote our days to the area around the Palace of Cortez, and visit the museums and galleries that will help us to better understand the history of this area of Mexico.  As always it involved a lot of conflict, bloodloss and Catholic church extravagance.   We are becoming quite comfortable driving the familiar routes through the middle of town, avoiding the suburbs with their Wal-marts, Sam's Clubs and Costco's in favor of the old part of town.   I keep noticing little streets that beckon with their charm. 

Tomorrow, we are meeting our neighbours from Casa Ceiba at Tepoztlan where Dominique's brother and his partner have a weekend home.   And before we know it half of our vacation within a vacation is over!  I miss the sun and sand and water and my friends in Zihuatanejo...but the month of March will be one of my busiest ever as we have friends coming for most of the month..I'm learning to treasure the now and allow myself to relax here in the City of Eternal Spring.

Malinalco on a Monday - driving the Catholic Pilgrims route

I recently learned of a small puebla near to Cuernevaca, in the state of Mexico, that has been named one of the "Pueblos Magicos" - towns of immense charm that beckon people like us to explore them...and if they are a bit off the beaten path...well that makes it even better. 

So after a night of rain, which always comes as a surprise and a refreshing reminder of life back home in Canada, we took the advise of Roberto and plotted a course through Cuernevaca to one of the smaller roads that cross the state...The GPS optimistically noted the distance as 23 kms. and gave us an arrival time approximately 45 mins. from departure....well such was not the case. 

The road was a breathtaking "camino sinuousa" that wound through the pine tree covered mountains just to the West of Cuernevaca.   We enjoyed views out over well kept farm fields and marvelled at the odd luxury hacienda enroute.  After approximately 1.5 hours on the road, we stopped to take a break and let Cori smell the fresh air at this little mountain church.  

Back in the car, and a few steep bends later, we emerged at a roadside attraction where we were one of the many cars stopping to buy "coronas de flores"...when I asked "que es la significa?" in my best Espagnol...I received a rapid response that seemed to indicate that if we wanted to be safe we better buy one for our car too - I always have found that Catholics use a lot of scare tactics to free up your money in the name of God. 

Gene is far too practical for that, instead we joined the throngs of Mexicans soaking in this fresh water stream that seemed to emerge from a giant Pine tree along the roadside...I optimistically had hoped for a steam bath as the temperature had dropped to 11c higher up and I was feeling the chill...but Gene felt the water may have had more to do with the church banos on the opposite side of the highway and on closer inspection, it did seem like selling entrances to banos was a popular moneymaking activity at the roadside attraction. 

Optimistic that we could now complete the trip to Malinalco in under 3 hours...we continued on and are very glad to report that like all Pueblo Magicos...this one has the charm that we love to sense here in old world Mexico.   With the clear mountain air and a decent altitude of 1600 meters, the warm sunshine brings out the best in plants and people.  

This town is clearly on the cusp of being the "go to spot" for upscale Mexicans, perhaps tiring of the crowds in Tepoztlan...The dogs are even stratified into the "haves" and "have-nots"  - it's amazing what wearing a collar can do for a dog.  

We enjoyed a fabulous lunch at La Placeres Restaurant - a little treasure of good food that we intend to return to in this month of our "vacation".   We noted the local archeological site and like Tepoztlan, we have vowed to return with hiking boots on and see the views from the high up location.  

  

But with dark storm clouds brewing, we headed for the return trip, choosing to not take the alternate route, but staying with the one we knew.   Enroute home, the temperature dropped to a shocking 7C and rain pelted the road, but we arrived back to a semi-sunny and cozy bungalow here at Bellasvista...happy to have experienced more of the pleasures Mexico has to offer us around every turn and in every part of the country.   Gracias a dios and my flower crowns for a safe trip home! 

Sunday drives - Tepoztlan, a getaway spot for city-dwellers

Yesterday we decided to do a very Mexican thing...we headed to Tepoztlan, the charming pueblo 17 kms from our apartment here in Cuernevaca.   Tepoztlan, is a weekend getaway for Mexico City dwellers and was the town where I had hoped to rent a house for this month.  We consoled ourselves by noting that at least our location in Cuernevaca, Colonia Bellavista is on the north side of the city and there is an easy connection to the free route to Tepoztlan. 

I have only been to Tepoztlan once before with my Mexican friend Monica and her daughter and because Monica had lived there when she first met and married Anibel, she had given me a great sense of the small town and what it has to offer, particularly on Sunday market day.  I wanted to show Gene why I thought it was charming, and at least have one day when we are not dodging cars as we wind our way over uneven, hilly and difficult to walk streets here in Cuernevaca.

We spent the afternoon strolling the streets, seeing the sights in the lively mercado, visiting the cathedral and convent, shopping for something I haven't seen elsewhere, which is becoming more of a challenge, having lunch and a drink listening to live music...the best of Tepoztlan! 

We hadn't brought the shoes I would wear to go hiking..so we promised ourselves we would return soon to see the pyramid and Tepozteco...the mountain route of the mystics nearby....

We chose to make a circle drive and wound our way up higher in the surrounding mountains and then back into a very industrial side of Cuernevaca...we feel very smug that our GPS has lead us safely around and we plan to continue the adventure tomorrow with a trip to Malinalco.....

 

This is a holiday weekend in Mexico, Dia de la Constitucion, so we are hopeful that the little town will offer us something to see...maybe not quite as much as Tepoztlan because honestly, I'm not sure I can handle more sensory stimulation in any one day. I found myself remembering the Sunday drives of my childhood, Banff, Cochrane and the countryside of the Foothills around Calgary....times really haven't changed that much!

Cuernevaca - first impressions and the start of a new adventure

Yesterday, we drove to Cuernevaca.  We said goodbye to friends, new and old, promised to drive safely and with a 7 hour trip ahead of us, we left bright and early driving south on  Hwy.200.   As always, we find something to marvel about as we passed the dusty towns near Zihua and enter into the tropical fruit growing area that is green and lush.  The road side stops were populated by young men carrying their fruit picking sticks (bamboo poles with lacrosse nets attached) waiting for a days work in the mango orchards.  Down the coast from Zihuatanejo, there are many large lagoons just separated from the sea by bars of sand with palm trees swaying in the breeze.  If we just had more time....

This year we successfully found the entrance to the bypass north of Acapulco to join the Autopista del Sol several miles inland of that megalopolis which has always proved to be a challenge for our driving and direction skills.  The autopista is a beautiful toll highway with many tunnels and bridges of a modern striking design leading across canyons.  As we neared Cuernevaca we began to see the urban sprawl which I had first experienced last year.  We hoped our GPS would lead us to the right "Calle Tabachin"... street names can be repeated in many areas and our GPS has lead us on some interesting diversions from our intended destination....but the inner workings of "betty boop" surprised us as we found ourselves in the traffic heading north past El Centro to the Colonia Bellavista area which will be our base for the next month.    I had pre-arranged a month long rental here as a default plan when we couldn't find a dog friendly rental for a month in Tepoztlan, a nearby puebla of tremendous charm in the mountains south of Mexico City....so Cuernevaca was chosen as a base from which to travel. 

Our villa is part of an 8 unit gated and walled garden compound in what appears to be a very charming area in the north of the city.  The other properties on the street are either large gated older haciendas with high walls and tropical plants or newer condominium properties probably replacing homes that once stood in glory on the property.   Our street is a quiet side street sandwiched between the busy Avenida Morelos/Zapata which is the Libre Carretera a Mexico and the other main thoroughfares that lead back down to the busy central area.    Our little villa El Nido is a charming 1940's Spanish bungalow with an abundance of Talavares tile in every room.  Arched windows with wrought iron grilles provide beautiful views into the stunning gardens and pool area.  But like anything built in the 1940's....(my husband is of that vintage) - it takes a lot of work to look good at that age.  The family who own the property live on site and employ staff for maintenance, but my sense is it is a huge job and the jungle is always threatening to take over...

The cooler nighttime temperature provided us with a great nights sleep and after a small breakfast we decided to try to walk downtown to get a better sense of our area and how far it really is ....I think we walked for about an hour and a half through interesting residential areas with lovely homes to get to the magical center with it's historical grandeur.   I loved the cathedral, a peaceful oasis in the middle of the city and today is Dia de La Candelaria, which means that while everyone back at Casa Ceiba is eating Tamales...we saw the locals here bringing their 'baby jesus's to the church for blessings...

 

 

The walk home proved to be a lot hotter and less pleasant as we walked uphill along the narrow sidewalk of the main thoroughfare with a large volume of traffic speeding by.  I vowed to never do the walk again...we will brave the traffic and drive closer to our destination.    Tomorrow the many mercados near El centro are calling to us to be seen and experienced...

So after a major grocery and household item stock up at Superama...Cuernevaca's answer to Peppers' or the Market on Yates...Cori and we are staying home to relax...and plan how we will spend a month away from home.  I'm thinking of perhaps a week or two of Spanish classes mixed with trips to the nearby pueblos, and large cities like Puebla or even D.F., and I hope to find a yoga class to drop in to within walking distance.   It's a big city, past it's prime according to the guidebooks but we think it's important to give this once grand city a chance to work it's way into our hearts...like all once great beauties, it's charm lies in getting to know what she's really like!