Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

Are you celebrating a Mexican holiday today?  Well,… not really.  It is a Mexican-American holiday created in America.  It is not a national holiday of Mexico (although it is a state holiday in Puebla where the battle victory it celebrates occurred). 

But all that being said, who would be silly enough to turn down a bit of fiesta?!

I’ve been blessed to have visited several different areas of Mexico.  My hands-down favorite is the city of Guanajuato, NW of Mexico City.  It’s a United Nations World Heritage site.  

How’s this for a breath-taking view?  It is the city center; the Plaza de Paz (Plaza of Peace).  In the center of the photo is the basilica.

Inside the Basilica Colegiata de Nuestra Senora de Guanajuato.

Looking a bit more to the right.

In full daylight.

Guanajuato means “Hilly place of frogs”.

And there are frog objects everywhere!  I brought home a cute little ceramic frog who now guards our vanity.

So many beautiful buildings.

A hummingbird.  He was a lot bigger than the ones we have here.

Guanajuato is a silver mining town.  This old mine cart makes a fabulous planter.  The mines here at one time produced about a third of the world’s silver.  They still produce but not so much.  However, it is still a really good place to buy silver jewelry.

And speaking of shopping… there are so many artist/venders here that it is almost mind numbing.

Inside a big Hidalgo Mercado.

Shopping overload!

This drawing came home with me and hangs in my foyer.  He finished working on it as I watched.

Outside the market are a lot of vendors too.  It was here I found more locally created arts and crafts.

The rug came back to Tennessee. 

As did a few of those cute dolls.

A lot of fantastic artists sell their work on the street.  Yep, brought home one of those too!

The street food was enticing.

The main street is underground!  There are several entrances to the tunnels.  I didn’t get to explore them as the big old bus we were in would not fit.

Just around this corner is the entrance to one of the city’s attractions…

… the funicular up to…

the El Pipila monument.  He is a hometown here in the Mexican War of Independence.

Here I am taking a break at one of the overlooks beneath the monument.

After a day of sight-seeing, we had supper in the Plaza, and then found a comfortable place to watch the ‘callejoneadas’ – roving musicians who parade along the streets.

However, it rained on our parade.  No… in monsooned on our parade!! 

Our group eventually made it back to the bus…soaked to the skin.  It was one of those situations where you had two choices… be angry & sullen or laugh until your sides hurt.

My face hurt from laughing so much.  (Our mission pastor didn’t appreciate my “first annual ‘whosawhatie’ church wet T shirt contest” comment.  This of course made us laugh even harder!)

This is the hotel we went back to (photo taken that morning before the skies opened up on us).

Nice looking bed.  Only problem it was as hard as a board. Seriously.  This princess and the pea felt like she’d been beaten the next morning.

At least I had this awesome ceiling to stare up at!  (Get a load of the TV!  I’ve never seen one hanging from the ceiling by a chain before!)

Loved the tile in the bathroom.

Did NOT love the microscopic shower head… and only half of the holes let water thru!  I got wet faster in the rain storm then I did in the shower.

However, I would definitely stay there again.  I’d just bring my air mattress along.  The staff was attentive and the restaurant was great.  And the views were fantastic.

Guanajuato is on my ‘come back’ list.  I think you see why!