Not Zihuatanejo
Trip Start
Sep 01, 2005
1
11
65
Trip End
May 11, 2006
Guanajuato, Mexico
Friday, October 7, 2005
We're only in Guanajuato by chance, we were supposed to be going to Zihuatanejo but when we arrived at the bus station (80 pesos ride from our hotel) in Puerto Vallarta they told us there wasn't another bus to Zihuatanejo until 1pm the next day (the guy in town said they left at 1am). We had already stayed an extra day in Puerto Vallarta to sort out our passports so decided to pick another place that we could get the bus to that evening.
Things have a way or working out well; there's an arts festival happening in Guanajuato at the moment which means the city is alive at night with people and performers. We watched an amazing dance act last night in front of one of the cities many churches, I will add the video once I find a better internet connection (I think you'll like it Ben)
The city was originally founded in the 1700's because of the large amounts of silver they found in the surrounding mountains, the wealth from the silver mines has help build lots of lavish churches and monuments. Charlie and I visited one of the churches this afternoon, while this morning I walked to the Museo de las Momias (Museum of the Mummies). The mummies come from a near by cemetery, mummified by the mineral content of the soil. When there was no more room in the cemetery for more bodies they dug up those of relatives who could no longer afford to pay the upkeep and discovered they had all been preserved. I took a few pictures of the adults but not of the kids and babies (they have the smallest mummy in the world in the museum) as it all felt a bit wrong.
All three of us walked up the very steep hill to the Monumento A El Pipila, Pipila helped in the revolution here against the Spanish in 1810. Lots of good views of the city from there.
All the school girls in this town seem to want to have their picture taken with me, although this is flattering itīs also kind of weird. Iīve yet to be approached by a stunning Latino woman; I live in hope.
Tomorrow we catch a bus to Mexico city.
