Ibis Aguascalientes Norte

... Later, time for some good Mexican family fun - cockfighting! - the ring was actually part of the casino, so one of the few places that was a kid free zone. The tickets were supposed to be $12 but wormed my way in for free - they make plenty of money from the food, drink and gambling! As well as bets on the cocks, there was a sort of roulette wheel where you could wager on red or green, with monies & tickets being thrown back & forward round the huge ring in tennis balls! First the oposing ...

... of Aguascalientes has tried to emulate this by having a small skating rink in the town's main square as well. Many gather here to skate or just to gawk and admire from the stands. Another drawing card in the square surprising to us is a menagerie of live animals that in the evening, includes a nativity pageant. Considering how Christmas has passed, it is puzzling how this scene still fascinates people. In the suburbs this city of warm ...

... the parking lot. Their current rates were 190 + 270 Peso for 1 or 2 persons or 300 Peso for a room with two separate beds.

There were a couple more budget friendly options like Hotel Senorial (a kind hearted elderly lady running this place), but the rooms here were more basic and cost even more.

The nicest place to stay in Aguascalientes was Hotel Francia, Av Francisco I Madero No ...

... it's souped up speakers were several of the boys from last night clutching bottles of tequila and bacardi. They drove us a couple of hours out of the city to a dam famous for it's seafood restaurants where we passed the day feasting on gigantic prawns and yet more tequila. It felt strange to be driven around by a yodelling youth swigging rum but drink driving doesn't seem to have the same stigma attached here as it does in the UK. Is it because everywhere is so far ...

Finished our work at the company. I rode with one of the employees in a little 1.6L car. I was shocked at his musical taste, 80's American rock. He had two CD's, Depeche Mode and U2. He said that he and his friends really enjoy this genre of music. The next time that I visit I am going to take a few CD's to give away, I know that at the very least I can get them cheaper. We were taken to dinner ...

Arrived at Aguascalientes. We were picked up by a van with a broken windshield and taken to the Fiesta Americana hotel. The hotel is nice, almost resort quality. A bellhop took my bags to the room for me and explained the layout of the hotel, most importantly he told me where to buy cerveza! Spent some time ...

... t have a personal insight to share, I just don't write. *To see the kinds of things I do write, check out an earlier entry, http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog/sr uof/europe_2004. Or go to www.travelpod.com and enter my user name: sruof. Remember, let me know before Tuesday if you'd like to be taken off this list. Otherwise, you're stuck with my musings ... or my silences ... until I return. Exploring the world, one sensible-shoe print after another, Sheila

... wine and a hotel built from an old bull ring. Good base to visit the La Quemada ruins, which are good if you like ruins or just want to go for a bit of a scramble because you have spent to many hours stuck on a bus eating junk. Excellent museums, such as the 2 Coronel museums (modern art and masks). There is an interesting church made of orange sandstone above the modern art museum that is worth a look. The mask museum is housed ...

... little garden behind our wall and the whole front of the house is french doors so we can watch the hummingbirds and enjoy the fountain and flowering bushes and trees even if it is too chilly to sit on the terrace. Most days it has been hot enough mid day to eat lunch on the terrace but you need the fireplace in the early morning and evenings. The rain was very unusual this time of year, normally it is sunny and dry. See later entry for photos.

... the Gigante as well so we were loaded with all kinds of purchases and trying to get a taxi back to town about four in the afternoon--bad idea. Fortunately the woman ahead of us in line in front of the Gigante, after we had waited over 20 minutes, invited us to join her in her taxi when one finally came. The big topic of conversation between her and the taxi driver was ...