Mision La Muralla Queretaro

... roja torta (a tamale with red chili and cheese put inside bread!) and some delicious chocolate atole. I stood around with other people and ate my warm breakfast and watched as vendors put up their wares in their market stalls.<br><br>I headed over to the school and received a warm welcome from the staff before my first lesson. I then headed into the room named "Chiapas" (which was decorated with beautiful tapestries from the state of Chiapas ...

... the street.<br><br>I arrived at my home for the next few weeks: the Queretaro Guest House. I was met at the guest house by M and when she opened the doors I was welcomed by the lively blue and red entry way laden with various plants and ceramic decor. The guest house was much nicer than I had expected for the price and was happy to find that it was clean and quiet as well. The only downside I noticed was ...

Trucha et Emilie sont au Mexique !!!<br><br>Après avoir passé 5 jours au Yucatan, à Tulum, ils reviennent sur Mexico bien bronzés, cramés même.<br><br>Pour ce 2eme week end ensemble nous partons visiter un joyau colonial tout proche de Mexico : la ville de Querétaro. Mon pote et ex-colocataire lorque je vivais la bas, Thibaut, nous a prêté sa maison située sur les hauteurs de la ville ...

... as an advantage) - lack of cultural activities - relatively small town - no major shopping facilities (city of Queretaro is 1 hour away) - shortage of short term rental facilities in "centro historico" - relatively cool night time temperatures at this time of the year (i.e. 5 degrees centigrade) - we were glad to have brought our sleeping bags since there is no heat in the hotels ...

... Transport<br><br>Mexic o City - Buses depart every twenty minutes for the capital, at a cost of 128 peso, and take just under three hours. Xilitla &#8211; Buses depart at 09.00, 11.00 and 15.50 hours, at a cost of 157 peso for the 7 hour journey. <br><br>www.primeraplus.com.mx

... needed it yet and we hopefully will not, but it's a peace of mind thing). We went back to the hotel for lunch (my pollo chipolte was very hot and spicy, which I like) and stayed there for a little while before heading back out. We picked up the laundry ($171) and went to the Hill of the Bells, a park overlooking the city- unfortunately, it was closed but we walked around the grounds a bit. We then drove back ...

... are bullet holes in the walls from an assassination attempt but he was actually killed when he was axed in the head! Hmm - still along the same death theme but rather different than the mummies! After Mexico ...

... city. We looped back to Queretaro, a large, clean and beautiful city that is the capitol of the eponymous state. We've visited Queretaro several times on previous trips, but we always find something new to see. Its colonial centro is very large with fantastic architectural gems, including a large Roman-looking aqueduct that is still relatively intact. NEXT: Our month in San Miguel de Allende

... route through the little rural dirt roads outside the city. It was a long detour, but allowed us to see a part of Mexico that we don't often see in Queretaro. The poverty that we know exists here was very obvious as we rode past in the bus. A lot of times we feel that we are in our own little bubble here at campus and amongst the people that we know because many of the students that attend the Tec are the upper class of Mexico. Many of us hope to get more involved here ...

... job is normally reserved for men. People watching will be as much fun here as other cities. Now it is off for more exploration and a probable beer. It is a perfect 80 degrees. Day 2 ----------- Guanajuato is so picturesque, with so much old world charm. If Jim Adams were here, he would have taken 2,000 pictures by now. I happen to be limited to one flash card in the digital camera or about 120 pictures for this one-month trip. It is difficult to make choices. A lot more walking ...