Hello from Olds, Alberta, where our first days of October feel allot like early winter. It seems from memory that last October was cool (cold) and that winter came around the middle of the month and left sometime in late May. The forecast for the next week is a dismal mix of snow flurries followed by weekend highs near freezing and lows well into the minus numbers. Hopefully this passes and one of our beautiful late falls materialize.
We arrived home from Manzanillo about two weeks ago now via our van. Our trip home was the reverse of the Jan. ‘08 trip (the Mexico leg) when we last made the commute. The first night after leaving Perla Del Mar in Manzanillo was spent in Zacatecas. This city is fast becoming our favorite although seasoned travelers tell us there are many other wonderful cities and places to visit in culturally rich Southern Mexico prior to naming Zacatecas the favorite (other city names that have been mentioned include: Guanajuato, San Miguel, Queretaro, Cuernavaca, Oaxaca, Jalapa, Patzcuaro, Toluca, Taxco, Morelia, and others). Maybe it was the familiarity and the expectations that worked in Zacatecas’ favor. Certainly we were seduced by its charm and beauty this time, not to mention the perfect weather.
Zacatecas is situated on a high plain at an altitude of just over 8000′ ASL and nestled against mountains that once contained cherished silver. The thermometer can occasionally dip into the minus teens in the dead of winter (lows) while summers are near perfect, a respite from the relentless heat that persists at all low altitude locations in Mx.. In summer a long sleeve shirt will suffice in the mornings and late evenings, and shorts are the norm during the day. Some coastal lovers who have chosen to make Mx. their year around home, do move to a higher altitude location for the summer months - Lake Chapala for instance. In the winter we see Lake Chapala residents renting apartments in Manzanillo to get a break from their cool weather. Seems we humans are not easily pleased and continue to search for the perfect year around climate.
Since there is so much to tell, let’s quickly review the photos. The first two were taken in Jan. ‘08 and show Zacatecas from a high point on a mountain from which one can catch gondola rides. This gondola takes passengers across part of the city with the lower point on this trip being an old silver mine. Very informative tours relating the historic significance of silver mining in Mx occur in this mine by day, while by night the interior of the mine becomes a unique night club. Let’s go there sometime.
The next three pictures are some street shots that indicate the consistent architecture of the downtown area. Most of these buildings contain little shops that will entertain even reluctant shoppers like me for hours/days. The banners across the streets are in celebration of the 16th of September, the celebrated date when a 10 year revolution began resulting in Mexico gaining its independence from Spanish rule. Father Hidalgo and several other conspirators rang the bell of his little church calling everyone to fight for liberty. From this are two much used names derived: The first is “16th of September”, a phrase used as a street name in almost every city we’ve visited. The second is Hidalgo, a revered name seen all over Mexico and used to name streets, buildings and even towns.
Last trip (Jan. ‘08) we stayed in the Quinta Real, a unique facility built around an old bull fighting ring. It is a very upscale chain but during slow times one can find accommodation there at the right price. This time we booked the Hotel Emporio. While not exuding the class and distinction of Camino Real, it is better located and had excellent staff.
When we travel, we usually carry a second set of keys for the van. As a rule, if the hotel parks your vehicle, your keys are inconveniently available should you wish to retrieve something you need, or stash away some new purchase. We had this second set of keys at the Hotel Emporio, and whenever we arrived in parking, we were shadowed by the fellow in this picture who was simply doing his job. The drive from Manzanillo had been a long one the previous long day so in the morning I checked the engine oil. When replacing the dipstick, I noticed something to my left. It was the fellow in the picture with a paper napkin for me to wipe my hands. Wow! Before we left he had washed all the windows and moved our van to the exit ramp.
It’s interesting that in much of Mexico you are served by people who make service their career. Service careers are good permanent jobs in their country and they are very good at what they do. This man watching over the cars in the Hotel Emporio was very good at his job, and probably earns deservedly good tips. A good tip for what he does (our opinion) is 50 pesos (about C- $4.40). Your vehicle is likely as safe in these circumstances as it is in your own garage.
The next picture is the bell towers on one of the churches. These beautiful churches are centrally located in all towns and cities, and are always the hub. It is said that in Mexico, even the poor contribute to the church. This one just begs to be photographed as there is much architectural detail and it is in great condition (picture 4 is of the front with a wide angle lens).
Pictures 5 & 6 are Hotel Emporio. The inside picture is of the breakfast buffet where you again are attended to by career waiters. We booked Hotel Emporio through Expedia after reading reviews on ‘tripadvisor’, and can say that this hotel was just plain pleasant. We noted when walking that there is another hotel that looks more upscale and is also well located, but we were so happy with our choice that we neglected to note the name of the other hotel. When you leave on foot to explore Zacatecas from Hotel Emporio, it takes about one minute to get into what Zacatecas has to offer. It’s a smorgasbord of things to see.
The next two pictures are included to tell a short story. We have taken used computers with us on almost every trip to Mx. This is the Helen Keller School where physically impaired children learn their life skills. It is a very nice facility, but the city had no money for computers. With donations of computers from the Olds area including a large number from our company Li’l Shaver Inc. and the Mountain View Credit Union, we were able to outfit this school. Well, these computers are getting older now and in need of replacement. If you are traveling south with us, or if you have a good computer or flat screen monitor you no longer need, please let us know and maybe we can begin to upgrade the computers in this school.
If you’ve read these posts, you know that there are many opportunities to help in Mx. We’re hoping that as a group, the owners of Perla Del Mar will accept a challenge to focus on some particular need in Manzanillo. There are several, so it’s likely that you’ll be reading about something we will be helping with in the near future.
The last pictures are the real reason we’re headed south. The first is of course Perla Del Mar, and the second is spending time with friends in this tropical paradise (taken last January). Here we are having breakfast at Camino Real Hotel with a special couple from the Edmonton area. In the background is the Las Hadas Hotel, where the movie ‘10′ was filmed many years ago when Bo Derek was in her youth. The hotel is still beautiful sporting a classic charm, and its Las Delfines (The Dolphins) restaurant is one of the best in the city.
Hasta luego (which means ’see you’ or ’see you soon’)!!
