TAXCO

We left San Miguel really early and when we got hungry, we stopped to eat breakfast hours later at a random hotel. It was beautiful but more interesting than that is that they served us green tomato jam and it was rico (delicious):















On the way to Taxco, I happened to read that there was a glass stained botanical garden in Toluca. So, we did a side trip. The town is one of the ugliest I have ever seen but the botanical garden was really exotic:
















Then, there was a turnoff for this incredible canyon:












and now....here we are! I must confess that I was a bit concerned that San Miguel would cloud my appreciationof Taxco but I need not have worried. Taxco holds it's own!



















It is gorgeous and has a charm that just oozes out. Totally different from any other town I have been to. The houses roll down the mountainside.










OUR HOTEL- we are at the HOTEL LOS ARCOS, which came highly recommended by the new Zealander from Allende and she kidded not when she said it was perfectly located and good value for the price. The path from the garage to the hotel is so steep, one takes an elevator.








THE INSIDE COURTYARD:

















Taxco is famous for silver and there must be hundreds of miniature shops, each crafts artist with their own style.



lovely balconies of course:






It took us 9.5 hours to get here and we were very hungry. An official government guide who took a liking to us, walked us to this wonderful restaurant with a view second to none of the city:









THISIS A VIEW OF OUR HOTEL AS SEEN FROM THE BALCONY OF THE RESTAURANT:








THE EATERY BALCONY:









DO YOU THINK I AM HAPPY?









OUR WAITER RAMON PREPARED THE CAESAR SALADS RIGHT AT THE TABLE:









AND WE HAD SKEWERED CHICKEN THAT WAS VERY TASTY, SPLIT BETWEEN THE TWO OF US:









DO YOU THINK HE LOOKS TIRED? His middle name might as well be superman. He drives almost 10 hours, goes out to dinner with a smile and even walks around with me and sits for a bit of a Mass that is going on at Santa Prisca.














We took a walk after dinner and saw SANTA PRISCA Cathedral. A very wealthy man built it for his son who was a priest. Opulent doesn't begin to describe it:














AND WE FOUND OUT WHO THIS SAINT IS!













NOTICE HOW THE STONE ENTRANCE IS WORN DOWN:










ORNATE DOORS:

Sorry about the abrupt ending but the computer was about to die.


Taxco is an extremely busy town. There is buying and selling and much action, which is fun to see. The merchants seem to be doing well, the bars are crowded, the streets have kids and dogs and cats and they are so NARROW that driving is a treacherous activity, even walking one has to be totally alert at all times.



Here are a couple more photos to finish up - this Les spotted on the way here and I think it must be one of the Indian Gods:









tomorrow we visit the statue at the top left









from the angel restaurant













next to the Cathedral









another window and that's all folks! Hasta manana!

How to recap such a fine day? Not easy, but I will try. This morning I set out to see some of the silver jewelry etc. the town is famous for:







A La Bocana native who came here 42 years ago told me there was lots of stuff made with abalone. I didn't see tons of it, but what I saw was beautiful. They apparently buy it in Ensenada now.












All around town you see the artisans at work - truly amazing:













Houses are so intricately put together:









random pics:





































We ate lunch at a place on the main square- I swear, we had to walk up 7 flights of stairs to get to the top but it was worth it!























After lunch, we found a taxi driver to take us around town, up and down hills. He is a very good driver and we really went a lot of places:





























we took a cable car ride from the street to MONTE TAXCO HOTEL












This guy was in the mining museum making silver jewelry








For dinner, we went back to the main square and ate upstairs at a place across the square from where we ate lunch. This is a pic of the lunch restaurant:








the tour guide taxi driver had told us that there is free music and dancing on the main square every Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. WE watched while we ate and then went down and danced one song ourselves. Now we can say we REALLY did up the town!



this is out of focus, sorry
















Tomorrow we move on, starting our way back to MexicoCity, La Paz and then La Bocana. It has been great here. Taxco is, in my opinion, a place to visit but perhaps not to live. All the folks here are beyond kind. They are also, gracias a Dios, extremely clean. At the park tonight, even little ones were putting their trash in the bins. The streets are spotless, the surrounding areas are not perfect, but cleaner than almost any other place we have been to. Lastly, the talent is undeniable. Almost every craft we have seen sold around the country originates here. Who woulda thunk?