It is mid afternoon when we emerge from the second of two tunnels that frame the entrance to Guanajuato. The sun is high and a little sharp but even so, the colors of the town immediately leap out at you and you know you have arrived somewhere special. We are in a relatively steep sided valley and, following a local tourist guide on a motor cycle, we climb through narrow cobblestone streets to a point with spectacular views over the city where we are told we can camp safely, and for free.
For the next couple of days we just wandered the streets, taking in the colors and flavors of this remarkable town. With the beginnings of easter festivities, an influx of Mexican tourists, a vibrant student culture, and locals just getting on with their life, the feel of the town was both vibrant and sumptuous. Narrow, cobblestone paths took us down into the town centre where tree shrouded plazas and casual cafes and restaurants invited lingering. At every turn, the colors and character of the town leap out at you and you are torn between wanting to just sit and let it all wash by, and wanting to explore the next lane-way for the intoxicating delights that you know it will reveal.
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| Wedding celebrations |
As dusk settles over the town, fireworks herald a wedding in a church overlooking the city, the booming of explosives (now banned in much of the so-called "civilized" world) echoing across the town, accompanied by a cacophony of car alarms that they have triggered.
Back down in the town square, the band is playing and the (mostly elderly) locals are dancing with restrained but elegant panache.
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| Mexican electrics |
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| How's this for a camp-site? Spot the vans. |
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| Bottle-top artist |
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| Easter parade |
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| Yep - thats a donkey wandering through our cafe! |
Hmmm...I wonder how much it would cost to rent an apartment here?
It is mid afternoon when we emerge from the second of two tunnels that frame the entrance to Guanajuato. The sun is high and a little sharp but even so, the colors of the town immediately leap out at you and you know you have arrived somewhere special. We are in a relatively steep sided valley and, following a local tourist guide on a motor cycle, we climb through narrow cobblestone streets to a point with spectacular views over the city where we are told we can camp safely, and for free.
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