So in the end I did take a hike up El Estribo, which turns out to be a big hill that takes about an hour to hike up along a pretty cobblestone path. María came along and we left around 6:30 in hopes of catching the sunrise from the summit (which we only sort of did). The hike up was pleasant enough and I was impressed by the intrepid joggers that trotted on up while we happily went with the speed of "slow and steady." There were some impressive views of Pátzcuaro, the lake, the islands, and the surrounding mountains from the peak. Also at the vista point is a 418-step staircase leading to a further summit. In the time it took María and I to climb (and count) the steps and then descend with trepidation (ye olde acrophobia kicked in), yet another one of the intrepid Mexicans had (along with her dog), jogged up and down the rugged staircase twice. Upon return to Jaime´s house, I headed into town for a bite to eat and then had a brief rest before heading to the bus station (without getting lost). The bus trip was overall non-descript, as I tried to nap through most of it.
Upon arrival in Guadalajara (the second largest city in Mexico, home of the sombrero, mariachi, and tequila), I managed to hop on a bus and successfully navigate the relatively long bus ride into the main part of town, getting off on the same block as my hostel (where I had called ahead for reservations!). The hostel is rather pleasant, though I miss the homey feel of Jaime´s house and my quickly-made friends from Morelia. Though decidedly a big city, the centro historico of Guadalajara is not too overwhelming--parks, plazas, pedestrian walkways, and fountains make for a navigable area. I explored this part of town, exhausting myself today with several museums, churches, parks, and more. I have yet to see a full mariachi band in action, though that may happen tomorrow when I head to the "suburb" (more of an outlying neighborhood) of Tlaquepaque. I also may head to the town of Tequila to see how the brew is made, though I can´t say I´m particularly interested in the samples they supposedly give you along the way.
In truth, I am doing rather well, but am feeling a bit out of sorts mentally. As such, this post is not so fascinating or detailed, and I apologize to those of you that managed to read this far. I´ll bring you a tequila.
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3 comments:
Hey, chica! I've laughed out loud many times this morning as I read about your adventures. (Hostile karma!) I'm forever in awe of the easy way you 1) make friends and 2) wend your way through this gigantic world. Can't wait to hear how the classes go. Hugs.
Meera,
I'm late to the blog, but it's great to hear about your travels. I'm looking forward to the classes. By the way, you're making my summer trip to Kenyon College look pretty lame.
Adios,
Kreg
I think the good tequila isn't yellow, but clear. At least that's what I've been told. I can only stomach the stuff when I do the salt-lick before and lime after.
In any case, your adventures have ALMOST convinced me that I want to visit Mexico -- but you'd have to be my guide. And I'm not walking up any tall hills.
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