Misión San Gil Querétaro, Mexico

 Over those 12 years of consulting for Monteblanco in México, we sure have seen a lot of the country.

As such we also ended up at a wonderful hacienda Misión San Gil Querétaro.

Pieter, Agustín and me on March 7, 2002 at breakfast in Misión San Gil Querétaro, after our 2 nights here in room 108.

We'd been already for 10 days in México, at different locations.

We had flown in on Sunday, February 24, from Altanta/USA non-stop to Monterrey/Mexico in the northern part.

On February 26, right after breakfast on our way to one of their mushroom farms, I was with Juan Carlos Fuentes (the ex bull fighter!) in his car, ahead of Pieter and Agustín's car.

We were almost crushed to the concrete edge by a wide load truck... Juan Carlos immediately braked as a super-fast reflex! The smoke went off his car's tires, Pieter said, as he was driving with Agustín behind us. 

Tires almost bald from braking. If he hadn't been such a well-trained, fast acting person, I could never have recounted this.

Upon our arrival here on the 5th of March, without Agustín, both of us had a good meal in the beautiful restaurant and I also bought the Spanish language magazine ' VANIDADES' with the new Dutch Queen Máxima (Su Alteza Real = Her Royal Highness) on the cover and more photos with good reporting about their royal wedding inside.

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This is where we sat for breakfast in top photo, hotel Misión San Gil Querétaro click and click through for viewing more photos.

We only used our video camera for capturing the white and colored peacocks in the garden at that time.

Even one we saw flutter onto the roof.

This was called Restaurant Bar Los Arcos (The Arches) at hotel Misión San Gil Querétaro, where we both had dinner...

A very bad screenshot from our video... but clearly showing those Arches.

Another bad screenshot from our video from the outside of Restaurant Bar Los Arcos 

Hotel Misión San Gil Querétaro seems to have changed 'color'...

Interesting is that Hotel Misión San Gil is actually only 7 km away from Hacienda Galindo where we've stayed several times before!

This photo shows clearly how the Spaniards at that time used the water available for irrigating the fields.

A rather fertile region.

On March 9, we departed from the Camino Real hotel to the airport with a taxi, for our flight to Cancun to have 3 days of vacation AFTER our consulting job. As per Pieter's request. I'd asked him if he wanted those 3 days before or afterwards.

A lot of things went wrong this trip...

At the Camino Hotel, my clothes (that I kept separate for Cancun!) got stolen from the drawer in our room. Usually we never took expensive clothes but this was meant to wear on vacation after work in Cancun. 

It was a very sad experience and with our insurance we have a US $ 1,000.00 deductible and Camino Real was not very willing to cover the loss.

We got an offer for a special rate during 40 nights...

That would not yield much, as we only were there at the hotel a few nights, alternated with hotels at all other locations in different states.

SAD and of course, due to one 'rotten apple' a good name can get tainted, but we were the victim of it all.

I trashed all the paperwork, because those were only negative reminders of something terrible and bad that happened to us.

We know that losing things is not the end of the world but it hurts when you're not a rich person and have built up a nice wardrobe over more than ten years, after quitting the job in Indonesia (living there I mean!).

More and more we stayed home for getting dressed from our closet, rather than from the suitcase. 

So for that reason, we took nice things to the Hyatt Regency in Cancun via the Camino Real...

😞

Oh, and Cancun at the Hyatt Regency was not a good thing...

Haha, after work for finally being able to RELAX, as was Pieter's idea.

BUT it was SPRING BREAK...!!!

So noisy and so crowded, we could not believe our ears and yes above all, the enormous consumption of alcohol at the pool.

Not a happy trip in all, aside from the pleasant work together with the staff from Monteblanco and nice stays at all hotels!

Maybe once in all those years; still not bad.

But I did not want to hide this fact...

Related links:

Hotel Mision San Gil en San Juan del Río | short 1:18 min video showing this elegant hacienda

Working Alongside a Retired Portuguese Style Bull Fighter... in Mexico | his super-fast reflex saved his and my live!

Mansión Galindo in San Juan del Río, Querétaro in México | where we stayed before and only 7 km away

Historic Town of Guanajuato, Mexico and Adjacent Mines

One more historic Mexican gem...

Pieter and I, with Jorge to the right, stand here overlooking the historic 16th century town of Guanajuato a UNESCO World Heritage Site and founded by the Spanish in the 16th century.

To the left of the railing you still can see the baroque style Basílica Colegiata de Nuestra Señora de Guanajuato... (Collegiate Basilica of Our Lady of Guanajuato, Mexico).

We had arrived here on Saturday evening, coming by car from Guadalajara and were staying at Hotel Hacienda Misión.

After checking in, we went downstairs to listen to this group playing and then walked into the historic center of Guanajuato.

Late dinner outside on a patio together with Jorge and Agustín, just a light meal of cheese and later some ham with melon and a glass of wine.

By midnight we were in our room...

Mexico's Top 10 UNESCO - Sites in Mexico

Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial Facilities of Tequila

Jorge did come from this branch!

Yes, we have driven past these huge BLUE AGAVE fields and it IS since 2006 on the World Heritage list of UNESCO!

Agave 'pineapple'

Did you know it takes 10 years for growing the agave 'pineapple' for fermenting and distilling it?

Click on these links and then on link behind saved from.

At least both of us had no idea it took THAT long and that they have been doing this for 2,000 years...

On Sunday, we first explore the beautiful gardens of Hacienda Misión with e.g. Jardín de las Pergolas

My favorite Jacaranda tree was blooming...

Pieter and I below the Jacaranda blossoms...

Everywhere in Mexico you find those bearing walls due to the earthquake danger.

Long stone stairs and lovely vines on both sides...

Ancient walls... This very old Hacienda Misión also had once a silver mine on its premises.

We toured the Hacienda inside and also its chapel and here is an outdoor statue.

By car we went from our Hacienda Hotel to the El Pípila statue on top of the mountain!

Then we walked around in the old center of Guanajuato...

Looking down onto the historic district of Guanajuato with to the right the steeples of the Basílica of Our Lady of Guanajuato, Mexico.

Agustín, Pieter and Jorge overlooking the historic district.

Well, they actually turned towards El Pípila for the photo...

El Pipila Statue Guanajuato click to read more

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It was Palm Sunday, so went to Mass at 13:00 o'clock and we later entered another large Church for listening to the organ, at the end of their Mass.

Again we have witnessed a touching thing going on last night when we walked there. The cast iron gates around the Churches were closed but outside, rolled inside blankets and like sardines next to each other, were the vendors of the woven Palm Sunday crosses.

In order to obtain a good spot for offering them to the Church going crowd for sale on Palm Sunday, they slept there during the night. Just imagine — on the pavement!

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We walked and visited the home of Diego Rivera (museum) painter and muralist 1886-1957.

On a patio we enjoyed a very spicy meal and we walked some more. 

Next we visited an old silver mine from 1650 with a shaft of 525 meters deep (1,722 feet). Still in production!

That's where I got gifted a piece of dark grey silver oxide with yellow pyrite in it.

Shown here is the front.

This is the back side and it measures about 1.5 inch wide or 3.8 cm.

Also bought silver earrings with malachite at the mine. 

Malachite is opaque emerald green copper ore.

Those silver malachite earrings were very tricky to photograph.

Top is done outside, in the palm of my hand and then on my leather diaries inside.

Also an elephant in white stone with Cubic Zirconia eyes...

Yes, they also did mine gemstones!

The silver oxide and this white stone elephant, reside in my authentic antique letterpress drawer, in our bedroom.

Scroll down here for seeing it: {My OPA - GRANDDADDY}

Related link:

Historic Town of Guanojuato and its Mines  🇲🇽Mexico | Informative video about Guanajuato as the most beautiful examples of baroque architecture in Central and South America 30:37 min

{Our Irish Blarney Castle Sweaters + Short Hair} | previous post where I show the silver malachite earrings

Guanajuato's Silver Mining History [Mine Tours and Mexico's Independence] | Video 8:33 min

Historic Town of Guanajuato and Adjacent Mines (UNESCO/NHK) | Video 2:54 min

Mexico City Restaurante Danubio a Basque Seafood restaurant

In-between a hectic schedule of work there always were those special moments...

A very happy dinner with our hosts Agustín and Carmen.

This was at the special Restaurante Danubio in Mexico City established in 1936 when two chefs of Basque origin emigrated to Mexico. 

Specialty is Seafood.

On the wall are framed messages, written on a napkin from important characters that have eaten at Restaurante Danubio. 

Important figures from Mexico and the world have eaten and enjoyed a meal such as artists, politicians, painters, athletes, writers and journalists. 

Always enjoyable with such great mushroom friends!

Like in Italy, using olive oil and vinegar with the salad.

Another pleasant dinner on a Thursday evening on March 26, 1998 and from there we went to a Cuban bar, which was very nice but it was getting late.

It was almost 1:45 o'clock when we turned down the light in our room at the Camino Real Hotel, Mexico City and next morning we did rise at 7:30 o'clock.

Related link:

Our 1st Time Consulting in Mexico with stay at Camino Real Hotel Mexico City | previous post about hotel where we stayed numerous times over the years...

Our Mushroom Friends took us Sightseeing in Guadalajara and Tlaquepaque in Jalisco, México

 Such a joy for having a sightseeing day in-between our mushroom consulting work.

Grateful to our mushroom friends for showing us the beauty and diverse culture of México!

This time it is about the 2nd largest city in México and the state of Jalisco is the Mexican Silicon Valley.

Happy on Sunday, May 25 in 1997...

Wearing my Escada strawberry collection in this colorful state of Jalisco, México.

Standing here inside the Guadalajara Palacio de Gobierno Jalisco (Government Palace) with the Cathedral visible in the back.

Just one of the gems of The Colonial Architecture in Downtown Guadalajara.

We had arrived very late on Saturday, from our work at El Encinal, one of the Monteblanco mushroom farms near México City.

I'd also managed to go to the new Santa Fé shopping Plaza to quickly check out the La Perla boutique and later to the Escada Boutique. Always did this at world cities, for knowing what is coming into the US Outlets, half a year later... My formal fashion design education shining through and I did not miss that opportunity!

The sales person noticed my Escada strawberry belt and said she had a matching bag and on discount. SO... that got adopted right away and I happily wear it in the top photo.

After our five hour drive, we arrived late at the Camino Real in Guadalajara by 23:00 o'clock and enjoyed a Russian dinner.

The Camino Real held a Russian Week, complete with Russian musicians!

The waiters as well were dressed in Russian style...

Here I went to thank the Russian singer for my requested song: Kalinka...

My Dad sang it in his choir and I sang it on the way home in the bus in Hungary: Communist Hungary with Husband Pieter Part IV -  Kiskunhalas just scroll to the bottom part... 

Pieter and I both love Hungarian and Slavic music, including Russian!

After breakfast together on Sunday, we went to see the historic downtown of Guadalajara, the 2nd largest city in Mexico and home of the Mariachi music and also the Tequila.

The capital of the state Jalisco.

Jalisco is the birthplace of José Clemente Orozco, one of the greatest muralists of the twentieth century in the world. We admired several of his murals at the Guadalajara Palacio de Gobierno.

This photo got taken from the Plaza de la Liberación with the view of the 2-steeple Cathedral.

The Cathedral is surrounded by four plazas that form a cross.

Guadalajara did not have any native population when the Spanish settled there in 1542.

Guadalajara sits on a mountainous plateau in west central Mexico at 5,400 feet or 1,646 meters.

On one of the four Plazas I am getting a history lesson by Agustín who loves history as much as both of us do. We all are avid readers as well.

The Flamboyant trees were blooming abundantly red!

Trying to soak it all up; a day with so much history and culture!

Admiring the Cathedral and the surrounding Plazas.

Way at the top in this photo, you can see some of the Jacaranda blossoms!

Wow, that Flamboyant tree...!

Pieter and I together in a photo against the Cathedral as back drop.

From the left: Carmen, me, Agustín, Olivia and Ricardo who live in Guadalajara and were exceptional guides that day. 

We owe them a lot for such a marvelous and educational day.

We did visit Tlaquepaque where I purchased a cute mini silver bottle and some gifts for friends.

After taking photo I noticed it could have used some silver cleaning and polishing, it resides in the antique type tray in our bedroom, shielded by a plexiglass cover but that does not keep things from tarnishing...

We enjoyed lunch with Mariachis and by 18:00 o'clock back at the Camino Real hotel.

Went to Mass at 20:30 and only had a very light meal afterwards.

Next day we checked out after breakfast and left for work at the mushroom farm. 

We spent another night at nearby hotel Plaza Centro in Tepatitlan de Morelos, also in the state of Jalisco, checking out in the morning after breakfast.

From there we left next day around 17:10 o'clock from the mushroom farm, for the three hour ride to Mansión Galindo... see below from previous post.

Related links:

The Most Modern Neighborhood in Mexico? | YouTube video showing at 2:07 my favorite white & blue agapanthus flowers alongside the road as we passed by numerous parks on our way to work. Santa Fe Mall is 6,000,000 square feet! 

This is the RICHEST Street in Mexico City! | TOUR | YouTube video showing you this world famous Avenida Presidente Masaryk in Polanco (close to our hotel, even walking distance and where I checked out the Escada Boutique)... It sure paid off for being fluent in Spanish.

Our 1st Time Consulting in Mexico with stay at Camino Real Hotel Mexico City | previous post about our hotel in Polanco, part of Mexico City

For Consulting in Jalisco we stayed at Hotel Camino Real Guadalajara - Mexico | previous post

Mansión Galindo in San Juan del Río, Querétaro in México | previous post

Guadalajara Guadalajara | Marca Ciudad | YouTube video for getting an excellent Mariachi taste

For Consulting in Jalisco we stayed at Hotel Camino Real Guadalajara - Mexico

CAMINO REAL GUADALAJARA - MEXICO

Pool with view of HUGE Ficus elastica tree...

You can see the tables and chairs where we later enjoyed a very light meal.

This hotel is only 2 stories high, as they call it; a horizontal complex.

There are no less than four pools on this very green and stretched out property of 7 acres with attractive gardens and tennis courts.

Our gracious hosts for Sunday, Ricardo the mushroom farm manager and his wife Olivia took us first to a 10:00 o'clock performance of the historical ballet of Guadalajara.

Lots of color and temperament!

Around noon, we were back again, outside in the sunshine and strolled a little over a market with everything rustic.

Next we enjoyed an authentic Mexican lunch; complete with Mariachis!

We returned back to our hotel by 17:00 and loved just to relax a little while on a chaise lounge.

We opted for a very light meal on the patio after our boss had flown in by 21:00 and all three of us enjoyed eating together.

The end of a perfect Sunday that started relaxed at 8:00 and let us wear our shorts... together with my Escada strawberry pieces.

Fond memories of mushroom friends and a great hotel where we stayed several times.

By the way Camino Real means: Royal Road

Related links:

Our 1st Time Consulting in Mexico with stay at Camino Real Hotel Mexico City | previous post

Mexico's Mariachi music, string, song and trumpet and I got serenaded... | previous post