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...
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!
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...
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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.
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