I am taking a trip to Estado Guanajuato with some of my students in March. Do any of you live there or has anyone visited the state? What is there to do? What is the local gastronomic specialty? This was once a silver-mining area. Does anyone know of any cultural activities that we need not miss?
Russ
--- "Own only what you can carry with you; know language, know countries, know people. Let your memory be your travel bag." Alexander Solzhenitsyn
Premium account Joined: Jun 02 Points: 12835 Posts: 215
Posted: 2005-01-13 01:19:00
Hi Russ,
Long time so speak to!
I visited Guanajuato on my first trip to Mexico. Unfortunately I was passing through from Guadalajara to Mexico City so only visited Guanajuato City itself missing some of the beautiful old towns in the area.
The area has loads of history as it was where Hidalgo rallied the rebels in Mexicos war of Independence. There is a museum there that was a grainhouse but was converted into a fortress from this period.
The town is famous for its silver mining that in the past was so great that the whole town is a a labyrinth of twisting alleyways through and under the buildings with some of the alleyways so narrow including the "alley of the kiss" where 2 people can lean against the wall of each side and still meet in the middle.
My lasting impressions are of a beautiful colonial town painted in subtle colours with loads of plazas where it is perfect to hang out. It has a huge student population so the town has a buzz about it and you will see groups of them dressed in really traditional costumes ( a Spanish tradition from the 17th century "Callejoneada") serenading anyone they can.
The other main "attraction" if you can call it that is the Museum of the Mummies which I found really macabre. When some of the old silver tunnels were finished with they began storing the bodies of the dead producing an unexpected result the bodies were preserved!
Amongst the many beautiful buildings there is also a famous church there as it is missing a bell tower. I think there is a story about one-upmanship behind it.
Other than that hiking is good option if that it your thing. Pozos is an old mining ghost town nearby.
Regional specialties - none really come to mind except for the fantastic pastries available, they mus be a local specialty because they really memorable.
I will try to post some of my pics for you even though I am at the risk of being rated a 2 star photograher by all the critics online (only joking).
It is a really interesting part of the world. If you had the time I would also recommend Guadalajara in Jalisco state as it was one of my favourite cities on that side of Mexico.
