An excursion to Queretaro
Fumbling with my newly acquired skills at the Spanish language, I managed to take a day trip by bus to the city of Queretaro. It is a city of over 1,500,000 people located over an hour away by bus. Below is a map where Mexico City is indicated in green. By bus it takes about 3.5 hours to get to San Miguel from Mexico City.
During the 16th century, Queretaro, like San Miguel, played an important role along the route that gold and silver was transported to Veracruz for export to Spain. It also became a center for the mission movement; consequently there were many churches, convents and monasteries established in the city.
When the United States invaded Mexico in 1847, Queretaro was declared the Capital of Mexico. It was here that a treaty was signed in 1848 that divided Mexico in half and the United States acquired the northern half. Then France invaded Mexico and set up Maximilian I as Emperor in 1867. His troops were defeated by the Mexicans and Maximilian was executed in Queretaro.
At the conclusion of the Mexican Revolution in 1917, the new constitution for Mexico was signed in Queretaro. Today the city is the capital of the state of Queretaro.
An important landmark in Queretaro is an impressive 18th century aqueduct that was built because the town water supply had become so polluted that safe spring water had to be piped in from nearby mountains. Legend has it that its benefactor built the aqueduct at the request of a num with whom he was in love.
I spent the day exploring the Historic Centro and really enjoyed the flatness of the city (it is between two mountain ranges.) The streets felt spacious compared to the intimacy of San Miguel and Guanajuato where streets are narrow and hilly. I especially enjoyed the smooth levelness of the sidewalks where I could walk along and not have to worry about looking down to avoid holes, steps, and uneven cobblestones as I do in San Miguel. (SM is known as the town of " fallen women.")
Queretaro has several very pleasant landscaped plazas. But what impressed me the most were the buildings dating from colonial times and the architectural detail.
The building below is La Casa de la Marquesa and was built by the Spanish marquis who gifted the city with the aqueduct. It has been restored and furnished with antiques and is now a 25 suite hotel. When I first entered the main salon, I marveled over the Moorish influenced tile work that covered the walls and ceiling - only to discover that it was flux painted.
To see some of the suites, go to: http://www.lacasadelamarquesa.com/eng/habitaciones1.htm
Many of the buildings along the streets are only one story high and the colors are lighter, less intense than San Miguel, which contributes to the feeling of spaciousness
.
The city also has some wonderful historical church buildings.
The building above is a former convent that is now a regional historical museum where I found some of my favorites: masks and prehistoric pictographs.
For lunch I had a Queretaro gordita. It is a thick grilled cornmeal tortilla that is split open like pita bread and filled with various things - I had a concoction with chicken. It was sloppy and delicious! (Only $1.70 for a very filling gordita and diet Coke.)
Yesterday there was an all-day fiesta in San Miguel and I took oodles of pictures. I will post them as soon as I can - just what until you see these costumes!!!!
During the 16th century, Queretaro, like San Miguel, played an important role along the route that gold and silver was transported to Veracruz for export to Spain. It also became a center for the mission movement; consequently there were many churches, convents and monasteries established in the city.
When the United States invaded Mexico in 1847, Queretaro was declared the Capital of Mexico. It was here that a treaty was signed in 1848 that divided Mexico in half and the United States acquired the northern half. Then France invaded Mexico and set up Maximilian I as Emperor in 1867. His troops were defeated by the Mexicans and Maximilian was executed in Queretaro.
At the conclusion of the Mexican Revolution in 1917, the new constitution for Mexico was signed in Queretaro. Today the city is the capital of the state of Queretaro.
An important landmark in Queretaro is an impressive 18th century aqueduct that was built because the town water supply had become so polluted that safe spring water had to be piped in from nearby mountains. Legend has it that its benefactor built the aqueduct at the request of a num with whom he was in love.
I spent the day exploring the Historic Centro and really enjoyed the flatness of the city (it is between two mountain ranges.) The streets felt spacious compared to the intimacy of San Miguel and Guanajuato where streets are narrow and hilly. I especially enjoyed the smooth levelness of the sidewalks where I could walk along and not have to worry about looking down to avoid holes, steps, and uneven cobblestones as I do in San Miguel. (SM is known as the town of " fallen women.")
Queretaro has several very pleasant landscaped plazas. But what impressed me the most were the buildings dating from colonial times and the architectural detail.
The building below is La Casa de la Marquesa and was built by the Spanish marquis who gifted the city with the aqueduct. It has been restored and furnished with antiques and is now a 25 suite hotel. When I first entered the main salon, I marveled over the Moorish influenced tile work that covered the walls and ceiling - only to discover that it was flux painted.
To see some of the suites, go to: http://www.lacasadelamarquesa.com/eng/habitaciones1.htm
Many of the buildings along the streets are only one story high and the colors are lighter, less intense than San Miguel, which contributes to the feeling of spaciousness
.
The city also has some wonderful historical church buildings.
The building above is a former convent that is now a regional historical museum where I found some of my favorites: masks and prehistoric pictographs.
For lunch I had a Queretaro gordita. It is a thick grilled cornmeal tortilla that is split open like pita bread and filled with various things - I had a concoction with chicken. It was sloppy and delicious! (Only $1.70 for a very filling gordita and diet Coke.)
Yesterday there was an all-day fiesta in San Miguel and I took oodles of pictures. I will post them as soon as I can - just what until you see these costumes!!!!
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