Down Mexico Way

TRIP TO TAXCO

In September 2008 we had an unexpected treat. The senior couples at the Visitors Center were given three days off in a row. We all knew that we would be very busy with the upcoming Temple open house and re-dedication and would be working non-stop during this time. The director decided to give us some extra time off before the onslaught of visitors.

Janice and I decided we would like to go to Taxco, a colonial silver mining town in the state of Guerrero, so we took off early one morning. Sergio, a member who does a lot of choffering for the senior couples, drove us to the bus station on the south side of town.

Sergio and the happy campers

From there we boarded a bus for a three-hour bus ride to Taxco. The bus was very comfortable. Besides the snack that they provided we watch movie (better than the airlines). It was fun to look at some new scenery as we passed through Cuernavaca and the region to the south of there. It was mountainous country with lots of beautiful trees. The day was overcast and the clouds were fun to watch moving across the sky.

Wish that bus would get here!!

Now this is relaxing

Beautiful foliage on the way to Taxco

Our arrival in Taxco was breathtaking. The sun had come out and shone on many white buildings with red tile roofs built on steep hills. The roads are very narrow and steep. The taxis there are all Volkwagon bugs that are called vochos in Spanish. I suppose that they use vochos because the streets are too narrow for most cars. Sometimes they have to go up the hills in reverse gear so that they will have more power.

Beautiful Taxco

The windy and steep hills

We checked into our bed and breakfast that we had located online, La Casa de Palmas. We went up one of the steep hills from town and came to the entrance which was a large black gate. You entered and immediately saw an area of green grass and large palm trees (thus the name). There were also beautiful flowers and a fountain.

It had been a villa owned by the painter Clinton King. The famous muralist Diego Rivera used to stay at the house and visit with him. We actually stayed in the artist's studio which has now been made into guest quarters. It is rumored that Rivera painted a mural on a wall in the garden that is now thickly covered with ivy. It is a wonderful place. We really enjoyed staying there. It is owned by an American couple from Missouri. They come to Mexico a couple of times each year to stay. It turned out that they were there during our stay and we had a chance to visit with them.


Not so pretty on the outside

But oh once inside the gate!!

Our Balcony

A couple of views of our room

Taxco has lots of interesting things to see. One of the prettiest things we saw was the cathedral of Saint Prisca. One of the early silver barons heavily funded the construction and maintenance of the cathedral. We were really impressed.

Looking at the cathedral across the town square

View from a side street

Interior of the cathedral

Looking up in the cathedral

Taxco is full of shops that sell items made of silver. I have never seen so many jewelry stores in my life. It was interesting to see all of these items. If you have a bundle of pesos you could really pick up some neat things. It also has one of the biggest market places we have seen. It was built on multiple levels with walks winding up and down. You could buy just about anything imaginable there.

A silver store

Other various shops

One of the other things we enjoyed in Taxco was the great restaurants. In a small area in the town square there were many to chose from. During our stay we ate in a traditional Mexican restaurant, an Italian one and a wonderful natural food restaurant which had salmon to die for They were all really good.

We ate on this balcony

Another restaurant

The 16th of September is the Mexican independence day from Spain and we arrived in Taxco just before then. 2008 was a special independence day since it marked exactly 200 years since the beginning of the revolution. 2010 will be the big moment here in Mexico, since it commemorates the end of the revolution and separation from Spain. As small as Taxco is there were independence day activities going on while we were there. We got to see these activities in the town's central plaza. The town plaza (or Zocolo) is also where everyone gathered to talk. We enjoyed just sitting and watching the people.

School children after participating in a commemoration program

Locals visiting on the plaza

It was a little rainy and overcast while we were there but we didn't mind it. We also had some periods of bright sunshine. It was fun to have a break and see some of the local cultural and sites of interest and we brought back a few little trinkets to brighten our apartment and help us remember.