Puebla
We left Xalapa yesterday afternoon with a very thick fog.
A difficult 3h30 min drive to reach puebla.
In Mexico, you find two kinds of highway. Either a four-lane road with a central reservation or a two -lane road without railing.
Mexican overtake whenever thy feel like it, no matter if it’s in a curve or over a yellow line.
So, very often, one has to drive onto the hard shoulder to avoid a frontal crash.
A real gymkhana and a very sporty drive
In 1531 when the spanish arrived « Puebla de Los Angeles » was named Cuetlaxcoapan which means « the place where the vipers moult »
Surrounded by three volcanoes ( Popocatepelt , Iztaccihuatl and Malinche), it’s a very spanish looking town due to its architecture and its atmosphere.
It’s famous for its 100 belltowers.
Thta’s here that the mexican nationalism took place
.
Each year, the victory of a mexican General on a foreign army is celebrated with as much fervour as the independance day.
But this victory has been temporary as the french army finaly won the war and Maximilen de Hasbourg became Emperor of Mexico two years later.
Today is Sunday and the town is very lively.
In « la cas de la Cultura », we can see a traditional dance show and an old lady explains us everything about the different dances. We spend two hours there.
We visit a few churches and musems in the historical center, most of them beeing part to the world heritage.
* Catedral : built in 1575 on the order of king felipe II, it has been consecrated in 1649: its facade in a renaissance style and its interior a baroque style. Its two 74 meters high towers ( the highest in Mexico) make it unique
* Biblioteca Palafoxiama : The main part of the book collection was given by the bishop Juan De Palafox y mendoza who insisted on the free use of the library to all people beeing able to read. The collection was later enlarged by donation from Jesuit colleges. It houses today more than 45 000 books (15 th to 20 th century). A gem…
* Museo Amparo : In 1979, « Don Manuel Espinosa y Yglesias » founded in an ancient 15th century hospital, the « Amparo foundation ». The museum hostes more than 2000 prehispanic artefacts originated from different parts of Mexico and also a large number of colonial pieces of furnitures (Arte Virreinal).
* Casa de Dean : This 16th century house belonged to the dean of the cathedral. Students, by chance, discovered murals representing in an allegorical way the ancient an the new Testament. Very beautiful murals.
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Cholula
The first day is dedicated to 2 churches on our way to Cholula
* Acatepec : superb facade covered by « talavera » (earthenware)
* Tonanzlintla : the interior is entirely covered by hundreds of cherubs, saints, bishops, kings, flowers and fruits in golden arabesque.
Cholula is a nice little " pueblo Magico "
It’s a unique place in the world : a giant pyramid topped by a beautiful ochre church standing out against a dark blue sky with the Popocatepelt in the background.
It has been founded by the Toltèques in 500 BC.
Cholula is also famous for the bloodiest episodes of the spanish conquest .
In 1519 the army of Herman Cortès has been friendly greeted by the population. Thinking it was an ambush, the army slaughtered the population
« La Matanza de Cholula »
6000 civilians died.
* Piramide de Cholula : This pyramid has got the largest polygonal foundation in the world ( 400 m ) It’s been built on a natural hill ( 2nd to 16th century ) superposing 7 pyramids. At the top, stands the church « Sanctuario de la Virgen Remedios » built by the spanish in the 16th century. Only the bottom ot the pyramid is visible ; the rest is under the actual hill.
Today is the spring Equinox and there are a lots of events.
All through the day, dances are dedicated to the sky and the earth.
Hundreds of people, all of them wearing white clothes, meet together on the archeological site.
Their hands straight to the sky, they climb up the pyramd to capture the energy from the sun and pay homage to its blessing.
Very impressive !
The next day is our first round of golf in Mexico… We’re the only one on the fairway.
We’re lucky enough to see an eruption of the Popocatepelt at the sunset. What a privilege !
Atlixco
To organize our tour we study our touristic guides, very usefull but often differing on the number of stars to give to such or such site.
Today we head to Atlixco, 30 km away from Puebla.
It is described as a nice little town with a well kept historical center, offering a few baroque monasteries and convents… True…But…
In september 2017, a big earthquake damaged most of the houses and buildings… Everything is now closed , waiting to be restored. The charm of this town falls in ruins…
We can at least see the Popocatepelt.
Later in the night , at 9 :30 pm, a big eruption occurs, but we’re not there anymore.
ROAD BOOK 047
MAVROS ODYSSEE