And so to Puebla

I was so happy being in Puebla. We stayed at the Royalty, which is right downtown on the main square. Puebla is the most Mexican feeling town I have ever visited in Mexico. That is to say the buildings, the lights, the people all are very alive and the city has such a vibrant feeling about it. Granted we were there on Palm Sunday weekend and so was half of Mexico. And seeing the Mexicans on vacation is another part of my work. It was great to be there at the beginning of Holy Week a time of the year when everyone who can afford to goes home to be with family for the week.


Poblanos have a reputation for being very stuck up on account of the long and glorious history of the place and the beautiful buildings that line the streets. They have some reason for being proud of the latter. The photo above was taken in the small side chapel of the Dominican church. I have never seen so much gilt in my life. We were packed in there with the French of course. Yes, even more French in Puebla than when France actually occupied the city in the 1800's


Prior to the Suppression of the their order, the Jesuits had a huge college and center here. We found the church and the old college is now a state university. The above is from the church. Once again it is hard and wonderful to imagine a country with this deep a history. I am not sure why we all flock to Europe for this feeling when we could head south and feel it with our neighbors.

An excellent trip and important to the work we are doing here as I try to get a better idea of what immigrant folks here leave when the leave. What shape is the longing for return to their homes?

Oaxaca yes, that is how you spell it.

And so we went south. Six hours in a Mexican bus. Now, here we are right up against some misconceptions. Before I started traveling in Mexico the words "Mexican" and "Bus" meant "sitting on the back of an open truck on a crate of chickens." Wrong! Wrong! Ignorant Gringo! The bus system in Mexico is fantastic! Comfortable seats. Videos. Soft Drinks. A small sandwich! This is why I travel south!

We arrived in Oaxaca. The best light in Mexico fills one of the leafiest central squares. Pretty good cathedral even if the light fixtures are a bit iffy.


This town is home to one of the most elaborate Dominican Monasteries in the world. We spent hours wandering from room to room and then out into the open courtyards. The interior is so very excellent. Oaxaca is a university town so lots of life on the streets which we loved.



And of course, the food. And the churches. And the textiles. And the carvings. Whew!. Yes, there was a lot of culture, lots to see. And a lot to think about when I meet folks from Oaxaca. And there are a lot of them here in the USA.

Mexico City

Alright everyone, I am guilty of neglect, if not a whole list of other crimes against the readership. But now I am back! Back in the States and back on this blog. Yes, dang it! I'm back and I have this to say--

Mexico is so darn wonderful! I was there for just ten days and we saw so much. Mexico City again this time to the Pyramids and loads of downtown living it up. We stayed at the excellent and cheap Hotel Gillow



This is the view from the window towards the Cathedral. Oh, that Cathedral sinking into the soft ground of the old lake bad. Too much gold, to many of the faithful walking about and way too many French tourists with tiny tripoded cameras.

"Why" you might ask "are your travel fotos and reflections on Mechanix Blog?" Well, I was sort of on vacation in Mexico but more than that I was trying once more to fill in some of the cultural lacunae in my knowledge of the folks I encounter here who are from there. I am constantly putting images of churches like the one at the top of this blog together with the very modest ways many of the Mexicans live here in the Valley. Same culture just different parts. I need to remember this. And this means I go to Mexico and see more of it so I can see more of them!

And of course these are the same people who built the structures below and then restored them several hundred years later.




We were only in Mexico City for a couple of days and we then went south which will be recounted in the next post.