Queretaro

Last year we went with Olivia and Juan Carlos (our landlords) to Guanajuato for a couple of days.  We had so much fun that we decided to do something similiar this year.  We have communal friends in Queretaro, Richard and Kim Anderson who lived in Olivia's apartments for a number of years, and so decided to visit them.  We have been to Queretaro a few times but Olivia and Juan Carlos had not been.  So once again it was two gringos guiding two Mexicans to view the tourist things but the two Mexicans certainly guide us around the culture.  And man do they speak spanish well.

We did not take the very best bus, but the second best bus, and as you can see it is pretty comfortable.  Olivia and Juan Carlos enjoying the cushy seats on our 5 hour journey.

At the beginning of the journey the landscape is pretty deserty, especially at this time of the year, the dry season, as the next two photos show.

But about 1/2 way into our trip there was irrigation and lots of it.  They pump the water from the ground, the landscape becomes very rich and the towns we passed through showed that.  The next two photos show that also.

We arrived rght on time, took a taxi to Kim and Richards newly aquired home.  It is pretty new, 16 years old and very beautiful.  We like it a whole lot. 

The TV/extra bedroom room





The back patio

The living room

And Kim and Richard in their kitchen, making us an excellent salmon meal.  It was yummy.

After that, we needed a walk, a couple of km's to a pyramid that has not been fully excavated but is as big as many of the other pyramids in Mexico that have been excavated and restored.  ie. Chichen Itza or Teotihuacan near Mexico City.



And here it is or as close as we could get to it.

On our way to the pyramid we passed this small dairy and on the way  back Olivia wanted to stop and get a glass of warm fresh milk. I used to drink it as a child but it sure did not appeal to me on that day. 

The dairy was a one milking machine operation with a small compressor running it.  A small concrete slab for the cows to stand on while being milked. All accompanied by a milk maid to get the milk started and to strip them dry.

Olivia is trying to convince the milk maid to give her a glass of milk.

A full glass for Olivia, fresh from the cow.

But not only did the milk maid have to milk the cow, but also help her son with his homework.  It was cute.

We stayed with Kim and Richard for one night, then we got a hotel in the center of the city so we could explore that part of the city.

A small protest in the central park.  Olivia told us what it was all about but right now I forget.



And this s how the police were keeping track of the protesters.

Just a pretty street in Queretaro.

And as in all Mexican towns and cities, the beautiful central park in Queretaro.

We needed to get to the bus station to go home but Olivia and Juan Carlos needed to see one more church.  Here they are walking across the street from that church to meet with Nancy and I and head for the bus station.  And 5 hours later we were back in Tlaquepaque.

It was a great trip and we get to do another trip with them again this year.  They are going to take us to the city that Juan Carlos grew up on a near by farm and spend a couple of days with his aunt to celebrate carnival which will happen in mid Febuary.

Nancy and Ron