Tuesday, January 06, 2009

Are there no end to these incredible days?

First of all I have to stand corrected in my blog from yesterday.  Janet in her sweet way told me that it is NOT the first game of scrabble she ever won, there apparently have been other victories.  So Janet I do apologize most sincerely.

After my 16 laps and breakfast we packed up for a day of adventure.

A couple of years ago when I was waiting for my lovely friend Eileen, on one of her frequent Doctor’s visits, I picked up a National Geographic magazine and in there was an article about the cowboy pilgrimage to the Cristo Rey, Christ the King, statue outside of Guanajuato.

The statue is said to be at the exact geographical centre of Mexico and holds special significance for the Mexican people and on the Epiphany, 6th January, hundreds of cowboys on horseback make the pilgrimage to this statue which is at 9400 feet.

This fascinated me and I put it on my ‘To Do” list, well today was the day so that is where we went in search of.  With some luck and good navigation techniques by Malc we actually found the road leading up to the statue, this was the start of a great adventure.IMG_2183 IMG_2234

 

 

 

 

A lovely church on the way up.

Some of the cowboys on the road.

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This was turning out to be one of those you had to be here days!!!IMG_2202

The way we had climbed up the mountain.IMG_2204

When we reached the summit of the statue and looked down we saw this chapel with hundreds of cowboys and could hear them singing, a haunting sound!IMG_2205

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Just an incredible sight.

The statue!!IMG_2209 IMG_2210

The people crawling into the chapel.IMG_2214

and the inside.IMG_2215

The cow poke Pearson’s….IMG_2221

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Love this photo!IMG_2223

We then ravelled down the mountainIMG_2230

and saw one of the few female riders.

This truly was a magnificent spectacle and one I was so happy to share with Janet and Malc. 

After a road side lunch stop we headed into the city of Guanajuato and of course there isn’t a strawberry stall I can pass by.IMG_2236 Not bad 40 pesos and that includes the basket.IMG_2322

We parked the car outside the city and took a taxi into town.

This is a very famous and old mining city with underground tunnels throughout.IMG_2273

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Then it was off to the Funicular, the incline railway.IMG_2246 Taking us up to the famous statue of El Pipila, a renown hero who torched the gates of the Alhondiga allowing a huge victory for the independents in 1810.IMG_2255

Sit back and enjoy the views from here.IMG_2249

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Here is those love  birds again!!

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You thought I was the goofy one of the family!!IMG_2261

Miss. Cottingham 2009!!!!!!

IMG_2276 This city has a European flavour with some beautiful buildings.IMG_2283

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They have to have their afternoon latte!IMG_2285

Our waitress saw me take the photo above and asked if she could take one of the three of us, but she kept laughing so hard when she was taking it as the two guys in the back ground kept making funny faces at her, too much!!

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Now the Alley of Beso, the kissing alley.IMG_2292

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This is one of the smallest allies in the world, 23 inches wide, where rumour has it that a wealthy family with a beautiful daughter lived on one side of the alley and she fell in love with a common miner, he moved into the apartment across the way where they could carry on their romance.  The girl’s parents found out and they suffered a tragic end.

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The Hidalgo Market fashioned after an 1910 French Railway station.IMG_2315

On the way home we saw many vehicles with horsesIMG_2317

and people.IMG_2320

I think this was just too much excitement for Janet.IMG_2321

What a great day this way so many happy and remarkable memories and of course one of those WASIMG_2323

Have a great evening….

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