I am writing today's blog from a beautiful town NW of Mexico City called Guanajuato, but before I start talking about that I want to air my thoughts on buses.
Since Mexico doesn't have a well-developed railway system most people travel by bus, which means that Mexico has an extensive bus network. This also means that there are many different bus companies. Now this in itself does not pose any problems, however when you go to any bus station each bus company has its own desk with timetable and ticket information and there is no central desk to get this info. This means that you have to ask each and every bus company whether they go where you want to go and when their next bus is. Now in small towns this isn't a big problem, but in Mexico City's northern bus terminal there are more than 20 bus companies and it takes about half an hour just collecting all the necessary information! Now that said the buses themselves are very good. I have travelled extensively by bus in both Europe and the States, but the long-distance buses (local bus services are another matter altogether) in Mexico (so far) are far better: the seats are comfier, there is more leg-room, the "in-flight" movies are better (i.e. they actually show movies) and they even offered complimentary snacks!
OK that's enough about buses. Guanajuato is a smallish town (about 100 000) that straddles a ravine and so it's all narrow winding alleyways (which are great fun to get lost in) with houses built one on top the other. From the mountains overlooking the city it looks just like a big patchwork quilt. Guanajuato used to be a silver mining town, which means that the houses are pretty and well-preserved giving the city its well-deserved UNESCO status. Apart from the city itself the high point of the day must have been the mummy museum. Let me explain: since the town is built on a hill space is at a premium, this means that if people stop paying rent on their grave plots (by people I mean families and not the people in the graves of course) the bodies are exhumed and cremated. The soil around here is apparently very acidic and so the bodies are well-preserved, and so when the bodies are exhumed the "best ones" are put on show at the museum. Logical, and yet very morbid, which is why it appealed to me. Needless to say I took quite a few photos there! I must say these Mexicans have some very strange customs when it comes to death.
Well, that's about it from me. I'm off to sample some of Guanajuato's famed night-life (it's also a very important university city).
P.S. If anyone is planning to start a blog I have on piece of advice for them: before posting save the text that you have just written. I didn't and so this is the second time I am writing this entry. Aaaarrrggghhh!
Since Mexico doesn't have a well-developed railway system most people travel by bus, which means that Mexico has an extensive bus network. This also means that there are many different bus companies. Now this in itself does not pose any problems, however when you go to any bus station each bus company has its own desk with timetable and ticket information and there is no central desk to get this info. This means that you have to ask each and every bus company whether they go where you want to go and when their next bus is. Now in small towns this isn't a big problem, but in Mexico City's northern bus terminal there are more than 20 bus companies and it takes about half an hour just collecting all the necessary information! Now that said the buses themselves are very good. I have travelled extensively by bus in both Europe and the States, but the long-distance buses (local bus services are another matter altogether) in Mexico (so far) are far better: the seats are comfier, there is more leg-room, the "in-flight" movies are better (i.e. they actually show movies) and they even offered complimentary snacks!
OK that's enough about buses. Guanajuato is a smallish town (about 100 000) that straddles a ravine and so it's all narrow winding alleyways (which are great fun to get lost in) with houses built one on top the other. From the mountains overlooking the city it looks just like a big patchwork quilt. Guanajuato used to be a silver mining town, which means that the houses are pretty and well-preserved giving the city its well-deserved UNESCO status. Apart from the city itself the high point of the day must have been the mummy museum. Let me explain: since the town is built on a hill space is at a premium, this means that if people stop paying rent on their grave plots (by people I mean families and not the people in the graves of course) the bodies are exhumed and cremated. The soil around here is apparently very acidic and so the bodies are well-preserved, and so when the bodies are exhumed the "best ones" are put on show at the museum. Logical, and yet very morbid, which is why it appealed to me. Needless to say I took quite a few photos there! I must say these Mexicans have some very strange customs when it comes to death.
Well, that's about it from me. I'm off to sample some of Guanajuato's famed night-life (it's also a very important university city).
P.S. If anyone is planning to start a blog I have on piece of advice for them: before posting save the text that you have just written. I didn't and so this is the second time I am writing this entry. Aaaarrrggghhh!
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