Cholola

Yesterday after breakfast, we walked over to a little bus station that would take us to a part of Puebla called Cholola.  There is a pyramid there that is the largest in the world by volume.  It is not as tall as the one in Giza, but the base is much bigger.  Only a little of it has been excavated because the Spanish built a church on.top of it.  

First, we went through some of the 5 miles of tunnels that go through the pyramid.  Since that can't study it from the outside, they have gotten much information by going into it.

Then we climbed up to the church.

We could take no pictures inside, but is was both huge and beautiful.  Outside we could look out over this part of the city in all directions.  It was not clear enough to see Popo, the big volcano

Puebla has over 365 churches and so we see them everywhere we look.  As we walked down off the pyramid, we stopped to buy some grasshoppers to try.  Not great....a little sour and crunchy.

We spent the next hors looking around the archielogical site.

And we climbed this restored part.

We stopped to watch the voladores de Papantla

And we walked around this part of town.

Stopped for drinks

Saw more churches

And searched for the place we could catch a bus back to the center of Puebla.

And back downtown ready to find a place to eat.

After eating it was too late to go back to the artesians market so we walked home just after dark.  It is lucky we headed home because, as soon as we arrived, we had a great and wonderful lightning, thunder, and rain storm. 

Today it is clear and warm as we ride along on the bus taking us back to Cuernavaca.  Suzanne is watching the movie being shown and I am writing this log.......bouncing along, it isn't easy.

Puebla and another adventure

Yesterday we caught the 12:30 pm bus to Puebla.  It takes hours, but the bus is comfortable and the countryside was varied.  We took a taxi from that giant bus station where we transferred buses on our way to Veracruz, to our small hotel near the Zocolo.  It is called El Hotelito. 

Entrance to our room

We settle in some and head for the Zocolo for dinner and a look around.  We spot the cathedral up ahead so know the Zocolo will come into sight soon.

Looking back at the cathedral dome

I love the architecture of these old buildings around the square.

In the morning we go find a laundry to get our clothes washed and come across what is now a museum, but was a temple and hospital.

Later back at the cathedral on the Zocolo.

You know the woven hats and little birds you see in Mexico and Hawaii that are woven from palm fronds?  Well, that gold filigree you see on the front of the Cathedral is woven from the fronds.   Amazing!!!

Inside

Outside some young girls ran up to us asking us where we were from because they were learning English at their university and they had to interview a tourist that spoke English.  (We have seen almost no Americans at all, here or in Veracruz.) of course, we agreed to be interviewed....they having trouble with the questions they had written and really not understanding the answers we were giving.  It was fun as Suzanne kept forgetting to answer in English and we having to help them understand our answers.  One girl video taped the interview.

A jacaranda tree in he square.......I love them!

Again I love all of the buildings.

We spent the afternoon walking through the artisan market looking at the beautiful pottery that this city is known for.  Opps, too bad, I forgot to take pictures, but the the stores were a riot of colors and full of beautiful people.

The cat park

After breakfast we went to explore a park that we had seen the evening before. When we walked by last night it seemed it seemed enticing, but a little creepy because it was wooded and dark.  Today it felt like a great place to wander out of the heat.  It was 4 pesos to get in (about 25 cents) and we knew there were cats there as we'd seen them the night before.  Turns out it is kind of a sanctuary for cats.  They are free to come and go, but they are fixed and fed.  The lady that was feeding them said she thought there were between 70 and 80 cats living in the park.

The grounds are well kept up, but worn.  There are hills, bridges, lots of ponds filled with fish, a baseball diamond, and beautiful rock work.  It feels away from the city and secluded and surene.

We walked around the city until afternoon.  Lots of old buildings which I love.

It is in the 80's here, hot and very humid and so returning to our hotel around 3 pm for a swim and relaxing felt wonderful.  Went out for dinner and more walking. No one can say we aren't getting our exercise!

Easter Sunday

We had a lazy day today.  Found a new little restaurant for breakfast and then came back to swim and sit by the pool.  In the afternoon we walked down to the Zocolo.  Not too many people yet, but as the evening approaches and the music starts the people will come.

The churches around the square

And the dancers

I took videos of some of the dancers, but they won't post to my blog so Suzanne says I can post one to my Facebook.  I have not tried that, but will give it a shot.