Wednesday, 30 April 2014 – It is almost 186 miles north against the current and prevailing wind to Bahia Santa Maria. This must be completed in one leg as there are no anchorages on this section other than Magdalena Bay which is a few miles short of Bahia Santa Maria. After Bahia Santa Maria, there are some places we can duck into if the weather becomes difficult. As we approach Bahia Santa Maria we will decide if we then continue to Turtle Bay or make a stop.

We left the IGY Marina dock at 4:08 p.m. headed to the fuel dock to top off our fuel supply. Leaving the fuel dock at 4:35 p.m. we headed for the cape which we had rounded by 5:00 p.m. with just a slight swell.

An hour later we passed Cabo Falso as we continued motoring north, about 2-3 miles off the coast until far north of Todos Santos. When we passed Todos Santos we could see the lights in the town as we were two and a half miles offshore. This first section has a small counter current. This helps avoid the main current and provides a small push north. However, it is a dangerous Lee coast and requires careful attention to navigation. Several boats have gone ashore along this coast.

At 8:00 p.m. we had covered just over 19 Nautical miles and at 9:00 p.m. we started our structured watch with Anita first, then me and then George. The weather continued calm, but the night was damp and cold as the sea temperature had dropped below 70 degrees, something we were unaccustomed to after the warm Pacific coast.

Tuesday, April 29, 2014 – It is sunny here with cool nights. We spent the morning changing the filters and oil, ready for our first leg north to Turtle Bay.  Then, we went to the supermarket to stock up on groceries and finally to the Port Captain to handle our arrival and departure papers. With this done, the rest of the day was spent relaxing with dinner at one of the restaurants surrounding the Marina.

With everything in order and the weather looking OK, we are ready to leave later tomorrow, 30 April for our next destination, Turtle bay. This will be our first ‘Bash’ while we are not exactly looking forward to it, we are curious how it will turn out. We will know in a due time meanwhile, we are enjoying Cabo and taking the opportunity to rest and relax.

Monday, 28 April 2014 – George saw the sunrise and woke Anita at 6:00 a.m. so there would be a second person on watch, and he could turn in. The morning was quiet as the swells had died down overnight, so we continued to motor towards our destination. During the morning, we cleared the deck of several small squid that had landed there during the night.

At 3:00 p.m. we had covered 177 Nautical Miles and could see the coastline of the Baja. As we closed with the coast a small current was noticeable which reduced our COG by almost a knot. I assume it was the tidal flow entering the Sea of Cortez. We eventually lost the daylight and entered the Cabo San Lucas harbor about 8:00 p.m. and by 8:30 p.m. we were moored in our assigned slip at the Cabo Marina.

We had covered 202 Nautical Miles in 37 hours of which only five were under sail after a somewhat miserable crossing of the Sea of Cortez from Mazatlán.

Sunday, 27 April 2014 – At 7:10 a.m. we turned on our engine and prepared to get underway. The dock lines were dropped at 7:30 a.m. and we backed out of our slip. The morning was quiet as we headed out of the marina area to the tricky entrance but fortunately there was only a slight swell.  As we headed out to sea, I head Jeff and Debbie on the VHF who were arriving from points south. We had a radio chat for about 20 minutes. The weather was calm, so we motored on.  

During the morning the wind increased and we managed some fine sailing at up to 8 knots for about 5-6 hours.

During the crossing we did see some Rays leaping out of the water and a large pod of Dolphins kept us company for almost an hour with six or seven swimming a few feet from the bow. At times they leaped out of the water so close to the boat that from the cockpit, it almost looked like they could land on the deck. By 2:30 p.m. we had covered 49 Nautical miles and the wind had begun to blow on the nose of course! As a sailing friend once said, the wind is on the nose 90% of the time.

At 9:00 p.m. we started our formal watch-keeping with Anita first, then me and finally George who likes to watch the sunrise. By 10:30 p.m. we had covered 81 Nautical Miles and the waves had become choppy with the wind still on the nose and Hilbre squiring around because of the swell.

Monday, 21 April 2014 – This is going to be a busy week as we begin to prepare Hilbre for the Bash back to Los Angeles.  Already, we are beginning to store supplies for the voyage and monitor the weather to Cabo San Lucas.

Tuesday 22 April 2014 – The day was spent grocery shopping and then checking the running rigging for any issues. We also tuned the standing rigging although we found it in good alignment and correctly tensioned. Dinner was on board.

Wednesday, 23 April 2014 – Time to change all the fluids, the engine oil, both fuel filters and replace the Heat Exchanger Zinc with a new one. The drive belt tension was adjusted and the engine air filter cleaned.

Thursday, 24 April 2014 – This morning, we took Hilbre over to the fuel dock at Fonatur and filled all our Jerry Jugs, along with the two new 12.5-gallon containers we had bought in Puerto Vallarta. I also added two gallons of engine oil as we will need to do oil changes as we head north.  Anita went for a haircut and George, our extra crew for the Bash arrived at 4:00 p.m.  Dinner was at La Isla.

Friday, 25 April 2014 – After checking the weather for our crossing to Cabo San Lucas, we took George into the Golden Zone for some shopping. He wanted to buy some souvenirs for his friends and family. In the evening we had dinner at the Bruja and hopefully we will get underway to Los Cabos on Sunday.

Saturday, 26 April 2014 – We had arranged for the bottom of the boat to be cleaned until we were ready to leave. The diver showed up on time and then we settled our account with the Marina. We had an early night ready to be underway early tomorrow for Cabo San Lucas.

Thursday, 17 April 2014 – The day was spent cleaning the boat with dinner at Christies in the evening.

Friday, 18 April 2014 – We took the bus downtown for lunch and then strolled along the old Malecon before returning to Hilbre. It is Easter week, and many people were on holiday and the beaches along the Malecon crowded with holiday makers.

Saturday, 19 April 2014 – This was Anita’s Birthday, so we took the bus to the Bruja for lunch. The Mariachis sang for Anita during a fine lunch. We then wandered around the general area before heading back to the Boat. To morrow is Easter Sunday which is a major holiday in Mexico.

Sunday, 20 April 2014 – Easter Sunday and a quiet day as many places were closed.

Wednesday, 16 April 2014 – By morning, a land breeze enabled us to set sail once again as we closed on Mazatlán.  The new sun cover on our 135 Genoa which was replaced by Morelli Sails in La Cruz had really improved the sail shape and we have been able to sail much closer to the wind. It has been a big improvement and we are happy with his work.

As we passed the harbor entrance to Mazatlán, we saw the Norwegian Star cruise liner at the dock. We now know that the cruise liners are again returning to Mazatlán. By noon we were off the Islands and ready to make our turn into the entrance channel to the El Cid Marina and Marina Mazatlán where we arrived at 1:00 pm. We had covered 158 N. Miles in just less than 28 hours. We are back on Pier seven at the Marina and meeting up with fellow cruisers.

It is Easter week here in Mexico and it is a big holiday with schools closed for two weeks.  We have been checking on the local activities and celebrations. Most businesses are closed, and the town is full of people enjoying the holidays.

Tuesday, 15 April 2014 – We left San Blas at 7:00 am and headed north about three miles off the coast towards Mazatlán. At noon, a nice wind at 10-15 knots started from the Southwest which allowed us to put up full sail. Just as the wind arrived and we were setting sails, we caught a nice Halibut, but we had no time to land it, so let it go. For five hours we scooted along at an average of seven knots. This was the longest continuous sailing we have done in a long time and swells were slight so it turned into a wonderful day of sailing.

By evening the wind had died but we were accompanied by an almost full moon throughout the night.

Monday, 14 April 2014 – The weather looks good for a Tuesday departure for Mazatlán. A final quick visit into town to top off our supplies and then back to Hilbre to prepare her for and early departure to Mazatlán. It has been nice being back in San Blas and we were not bothered by the JeJenes.

Sunday, April 13, 2014 – It is Palm Sunday in San Blas and it is a major holiday. On Sunday morning they held a Palm Sunday procession which wandered throughout the streets in the town. Someone rode on a Donkey as Jesus and it was obvious this carries some prestige. Palms fonds and carpets are laid for them to walk on as they proceed throughout the town in a long procession with everyone singing.  The streets are crowded with people waving intricately woven palm fonds from vendors who were doing brisk business. As the procession passes over the carpets and palm fonds they are then picked up and run to the front on the procession to be laid again for them to walk over. The procession eventually ends at the main entrance to the church.  From there, it leads down the main aisle of the church, along with the Donkey, to the alter.  There the main Palm Sunday Service begins.

We spent some time at the Social Club talking to the owner about his time working in New York as a window dresser in many of the large department stores.  From there, we headed to Lupe’s Beach Palapa for our Sunday lunch. We ran into the Canadian Gringo who was a new resident who talked about his first season hanging out in San Blas. Apparently, he was happy being in San Blas where he loved the laid-back life.

Saturday, 12 April 2014 – Back into town and a drink at the Social Club before doing some shopping and getting ice. In the evening we had dinner at La Isla restaurant.

Friday, 11 April 2014 – On Thursday when we arrived in San Blas from Punta De Mita, we met a Swiss guy who was sailing a 27-foot Catalina Capri to South America. He had already sailed all the way from San Diego and was having a great time. The boat next to us in the Marina was empty as apparently the solo sailor, who owned the boat had died suddenly a month or so before and his sister was arranging for the boat to be moved to Puerto Vallarta for sale.  At the end of the dock was the large Schooner ‘Patricia Bell’ who we had not seen her since the 2011 in the Baja Ha-Ha where she was a participant. She had anchored behind us in Bahia Magdalena. She is all wood and built by her owners in the late 1990’s.

The boat next to us was owned by an older American with a girl friend in San Blas. Unfortunately, just after getting back to San Blas, he had a heart attack and died. His boat was waiting for a crew to sail it to Puerto Vallarta where it would be put up for sail.

We spent the morning cleaning the boat and then went into town stopping at the Social club for a drink. Afterward, we went to McDonald’s restaurant for Lunch. After we got back to the Marina, we noticed the Swiss guy had left on his Catalina Capri for Zihuatanejo.

Thursday, April 10th, 2014 – We got underway this morning at 7:00 am, with just a bit of dawn light. The clocks went forward in Mexico last Sunday, so it does not get light (sunrise) until almost 8:00 am. With a slight swell, we headed out of Banderas Bay and made the turn north towards San Blas. The slight swell accompanied us all day with little wind until about 4 hours short of San Blas. At that point, we managed a little boost from the wind as we motor sailed at just over 7 knots.  It was our first opportunity to use our Genoa with its new sun cover. We noticed that the sail had much better shape than before.

During the day, we saw only one other sailboat that came out of Chacala ahead of us and as we approached Mantanchen Bay they veered off to anchor there. Overall, it was an easy passage even if we motored all the way. We were tied up to the dock at San Blas by 7:00 p.m. our time or 6:00 pm local time as we gained an hour.

We do like San Blas and even though many people prefer to anchor around the corner in Mantanchen Bay. By doing this, they do not need to check in with the Port Captain. However, the Fonatur marina here is clean, has good showers and the people are friendly and helpful as is the Port Captain.

Our next port of call is Mazatlán where an additional crew member will join us for crossing the Sea of Cortez to San Jose Del Cabo. We should be in Mazatlán sometime later next week.

Wednesday, 9 April 2014 – We left La Cruz later than planned as we had waited for our headsail which Tony delivered just before noon.  We paid Tony then settled our Marina account and did some general boat preparation. After getting fuel, we finally made it out of the marina at 1:30 pm., just at the right time to get a 20+ knot blast on the nose and short/sharp seas typical of Banderas Bay in the afternoon when there is a good thermal running. It seems the headland just above the marina increases the wind speed because after an hour of bouncing around, things settled down in the 12-15 knot range, but it was still on the nose.

Three hours and 10 miles later, we dropped the hook at Punta De Mita. There was some swell from the Southwest, but it had calmed down by late evening.

Saturday, 5 April 2014– We went into Puerto Vallarta to Zaragosa to purchase a couple of large empty liquid containers for extra fuel to get us to Turtle Bay from Cabo. We have a 25 Gallon Fuel tank and carry a 30 Gallons on the deck. At a burn rate of just under a half gallon an hour, this would give us a safe range of 100 hours of engine time or about 500 Nautical Miles (assuming and average of 5 knots). We know Turtle Bay is 480 Nautical miles from Cabo and we will be going against a possible current of 1 – 2 knots, so we were uncomfortable with our total cruising range for the’Bash’.

These empty containers were used for chemicals and need a thorough washing and drying before storing diesel in them. At 12.5 gallons each, they add 25 gallons to our fuel supply, giving us a new cruising range of 150 hours or 750 Nautical miles. This is plenty for any emergency or diversion due to bad weather.

Sunday, 6 April 2014 – Mexican daylight savings time moved us one hour forward. Again, we relaxed and, in the evening, had some Tacos for dinner from a street seller at .79 cents each. Tony Morelli has agreed to pick up our headsail tomorrow morning.

Monday, 7 April 2014 – Tony picked up our headsail and afterward, we took the bus to Bucerias for lunch and to buy some Huichol artwork. After lunch at a beach Palapa, we went hunting for Huichol threadwork and found a street seller with just what we wanted. After a lengthy negotiation, we purchased the plaque and then headed back to Hilbre.

Tuesday, 8 April 2014 – Today we prepped the boat so she will be ready for a departure to Punta di Mita tomorrow. After visiting the Mega Store for groceries, we filled the water tanks and added a couple of bags of ice to the refrigerator. In the evening we had dinner with Lane & Vicki at an Italian restaurant in La Crus to celebrate Viki’s birthday and our departure tomorrow.

Tuesday, 1 April 2014 – This morning we took the bus to the Home Depot and Walmart. While there we purchased a BandaAncha which will give us WEB access for our journey home. It plugs into the Laptop and is a useful tool to have while in Mexico for internet access.

The evening was spent by the pool enjoying Tacos.

Wednesday, 2 April 2014 – During the morning, I started to clean the lifelines and did a follow-up call with Morelli Sails however he is still busy with the Puddle Jump fleet. In the evening Bruce & Pascale came over for drinks.

Thursday, 3 April 2014 – We relaxed for the day with Lane and Vicki stopping by for a chat.

Friday, 4 April 2014 – Continued cleaning the lifelines and in the evening Lane & Vicki came over for drinks.

Sunday, 30 March 2014 – We spent part of the day cleaning the stainless on Hilbre and doing some general cleaning.

Monday, 31 March 2014 – It was time to change the oil, fuel, and transmission fluids. This is not as difficult as it might seem and usually takes just over an hour and a half. I needed to update our spare parts list so we did a full inventory and updated our list of spare parts, filters and other items.

We had an enjoyable evening at the Black Forrest restaurant with Ralph and Angie.

Friday, 28 March 2014 – We needed to get some groceries at the Megastore, so we took the bus with Lane & Vicki and did some shopping. As there is also a Santander Bank, we topped off our Pesos as they were a bit depleted after a couple of weeks in Barra.

Saturday, 29 March 2014 – We called Ralph and Angie to let them know we were back in Barra and arranged to meet for dinner at the Black Forrest restaurant in La Cruz next Monday. We had dinner at the Octopus Garden in La Cruz, a perfect destination for those looking for a quiet retreat to enjoy this beautiful spot and the activities that the hostel has to offer.

In the Octopus Garden the restaurant and bar are open through the winter season with live music. Depending on the schedule all sorts of workshops are available for guests: yoga, meditation, Tai Chi as well as concerts and dance nights. The Huichol art gallery also looks out onto the garden offering the chance to see and buy examples of the craftsmanship from these remarkable indigenous people.

Thursday, 27 March 2014 – The boats that left Barra before us have all arrived. After checking in with the Port Captain at the marina office, we walked through the marina, frequently meeting with fellow cruisers from Barra, San Carlos, and La Cruz.  In the month while we were in Barra, many of the “Puddle Jumpers” (Boats sailing to the South Pacific) had left.  Now in late March, the marina is filling up with cruisers like us from the south, heading north toward the Sea of Cortez. We expect to remain in La Cruz for 7-10 days before continuing to Mazatlán for a couple of weeks and then at the end of April, we will cross the Sea of Cortez to San Carlos ready for our ‘Bash’ north to Los Angeles.

We called Morelli Sails this morning to book our Genoa in for a new sun luff. He is still working though making and repairing sails for boats waiting to leave for the South pacific. It will be at least a week before he can work on our Genoa.

Wednesday, 26 March 2014 – At midnight, Anita came on watch and we had covered 29 Nautical Miles. We continued to see patches of ‘Red-Tide’ and Jellyfish.  When we shone a light onto the ‘Red-Tide’ we could see it was not on the surface but like a cloud, often a six to ten feet below the surface. At the watch change at 6:00 a.m. we had covered 75 Nautical Miles from Barra and the sun was coming up. So far, the trip had been uneventful and after sunrise, we no longer encountered any ‘Red-Tide’ or Jellyfish.

The day was clear, sunny & warm. At 1:25 p.m. we changed our course to round Cape Corrientes and begin our crossing of the Banderas Bay heading for La Cruz Marina. We had done 102 Nautical miles and shortly afterward some wind allowed us to add the Genoa giving us a small push towards La Cruz. While crossing the bay, we took the opportunity to add some diesel to our tank.  We have been averaging just under a half a gallon per hour when using the engine.

After a pleasant crossing of the bay, we approached La Cruz Marina at 6:00 p.m.  At 6:50 p.m., we were tied up to dock 4B10 in La Cruz. After a quiet 24-hour tip covering 135 Nautical Miles from Barra de Navidad, we were glad to be able to kick-back and get a full night’s sleep. We had thought of stopping in Perula, however cruising friends who did stop there reported that it was all full of ‘Red-Tide’ so we were glad we had not done this.

Tuesday, 25 March 2014 – After a month long stay in Barra de Navidad, and with a great trip inland, we are leaving later today for La Cruz. Six or seven boats have already left to sail north with some of them planning on using the various anchorages along the way. Everyone is taking advantage of a decent weather window to round Cape Corrientes.

The morning was spent organizing the boat for departure and settling our Marina account. We dropped our lines and headed out of the Marina at 6:45 p.m. and got under way. After crossing the bay and somewhere off the entrance to Tenacatita, we started our formal three-hour watch cycle. I started first at 9:00 p.m.

We had already seen a quantity of ‘Red-Tide’ and had passed several large patches of small clear blobs about a half-inch in diameter. Though they are often referred to as “jellyfish eggs” these weird little creatures are called ‘Salps’ and are present because of phytoplankton blooms, which are their food source. As this was our first encounter with these issues, I was concerned about them possibly clogging the engine intake filter. After checking, they did not seem to be an issue as I saw none trapped in the filter.

Saturday, 22 March 2014 – As we are getting close to leaving to sail back to La Cruz, we decided to spend time enjoying the resort privileges and spent most of the day at the pool.

Sunday, 23 March 2014 – Another day of relaxation by the pool.

Monday, 24 March 2014 – As we are close to leaving, we went into Barra to do our laundry and top off our grocery store and get fresh vegetable. In the evening, we spent a ‘happy hour’ with several pairs  of other cruisers at ‘Besame Mucho’ swapping stories and future plans. This will be out last night in Barra as we plan on leaving sometime tomorrow.

Friday, 14 March 2014 – Today it was windy but clear and we went into Melaque to do some grocery shopping. While in Melaque, I was reminded of some little known American, Irish, and Mexican history. The area consists of three beachfront villages: San Patricio, Villa Obregon and Melaque; they are all generally referred to as “Melaque.”

The village in the center, San Patricio, or St. Patrick, is named after a battalion of mainly Irish but also other European citizens who fought on the side of Mexico against the Americans in the Mexican American War of 1846-8.  The Battalion was formed and led by Jon Riley. The town of St. Patricio has an eight-day celebration which ends late on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17th, with a big firework display in the main square.  It was quite an unexpected sight to see the main church decked out in hundreds of Shamrocks along with the main square hosting a large Shamrock.

The battalion fought with Santa Anna in many engagements throughout Mexico serving with distinction.  Most of its Irish members were deserters from the US Army and any San Patricio’s captured by the U.S. Army, were treated and punished as traitors for desertion in time of war. Seventy-two captured men were charged with desertion by the Army. Two separate courts-martial were held, one at Tacubaya on 23 August, and another at San Angel on 26 August 1847, following which, 48 were sentenced to death.  Most of them were hanged in a mass execution at Chapultepec on 10 September. Although more than 9,000 U.S. soldiers deserted the army during the Mexican American War, only the San Patricios were punished by hanging. The men have continued to be honored and revered as heroes in Mexico.

Those not executed received 50 lashes on their back were branded with the letter ‘D’ for deserter on their cheek and forced to wear iron yokes around their necks for the duration of the war.  Some of the San Patricio’s that escaped are on record as having made use of the land claims promised them by the Mexican government. Supposedly, some settled in the town of San Patricio, named in their honor.

We bought so many groceries we had to use a taxi back to Barra and then get the water taxi to take us directly to Hilbre.

Saturday, 15 March 2014 – This evening, we were invited to a roof-top party in Barra. Three houses share an extended rooftop area which is where the party was held.  We were with Jeff, Debbie, Bruce and Pascale.  The party started about 9:00 p.m. and went on into the early hours of the morning. We got back to the boat by water taxi as the three houses were located in one of the canal areas of Barra.

Sunday, 16 March 2014 – After last nights party, we took the morning to relax in the pool. We later found enough energy to wash the boat.

Monday, 17 March 2014 – Today is a Mexican holiday, this time the celebration is for Benito Juarez’s birthday. It also happens to be St. Patrick’s Day and Melaque is having a big celebration with fireworks. We went into Barra for Ice Creams and Barra was crowded due to the holiday.

Tuesday, 18 March 2014 – This morning we had lunch at the Golf Club with Jeff and Debbie and then relaxed by the pool. This evening, we had dinner at Andres (In the Resort) with Bruce and Pascale.

Wednesday, 19 March 2014 – A relaxing day at the pool.

Thursday, 20 March 2014 – Another day spent at the pool and in the hammocks near the beach. This evening, the resort held a buffet reception for the people staying in the Marina. This is always a popular event and so you need to go early, or you miss out on the tasty snacks. A lot of the cruisers from the anchorage seem to show up for this as guests of the individuals in the Marina.

Friday, 21 March 2014 – We went into Barra to do some shopping and then do some advanced preparation on the boat prior to our planned departure next week. The local fishermen have continued to report there is a cold current close to the coast as they are landing Halibut.

Wednesday, 12 March 2014 – As we were short on groceries, we went into Barra this morning to do some grocery shopping to hold us over until we can get to Melaque. The afternoon was spent relaxing by the pool.

Thursday, 13 March 2014 – Back into Barra to visit the Butchers and do the laundry.  While we were waiting for the laundry, we visited the small tourist stalls and negotiated for a wall hanging, a carving of an Iguana. We also bought a Barra de Navidad shirt for our friend George.

Tuesday, 11 March 2014 – Our bus from Guadalajara left at 10:00 am and we were back in Barra de Navidad at 3:30 p.m. This time we were ready for the Colima Volcano but it did not blow off any steam, but we managed to get some photographs and video from the bus.  Back in Barra, we picked up some ice before taxing the water taxi back to the boat. Everything was good on the boat, so we settled in for an early night.

Monday, 10 March 2014 – We took the 10:15 a.m. bus from Guanajuato to Guadalajara arriving there at 2:00 p.m. and taking a taxi to the Holiday Inn & Suites on Avenue Juarez.  We took the opportunity of wandering along the Avenue looking at the various stores. In the evening, we had Dinner at the Holiday Inn.

Sunday, 9 March 2014

We set off this morning to explore some of the underground roadways. We took the entrance near our hotel on Calle de Alonso. This led to a two-lane road with bus stops and intersections. We wandered along taking video and photographs until we found another exit.

Taking this exit, we finished up in the Jardin and took the opportunity to visit the Iglesia de San Diego church and follow this with a visit to the Teatro Juarez which was completed in 1903. It is an example of eclecticism which was popular at that time. In some areas it follows a Roman Doric theme and in others, an Arabian theme. The hall follows the European model with four tiers and is decorated in an Oriental style. With its mix of Architecture, it is well worth a visit as it stands close the Union Gardens in the heart of Guanajuato.  Behind the theater is the Funicular railway which takes you to the Pípila monument. It is only a short ride up the hillside but well worth taking it for the views over the town.

Returning on the Funicular we walked through the Jardin and ended up at the Plaza de La Paz and the Hotel la Casona de Don Lucas where we stopped for coffee. The next stop was the 17^th century Parroquia de Basilica Colegiata de Nuestra Señora de Guanajuato where a Sunday service was in progress. Afterward, we continued to wander through the many small streets, stopping for coffees in a small café and then in the Plaza de Los Angeles. Afterwards, we went to the Alhóndiga de Granaditas and went inside to take a closer look at the interior.

Our two and a half days in Guanajuato were filled with walking, eating, visiting many of the churches, museums, and historical sites. Our legs certainly got a workout from the many hills and sets of steps we walked up but it was certainly well worth the visit. It is a quite photogenic, unusual, and an interesting town, unlike many other places we have been in Mexico. We would certainly like to return here someday.

Saturday, 8 March 2014

The Jardin Union (central) area has many restaurants, Mariachi groups, churches and ‘Callejoneadas’ groups who lead groups and wander the old downtown in costume performing songs and dances. Just off the square is the wonderful Juarez Theater which was opened in 1903; it is one of the principal sites used for the annual Cervantes celebration which started in 1953.

The town which is 6,600 feet above sea level was founded in 1548 after the Spanish discovered extensive silver and gold deposits. It became a wealthy area and was the leading producer of silver during the 18th century; mining continues today but at a reduced rate. The town follows a narrow valley, so streets are just wide enough for single cars , narrow alleys and sets of steps go up the side of the hills. Because of its wealth, it has some wonderful architecture and many of the churches are great examples of the Baroque and Churriguesque style.  It is also a university town and the plazas are thronged with young people at the weekend.

The rivers which formed the valley were a constant source of flooding, so tunnels and ditches were created to divert water and reduce flooding. In the 1960’s, dams were built to finally control the flooding. The tunnels and ditches were then converted into underground roadways complete with intersections, sidewalks and even bus stops. Additional road tunnels have since been built. The entrances to some of the tunnels are not always obvious and you can be surprised by cars seemingly appearing out of nowhere. There are many of them under the town and it is the easiest way to navigate the city by car.

Guanajuato is also the site of the first battle in the war for independence from Spain in 1810. This took place at the Alhóndiga de Granaditas, a granary where a local miner helped defeat the Spanish and gain entry to the building. This is commemorated by a large monument called ‘El Pípila’ on a hill overlooking the town.  It can be reached by a funicular tramway near the Jardin. The Alhóndiga is now a well laid out museum of the area’s history.

The Morning Tour – Beginning our private tour, we went first to the unique Mummy Museum. This Museum contains a large collection of naturally mummified bodies from a cemetery located directly behind the museum. The first bodies were exhumed in the 1870’s and stored in a warehouse due to a new tax levied on graves. Over time, people began to visit the warehouse to see these remains, some of which were eventually put on display. We were the first people of the day to enter the new climate-controlled museum which was created in 1970’s to protect and display the mummies. Because it was early, we had the Museum all to ourselves. It was remarkably interesting and not spooky as it has been very well laid out with informative labels in both Mexican and English. It has become one of the major tourist attractions of the town.

Our tour continued through the older affluent quarter of the town to the Pipilar monument which has wonderful views over the central area of the town. Pípila, became famous for an act of heroism near the very beginning of the Mexican War of Independence, on 28 September 1810. With a long, flat stone tied to his back to protect him from the muskets of the Spanish troops, Pípila carried tar and a torch to the door of the Alhóndiga and set it on fire. The insurgents–who far outnumbered the Spanish in the warehouse–stormed inside and killed all the soldiers and the civil Spanish refugees. Some accounts say that Pípila was not alone but went accompanied by other indigenous miners ready to fight for their freedom from the Spanish, but as the story is told today in Guanajuato, Pípila stood alone to break through the door.

Next on the stop was the Valenciana Church (Church of San Cayetano) which sits close to the mine. It is an 18^th. century stone church which sits on a hillside and has an ornate Churriguesque style interior with three alters heavily covered in gold leaf. We then visited Valenciana mine, one of the old silver mines which is now a museum and took a private tour of the old mine workings. This included descending about 180 feet underground and a visit to a model shop depicting many of the old mines.  During its peak activity, this mine accounted for almost a third of the worlds production of Silver.

In the afternoon, we had lunch in the Jardin at the Café Valadez. Then, we wandered through the many narrow streets making our way to the Alhóndiga de Granaditas or Granary where in September 1810 about 300 Spaniards took refuge while 20,000 troops led by Hidalgo stormed the building. This eventually turned into a rout and the town was pillaged. The four main participants, Hidalgo, Ignacio Allende, Juan Aldama, and José Mariano Jiménez were eventually captured and shot.  Their heads were hung from the four corners of the building until Mexico achieved its independence.

In the evening, we returned to the Jardin and had dinner on the Verandah of the Hotel San Diego which has an Italian restaurant overlooking the Jardin square. By then it was dark, and the entire square was alive with people enjoying the evening. We watched the various ‘Callejoneadas’ groups warming up their groups before heading off to various parts of the city. Music from the many Mariachi groups wafted through the night air.

Friday, 7 March 2014

We arrived in Guanajuato by bus from Guadalajara at 1:00 p.m. and made our way to the hotel by Taxi. The hotel was near the center of the town so much of the town was within easy walking distance.

Our visit to the town was prompted by a distant relative Athelstan Joseph Alexander Kean, who lived here with his family from 1890-1931. Every time we mentioned Guanajuato, people said it was a great place to visit, and they were correct. It has a definite European feel to it; probably from the many nationalities that formed part of the mining community like my cousin Athelstan, who worked as the chief electrical engineer for the newly formed power company which was electrifying mine operations. At that time, many of the mining and electrical operations were owned by American or Canadian companies. Athelstan worked here until 1931 when the Mexican government started their first process of reorganization under the mandate of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI).

We arranged for a private tour of the town on Saturday morning. This is not normally for us however we wanted to get a complete overview of the town, given its genealogical importance to my family history.

A short walk from our hotel brought us to the Union Gardens in the heart of Guanajuato which comes alive on Friday and Saturday nights with music, dancing and feasting as this is a University town. We wandered around the general area and visited the Iglesia De San Diego church, finally having dinner at one of the hotels which surround the Jardin.

Thursday, 6 March 2014

Guadalajara at an altitude of over 5,000 feet and has a metropolitan population of more than 4 million. It is Mexico’s second largest city. The central area of Guadalajara consists of three squares, including the Cathedral, many old administrative and historically interesting buildings dating from colonial times. Some of these were involved in Mexican Revolutionary events. 

It has a wonderful theater, a large but congested market and a building housing three floors of Gold and Silver merchants. The Hospicio Cabanas has many modern murals painted in 1945 by Jose Clemente Orozco (1883-1949) who was a Mexican social realist painter. His work is also featured in the main staircase of the Gobierno Palace; another interesting and historical building that still provides some administrative functions for the city. All the tourist sites were within walking distance of our hotel.

The central area has many pedestrian shopping areas which are busy. The first part of the morning was spent photographing and taking Video of the Cathedral area.  There was a protest in progress relating to the issues of the indigenous Indians of Mexico who were dressed in their costumes, banging on drums and chanting; all quite interesting. We then walked to the Hospicio Cabañas which was built at the beginning of the 19th century to provide care and shelter for the disadvantaged – orphans, seniors, the handicapped and chronic invalids. In the early 20th century, the chapel was decorated with a superb series of murals now considered some of the masterpieces of Mexican art. They are the work of Jose Clemente Orozco, one of the greatest Mexican muralists of the period. There is a fee for entry.

Returning to the central area we visited the Teatro Degollado, home of the Guadalajara Philharmonic. The building was begun in 1856 and took 30 years to complete. The five-tiered interior is swathed in red velvet and 23 karat gold-leaf and crowned by a Gerardo Suarez mural based on the fourth canto of Dante’s Divine Comedy. Again, there was a fee for touring the building and while we were there a classical pianist was rehearsing for a concert, so we were able to hear the acoustics for the building.

This was followed by a lunch snack, taken at one of the stands near the treater. After lunch, we headed over to the regular market (Mercado Libertad) and the Jewelry center, a large building housing floors of jewelry sellers.

Our next stop was the Gobierno Palace where we took a self-guided tour of this interesting and historic building which was completed in 1790 and has more Orozco murals. The palace was completed in 1790 and Father Miguel Hidalgo occupied the building in 1810, during the Mexican War of Independence. A radical priest with a taste for wine and women, Hidalgo crusaded for human rights; it was here in the governor’s palace that he issued his famous proclamation to abolish slavery.

Later, during one of Mexico’s numerous small civil wars, Benito Juarez, “Mexico’s Abraham Lincoln,” also occupied the building. When opposing forces entered the city, Juarez was captured outside the palace and very nearly executed. The guns of a firing squad were lined upon him when the novelist Guillermo Prieto jumped forth to shield Juarez. Supposedly he cried “los valientes no asesinan,” (the brave do not murder) and the soldiers lowered their rifles.

The day was completed with a stroll along Avenue Juárez, one of the main shopping streets of Guadalajara. A very full day. Tomorrow we head to Guanajuato.

Although we spent a full day in Guadalajara, we found this just enough time to see most of the historical and cultural sites in the center of the city.  Finding good restaurants within walking distance of the hotel turned out to be a challenge. We are sure there are some, but we were hampered by a lack to good tourist information. Surprisingly, even the large bookstores do not carry foreign language guides or histories of the city.

Even with the noise from the Disco, we enjoyed our stay in the city, seeing everything the central area has to offer.