| My friends Alberto and Elisabeth picked me up early | | | | area where there were no further tourists to be seen. |
| Saturday morning and dropped me off at the Estrella | | | | The walk was very steep and I had to stop several |
| de Oro bus station at 8:45. We chatted for another | | | | times in between climbing stairs to catch my breath. |
| little bit until the bus left at 9:15 am. I was riding in a | | | | Sometimes I felt a little unsure whether it was a smart |
| modern, air-conditioned bus on the toll highway that | | | | thing to walk here by myself, but overall it seemed |
| runs from Mexico City all the way to Acapulco on the | | | | okay. I safely got to the top of the city were the VW |
| Pacific coast. | | | | kombis buses with the destination "Panorama" have |
| In the next row behind me there was a nice couple | | | | their final stop. A young man in a truck delivering water |
| from California and we talked all the way. Their | | | | offered me a ride, but I declined politely. Instead I |
| daughter is currently studying Spanish in Cuernavaca | | | | started to walk with a young local woman, who was |
| and this is the first time that they are traveling by | | | | actually wearing high heels in extremely unsteady |
| themselves in about 13 years. They were both having | | | | terrain. When I commented on her footwear she said |
| a great time. They had stayed in a Cuernavaca B&B | | | | that the women here are used to wearing high-heeled |
| called Casa Vamos which was part of a charity | | | | shoes to walk on the steep cobble-stoned streets. |
| organization and all funds from the B&B go to | | | | She went on to tell me that her husband is currently in |
| charitable causes. The husband had spent some time | | | | North Carolina working and that she is finding the |
| in this area many years ago and knows the area quite | | | | separation quite difficult. |
| well. Both of them speak Spanish and they decided to | | | | Well, the asphalted street became a dirt path, stray |
| go to Taxco for the day. After their visit to Taxco | | | | dogs were laying around, and the populated area |
| they would be moving on to another beautiful | | | | seemed to come to an end, so to be on the safe side |
| destination: the city of Morelia. | | | | I decided to catch a taxi for the last few hundred |
| The road from Cuernavaca to Taxco goes through | | | | meters to one of Taxco's most well-known symbols: |
| mountainous terrain and when you turn the final corner | | | | the Christ statue on top of the mountain. |
| all of a sudden you see the historic city of Taxco | | | | A typical VW beetle (all the private taxis here are |
| sprawling up against the hillsides, with the famous | | | | bugs) picked me up, the driver took me up a forest |
| imposing Santa Prisca Cathedral right in the middle. It is | | | | road, completely unpaved, with holes, roots, sticks, |
| just an amazing sight, and the 1.5 hour drive from | | | | stones, anything that would make you think that only a |
| Cuernavaca is well worth it. | | | | sturdy 4x4 could get up here. But sure enough, the |
| The bus arrived right at the Hotel Posada de la Mision, | | | | trusty little beetle made it all the way up and right at |
| my accommodation for the night. The Posada de la | | | | the end, we went over a rock and I could actually feel |
| Mision is one of Taxco's finest hotels and its location, | | | | the floor plate lift as we scraped over the rock! |
| right opposite the downtown with a fabulous view of | | | | We had finally arrived at the Cristo - a giant statue of |
| the historic area is truly phenomenal. The Posada's | | | | Christ that was erected about 4 or 5 years ago. The |
| reservation specialist Fabiola Jaimes was so kind to | | | | view from the platform surrounding the statue is |
| take me on a quick orientation walk around town. We | | | | phenomenal. You can see the entire city of Taxco, |
| walked on one of Taxco's main streets past the | | | | with the imposing cathedral in the middle, surrounded |
| Ex-Convento right to the Zócalo, the location of | | | | by a panorama of mountains. After absorbing this |
| the Santa Prisca Cathedral. It's a wonderful walk on | | | | wonderful vista, I bought a popsicle and hopped back |
| cobble-stoned streets, past silver retailers and souvenir | | | | into the taxi. |
| shops. | | | | I was already dreading the descent back on the rutty |
| After a brief visit inside the Santa Prisca Church to | | | | forest road, but my driver drove off in the other |
| marvel at the Churrigeresque-baroque artwork Fabiola | | | | direction and to my surprise there was a nicely paved |
| took me past the tianguis (outdoor street market) | | | | road on the south side of the monument. But my |
| where local merchants were selling anything from | | | | anxiety wasn't over yet. The descent into town on |
| silver goods, handicrafts, pottery items to t-shirts and a | | | | extremely steep, cobble-stoned streets was pretty |
| variety of trinkets. Our next destination was the Casa | | | | nerve-wrecking. My driver Javier explained that the |
| de Humboldt, so called because Alexander von | | | | beetles have special tires for better grip, and that it can |
| Humboldt, the famous Germany scientist, naturalist and | | | | get indeed a bit hairy here when it rains. |
| geographer spent one night here in 1803. This house | | | | At one point we encountered a delivery truck which |
| has a beautiful mudejar-style gateway and is now the | | | | had to reverse because the roads are so narrow |
| Museo Virreinal, celebrating the Viceregal era when | | | | while we had to duck into a side street so the delivery |
| Spain still ruled Mexico and the Catholic Church was | | | | truck could pass. The roads were so steep that a few |
| dominating people's minds. | | | | times I thought we'd just slide down the mountain into |
| Having admired the various religious accessories on | | | | one of the houses beside the road. |
| display, we continued our walk down the hills, past | | | | Javier let me off at the Zócalo where I strolled |
| various additional street vendors and further down | | | | around and looked at the artwork and handicrafts for |
| upon arrival on another main street of Taxco we | | | | sale. An old man selling antique photos started a |
| grabbed one of the characteristic VW kombi buses | | | | conversation with me. He told me he has been to |
| that serve as the local transportation here to get back | | | | Canada and that he loved it. He said that even though |
| to the Posada Mision. The door is open and 3 benches | | | | he wasn't going to sell me anything he still enjoyed |
| are built into the back of the bus and people hop on an | | | | talking to me. |
| off as they need. At 3.50 pesos (around $0.40) the | | | | I strolled down the hill past the Santa Prisca Cathedral, |
| rides are extremely cheap. | | | | past another craft market to a smaller church where I |
| Once back at the hotel I ran into the owners: Henry | | | | sat down to relax. A grandmother was reading to her |
| and Elena Berger. Henry and I sat down in the | | | | grandson from a schoolbook in a very animated way. |
| Posada's restaurant while Elena had to take care of a | | | | The boy seemed about 6 or 7 years old and looked |
| number of business-related things. The Posada's | | | | like he was thoroughly enjoying his grandmother's |
| restaurant, by the way, has huge panorama windows | | | | enthusiasm. |
| with the perfect view overlooking down-town Taxco | | | | Then I walked down some steep walkways, and |
| and looking right at the Santa Prisca Cathedral. | | | | caught a VW bus back to the Posada Mision. From |
| Henry is a very gregarious, outgoing individual in his 60s | | | | about 5 to 8 pm I started my well-deserved rest and |
| with a very vibrant energy level and a twinkle in his | | | | read a local newspaper. As always I read the job |
| eye. He shared with me that his family is originally from | | | | advertisements and it seemed that most jobs were |
| East Prussia, formerly part of Germany, today part of | | | | located in Acapulco and were paying between 2000 |
| Russia. His mother migrated westwards during the last | | | | and 4500 pesos a month (between C$240 and $500 |
| days of the Second World War to escape from the | | | | month). As the sun was starting to set I enjoyed the |
| Russians. Henry used to work for Volkswagen and | | | | absolutely phenomenal view of Taxco and its stunning |
| has travelled the world. At 31 he left VW and became | | | | Cathedral. The mood was almost romantic as the |
| independent. His entrepreneurial knack came through | | | | street lights came on and the city started to twinkle |
| and, today his family owns 3 upscale hotels in Taxco | | | | with little lights. |
| and several car dealerships throughout the area. | | | | 8:30 pm rolled around: dinner time at the Posada's |
| Although Henry is a very successful man, he comes | | | | restaurant. I opted for a fish fillet with garlic sauce - |
| across as very down-to-earth. He struck me with his | | | | very tasty. Padre Neri joined me a half hour later. We |
| humour and his great interest in history. During our | | | | had a fascinating conversation about the priesthood, |
| conversation we spoke German all the time. | | | | the Catholic church and the dicey issue of celibacy. |
| Padre Neri, a local parish priest, joined us for lunch. | | | | Padre Neri gave me some examples of what he |
| Henry explained that Padre Neri had baptized all 4 of | | | | deals with in terms of counselling issues in his |
| Henry' and Elena's sons and that he comes to the | | | | community. He alluded to the case of a young couple |
| Posada every day to eat. The three of us had a | | | | where the young man had decided he wanted to |
| delicious lunch: Henry ordered a round of Mexican | | | | become a priest but had fallen in love with a young |
| appetizers: tacos, tortillas, guacamole, salsa. Then I had | | | | woman. A situation like this would be a predicament |
| a sopa azteca (tortilla soup - one of my favourites), | | | | for anyone. Padre Neri displayed some very |
| mole verde (made from pumpkin seeds, very similar to | | | | progressive views and I really enjoyed talking to him. |
| Austrian pumpkin seed oil, another delicacy). One of | | | | Just as we finished our dinner, the Mayor of Taxco |
| Henry's son runs the hotels, while another one is in | | | | and the Head of the Cultural Department were leaving |
| charge of the car dealerships. | | | | the restaurant. They said hello to Padre Neri and |
| With my appetite duly satiated, I was ready for | | | | introduced themselves to me as well. It seemed like I |
| another exploration of Taxco. I strolled downtown | | | | had met all the important people in town. |
| again on the calle principal, past the Silver Miners | | | | After a nice goodbye with Padre Neri I retreated to |
| Monument and upon my arrival at the Zócalo, I sat | | | | my room where I relaxed and watched some TV. I did |
| down on one of the many benches and just absorbed | | | | not pull the curtains because the view outside my hotel |
| the atmosphere. Families were going for a stroll, | | | | balcony was probably one of the most stunning views |
| children were playing, the birds were singing, the sun | | | | I have ever seen in my life. Taxco has definitely |
| was beaming. It doesn't get any better than this. | | | | enchanted me. |
| After my little rest I decided to walk up the hills into an | | | | |