Guanajuato, Mexico

Dear All,

I thought it would be good to update everyone on my travel adventures…

Firstly, I have been able to connect my laptop to the internet. So if anyone is interested in looking at some pictures of stuff, specifically stuff in Mexico, check out the following URL.
http://www.danielyeow.com/latintravel07.html
The page may take a little while to load…

We spent three days in Mexico City where we saw quite a bit, but not really very much. Mexico City is very very very big and we only really got to see little bits in and around our hostel and the city centre. The public transport there is very good, 2 pesos (approx 40c Australian) will get you anywhere which is covered by the metro network, which is extensive. We’ve visited an archaeological museum and just randomly walked around the city centre. The city is teeming with life practically all the time and, surprise surprise, there are lots of people everywhere.

After Mexico City we took a bus to the ‘nearby’ (5 hours by bus) city of Guanajuato. Guanajuato is an old silver mining city and is located close to the heart of the Mexican independence movement. It is also the capital of Guanajuato state. The city is, like Mexico City, about 2000m above sea level. In many ways it resembles the many smaller european cities found in the mountains of France and Italy (it reminded me most of L’Aquilla, Italy in fact). There is a very noticeable difference though, as is quite apparent from my photos, and that is that it is much more colourful. The Mexicans love their bright colours. The house we’re staying at is reachable only by a very long and very steep flight of stairs which, combined with the altitude, should keep us fit while we’re here.

After only two days here we have made the first major change to our plans. Originally we were only going to stay here for two weeks to do an intensive Spanish course. Now we are going to stay on for an extra two weeks (for a total of four) so that we can brush up a little more on our Spanish (it might be useful, considering our planned destinations).

Just last weekend, we had a day trip to the nearby city of Leon to have a look around and to go along to the fair. The fair in Leon is to celebrate the foundation of the city and it is very similar to the Royal Melbourne Show. Next weekend, we plan to have a game of football (soccer) with the teachers and the language school and some of the students on Saturday (Sabado) and on Sunday (Domingo) we’re going to hike up the peak of a nearby mountain (can’t get enough of that altitude).

Overall, we’re having a great time. The people at the school are very friendly (indeed, everyone in Mexico seems very friendly) and there is a very international flavour to the school with students coming from many different countries to learn Spanish here. There are classes in the morning or afternoon (depending on your level) which total four hours. In the evening, there are lectures on latin american culture or salsa classes (depending on the day of the week). Mexican food has, so far, treated us quite well. Some others at the school haven’t been so fortunate with about half of my class having succumbed to some kind of stomach bug and missing a day or two of classes. We’ve been for a run, done some kareoke and visited LOTS of restaurants and pubs. The tequila here is much better than anything you can get in Australia, I guess its sort of like how everyone who doesn’t live in Australia thinks we all drink Fosters and don’t know good beer from bad.

Speaking of interesting food adventures, last Sunday me and Nick ate at some local place and I ordered a dish which had some green chillis in it. Cunningly disguised by the sauce, they slipped past my defences and went straight in. Those that know me well know that I’m not the best handler of spicy foods. I’ve slowly been training myself to handle the spicy Mexican fare and had, up until now, been doing quite well. The green chili though was just a little too much and I was reduced to a coughing, crying, sweaty, red-faced heap in a matter of seconds. Nick thought it was hilarous. It even managed to peel most of the skin off my lower lip. Anyway, the moral of this story is – don’t eat green chilis.

Do check out the website and leave a comment or two, and do email me back, I love getting emails from people.

I think that’s about enough for now. I’ll try to add photos frequently, but once we leave Guanajuato I’m not sure where my next internet connection will come from.

cheers
Daniel

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