It’s 3 am and we are in Queretaro staying with friends we met in Canada just a few weeks ago. Their place is high above the city in a lovely residential neighbourhood that we couldn’t have experienced otherwise. Here’s the kicker; there is a LIVE Mariachi band playing outside across the street. No neighbours are complaining, the police haven’t been called, it is just part of the fabric of Mexican culture. For us, it’s a mixed blessing, we love the music and the pursuit of a good time in this country but we are also used to quiet nights so no one can sleep through it. I wonder when they will finish? I have plans at 9 am and I’d like to workout beforehand.

Can you see the Mariachi player under the light? They have 3 trumpets.

The road since Tlaquepaque has been an interesting one. The weather has gotten cooler as we have climbed into the mountains and we are in shorts from noon until 5ish but then the warm clothes come on again. We left Tlaquepaque around midday and set the GPS to Guanajuato. I was driving so I gave Samantha another chance as I felt really stressed trying to navigate city traffic and Spanish. She redeemed herself somewhat. Although, we did end up going through a very small town, where according to her directions the road disappeared and we were on a dirt path through an abandoned lot. BUT, it did spit us out back near a ring road and provided a bit of adventure. No one died! Yay Samantha!!

All the guide books recommend that you DO NOT drive in Guanajuato, it is a city of tunnels that intersect underground and the parking in the centro is a nightmare. So we stayed at a very overpriced hotel on the edge of town and they shuttled us in. The shuttle and comfy bed were the only good things I can say about this place. By the time we left I was weary with the incompetence of every person in there. Sadly my Spanish isn’t good enough to complain effectively, I only get blank stares.

I love, love, love Guanajuato. It is a city steeped in history, the fight for Mexican Independance was based in this area and the architecture is pretty awesome. It is also a city of stairs, narrow passages, breathtaking views and friendly people. We walked up to the top of El Pipila to the viewpoint at the top ( about 500 steps, I swear) and then carried on to Diego Rivera’s childhood home that is now a museum. That’s where I realized I left my water bottle at the top of El Pipila and had to turn around and run back up. Everyone declined to come with me. Lazy so and so’s.

I would like to return to Guanajuato, spend a week or two in the area; I think we just scratched the surface. There are hot springs, numerous galleries and museums plus some pretty great shopping.

We moved on from there to San Miguel de Allede but I’ll write about it tomorrow. The Mariachi band has finished, it’s 4am and the people across the street have moved on to house music. It’s quieter, relatively speaking, and I am going to try to sleep.