Queretaro and Guanajuato

We left for Guanajuato early on Thursday morning because we knew it would be a long bus trip and we wanted to arrive in Guanajuato in the early afternoon.  When we arrived in Mexico City at the south station we decided to take a bus to Queretaro, which is very close to Guanajuato, instead of taking a bus to the north station and then a bus to Guanajuato, we thought it would take less time.  Well, if you have been reading my blog you know that things don't always happen the way we think they will!  :o)  

We arrived in Queretaro a half hour after the previous bus left for 

Guanajuato and found out we had a 4 1/2 hour wait until the next bus.  So, we changed our plans and took a taxi into the center of Queretaro for a brief visit.  After a quick lunch at booth surrounding the zocalo, we walked around the city looking at churches and plazas.  We were

 able to see "Los Arcos" the 1.28km aqueduct (pic) with 74 towering arches built between 1726 and 1735 that runs through the center of town.  We also took a tour (given by an impressive 13 year old girl) through the Convento de la Santa Cruz (pic).  The convento (built 1654 - 1815) is famous for a miraculous appearance of Santiago (St. James)  

which led the Otomi (the indiginous people of that area)

to surrender to the conquistadors and Christianity.  Another of the site's miracles includes a tree that supposedly grew from a walking stick being stuck in the ground.  The thorns of the tree form a cross.

We arrived in Guanajuato (pic) about 7:30pm, found our hotel and went out for dinner.  For three weeks in October,  

Guanajuato is host to the Cervantino International Festival.

 "During this period, Guanajuato becomes a living theater and 

museum. The festival features avant-garde artistic performances and exhibitions of fine, classic and modern art. Countries from around the world are represented, with over two thousand national and international artists displaying their works of art. You will find classical music and electronic rhythms, along with folkloric and contemporary dance, as well as plays and multimedia shows."  Literally, everywhere we went there was someone doing something related to the festival, it was fantastic!  

Coming next:  More Guanajuato and a town called Dolores Hildalgo