Frog Seven

We were picked up at our doorstep by Francisco, our guide through Dolores Hidalgo, Atotonilco and San Miguel Viejo. Unlike Ray, who talked on the phone all day long to other people, between SMA and DH, Francisco recounted the history of Mexico, paying particular attention to the Revolution. We can now tell you things about Maximilian, Carlotta, Napoleon, Diaz and Allende through to Fox and Calderon, but we won't unless you ask and really want to know.

Our first stop in Hidalgo was at the Plaza Principal where there is an enormous bronze statue celebrating Hidalgo, a priest who was instrumental in spurring on the revolution. The park itself is lovely and the monument is impressive, particularly as the plaza is hemmed on one side by the parish of Nuestra Senora de los Dolores. This church has recently been renovated in preparation for the bicentennial celebrations which will begin here in 54 days. There are countdown clocks in the square outside and the gold leaf on the inside looks electric it is so clean and crisp and, well, golden. Kitty corner to the church is what they call the visitor's house where the president of Mexico stays every September 16th, the anniversary of Hidalgo's call to the people (he rang the church bells for 4 a.m. mass so the townspeople would come but instead of mass he told them the revolution had begun).

We went to the Museo de la Independencia Nacional where another man named Francisco took over the tour and escorted us from room to room speaking in quite excellent English that I nevertheless could not understand. I did pick up that the building itself was a prison in the 18th century and on September 16th, Hidalgo set the prisoners free.

After the museum, we tried a half dozen kinds of homemade ice cream in the Plaza Principal: avocado, corn, beer, cheese, seafood, lime, something called the kiss of the angels and another that was a special vanilla, which was, in fact, special. I was reluctant to put the seafood in my mouth, but it was really more of a cocktail sauce flavored ice cream than a seafood flavored one. Chris had lime and Susan and I had avocado and corn and Francisco had special vanilla and we were all quite happy.

While in Hidalgo, we also visited a talavera shop where we wandered up and down the aisles and from room to room picking up pieces of pottery we couldn't live without only to substitute one for another in the very next room. The colors were vivid and the shapes were special. Again, we all came home with something and we were all quite happy.

We were able to visit the Municipal Cemetery while in Hidalgo which was cool because it was like visiting Jim Morrison's grave except that we were visiting the grave of Jose Alfredo Jimenez, who is like the Jim Morrison of Mexico but better because everyone hailed him as a national treasure. As a result, there are tour buses of Mexicans there all the time and a man stands and sings his music all day long for the visitors. Traditional headstones in this area are white and so one headstone is lost against the next in the cemetery. Jimenez's monument, however, is a gigantic (15 foot) brown stone sombrero with a serape flowing out of it in bold and traditional colors. On each band of color is listed one of his 1000 songs. Being there was a cultural phenomenon.

I gave some incorrect information several days ago when I mentioned the grave tax in Mexico; it is still in effect. If a family can no longer pay the grave tax, the body is exhumed and either buried in a mass grave on the cemetery grounds or the bones are burned and then the grave is re-sold.

We revisited the Santuario in Atotonilco so Susan could see it and we were fortunate because, on the way home, Francisco brought us to San Miguelita to see a tiny chapel (unfortunately closed) and then to San Miguel Viejo to see the first church built in the area. It was also closed, but it was still a visit of worth. The landscape surrounding it is pastoral and peaceful and we never would have found it on our own. It has also undergone renovation in preparation for the bicentennial celebration, but is only opened now for such celebrations.

In general, our day with Francisco was educational. There were only a few language barriers, like when I asked if there would be a bull fight this month (despite it being off season, we've heard there may be one or two a month) and his explaining to me that they never allow the bull fights to take place in the street. And like when we asked him to verify that the word Guanajuato meant place of the frogs and he told us that the indigenous people had many rocks that were shaped like frog seven. However, Francisco said more things that we understood than that we didn't so it was a good day.

We had lunch, walked a new path through Jaurez Park, got caught in the rain, and visited the Instituto Allende before returning home for quick naps.

When we ventured out again later in the day, we were stopped by blocked streets and police officers directing traffic and it became apparent that townspeople were lining up on the sidewalks as if for a parade. So we lined up, too, and waited. In short order, we heard them coming: Rally HOG Bajio 2010 Bicentenario began today and hundreds and hundreds of Harleys rode into town. It was a sight to see and it seemed everyone wanted to see it. We watched the procession and then headed to the Principal Jardin where the procession ended and the riders parked their bikes all around the square once and then in a double row and then it was a sea of black leather and decals and tats and bandanas and fun. It did mean that the center was packed so we worked our way out a bit and wandered around until we settled on a place for dinner where we enjoyed good company and good food and discussed our plan for tomorrow. We're meeting Susan at a coffee shop at 8 a.m. and then we're off to Guanajuato for the day!