A day or so in Cuernavaca

For us, that was enough... Cuernavaca is called the ´city of eternal spring´ and has been the weekend getaway for wealthy Mexico Citians since the time of the Aztecs and Mayans. However, in my mind, 95 degrees is NOT spring weather! It feels like Las Vegas in July but you can´t run into a casino to get the fresh air-conditioned feeling. They say the water has been disappearing from the city and the temperature has been rising but no one really uses the term global warming like in the US.

The drive to Cuernavaca was mountainous but luckily we figured out how to take the toll road this time so we avoided the topes (speedbumps) that plagued us on the way through to his town the first time. In many spots the road was lined with trees that were covered in purple flowers, Jacarandas they are called. Completely gorgeous and strange because they have hardly any leaves. We found our bed and breakfast after not too many wrong turns (the link is on the side if you want to see pics). It was on a side street about 3 blocks from a main road higher up the hills in the city so it remained somewhat cool there with a fresh breeze in the morning and evening. Our host, who spoke no English, told Felipe it was only a 20 minute walk to the zocalo (downtown plaza) but I had read in my travel book it was at least 3 km (1.5 miles) so after walking a few blocks the three of us decided to hop in a taxi. I don´t know how fast of a walker our host is but the taxi alone took 20 minutes so I cannot believe there is any way to walk it in that time.

We got out at the zocalo in front of the Cortez castle at about 5pm and saw some bus tours there so we decided to hop on and sat on top of the double decker bus in the open air. Unfortunately the tour guide talked non-stop so it was difficult for Felipe to translate for us. It was fine since we had to keep our eyes open for tree branches, traffic lights, and electric wires which would have scraped the heads of people not much taller than us. We got off the bus at a park that had a small canyon in it. There are apparently 50 or so of these canyons all around the city... After interrupting a huge number of couple enjoying ´cuddle time´our tour group went down about 70 steps to a platform and looked around. Sadly, there was not much water in the canyon and it smelled a little bit awful. We took some very, very steep steps back up and returned to the bus to finish the tour which went past the cathedral complex and some huge hacienda where they film a soap opera. I didn´t really pick up much else from the tour and didn´t enjoy it as much as the one in Aguascalientes because we were stuck in traffic most of the time.

After that we walked around the zocalo which was crowded with people and actually not that impressive because it doesn´t have a cathedral on it. It is actually the only main plaza in all of Mexico without a cathedral. The three of us walked about 4 blocks to where the main cathedral and a few others are. There are 2 churches inside a big brick wall and 3 more nearby. Then we made our way back to the zocalo to have dinner.

On Tuesday (25th) we got up and tried to go to the Feria which is like their version of the State Fair. We arrived at 10:30 only to discover it didn´t open until 12:30. Since it was a 30 minute taxi ride just to get there we decided to walk down the road to the flower show which opened at 11. We were probably the only ones there so it was fun to walk through all the gardens and enjoy the green. There are very, very little spots in this entire country that we have found to be green. It was welcoming to see grass and little ponds loaded with the biggest coy fish we´ve ever seen. There were even some bonsai plants and a flower fountain. It was nice and relaxing and not too hot.

At about 1 we started to walk back over to the Feria, thinking the action had started for sure by now. Oh no... there were maybe 20 people besides us there that weren´t employees. The rides weren´t running and only a handful of the craft booths were even open. After walking around and buying some water and habas (the fried lima beans with chili and lemon that I love) we decided to leave. The security guards tried to convince us to come back after 4 when the palenque (cockfights) and other action starts and it supposedly fills with people but we had enough by then.

Tired and sun beated we took another long taxi ride to the zocalo and went into the Cortes castle which is actually somewhat of a Mexican history museum. It was difficult because there was very little in English and even though my reading in Spanish is better than my speaking, museums don´t hold my attention for very long. At the end of the musuem there was a mural by Diego Rivera which was interesting since Felipe just studied his wife, painter Frida Kahlo, this January for school. It was amazing to see the size and detail and story that is wrapped up in one of his murals.

Finally, we decided to have a splurge for dinner and went to the world famous Las Mañanitas restaurant (it´s a hotel also). If you ever go to Cuernavaca we would all highly recommend it and they have delicious pastas starting at about $14 so it doesn´t have to be a big splurge. Even though it is on a busy street, once you walk through the entrance you feel like you are miles away from the city and can hear absolutely no noise but peacocks calling. Luckily, we got there before it was dark which is a total MUST in order to wander the gardens and see the birds. We sat in the bar first and enjoyed drinks while we watched the birds. The waiters (which there must be 2 or 3 for every 1 guest) bring a little snack tray of pepitas (pumpkin seeds), peanuts and chips for you to snack on in the lovely open air patio with bulky-cushioned lounge chairs. The peacocks walk right up to the table and try to eat your snacks however, which freaked me out a little. When one flew into the tree directly over our heads I made Maren and Felipe move because I did not want to be in his ´line of fire´for relieving himself.

Our menu recommendations are the salad that has goat cheese on it. The one with crab in the parmesan cup sounds good but is nothing special for the price. For dinner, if there are two of you that like seafood you must get the seafood platter to share. It is absolutely incredible! Even the mussels which I don´t think I´ve ever tried before but they weren´t chewy at all. Great atmosphere and fabulous food.

Overall, our impression of Cuernavaca was ´big city.´It is definitely somewhere I am not interested in living or visiting very many times. The plaza seemed crowded, traffic was horrible and it was just too busy. Everything was very expensive by Mexican standards also.