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Hello From Taxco The City That Silver Built
y friends Alberto and decided to go to Taxco for the
Elisabeth picked me up day. After their visit to Taxco
early Saturday morning and they would be moving on to
dropped me off at the Estrella de another beautiful destination:
Oro bus station at 8:45. We the city of Morelia.
chatted for another little bit
until the bus left at 9:15 am. I The road from Cuernavaca to Taxco
was riding in a modern, goes through mountainous terrain
air-conditioned bus on the toll and when you turn the final
highway that runs from Mexico corner all of a sudden you see
City all the way to Acapulco on the historic city of Taxco
the Pacific coast. sprawling up against the
hillsides, with the famous
In the next row behind me there imposing Santa Prisca Cathedral
was a nice couple from California right in the middle. It is just
and we talked all the way. Their an amazing sight, and the 1.5
daughter is currently studying hour drive from Cuernavaca is
Spanish in Cuernavaca and this is well worth it.
the first time that they are
traveling by themselves in about The bus arrived right at the
13 years. They were both having a Hotel Posada de la Mision, my
great time. They had stayed in a accommodation for the night. The
Cuernavaca B&B called Casa Vamos Posada de la Mision is one of
which was part of a charity Taxco's finest hotels and its
organization and all funds from location, right opposite the
the B&B go to charitable causes. downtown with a fabulous view of
The husband had spent some time the historic area is truly
in this area many years ago and phenomenal. The Posada's
knows the area quite well. Both reservation specialist Fabiola
of them speak Spanish and they Jaimes was so kind to take me on
a quick orientation walk around the Catholic Church was
town. We walked on one of Taxco's dominating people's minds.
main streets past the Ex-Convento
right to the Zócalo, the location Having admired the various
of the Santa Prisca Cathedral. religious accessories on display,
It's a wonderful walk on we continued our walk down the
cobble-stoned streets, past hills, past various additional
silver retailers and souvenir street vendors and further down
shops. upon arrival on another main
street of Taxco we grabbed one of
After a brief visit inside the the characteristic VW kombi buses
Santa Prisca Church to marvel at that serve as the local
the Churrigeresque-baroque transportation here to get back
artwork Fabiola took me past the to the Posada Mision. The door is
tianguis (outdoor street market) open and 3 benches are built into
where local merchants were the back of the bus and people
selling anything from silver hop on an off as they need. At
goods, handicrafts, pottery items 3.50 pesos (around $0.40) the
to t-shirts and a variety of rides are extremely cheap.
trinkets. Our next destination
was the Casa de Humboldt, so Once back at the hotel I ran into
called because Alexander von the owners: Henry and Elena
Humboldt, the famous Germany Berger. Henry and I sat down in
scientist, naturalist and the Posada's restaurant while
geographer spent one night here Elena had to take care of a
in 1803. This house has a number of business-related
beautiful mudejar-style gateway things. The Posada's restaurant,
and is now the Museo Virreinal, by the way, has huge panorama
celebrating the Viceregal era windows with the perfect view
when Spain still ruled Mexico and overlooking down-town Taxco and
looking right at the Santa Prisca Padre Neri, a local parish
Cathedral. priest, joined us for lunch.
Henry explained that Padre Neri
Henry is a very gregarious, had baptized all 4 of Henry’ and
outgoing individual in his 60s Elena's sons and that he comes to
with a very vibrant energy level the Posada every day to eat. The
and a twinkle in his eye. He three of us had a delicious
shared with me that his family is lunch: Henry ordered a round of
originally from East Prussia, Mexican appetizers: tacos,
formerly part of Germany, today tortillas, guacamole, salsa. Then
part of Russia. His mother I had a sopa azteca (tortilla
migrated westwards during the soup - one of my favourites),
last days of the Second World War mole verde (made from pumpkin
to escape from the Russians. seeds, very similar to Austrian
Henry used to work for Volkswagen pumpkin seed oil, another
and has travelled the world. At delicacy). One of Henry's son
31 he left VW and became runs the hotels, while another
independent. His entrepreneurial one is in charge of the car
knack came through and, today his dealerships.
family owns 3 upscale hotels in
Taxco and several car dealerships With my appetite duly satiated, I
throughout the area. Although was ready for another exploration
Henry is a very successful man, of Taxco. I strolled downtown
he comes across as very again on the calle principal,
down-to-earth. He struck me with past the Silver Miners Monument
his humour and his great interest and upon my arrival at the
in history. During our Zócalo, I sat down on one of the
conversation we spoke German all many benches and just absorbed
the time. the atmosphere. Families were
going for a stroll, children were
playing, the birds were singing, that her husband is currently in
the sun was beaming. It doesn't North Carolina working and that
get any better than this. she is finding the separation
quite difficult.
After my little rest I decided to
walk up the hills into an area Well, the asphalted street became
where there were no further a dirt path, stray dogs were
tourists to be seen. The walk was laying around, and the populated
very steep and I had to stop area seemed to come to an end, so
several times in between climbing to be on the safe side I decided
stairs to catch my breath. to catch a taxi for the last few
Sometimes I felt a little unsure hundred meters to one of Taxco's
whether it was a smart thing to most well-known symbols: the
walk here by myself, but overall Christ statue on top of the
it seemed okay. I safely got to mountain.
the top of the city were the VW
kombis buses with the destination A typical VW beetle (all the
“Panorama” have their final stop. private taxis here are bugs)
A young man in a truck delivering picked me up, the driver took me
water offered me a ride, but I up a forest road, completely
declined politely. Instead I unpaved, with holes, roots,
started to walk with a young sticks, stones, anything that
local woman, who was actually would make you think that only a
wearing high heels in extremely sturdy 4x4 could get up here. But
unsteady terrain. When I sure enough, the trusty little
commented on her footwear she beetle made it all the way up and
said that the women here are used right at the end, we went over a
to wearing high-heeled shoes to rock and I could actually feel
walk on the steep cobble-stoned the floor plate lift as we
streets. She went on to tell me scraped over the rock!
We had finally arrived at the At one point we encountered a
Cristo - a giant statue of Christ delivery truck which had to
that was erected about 4 or 5 reverse because the roads are so
years ago. The view from the narrow while we had to duck into
platform surrounding the statue a side street so the delivery
is phenomenal. You can see the truck could pass. The roads were
entire city of Taxco, with the so steep that a few times I
imposing cathedral in the middle, thought we’d just slide down the
surrounded by a panorama of mountain into one of the houses
mountains. After absorbing this beside the road.
wonderful vista, I bought a
popsicle and hopped back into the Javier let me off at the Zócalo
taxi. where I strolled around and
looked at the artwork and
I was already dreading the handicrafts for sale. An old man
descent back on the rutty forest selling antique photos started a
road, but my driver drove off in conversation with me. He told me
the other direction and to my he has been to Canada and that he
surprise there was a nicely paved loved it. He said that even
road on the south side of the though he wasn’t going to sell me
monument. But my anxiety wasn't anything he still enjoyed talking
over yet. The descent into town to me.
on extremely steep, cobble-stoned
streets was pretty I strolled down the hill past the
nerve-wrecking. My driver Javier Santa Prisca Cathedral, past
explained that the beetles have another craft market to a smaller
special tires for better grip, church where I sat down to relax.
and that it can get indeed a bit A grandmother was reading to her
hairy here when it rains. grandson from a schoolbook in a
very animated way. The boy seemed We had a fascinating conversation
about 6 or 7 years old and looked about the priesthood, the
like he was thoroughly enjoying Catholic church and the dicey
his grandmother's enthusiasm. issue of celibacy. Padre Neri
gave me some examples of what he
Then I walked down some steep deals with in terms of
walkways, and caught a VW bus counselling issues in his
back to the Posada Mision. From community. He alluded to the case
about 5 to 8 pm I started my of a young couple where the young
well-deserved rest and read a man had decided he wanted to
local newspaper. As always I read become a priest but had fallen in
the job advertisements and it love with a young woman. A
seemed that most jobs were situation like this would be a
located in Acapulco and were predicament for anyone. Padre
paying between 2000 and 4500 Neri displayed some very
pesos a month (between C$240 and progressive views and I really
$500 / month). As the sun was enjoyed talking to him.
starting to set I enjoyed the
absolutely phenomenal view of Just as we finished our dinner,
Taxco and its stunning Cathedral. the Mayor of Taxco and the Head
The mood was almost romantic as of the Cultural Department were
the street lights came on and the leaving the restaurant. They said
city started to twinkle with hello to Padre Neri and
little lights. introduced themselves to me as
well. It seemed like I had met
8:30 pm rolled around: dinner all the important people in town.
time at the Posada's restaurant.
I opted for a fish fillet with After a nice goodbye with Padre
garlic sauce - very tasty. Padre Neri I retreated to my room where
Neri joined me a half hour later. I relaxed and watched some TV. I
did not pull the curtains because stunning views I have ever seen
the view outside my hotel balcony in my life. Taxco has definitely
was probably one of the most enchanted me.
About the Author:
Susanne Pacher is the publisher of a website called Travel and Transitions (http://www.travelandtransitions.com). Find unconventional travel information, cross-cultural experiences, interviews with travellers and other inspiring people. Submit your own travel stories & win an exciting Amazon River cruise! "Life is a Journey - Explore New Horizons”
Read more articles by: Susanne Pacher
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