Feb 6- 25 Mexico
Wed Feb 5
Island Link – Departure Bay Ferry – Bus 257 – Canada Line – YVR
Flight
YVR-MEX AeroMexico @23:25-07:00+1. I had an aisle seat and didn’t sleep well.
MEXICO – CENTRAL HIGHLANDS (Puebla, Tlaxcala)
Day 2 Thur Feb 6
Mary Anne did not arrive (she was in Cancun) so I got the bus to Puebla 458P. At the bus station, I topped up my Telcel data (10GB 500P) and got an Uber to the Air BnB.
ON Air BnB in old town Puebla. Excellent location. Lovely apartment on the 4th floor with a huge deck.
HISTORIC CENTRE of PUEBLA WHS
A polygon of 8.5 km at the foot of the Popocatépetl volcano and founded in 1531. New Spain colonial architecture – a harmonious combination of bricks, tiles and artistic reliefs in white mortar on their façades. Several of the older buildings were severely damaged after the 1999 earthquake.
The most impressive is the Puebla Cathedral, built in a neoclassical style. The Capilla del Rosario, in the church of Santo Domingo, is an example of the dramatic Mexican baroque. Other important places are El Barrio del Artista h5, where local arts are produced, and the Centro and the Zócalo, where the Puebla Cathedral and the Municipal Palace are located.
Monument Zone consists of 391 blocks with 2,619 buildings of historical value built between the 16th and 19th centuries, of which 61 were, at some time, used for religious worship. 57.3% are made up of offices and residences dating back to the 19th century; buildings from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries represent 1.1%, 23.4% and 18.2% respectively.
Among them are the convent complexes of San Francisco, Santo Domingo, San Agustín, El Carmen, Santa Bárbara, San Antonio and the Company of Jesus , the convents of the Nuns of Santa Teresa, Santa Clara, La Santísima Trinidad, Santa Rosa, Santa Inés and Santa Mónica, the temples of Guadalupe, San Pablo, San José, San Marcos, Santo Ángel de Analco, de la Luz and de la Santa Cruz.
71 had educational, welfare, civil, military authorities, and hospitals of San Pedro, Belén, San Roque, San Juan de Letrán, San José, the Colleges of San Ildefonso and San Jerónimo, the Normal School for Teachers, the State Conservatory, the railway stations, the Penitentiary, the San Juan de Dios Prison, the Victoria Market and the Forts of Loreto and Guadalupe.
The remaining 2,487 buildings are privately owned and combine Mudejar influence with Renaissance. Baroque facades of buildings and ornamental details define a true regional style.
Centro Histórico de Puebla (extension). Tentative WHS
Church of Santo Domingo (Rosary Chapel). A typical RC church with a Baroque altar and gold-framed Ways of the Cross. The Chapel of the Rosary is the pinnacle of New Spanish Baroque and has been described as the eighth wonder of the world. Everything is gilt with huge paintings on the sides.
Museo José Luis Bello y Zetina. Next to the Temple of Santo Domingo, the house and the collection of art were donated. Among the collection are paintings by Murillo, El Greco, Zubarán, Miguel Cabrera, and Agustín Arrieta, among many others. The side façade is profusely decorated with mortar filigree. The house was bought in 1882 by the wealthy industrialist José Luis Bello y González, who converted it into a home and residence for himself and his wife, whom he married in 1884, and then passed it on to his only son, Don José Luis Bello y Zetina (1889-1968), who kept it until his death, stipulating in his will that the property be used as a museum, as he had died a widower and without heirs.
It has ten rooms preserved as when it was inhabited. The painting collection is European from the 15th to the 20th centuries, 20 sculptures, 116 pieces of furniture, porcelain, ivory, bronze, crystal, personal objects, silver objects and family photographs.
The Bello couple’s bedroom is a replica of Napoleon I’s. Library and office with Chippendale furniture, 23 Baccarat crystal millefiore paperweights and an Italian Renaissance-style cedar dining room. Free
Museo José Luis Bello y González. Contains the art of three generations – 17th to 20th century religious art, original furniture, sculpture, plates, stained glass and ivory filigree. 40P
Puebla Cathedral. It was the first sumptuous temple made in America, consecrated in 1649, it was ahead of the Metropolitan of Mexico City that was dedicated in 1653.
The present cathedral was built between the 16th and 17th centuries. Unusually, you encounter the choir with its 3 organs first and then the Baroque altar.
ON Air BnB in old town Puebla.
Day 3 Fri Feb 7
A walkabout day to see sites in historic Puebla.
Museo de Arte Religioso Ex Convento Santa Monica. With all the parts of the convent intact and part of the museum, there is a large collection of art including some modern watercolours that were very nice. 75P
Secret tunnels Puebla. An aqueduct system was built in the 1500s to carry water from the San Francisco River into Puebla. I walked about 1 km of tunnels all with great stonework. Most are about a metre wide and 7 feet high.
Forts Loreto y Guadalupe. Built on the highest hill north of the historic district, it was initially a chapel (1759) but was converted to a fort in 1811. It played a crucial role in the French war of 1862.
Museum of Evolution. A great discussion of the theory of natural selection. 70P
Museo Regional de Puebla. It is a great museum with archaeology, history and ethnographic exhibits. The jade masks were special. 80P
Parroquia de la Santa Cruz. A church with many nice polychromes. Like all the churches in Puebla, the ceilings are a wonder of gold medallions.
San Francisco church. The first convent in Puebla in 1535 (finished in 1767 with the tower), it is dedicated to St Francis. The tower is 67 m high.
Museum Armando Talavera Poblana. A small museum showing the production of clay and pots and examples of pottery worldwide. Has a restaurant and a large gift store with pottery made here. 80P
Casa de Alfeñique. Founded in 1926, it is baroque architecture and is considered the first museum in the city. According to popular legend, the building was built in 1780 as a wedding gift for a bride who had asked for “a house of alfeñique “, a type of candy from Spain, common in Mexico during the colonial era.
It has 3 floors of Puebla art in a gorgeous old house. In the earthquake of September 19, 2017, the building was severely damaged. 80P
San Pedro Art Museum (Museo Poblano de Arte Virreinal). In the original royal hospital, it surrounds a grand square. Sacred art, a section devoted to Mary, good modern art and photos of the facades of many Puebla buildings. 48P
Museo Casa del Mendrugo. Art, Chuchita (a mummified woman), and unusual art from Oaxaca with carved skulls and long bones. 50P
Callejón de los Sapos (Alley of the Frogs). In the NM Urban Legends series, this is a short street with very colourful houses and mostly antique stores but also jewellery, food etc.
La Pasita. In the NM series Hospitality Legends, was established in 1916. The main draw is raisin liqueur (50P a shot), other liqueurs and a big collection of unusual figures. Free
In the evening I went to a symphony concert of the Puebla Orchestra held in the San Pedro art building.
ON Air BnB
Day 4 Sat Feb 8
Santa Rosa (Popular Art Museum). Maybe the best museum in the city (little religious art), it is in an old convent with much of the convent part of the museum. There are many costumes, indigenous textiles, glass, pottery, festivals and some great chests. 48P
Automobile Museum. A great collection representing a huge number of cars starting with the Model N that preceded the Model T (many examples). Rolls Royce, Ferraris, the 1979 popemobile. 70P
MUTEC – Museum Workshop ERASTO CORTES. An engraver, there was only one gallery open with several political subjects. 48p, 26P reduced.
Amparo Museum. A private institution created in memory of Amparo Rugarcía de Espinosa Yglesias, wife of the Mexican banker and philanthropist Manuel Espinosa Yglesias. Its purpose is to preserve, research, exhibit and disseminate pre-Hispanic, viceregal, modern and contemporary art of Mexico. The building had many uses but since 1871, was the home of the grandfather of the Yglesias. 80P reduced free
Museo Universitario Casa de los Muñecos. A university museum with an eclectic collection – animals, machines, electrical machines, scales, musical instruments and a whole floor of religious art (Jesuit). 26P, 5 reduced
Chapel UDLAP Art. A small collection of contemporary art with some interesting photography. Free
ON Air BnB
Day 5 Sunday Feb 9
I couldn’t get a phone number or book a car online so went to the city Europcar – the charge for insurance (which was mandatory) was CA$51/day. Neither Avis nor Budget would rent the same day!! So we booked a room at the Sofia Hotel and took a bus to Cholula (10P).
CHOLULA
Great Pyramid of Cholula. In the NM series Vestiges of the Past, is the largest archaeological site of a pyramid (temple) in the world, as well as the largest pyramid by volume known to exist today. The adobe brick pyramid stands 25 metres (82 ft) above the surrounding plain, which is significantly shorter than the Great Pyramid of Giza’s height of 146.6 metres (481 ft), but much wider, measuring 300 by 315 metres (984 by 1,033 ft) in its final form,[3] compared to the Great Pyramid’s base dimensions of 230.3 by 230.3 metres (756 by 756 ft). The pyramid is a temple traditionally viewed as having been dedicated to the god Quetzalcoatl.
The temple pyramid complex was built in four stages, from the 3rd century BC to the 9th century AD. What is visible is Building F which dates from the next to last building phase of the pyramid, between 500 and 700 AD. It is a stone stairway, consisting of three levels with large taluds facing west. The tableros are decorated with a motif resembling a woven palm mat.
Iglesia de los Remedios. On the top of a high hill (the top of the pyramid), it is lovely white/gilt Baroque.
Regional Museum of Cholula. Good exhibits on volcanoes, and archaeology and a very good display of watercolours. Free
We took a share van back to Puebla (7P).
ON Hotel Sofia. 540P. There is no kettle, fridge, or windows in our bottom room.
Day 6 Mon Feb 10
Mary Ann’s grandmother was admitted to the hospital and she returned home. We took an Uber to the CAPU bus station and I continued to the airport to pick up my Avis rental car.
Iglesia de Santa María Tonantzintla. Wow, don’t miss this church. It’s a completely extravagant indigenous Baroque church decorated by local artists with sculpted heads and native produce.
EARLIEST 16TH-CENTURY MONASTERIES on the SLOPES of POPOCATEPETL
15 monasteries in Morelos, Puebla and Tlaxcala were part of the evangelization and colonization of the northern territories of Mexico. They are good examples of the architectural style adopted by the first missionaries – Franciscans, Dominicans and Augustinians. Many have a military aspect, a very large atrium – usually rectangular with open chapels and “capillas posas” or atrium corner chapels to accommodate the first indigenous converts, who were not used to entering large, enclosed structures. The atrium functioned as the meeting point between the indigenous peoples and the missionary friars, with mass for the newly converted held outdoors. The church was usually simple in plan but of imposing size, with a single nave. Monastic buildings on the south surround a small cloister.
Located on the foothills of the Popocatépetl volcano, they were built at the very beginning of the evangelization period in the 16th century – eleven are in Morelos, three in Puebla, and the Cathedral of Tlaxcala was added in 1021. The twelve in Morelos are promoted as the “Route of the Volcano”.
Architecture
These monasteries were built to be very solid with thick walls, a very austere aspect and some looked like forts. These were for defensive purposes, as the monks were invading Mesoamerican lands to impose a new religion. For this reason, churches and monasteries of this type are called “fortress temples.”
Most of the monasteries have a large atrium in front of the church, an open chapel, four chapels in each corner of the atrium, and an atrium cross, Stations of the cross on the atrium walls, a roofed church, and the cloister area for the monks. Unlike churches built before and in the centuries after, the atrium played a critical role in these monasteries, built initially for evangelization. Each monastery had only a handful of monks but hundreds of indigenous converts to whom to say Mass. Part of the reason was to accommodate the large numbers but also because pre-Hispanic rites were performed outside. For evangelization, the atrium and its accompanying open chapel were built first. The atriums are surrounded by low walls, none over five meters high, to give a more intimate feel but keeping the area outside. The open chapels were almost always built on the side of the main church and facing the same direction, towards the atrium. Since most indigenous peoples could not read or write, the churches and open chapels were painted with Biblical scenes to evangelize through the images. The atrium walls often have markings for the Stations of the Cross and four chapels, one in each corner. These are called capillas posas. In the middle of the atrium, a large stone cross was placed. On the outside of these early churches, crosses almost always appear without the figure of Christ. The reason for this is that the friars did not want the natives to link the old practice of human sacrifice to the new religion and thus use it as justification for the continuation of the practice.
The large-roofed churches have usually on the south a cloister area for the monks. Most had murals, large gardens and fountains. rose windows common on French cathedrals, portals similar to those in Spain and even Islamic-style triangular altars. A number of hidden elements such as certain numbers important to native beliefs can be found in the churches, such as the number of stairs and aspects of the decorative figures. It is unknown whether these were tolerated by the friars or whether they were added clandestinely.
Over 70% of the monasteries built in the 16th century are still in good condition.
History
The monasteries are part of the history of the early evangelization of Mexico. The Franciscans were invited to come first by Hernán Cortés, followed shortly thereafter by the Dominicans and the Augustinians. After establishing themselves in Mexico City and in the rest of the Valley of Mexico, they evangelized the area south and east of the volcano. The missionaries included Juan de Tecto, Juan de Ayora and Pedro de Gante, the last of whom learned Nahuatl to communicate with the indigenous peoples. The first of the monasteries were built by the Franciscans in 1524, who founded the monasteries of Huejotzingo, Cuernavaca, Calpan and Tochimilco. The Dominicans followed in 1526, founding those in Oaxtepec, Tepoztlan, Tetela del Volcán and Hueyapan. The Augustinians arrived in 1533 and founded the monasteries in Ocuituco, Totolapan, Yecapixtla, Tlayacapan, Atlatlauhcan and Zacualpan de Amilpas. Later, these same monasteries would send missionaries to other parts of New Spain, such as Guerrero, Oaxaca, Chiapas and Guatemala.
Cornerstones for the towns, indigenous population settled or resettled around it. The monasteries also served as early hospitals, schools and storage facilities for food and water, with aqueducts often leading to them. The Augustinians not only evangelized: they established the first centers of schooling in European studies for the indigenous. The Dominicans gave greater priority to economic development of the areas they evangelized, taking advantage of the fertility of the land. They were more prominent in the higher altitudes.
In Puebla, there are three: San Francisco de Asís in San Andrés Calpan, San Miguel Arcángel in Huejotzingo and Asunción de Nuestra Señora in Tochimilco.
Huejotzingo is the oldest of the fifteen, constructed in 1524. The atrium has four corner chapels which are some of the most elaborate of their type from colonial Mexico. They are finely crafted from sandstone. The main altarpiece is from the 16th century with only three in Mexico as old as it. The atrium cross has a detailed crown of thorns. The aqueduct remains can be found on one of the atrium walls.
Calpan was subdued by Cortés personally in 1522 and the Franciscans arrived here to build the San Andrés Apostol monastery complex in 1548. The chapels, built of pink sandstone in the corners of the atrium, are noted for their finely sculpted reliefs. The first chapel is located on the side of the cloister and is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The second to Saint Francis of Assisi, the third to the Archangel Michael and the last to John the Baptist, following the pattern of the first two. These make these chapels unique in Mexico and are the reason this monastery was included.
From east to west from Puebla to Cuernavaca:
I made the mistake of going through Atlixco instead of taking the bypass as suggested by Google and probably took 30 minutes longer through the town – cattle herds, funerals, big trucks, narrow roads, city traffic – what a mistake.
1. The Asunción de Nuestra Señora Monastery, Tochimilco receives water from the volcano via a long aqueduct directly into the building and a 16th-century fountain in the plaza of the town. The inner walls of the atrium have niches for each of the Stations of the Cross. This monastery was affected by an earthquake in 1999, damaging walls and vaults, but this damage has since been repaired during restoration work which was carried out between 2001 and 2003.
The church was open but there were no pews and two men working inside. They said the church was closed. A few old women were praying in a tiny chapel just inside the gate.
The road from here was very narrow, potholed and had virtually no traffic.
2. The Monastery of Santo Domingo de Guzmán, Hueyapán – highest altitude, cold and closest to the volcano. Dominicans, cloister was built of adobe and wood with a tile roof instead of stone. It disintegrated relatively quickly due to the elements and was abandoned. It remains mostly closed to this day. Only the atrium area is open to visitors and this closes by 1 pm each day. The austere façade of the main church survives and it has a notable Baroque niche. It is also possible to see a number of its remaining murals.
This church is right beside the road but was closed.
3. The monastery of San Juan Bautista, Tetela del Volcán. Dominicans in the first half of the 16th century. Visited by Hernán Cortés. It is at a high altitude near the volcano, surrounded by pine forests, and has a cold climate. The exterior has arcades. One unique architectural element is the Moorish-style wood-beam roofing in the sacristy. A crafts market is held here each Wednesday. The atrium has a series of very high-quality frescos painted by a local Indigenous artist in the 16th century. They were restored in 2008.
The church was closed for renovations and a temporary church was set up under a tent.
GO TO MEXICO STATE/Monasteries on the Slopes of Popo
RETURN FROM VERACRUZ
Day 9 Fri Feb 14
I left early from Xalapa to finish all my sites between Xalapa and Puebla.
San Carlos Fortress, Perote. Another fort, easily missed. Oddly, park on the road well outside the fortress and walk in. 50P
Pre-Hispanic City of Cantona (20/11/2001)
Zona Arqueológica de Cantona. Cantona is an archaeological site of a major fortified town that flourished between 550 and 950. It stands out from other pre-Columbian cities by the absence of mortar or cement in its buildings and the construction of its roads excavated from volcanic rock. The city houses military, public, religious, and residential infrastructures and a record 24 ball courts, several pyramids, palaces, ball courts and plazas. a complex network of irregular streets and alleys that connect dozens of residential and administrative units, differentiated by class and rank. Phallic stone sculpture were common.
Built on top of a lava field. architecture is based on exposed volcanic rock; without the use of any cementing, pigment or stucco. Several kinds of stone were used – basalt fill for walls, red rock for the sloping facades, and white limestone for ceremonial areas. Cantona is polycentric and asymmetrical.
The site is huge and has ceremonial and religious centres, residential zones, internal and external roads, fortifications, multifamily domestic compounds, productive areas and the highest concentration of ball courts in the whole region (archeologists have discovered 27 so far). Due to its location, the economy of Cantona was based primarly on the extraction, manufacture and trade of obsidian with a deposit 5.5 km from Cantona.
A lot of pyramids can be climbed (though these are not as tall as others in the region, they do offer great visuals of the city). 2-3 hours walking through the most interesting zones of the city and another half hour in the small but very well-equipped site museum. not close to any major city.
My experience. The museum is very well done. Cantona had four periods beginning in 900 BC and ending in about 1000AD. Population peaked at about 93,000 in 900 AD. Good exhibits included obsidian (many examples), Bloodletting, human sacrifice, beheading, dismemberment, cannibalism, and burial of bones.
Follow several “walkways” about one metre wide and lined with low walls. Pass several housing areas with houses built on platforms. It is a long climb up to the palace, the highest point in the complex. 100P
La Barca de la Fé (“The Boat of Faith”) is a Catholic church in Tlaxco built in the 1970s and 1980s and is known for its unique design, which is inspired by a boat. The church is made of concrete and has a large, wooden cross on the roof. The interior is decorated with religious paintings and sculptures.
In the Bible, Jesus often used boats to teach his followers about faith and salvation. Father Mejía believed that a church shaped like a boat would be a powerful symbol of faith and hope. The boat design was modelled after the first vessel to set foot on Aztec land, La Santa María. For cultural reasons, pre-Hispanic motifs were added, such as fretwork, pyramids, and sculptures of Quetzalcóatl, among others. To simulate the sea, mini-pools surround the boat. Waves were formed on one side using grass.
There is an older brick bell tower connected by a gangplank.
TLAXCALA
This is a town to avoid – it has terrible traffic.
Regional Museum. On two floors, some highlights were the Maria Diaz photos on the bottom floor and the stone Chac-Mool. Free
Basílica de nuestra señora de Ocotlán. An over-the-top facade of white figures, the white/gilt altar with many folk art-looking faces, and lovely Ways of the Cross (large oil paintings in wood frames).
Xochitecatl, Tlaxcala. In the NM Vestiges of the past, it was constructed between 1000-400BC on top of a volcanic dome and abandoned in 150 AD. It was a purely ceremonial centre. It was used again from 600-950 AD.
The Pyramid of Flowers measures 100x140m. Inside were found the bodies of 30 children and 1 adult. 2000 clay figures, mostly women from infancy to old age.
High up on a hill, there is one large single pyramid with a cross at the top. 50P
Cacaxtla, Tlaxcala. In the NM Vestiges of the past, it was an urban centre. A 200m long platform held most civic and religious buildings. It has very good murals, one 26m long. It too was abandoned in about 950AD.
There is one large pyramid under a huge roof. The mural was nice. 50P
Santuario de San Miguel de Milagro, Nativitas. White with gold Baroque trim, huge paintings on the sides and dark ones in the dome.
ON San Pedro Hotel. Very basic, cold showers. 400P. I had delicious camaron tacos and a beer next door to the hotel.
Day 10, Sat Feb 15
I left the hotel early to return the car to Avis at the Puebla Airport. Shuttle bus to CAPU bus station in Puebla 118P. Bus to TAPO, the main Mexico City bus station 309P. Bus to Felipe Angeles International Airport 168P, about 1 1/2 hours north of Mexico City.
Flight. Mexico to Bogota Columiba. Viva Aerobus @19:00-12:30+1.
GO TO COLOMBIA – BOGOTA
