A view toward the mountains through the arches next to the refining operation. In this posting, I will continue with my exploration of the ruins of Ex-Hacienda Mochitiltic. Last time I focused on the casa grande and capilla, but in this one we'll look at the aqueduct, the water wheel, the great furnaces, and the patio where the mercury amalgamation process occurred. This hacienda had a 300 year history, beginning in the 17th century and ending in the early 20th. Most of the historical references I have found are from the 18th century. They refer to its function as a hacienda de ganado y agri ..read more

Two Hacienda Hunters walk away from some ruined arches. Jim B and Catherine are two of my fellow hacienda addicts. The arches are the first clear indication that you have reached Ex-Hacienda Mochitiltic (Mo-chi-til-tic). In March of 2023, I guided a group of friends to this site, but I had previously visited in May of 2016. While most of the photos will be from the 2023 trip, a few are from the earlier adventure.  In this posting, I will focus on the casa grande (big house) and its capilla (chapel). In the next posting, I will show the remains of the aqueduct, the w ..read more

The Casa Grande and Capilla overlook a small but attractive Plaza. The bell on the roof is rung by the rope hanging down from it. A mural of the Virgen de Guadalupe can be seen through the arch of the arcade, just under the bell. While the Big House and its Chapel appear to be in good shape, the structures behind them are in ruins.  The remains of Ex-Hacienda Labor de Guadalupe and the Plaza sit on a slope just above the main road that passes through the pueblo. They are another example of the many haciendas de beneficio (silver refining operations) that once do ..read more

  A row of columns bisects the ruins of the old hacienda. The column in the foreground has fallen from its base. Ex-Hacienda de Santa Maria is one of numerous haciendas that dot the former Real (mining district) of Hostotipaquillo.  This hacienda de beneficio (ore refining operation) was established in 1680 to service mines in the area. It also functioned as a hacienda de ganado y agricola to produce livestock and agricultural products for the mining community.  In 1712, Hacienda Santa Maria was owned by Nicolás Zertucha, a military officer. Two years later, in 1714 ..read more

The "Owl Man" at the Ajijic Center for Culture and Arts. This fellow was part of a group whose musicians played replicas of pre-hispanic instruments, including a carved hollow log. I nicknamed him the "Owl Man" because of his headdress. His wings were attached to his arms so that he could extend them fully and the total effect was definitely bird-like. For more on this performance, click here.  In this posting, I will show you some of the dance performances we have witnessed during our travels around the country. Some were connected to important religious fiestas, while others celebrate ..read more

  Parroquia de Santa Rosa de Lima is located in a deep canyon.  The main part of the pueblo is just off Hwy 110. However, an older part, called the Cañon del Silencio (Canyon of Silence), is reached by following a road which winds down into a deep canyon.  In this posting, we'll look at both the lower and the upper parts of the pueblo. I'll also tell you about the Mayólica Santa Rosa pottery factory which makes beautiful hand-painted ceramics of all shapes and sizes. In fact, we visited the town on the recommendation of our next door neighbor in Ajijic who had b ..read more

Don Quixote and his companion Sancho Panza keep watch over Plaza Allende. The chief characters from the book "Don Quixote" stand on the rocky hillside above the plaza. You can find many depictions of the protagonists in Miguel Cervante's novel around Guanajuato, but these are the best, in my opinion. Don Quixote is mounted on his trusty steed Rocinante, while Sancho rides Dobby, his faithful donkey. Don Quixote is pronounced Key-ho-tay, with the accent on the second syllable. "Don" is not a name but title of respect. The book, published in 1605 with a sequel in 1615, is consid ..read more

  A young musician taps on her drum on Calle Manuel Doblado. Just another of the myriad of musicians of all types to be found on the calles (streets), andadores (pedestrian-only streets), and callejones (alleyways) of Guanajuato. This young woman started on her drum as soon as she perceived I was about to photograph her. In my last posting, I covered about the first half of the andador called Manuel Doblado.  In this posting, we will continue down this long andador (walking street) to check out the other attractions along the way. I will also relate the story of Manuel Doblado, a y ..read more

Statue of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. Cervantes (1547-1616) was the author of Don Quixote, which has been called the "first modern novel" and the "first great novel of world literature. He is regarded as the greatest writer in the Spanish language. This figure stands outside the Museo Iconográfico Don Quixote, across from the main entrance of Templo San Francisco. The statue is impressive, but no one actually knows what Cervantes looked like, because he never had an official portrait. This posting and the one which follows will focus on the long andador (walking street) called Calle M ..read more

A Florentine-style fountain forms the centerpiece of this small plaza. The official name is Plaza General Manuel Gonzales, who once was Governor of Guanajuato and President of the Republic. However, few people use that name. Instead, it is generally called Plazuela del Baratillo, which means "little plaza of the secondhand goods". This is probably because it has long been used by local street vendors to sell inexpensive vegetables, street food and other items. In this posting, we will take a look at the Plazuela and check out some of the street scenes Carole and I encountered in its immediate ..read more