Guanajuato

Guanajuato has always been one of my favorite cities.  Built in 1546 in a rambling, cobblestoned style reminiscent of Spain's Toledo, it is the capital of the state of Guanajuato.  The wealth of the silver mines was transmitted to its beautiful, Baroque-style churches.   The city is also famous for the Alhóndiga, a  fortress-like granary, that was the site of the first battle for independence in 1810.   The name comes from the native Tarasco word "Quanashuato,"(place of the frogs). 

     I first visited Guanajuato 16 years ago, at the age of 16.  I came with the other exchange students from my high school, and we visited 

the callejón del beso (with its famous legend of love leading to murder), one of the silver mines, and the mummy museum.  Much is the still the same in the city, although you can now only stand on one of the 

lovers' balconies.  

But the story of the callejón del beso remains: two lovers, she the daughter of a wealthy family, he a poor silver miner, fell in love.  The balconies of their houses were separated by a mere 30 inches - a distance their lips easily conquered.   Her father, upon discovering what was happening between the two, became enraged.  At this point, there are two versions: either that he killed her on purpose, or, discovering the lovers kissing across the balcony again, shot her lover and accidentally killed her.  Regardless, she, in her last dying moments, reached out her hand to her lover, cursing her father.  Some say her ghost remains, although the gift store that now controls the access to her balcony didn't mention any problems with ghosts!

      Guanajuato's Museo de las momias is probably one of the oddest 

things you can see in Mexico.  Akin to Philadelphia's Mütter Museum, it is a display of that which you do not normally see - in this case, desiccated bodies of the poor (including babies) whose families were unable to pay the yearly burial tax.  It's an odd experience.  

        

Guanajuato is the also the site for the annual music/art/theater festival, Festival Cervantino.  We stayed right in the heart of the action at a charming bed and breakfast called Casa de Pita (Pita herself made us breakfast every morning and entertained us wit

h stories of former guests).   Street musicians, modern theater groups, interpretative dance, a parade with elaborate costumes- you name it, we saw it.   The best part was that a good number of the musical performances were open air, so you could stand in the street and listen for free.   

On our busiest day, we went to one art exhibit, two museums, had lunch with Fulbright friends, went to the market, listened to parts of three open air concerts, watched an interpretative dance and theater performance, and ate a late night snack of tacos while listening to the estudiantinas, a group of university student musicians who lead a happily drinking crowd around the streets at night, playing music and singing the whole time.