Leon and Guanajuato

We had a great time in Leon thanks to Salvador and his family. We arrived in Leon and were planning to meet up with the Salvador and his family. We got to the bus station and were trying to decide who to call when all of a sudden, up walks Salvador and Javier, a close family friend that he calls his son. Salvador and Javier took us to their house, just outside of the city center. They have a really cute house and treated us like royalty. Giving up their bedroom with a beautiful terrace and incredible view of the surrounding cerros (small mountains). Salvador and his wife, Imelda cooked us some amazing meals. Imelda also enlightened us with a nueva medicina. You mix fresh lime juice with honey and drink it. It's amazing for a sore throat. It was great to see Salvador. He used to be the custodian at Ziba and has sinced moved back down to Mexico to be closer to his family. He has an amazing family. They are so kind and friendly. Everyone in his family speaks Spanish, but his son, Nestor speaks English very well. It was a great opportunity for us to really hone in our Spanish speaking skills. Salvador and Imelda make pies for a living. They work very hard making pies all day. But, they definitely have a good time, and enjoy it. The pies are very scrumptious. They make three kinds: Pineapple, Cheese, and Pineapple + Cheese.

The first night we arrived Nestor and Javier took us to downtown Leon. There were a lot of candies for sale since it was the weekend of Dia de los Muertos.

The decorated sugar skulls were my favorite!

For the life of me, I can't remember what this type of band is called. But, they are a band that marches through the streets of Leon. They even played a special part for me so I could get a good pic.

Javier, Hootie, Nestor and I enjoying our first-ever Michelada. Well, maybe Hootie wasn't enjoying it so much!

The reason why Hootie wasn't enjoying it so much! He ordered a Carne Seca Michelada. Which means, Dry Meat Michelada, which was not very tasty. Not even Javier nor Nestor liked it!

We spent the next day in Guanajuato. What a cute little town. Very colorful and colonial.

On Halloween, while we were in Guanajuato we went to the mummy museum. Talk about creepy! These mummies are like none I've ever seen before. They are fully preserved, clothes, hair, skin, everything! Disgusting! I'm not sure I would want my body on display like this when I die. I guess that they had to be dug up to make room for more dead people. I think that they were preserved so well because of the mixture of clay and lime in the soil.

Another one of the mummies, you can see her hair still in braids.

One of the baby mummies : (

The smallest mummy in the world! It was actually removed from the mother's stomach.

We hung out in the evening in Guanajuato. It was Cerventino. The biggest party I've ever seen in my life. The streets were elbow to elbow through the entire city. It was really cool to see. I can just imagine how much I would've liked this during my college years! Nestor and his friend, Lupita met us down in Guanajuato in the evening.

Me in the streets at Cerventino. People from all over the world were at this incredible party. It was the last weekend of the party. The party had been going on for 3 weeks!

Hootie and I in front of Teatro Juarez in downtown Guanajuato. Brrr...it was chilly there.

Nestor and Hootie next to a statue in the park in Guanajuato. We also saw a sign in this park saying that Guanajuato is the sister city of Ashland, Oregon. Kind of cool!

Salvador and Imelda enjoying their time making pies!

We need these back home. A drive through liquor store. You literally drive through a can of Modelo to get a beer!

Nestor drove us into town to buy some cowboy boots. Leon is known for their cowboy boots. I found a really cool pair made out of some exotic hide. I love 'em!

After finding just the right boots we took a trip to the top of a mountain where there is a statue and church called Cristo Rey. It is this enourmous statue of Jesus and is a replica of the monument in Brasil. Jesus sits atop a church and on the sides of him, he has two cupids, one removing the crown of thorns and the other putting on a king's crown. It was some pretty amazing symbolism. Inside the church below, there is an altar and floating above and around the circumference of the room there is a giant crown of thorns, and then floating in the center above everything is a king's crown. It was pretty cool. It is a place where people make huge pilgrimages to and is a very important religious space for Mexicans.

Hootie, Nestor, and I in front of Cristo Rey.

Cristo Rey at sunset.

Salvador's family the night before we left. We were so sad to leave them. They are incredible people and they have such a beautiful family. They were so generous with us. We learned a lot from them. Hopefully they will come visit us in Portland, or we'll be able to visit them again someday in Leon. Hanging out with their family has been the most favorite part of my trip to Mexico.

Front row: Salvador, Miguel, Imelda

Back row: Hootie, Nestor, I.