Cuernavaca , MX

Sunday, March 4, 2012

We left on Sunday for Cuernavaca.  We checked into a Dog Friendly B and B that F had reserved before Cloud died.  It is beautiful.  It was an old hotel that had been refurbished by a young couple with a dog.  The landscaping was gorgeous with lush vegetation and flowers.  They said the pool was overgrown but it is clear and clean now.  The restaurant is on a patio overlooking the pool and grounds.  Of course, seeing all the other dogs was hard and they asked us about our dog when we checked in.  But iit was fine and we have decided we like the “dog friendly B and B’s” and may continue to stay in them.

More Ruins and New Friends

We went to the Xochicalco Ruins just outside Cuernavaca.  Amazing.  It was a Mesoamerica center from 700-900 AD.  Huge.  We walked forever and not all of it is unearthed.  The Observatory has a hole where light penetrates and reflects the hexagon opening on the floor of the cave.  It made use of the of the solar phenomenon and was used for religious ceremonies.  There was a great museum explaining how it was discovered.

In the process of touring the ruins we ran into a couple from Cuernavaca who had 2 friends from Italy with them.  We got acquainted and they said they could take us to our bus stop but then they invited us to go to lunch (4:00 pm) with them.  We went to a beautiful restaurant at Hotel Villa Bej on the return to Cuernavaca.  We really enjoyed our time with them.  Italian is similar to Spanish so we could converse to some degree, F better than me, of course.  The wife who lives in Cuernavaca could speak English so that helped.   The couple owns a mosaic tile company that has put in mosaics all over the world in buildings, (Houston Airport), and hotels, (Ixtapa Azul), and art work for artists.  It is a huge company that employs about 400 people owned by her family.  One of the Italian men had worked for a world wide baby carriage company and the other had been an air traffic controller in the Italian Air Force.  Both Italians were widowed.  Wonderful serendipitous  day!

Robert Brady Museum

We went to the Robert Brady Museum.  He was an American artist who settled in Cuernavaca.  He gave his home and his art collection to the city.  It has a wonderful foundation because it is kept immaculately.  He had collected art from all over the world.  And all mediums-paintings, sketches, sculptures. Etc.  The home had been a monastery and he converted it.  Unbelievable.  We met one of the curators and artists who have a studio there, Sergio.  And he took us to his studio which is not open to the public.  Gorgeous looking Mayan man with pony tail!!!  Apparently Cuernavaca attracts artists and famous people because it is a “city behind doors” and you can remain anonymous.

We visited  Cortes’ hacienda that he built when he conquered the area.  It is more like a city.  IIt goes on and on. It had acueducts and sugar cane production.  We landscaping and flowers were beautiful.  We ate lunch there on a patio.  We got lost coming back from Cortes’ home and met some teens waiting for the bus.  They were so friendly and helped us find the Zocolo.  We really enjoyed walking with them.  They could speak a little English.  But we discovered there was more than one Zocolo (city center).  And we realized we had gone way out of the way so gave up and took a taxi. 

We didn’t enjoy Cuernavaca nearly as much as some other cities we’ve been in.  It is full of traffic and streets are narrow and  dirty.  We loved the attractions and our B and B but the city itself is not one of our favorites.