Guerrero

Taxco, Guerrero

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The state of Guerrero is a state with many bordering states of Mexico. By planing a trip to the state, especially to the well-known silver town of Taxco, one has a lot of options, when going by car. Going by bus makes it a little more complicated, because I did neither find buses from Puebla nor from Mexico city.

My host in Xalapa had found a tour for me with a direct bus from Xalapa, Veracruz to Taxco. There was even a pick up in Coatepec, Veracruz, where I was the days before Taxco. To read about the start of the Odyssey of my trip to Taxco, please follow the link to Veracruz and scroll down to the 24th August 2018.

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25th Aug 2018

That minor bus had no bathroom onboard, but fortunately the driver had to make a rest, where we could use a bathroom. There were more women of our bus using it. We arrived in Taxco 6 o’clock in the morning. The driver did not tell us, that we arrived in Taxco, but before he drove further he told me, that the town we were, is Taxco. Though I came off there. I remember, that I had my hat with me out of the bus and I think, I still had it, when I had taken care of my backpacks, but later that day i started missing it and I cannot remember, where I have had it last time.

I asked a taxi driver (not the one with a VW Beatle of the 1960s) to bring me to the hotel, because it was still dark. When I showed him the address, he told me it would be for 25 MXN, but he did not drive me there. Instead he explained and brought me to the corner of the road, where I had to walk, telling me, that it is very close. I asked him, if it is safe to walk that way in the dark and he told me, it is. It was very upwards all the time, though I needed some time for it. The hotel was not open yet, but there was a bench outside, which I used for waiting. When the night receptionist of the hotel came out with the trash, I asked him, when they will open and he took me in. He also checked me in and I was allowed to use the room already without an extra amount to pay.

I did not get any sleep at the bus, though I was going to bed. After two hours of sleep, I was awake again, dressed and was going out for breakfast, asking the receptionist, where the city center is and if I could get a breakfast there. I saw at that moment, that a colonial breakfast was included in the price for the room. That was not stated at the site, I booked with. The receptionist told me, yes it is, but for me only the upcoming day. I answered him, that I know that. I have got a map of the little town (it was an A4 sheet) and got explained, where to go. It was more up the hill and I took my time. Well at the market place, I looked around for a restaurant and saw a café. In addition to that I became aware of a very nice decorated hotel and more VW Beatle taxis. Most of the taxis in this town are VW Beatle. Though I first did take a photo of that hotel and walked then over to the café. There I asked for breakfast, but they answered me, that I have to go to the restaurant nearby. So I dit. This restaurant had beautiful wooden furniture and the whole restaurant had the same style.

I stayed there and ordered a breakfast with fruit, coffee and more. I could only chose fruit or juice at this restaurant. I was happy, that papaya was served together with two other fruits. The very positive of the restaurant was, that they neither did sound disappointed nor negative, when I told them, that I was solo for breakfast. I enjoyed my meal and was then leaving for exploring the town. I had seen on the map, that there is a tourist information on the market place. I did not see any, though I asked someone of a hotel, which called a guy with an ID around his neck, stating, that he was a tourist guide. I asked him for the mine, which I had read, could be visited. He brought me there, told me even about an artisan industry and asked me to look at silver jewelry at a museum. In real, it was not a museum, that was only a trick to get people inside the shop. I anyway bought a necklace, because they had one in the style I was looking for. The guide told me, that he will wait for me outside the mine, but I told him, that it is not necessary. He reminded me, that he will show me the industry and I answered him, that I will come back to the market place.

The admission fee for the mine was 150 MXN including a guide, even we were only two paying tourists for this guiding. It was a guide from the mine, of course, who showed us around. We got helmets and special vests and were going down by a very old elevator to the mine. In the mine, we were using a kind of stairs for coming more and more down. The mine was old and not anymore in use. There were no cars for taking the raw material out of it. There were no possibility for cars either. The workers had carried the ore on their back in a kind of open backpack. We were shown the different metals in the stone and got an explanation, how silver looks etc. At the end, an old indigenous worker told us his story. It should sound that way. I do not know if it was real. There were many steps up to the normal level and we did not use the elevator one more time. Though it was a little hard for me, but I made it, even it took longer time for me. The guide always reached me a helping hand at the end of a staircase.

The ticket from the mine also offered a free drink like beer, soft drink or water. I chose a beer at the restaurant at the side of the mine and also ordered a salad. It was a for me unusual salad, because the cabbage was combined with sweet (strawberry) yogurt, raisins and walnut. It was served with some bread and I was really full, when I had eaten it. I paid (I had got a discount of 20% for the meal as well, because I had visited the mine) and looked for the way out. It was not easy to find. One had to use a tunnel and afterwards walk throughout the shop of the mine to come back on the street again.

Now I was more interested in the nature instead for the industry. I thought, I may do that afterwards. I walked to the gondolas instead. They were going almost from the end of the town to a hotel on a high hill. It was stated, that there is a view point as well. Though I took this gondola up – and down again. There were more buildings – shops, hotels and so on up there. It was even possible to go around by horse. The view point was attached to the most expensive hotel up there, but when I asked for it, they just described me the way. They did not say anything more, that means, it was not necessary to be a guest of the hotel or to have a meal there. The view from that point was really beautiful. I took photos there, but unfortunately I lost them again like nearly all photos of Taxco. I really do not understand, how my new phone even can loose these photos, because I unmounted the SD-card every time before I move it. Even the upload to Google photos does not work properly, which makes me very sad.

When I was down in the city again I walked back to the market place, but could not find the guide again. I am bad in remembering faces as well, when I have not met people for a longer while. Though I walked the streets. There were a lot of shops and also other markets. When I got hungry I chose a place, were it was hard to find a seat – even it was a very simple kind of restaurant. I ordered two special tacos and an “agua de Horchata”. Furthermore I bought the bus ticket for the upcoming day, because I did not know how often a bus will leave for Mexico city. Finally it was time to go back to the hotel, where I updated my blog somewhat. I got tired around 10pm and was going to bed.

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Taxco – Church Interior

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26th Aug 2018

Check out time was at this hotel at 12pm, but I would not stretch it, though I left at 11pm. After the usual routines and the included breakfast, which was coffee (instant) or tea, fruit, cereals, bread – even sweat bread etc, I was updating my blog a little more. To look for my photos took most of the time.

I left for the nearby bus station and left my luggage at a shop, offering it. It was for 17 MXN for en hour. I walked one more time to the markets in the hope to find postcards with views, but I could not find any. On the way back to the bus station I bought some snacks for the ride as well as a bottle of water. Surprisingly, when I entered the bus, we did get a bottle of water as well. It was a company called Costa, which had hourly buses to Mexico city. It was first class buses. The one-way-ticket was for 240 MXN. The bus left Taxco at 1pm and reached Mexico City around 3 hours later and I think, these buses are also going back to Taxco.

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Please follow me to Mexico city again by using the link: Ciudad de Mexico and scroll down to the 26th Aug 2018.