ZacaTECas!!!

To escape from exams this past weekend, I took a road trip with a few friends to Zacatecas. About 6 hours away, due southwest of Monterrey, Zacatecas is one of the most colonial cities in México. The Spanish architecture dominates everywhere and has been preserved immaculately. The climate there was perfect. The cool, crisp breeze with the warm sun was a refreshing escape from the smoggy humidity of Monterrey. Immediately, I felt the effects of the altitude. Zacatecas is 3500 meters above sea-level (11,482 ft.) I had a pounding headache and difficulty breathing walking up the steps. By dinnertime and a few aspirins later, I felt fine. The Hostel we found was amazing! I’ve never stayed at a hostel before but other students who had stayed in some told me it was the nicest they had ever been to. For 90 pesos a night ($8.39!) we got a 2 room loft apartment with bathroom, kitchen and 2 balconies! Its amazing seeing the people who go through there. The common denominator of most of these backpackers from Colombia, Switzerland, Australia, Germany that I talked to all seemed to be very aware of current events and global issues. Thank god I read the economist before getting there!

Just our luck, we were in town for the biggest weekend of the year Zacatecas. The annual fair celebrating its founding. More than 20,000 people were present at the celebration. Everything from food, bullfights, concerts and shopping was there. The big deal for me was the musica banda. Imagine guys in snazzy outfits with cowboy hats playing tuba, clarinet, trombone, trumpet, and drummers on Bass, snare and crash symbols. The majority of them have no classical music education, and I doubt they read music. But the Banda Sinaloence (from the state of Sinaloa) is a collaboration of raw energy and blasting upbeat melodies. It is so much fun to dance! This was just the first night! Day two, we got started and I met up with my Chilean, Aussie, and Swedish friends to take the teleferico (gondola) across the city to the cerro de la buffa peak. On our way up after crossing there were so many Huichol Indians who came from Jalisco and sold the most beautiful beadwork. We made it to the summit where there was a beautiful church and scaled the rocks to the peak on the west side of the mountain. The view I won’t even attempt to describe as other than breathtaking. The updraft of the mountain cool air, the gentle sun and the serenity of silence, so distant from the hum of a bustling city like Monterrey was probably one of the best moments I’ve ever had.

We Proceeded that night to the fair again and went to a really nice club. Clubs in México are amazing because they play everything from banda to reggaeton. There is so much variety and we danced our socks off. After calling it a night at 5 am, I got up to head to the ruins of “La Quemada” at 8:30! I grabbed some some pan dulce and water to re-hydrate from the night before. And took the trip organized by the hostel to the pyramids with some Germans, a Guatemalan and my friend Shannon. The ruins were incredible and indicative of how rich Mexico’s history is. The republic has only existed independently since 1810; however, there were centuries before of Mesoamerican tribes and culture and Spaniard-French colonialism. All I can say is, “enjoy!”