lucktraveler57 2.0

 Yes there were missteps. One learns to fight through them and to carry on on the other side. But the missteps are far outnumbered by the fond memories of the trip I carry with me.  The look of astonishment on my Travel Buddy's face when he got his first look at the organized chaos which is the Guadalajara Silver Mart. The dazzling vision we were treated to when we got an unexpected preview of the Guadalajara Festival of Lights. Our morning coffee and tea in the courtyard adjacent to our room in the beautiful, venerable Hotel Morales.  The beauty and intact history of San Miguel de Allende. The way it appeared, perched on the hillside, from the rooftop deck of our guesthouse there. The graciousness and courtesy of the guesthouse owners and their new manager. The manager even going so far as to rescue my Travel Buddy when he got lost in the maze of streets in the area we stayed in. The wonderful Sunday night party and the charming people we met on that magical evening....

 It was May 1st, May Day. In Mexico May Day is not about dancing around a maypole or giving flowers to one another. It is a holiday, Mexican Labor Day, and a bit on the political side. A large rally was planned at the Zocalo, the immense public space in front of the cathedral. Offices, businesses and many shops and some restaurants are closed for the day.  I was feeling a bit better, we struck out for the park, stopping at a bakery first for breakfast. The streets were eerily quiet, the thongs and madcap traffic we had become adjusted to absent.  Our plan was to visit the castle in the park. We'd been told it afforded expansive views of the city. The road leading up to it certainly does. We saw a small lake with paddleboats in the park we weren't aware of previously, as well as some interesting modern architecture off in the distance.  As we continued to ascend the steep incline the castle comes into view. It was constructed between the mid 18th to mid 19th centuries...

 If you're one of those individuals that declares "I'm just not a people person", Mexico City is not the place for you. The city teems with humanity. Not surprising when you take into account that the population of the city is just shy of 10 million, with the metropolitan area containing over 20 million. Cars, buses, a surprising number of bicyclists and pedestrians seem to fill every square inch of available space. Mornings I would stand at our window and watch the mad scramble of rush hour traffic as it slowly wound it's way past around the fountain that stands in the center of the round about along the main street. Public transit is shoulder to shoulder. Sidewalks are packed. Traffic, at times, at a complete standstill. Like I said, if you're a loner, go somewhere else.

 While I took care of some things at the hotel room my Travel Buddy went out shopping. Having spent over 40 years in retail shopping is not high on my hit parade. He discovered a pedestrian only street I recalled from my first trip to Mexico City. Vendors ply their wares on either side while a sea of humanity ebbs and flows down the center. Bars and restaurants stand side by side along the promenade.We selected a restaurant and proceeded to have our worst meal of the trip. When visiting Mexico your culinary standards rise to an unexpectedly high level. This meal was pretty bad even by ordinary standards.  We returned to our room. In the middle of the night I, how shall I put this, began an intimate relationship with the toilet in the bathroom. This relationship continued through the rest of that night and into the next morning. We had planned to return to the historical center, those plans were scuttled. I sent my Travel Partner off to explore on his own, hung the Do Not Distu...