Mexico: States of Morelos and Guerrero
(November 2016)
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The
mountainous states of Morelos and Guerrero are located south of Mexico City.
They are home of many picturesque towns, such as Cuernavaca, Tepoztlan, and
Taxco. However, because they are close to Mexico City and well connected to it
by a convenient highway, they become very touristy and noisy on weekends. In
addition, parts of the state of Guerrero (especially around Acapulco) have
become quite unsafe in recent years, due to drug-related violence and fighting
among gangs.
Tepoztlan (State of Morelos):
Tepoztlan is a pleasant quaint town of 14,000
people, except on weekends when it is invaded by masses of tourists from Mexico
City. Built in a plain against a backdrop of gorgeous cliffs, it served as one
of the locations where the 1960 Western movie ″The Magnificent Seven″
(Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen...) was filmed.
Part of the town and its backdrop of
cliffs in the evening.
View over the plain from a cliff.
Church of the former convent of de Navidad.
A smaller colonial church (Iglesias
Barrios).
Street vendors and market scene.
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Mosaic made of seeds at the entrance of
the courtyard of the ex-convent de Navidad, behind
the market.
El Tepozteco
is a small archeological site atop one of the cliffs dominating Tepoztlan, approximately 320m above the town. The site
consists of a small pyramid dedicated to Tepoztecatl,
an Aztec god.
- Rock cliffs along the path to the
site.
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- View of the pyramid.
- Coaties
near the pyramid.
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Taxco
de Alarcon (State of Guerrero):
Taxco is an ancient silver mining town
built on a mountain slope. It is characterized by its steep and narrow
clobbered streets and the colonial style of its houses. It is reputed for its
silverwork, as well as for its large fleet of noisy VW Beetle taxis that suit
almost perfectly the shape of the streets. Despite the noise and the large
number of tourist shops, the town keeps an appealing feel.
Views over Taxco.
Other views of the city, with the church
of Santa Prisca in the first photo and the church of Chavarrieta
in the second photo.
Church of Santa Prisca on Plaza Borda (Zocalo).
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In the streets of Taxco.
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Perhaps because they are so steep, many
streets are dotted with small benches like this one.
Statues of flagellant penitents on the
main street (Calle Benoto
Juarez) behind the former convent of San Bernardino de Siena. (These statues
commemorate actual flagellants carrying crosses and whipping themselves through
town during Semana Santa.)
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On Plaza Borda
(Zocalo). Left: balloon vendors in the afternoon.
Right: people waiting for evening music.
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Street and market food.
Left: mosaic of jelly/flan cakes. Center: amazing chips (one single spiraling
chip per potato). Right: Pan dulce.
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