Hacienda de Chautla

Located in the shadows of the volcanoes just 20 minutes from San Martin, Chautla was built by a priest from Europe who wanted a small Versailles to remind him of home. Maximilian and Carlotta supposedly vacationed here. The lakes that surround the palace are stocked with trout from nearby hatcheries. The first floor of the palace is a restaurant where they will prepare your catch. The gardens are used for weddings and quinceaneras. The second to last picture is the entrance and the last picture is an escape tunnel built during the Mexican Revolution.

Taxco

What better way to spend your Silver Anniversary than in a town famous for silver. Taxco is a colonial mining center in the mountains between Cuernavaca and Acapulco. It is built on a hill overlooking a valley. We had lunch at roof top restaurant over looking the plaza. The first picture is the cathedral on the plaza. The next picture is a patio and the third picture was taken form a lookout point on the highway as you approach the city. The last 2 pictures are typical buildings taken from the street. The place is so pretty and so crowded it reminded my of Florence.

Cuernavaca

Cuernavaca has always been a resort a favorite destination in Mexico. It is located in the mountains 2 hours southwest of Mexico City with a year round temp of about 70F. The first picture was taken from the balcony of Cortes' home. The statue is Cortes, the plaza is to the right and to the left you can see a steeple and a dome which are near Carlotta's Palace. We toured the city on the trolley. The second picture is the Cathedral taken from Carlotta's Palace. I took several pictures of the palace but they did not come out. The garden is spectacular with fountains everywhere. It is good to be Empress; until they execute you're husband. The last 3 pictures were taken at park near the river which supplies the city's water. Cortes had the first aqueduct built hundreds of years ago. The one in the picture is about a hundred years old. The next picture is all of us taken a break on the tour. The puppies in the last picture were born a few days before we arrived. Their mother was not happy about strangers in the house.

San Martin

San Martin is where Irma & I got married 25 years ago. It is a small town between Mexico City and Puebla in the shadow of 2 volcanoes: Popocatepetl (smoking volcano) and Iztaccihuatl (sleeping woman). The first picture is the church where we got married. The the second picture is of Popocatepetl. I have been visiting this area for more than 26 years and this is the first time I have ever seen the "smoking volcano" actually smoke. This picture was taken from the roof of my mother in-law's house. I am guessing it is 60 to 80 miles from San Martin. The last 3 pictures were taken at a nearby trout farm. They caught, cleaned & cooked then served a delicious meal. Six adults we ate like kings for less than $50. Not bad.

Puebla

The city of Puebla is between Mexico City and Veracruz on the Gulf Coast. It is famous for the Cinco de mayo battle. The first 2 pictures are monuments to the peasants who fought off the French on Cinco de Mayo. The white gate and building behind in the third picture was one of their forts. The fourth picture was taken from the tour bus at a church were children were dancing; not sure what the occasion was and the last picture is of a soccer stadium we saw from the tour bus.