Guanajuato

When we think about a mysterious place in Mexico, we think of Juan-nah-hwah-taw. This colonial and folkloric city is well known for its mummies, catedral, narrow alleyways, vast network of tunnels and underground roads, but specially for its Alley of the Kiss urban legend.

This Mexican version of Romeo and Juliet is a well-know love story that almost all Mexicans have heard about at some point. The legend tells that many years ago during the colonials times, Carmen and Don Carlos, a couple of young lovers that lived across the street from each other would meet in their room balconies. Since their balconies was just centimeters apart they could hold hands and kiss. However, Carmen's dad wanting his daughter to marry a wealthy man and not a miner worker stabbed her in the back when he caught them one night. Carmen fell from the balcony into the narrow alley beneath but not before Don Carlos gave her a kiss. Years later Don Carlos still heart broken committed suicide at the Valenciana silver mine that he worked at. Ever since, it has become superstition that if you walk down the stairs in the alley with your significant other that you kiss in the third step for 7 years of good luck.

When we think about mummies, we usually think about Egyptian mummies. These Mexican mummies are different, they were not part of any ritual for the afterlife, embalmed, wrapped, or placed in golden sarcophagus. It is said that in the early 1800's a plague erupted in the city, one of the symptoms included body paralysis, which cause the burial of many people that were in fact not dead. When the paralysis episode passed the people would wake up and then asphyxiated, that is why many mummies show fear in their face.

Guanajuato has hundred of tunnels. These tunnels were originally made as canals to prevent flooding of the city, now, they are used as underground streets. It has so many that one of the attractions are tunnel tours along with urban legends. One of my favorite tunnel entrances is the one next to the Teatro Juarez as you can see the iconic Pipila monument in the background.

Jona and I were amazed by how much this small city has to offer. There is just so much to do! From visiting one of the many Catedrals, strolling in the Union park, buy a couple of the traditional Mexican embroidered blouses in any of the boutiques along Ponciano Aguilar street, choose between the more of 15 museums and galleries including the Diego Rivera House museum or the Don Quijote museum, take the tramp up to the Pipila Monument and admire the city from the observatory, visit the Hidalgo Market. When in Guanajuato you will never get bored.