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Enrich your Travelpod Experience - View the "Slideshow" in "Full Screen" Mode

I seldom look at the "reader" side of this travel blog. So I was pleasantly surprised to find a new feature that allows for the "Slideshow" to be seen in a full screen format.

If you haven't discovered this yet just follow these steps:

- under the heading of the blog, click on "View As Slideshow"
- scroll down so you can see the full image
- in the bottom right hand corner, click on the "rectangle"
- click on the "+" repeatedly if you want to speed up the slideshow or the "II" button to pause
- now if I could only connect it to a flat screen TV for viewing that would be great
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Mexico: 23 Destinations to Spend the Winter Months
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Zacatecas
No . 5 of 23 Destinations (this is not a ranking)
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Zacatecas - Cerro de La Bufa -The View From Above
Part 2 or 6
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"They say that exercise causes an increase in endorphins - the feel-good hormone. In the case of Zacatecas I don't think it was the endorphins, it is just the city. There are so many uplifting vistas that one just can't help but feel good. It is a feeling I had in the four months we lived in Victoria, BC. There wasn't once on my daily walks past the old port, the Empress Hotel and down Government Street that I did not have a smile coming over my face and the affirmation - "damn, I am in a beautiful place". That is the feeling that Zacatecas elicited within us."
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Our second day in Zacatecas started with much anticipation for on our agenda was an ascent to the top of Cerro de la Bufa - the peak that overlooks Zacatecas.

As we left our hotel room we were greeted by another sunny day (so far they have all been sunny) and the sight of a group of cyclists heading down the calle Angel in front of our hotel . Their colourful jerseys mixing in with the hues of the "centro historico" at the bottom of the hill got my attention. I have done a fair amount of long-distance cycling in my life and this flashback elicited some beautiful memories of past bicycle tours in France.

Our destination was "Estacion del Teleferico" - the station for the cable car that crosses the valley in which the city of Zacatecas is located. To get there we had the pleasure of walking through this town on a Sunday morning when there was little traffic and few pedestrians.

Our path took us through the nearly deserted Plaza de Armas, past the Starbucks Coffee Shop and the Templo Santo Domingo where we were awed by the beautiful interior. My attention was also drawn to the 16 rules of conduct for persons coming into the "templo". In this age of "laissez-faire" it was good to see the rules spelled out in no uncertain terms.

The beautification of the "centro historico" continues as we passed through a renovation project of an entire plaza where the "Casa de la Moneda" is located . Hopefully the remaking of this plaza would lean heavily towards pedestrian space as opposed to traffic. The lack of pedestrian streets in Zacatecas is remarkable for its omission.

One thing was for sure and that was if we wanted to get to the "Estacion del Teleférico" we had to go up and up. For that purpose the quickest way to gain some altitude was to take a series of wide stone stairs. Fortunately after all the walking we had done since our arrival in Mexico we were in pretty good shape to reach the top. When it was time to stop and take a breather, the vistas below us towards the town and across the valley certainly brought a smile to our faces.

They say that exercise causes an increase in endorphins - the feel-good hormone. In the case of Zacatecas I don't think it was the endorphins, it is just the city. There are so many uplifting vistas that one just can't help but feel good. It is a feeling I had in the four months we lived in Victoria, BC . There wasn't once on my daily walks past the old port, the Empress Hotel and down Government Street that I did not have a smile coming over my face and the affirmation - "damn, I am in a beautiful place". That is the feeling that Zacatecas elicited within us.

As an aside, that same feeling is totally absent where I am living presently in Prince George, BC. So what does that say about me?

With just a minimum of huffing and puffing we arrived at the "Estacion de Teleférico " which in and of itself is a striking place to spend a few moments. From here the view of the surroundings are well worth the climb, not to mention the most impressive washrooms in Zacatecas with beautiful marble sinks complete with "motion sensor" taps.

Forget the washrooms, now it was time to get into the "teleférico" for the kilometer long cable car ride to "Cerro de la Bufa", the peek at the other side of the valley in which Zacatecas is located .

We were first to get into the cable car so we had a great position to take photos.

Frames of reference are important in life for they give a perspective to a current situation. So it was that while we were passing high over Zacatecas on our way to Cerro de la Bufa, the event that flashed before me was the experience we had only 7 days earlier in Guanajuato as we ascended to Monumento el Pipila on the funicular.

I found myself saying to Barbara "it is beautiful here but it is not as beautiful as ascending over Guanajuato, to which she replied .......... Well - she didn't reply, she was just enjoying the scenery.

So I took my cue from that and did the same thing, all the while taking an overabundance of photos.

In retrospect as I look at the photos, especially from the top of Cerro de la Bufa, I find it hard to repeat my previous assertion that the view here is not as beautiful as the view from Monumento el Pipila .

Well, I will let you decide - take a click and have a look at the photos.

http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lobo/excursions/1230600180/tpod.html

If the term "cerro" meaning "peak" is strange to you, it was strange to me as well until I travelled in 2006 to perhaps the most famous of all "cerros" in Latin America and that would be "Cerro Fitzroy" (also known as Cerro Chaltén) - that beautiful peak in the Andes which can best be viewed from the Argentine side.

http://www.peakware.com/photos.html?pk=82

By the way, Fitzroy was the captain of HMS Beagle that was Charles Darwin's ship on the famous Galapagos expedition. (1831-1836)

During my many years of travels, Sundays have always had a special significance. That often ended with the realization "What a great place to spend a Sunday" . Ohhhhhhhh, to have a list of all the wonderful places I have been on a Sunday during my travels; that would make for a good story.

The reason that I mention this is that our ascent to the top of Cerro de la Bufa on a Sunday would have been another addition to that fabulous list.

Of course the key ingredients to such a day are good weather and beautiful scenery. On this Sunday morning there was an overabundance of both as the photos will attest.

While my assessment of Zacatecas came second to Guanajuato as me made our way to the top of Cerro de la Bufa, the view from the summit may have changed my mind.

So what was so special about being at the top of Cerro de la Bufa on this particular Sunday? Well let me list the ways:

-    it was a beautiful sunny day with sparse evidence of interesting wispy cloud patterns and warm (25 C) temperatures
-    spectacular views of the "centro historico" and beyond
-    views of the central highlands beyond the city
-    views of mountain ranges on the horizon
-    the sight of the Capilla del Patrocinio, the beautiful church located just beyond the end station of the teleférico
-    the good timing to witness a traditional dance put on by Náhuatlac Indians in the plaza of the Capilla del Patrocinio
-    the reappearance of the four cyclists who this morning passed in front of our hotel as we were leaving to come to the Cerro de la Bufa
-    the endless gazing at the view below and our overenthusiastic taking of photos, including photos of ourselves

and finally .....

-    the last good photos of Barbara before she got a "haircut" in Rincon de Guayabitos

Reasons to Consider Zacatecas as a Long-Term Stay


-    physically it is probably the most beautiful city we have seen in Mexico
-    houses in the center sell for about $150,000 Canadian as a ball park figure
-    rent can be had for as low as $300 US per month
-    it is relatively safe
-    temperate climate in the summer if you happen to be there year round
-    centro historico is large and interesting
-    perfect to live in or near "centro historico" so that a car would not be needed
-    great sidewalks
-    drivers not too aggressive
-    few expats would make for a deeper cultural experience
-    very low on the "Yikes" Factor
-    high on the "WOW" Factor
-    good on the "Crusty Bun" Factor

Reasons To Not Make Zacatecas Your Choice for a Long-Term Stay

-    it bears repeating, although I am getting tired of it, that the night time temperatures on the Central Highlands can reach near freezing
-    low night time temperatures are particularly relevant here in Zacatecas due to the 8,000 foot altitude which makes it the highest place we visited during our discovery tour
-    heating is either not available or expensive
-    your residence should be within walking distance of the center as traffic is heavy and continuous through this town in the narrow streets
-    some of the city's streets are quite steep and may make walking difficult especially considering the altitude
-    there may be stair climbing involved in getting to the higher levels of Zacatecas
-    evidence of ex-pats is almost nil so if you are looking for an active social life with fellow expats it may be a big challenge
-    heavy traffic through downtown
-    lack of pedestrian malls or streets
  
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Coming Soon: Guadaloupe - It is So Close to Zacatecas (Part 3 of 4)