The Zocolo, in colonial Puebla
Colorful buldings lining the zocolo
The 16th centurty arches lining the plaza house numerous cafes and shops.
Once a 19th centure marketplace, now the zocalo is a tranquil, shady spot in the city
In the zocolo, in front of the Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepcion
Inside the Museo Amparo, a superb private museum
The Museo Amparo is housed in two linked 16th and 17th century colonial buildings
and is filled with pre-hispanic artifacts
Including these amazing pieces of pottery from Monte Alban
The museum also has an extensive collection of colonial art ...
...and furnishings
Inside the Templo de Santo Domingo, in the Cpilla del Rosario
Built between 1650-1690, in the baroque style...
...covered with gilded plaster and carved stone.
Outside the Catedral, whose image appears on Mexico's 500-peso bill
At the antique market on Callejon de los Sapos
Beautiful architecture in Puebla...
...such a different feeling than other parts of Mexico -- distinctly colonial.
Our wonderful boutique hotel, La Quinta Luna, in nearby Cholula
Enjoying breakfast in the beautiful courtyard
A restored 17th century mansion
The library
The owners converted the chapel into a restaurant
The Gran Piramide de Tepanapa
Which people thought was just a big hill...
...until they discovered that it was an overgrown pyramid
Archaelogists first explored the pyramid in 1931 by excavating two tunnels
As was common in ancient Mesoamerican civilization, seven structures were super impozed over the original pyramid
It is the largest pyramid in the continent (by volume), with a base measuring 450 meters on each side.
And yes, the Spanish did build a church on top...
The Capilla de la Virgen de los Remedios
Built in 1594 (on top of the pyramid) and rebuilt after an earthquake in the mid 19th century
They restored the church again after another earthquake in 1999
We happened to be here on the day of a fiesta!
There were mariachis!
Preparing the saint's reliquary
That they carry through the town
The view from the top of the pyramid
View of the center of Cholula from the top of the pyramid
Fruit...and chapulines (grasshoppers) for sale on the path to the top of the pyramid
Just south of Cholula, at Santa Maria Tonatzintla
Which was also celebrating a Saint's holiday
The inside is covered with colorful stucco saints, devils, flowers
A great exaple of indigenous artisanship applied to Christian themes
In front of San Francisco Acatepec, in the next town over
This church has a unique ornamentation made of red brick and talavera tiles
Inside San Francisco Acatepec
On the road to Oaxaca
Dramatic landscapes
Impresive bridges
Fields of cactus, covering the mountains
Mom and Zookie in the back seat
Nap time
Zookie, enjoying the wind in his hair!
