Escapism with Style (Part 5:______): A Reinspired Traveler!

July 1, 2012

Zacatecas, Mexico

Today I really remembered why I love traveling so much as the beauty of Zacatecas practically smacked me in the face. To say the day was perfect would again be an understatement. I met a German friend named Markus, I saw some incredible sights, and for the first time in a while I felt totally comfortable with my surroundings. While being off the road for a day without a doubt helped this city also revived in me my love for traveling. It could be anything further from the dangerous pictures depicted on the news. Every smiles when you walk by, most greet you, and you can't help but feel welcome. At the end of the day adventure traveling is hard filled with its trials and tribulations, but in the right time and place like today it all makes sense and is all worth it.

After fighting sleep last night until the late hour of 8:00pm I got up this morning at 7:30 to a sunny but cool if not chilly day. For the first time on the trip I got to break out my hoody and after dieing of heat for the last countless weeks the cooler mountain air here is just perfect. Today I could walk around in jeans and sneakers and it felt great. On top of that when I arrived yesterday I decided to take a walk wearing shorts and flip-flops (my preferred attire). Instantly I noticed how out of place I was dressed no wheres near as well as anyone else in the city. I could feel the stares, see people doing double takes, and knew this must be one of those places where wearing dirty shorts, a wrinkled t-shirt, and flip-flops is somewhat frowned upon.

After writing this morning for a good couple hours including finishing a long overdue post about taking my motorcycle test I finally made my way out into the cool morning air at around 10:30. Now I'll try to remember everything I did today, but it will definitely be tough so I'll try to focus on the highlights.

The first adventure today was to the old Mina de Eden (Mines of Eden) that had been developed in the Spanish colonial days. After riding a covered train down to the bottom of the mine and after a somewhat cheesy museum, we got to see the inner workings of the mine and how it looked when the local citizens where forced into slave labor. The caverns were huge with 150 foot drops leading down to water at every turn. The worst part about this almost mythical place was in numerous places they used iron grates for the floor much like those covering the subways of New York, and it was on these parts where my imagination would run wild picturing a nasty fall and a quick end to a wild ride.

After leaving the cavern and almost getting lost on the way out me and my new found German friend also staying at the hostel went straight to the conveniently located cable car entrance only a few meters away. In a small cable car making a snails pace slowly up the side of the mountain hundreds of feet off the ground it took everything I had to remain calm and not look directly down. The view from the top was breathtaking though making the $2 US spent on the ride and the required change of pants afterward totally worth it.

After the cable car ride it dropped us off at the top of the mountain. Surprisingly high above the city in the middle of the peak was a church and a really nice one at that! Now how old men and woman regularly make the climb up the mountain to attend mass there is way beyond my knowledge of the Mexican culture, but somehow they just do.

From there on out I saw more churches built around the 1500's, walked endless ancient cobblestone streets, got a steak for dinner with my new friend Markus, and for the first time in a long time felt

totally and 100% at ease. The city of Zacatecas is an incredibly peaceful yet vibrant colonial city with a grace that leaves each visitor calm at heart. While I'll be leaving tomorrow I will never forget this place because although its only my second day here, its the first time in Mexico and even Texas that I've felt truly welcome, able to relax, and ready for more. In fact so much am I inspired by its tranquility I've decided to forgo my attempts to make the hustle and bustle of Mexico City. Instead I will be traveling 3 hours South tomorrow to Aguascalientes (hot water) hopefully stopping to see some Mayan ruins on the way, and then figuring out the quickest route to a beach town for a few final relaxing days by the beach in a hammock before finally turning around and making my way home.