Puebla

This weekend a group of 8 of us took a trip to check out the city of Puebla. Many of us Americans celebrate the battle of Puelba every year on Cinco de Mayo, which is the day the Mexicans defeated the French in a sort of David and Goliath-like fashion. They ultimately lost the war, but it still gives us reason to drink margaritas and Corona in Irish pubs.

A million people live in the city but it has a very small feel. It's surrounded by mountain ranges, volcanoes and open land. It's one of the few parts of the country that has managed to avoid drug trafficking drama. It felt good to not have to worry about city curfews, which has been the case in Cuernavaca lately. At around 7,000 feet the weather is a lot more mild...even a little cool in the morning. It was a nice break from the intense heat we've been having in Miacatlan.

We also visited a nearby city called Chulula where my friends Erika and Sophie studied for a semester. I walked with them as they visited their old haunts. Chulula is also known for a huge pyramid, on top of which the Spanish built a Cathedral in true colonial fashion.

Another highlight was hanging out with my friend Raul, who I had visited back in January. He goes to college in Puebla and was able to show us some of the city, including a good taco joint and a fun salsa club on Saturday night.

By the way, I stole these pictures from Erika's Facebook page, so I can't take credit for any of them.