Thankful for Xilitla

This Thanksgiving I had the great opportunity to go with my friend Dana and her family/friends to an interesting town in the mountains called Xilitla. We left Thursday morning and spend the day driving there----It was interesting to find our way. I drove and it was quite interesting as we went over the ever popular surprise speed-bumps on the highway and ventured through the small towns. Then we started climbing up the mountains....and the fog and rain increased---great combination huh?:) lol. We eventually got there, but had no idea how to find our hotel, so we went down one crowded narrow street after another, asking various cops along the way, and finally found it. Whew!

We found our hotel, which was so cool! It is called El Castillo (the castle). It was a house that the surrealist artist Sir Edward James stayed in with a family along with other famous artists like Dali and others I don't remember:) Check out these amazing pictures of the hotel/house:

It was quite a gloomy Thursday with misting rain, so we took a quick walk around the town and then back to the hotel to watch the informational movie and also a chick flick while cuddled up in blankets in the cute common room trying to stay warm---it was colder than we thought it would be and we were not prepared! After the movies we ventured through a secret door/passageway (seriously) and ended up at a restaurant to feast on amazing homemade hot chocolate and hamburgers/bruschetta and pasta.

Finally we headed to bed ready and hoping that Friday would be warmer and dry. Friday morning came with a delicious breakfast of papaya, bananas, sweet breads and toast. Then we were off to the rainforest to see Las Pozas (the creation of Sir Edward James). I have to say it was one of the most interesting and beautiful places I have experienced---he created a whole dream world with stairs and bridges and curves and houses all connected and combined to make such an interesting and inexplainable atmosphere. These few pictures don't even do it justice at all...

It was a trip full of laughs, crazy driving, beautiful scenery, and many memories. I will definitely be going back sometime and hope i can take any visitors that come see me (hint, hint) to this amazing place.

dancing and singing in the streets of San Miguel...

So this past weekend a few friends and I went on a trip to San Miguel Allende...it's inland and quite a ways on a bus (overnite bus 10-6 and then another bus for a few more hours) My roommate Robyn, and 2 other girls Dana, Cheryl, and I all went together. We started out on Friday night at 10 and had a great time!

on the bus...

Here is the front of the hostel we stayed at---kinda felt like we were at camp in the bunk beds but for US $10 a night....it was worth the shared bathroom and hard bunks:)

Here is the center square with the beautiful cathedrals, cobblestone streets, and just wonderful atmosphere.

During the day we went shopping in the market and other stores surrounding the center square area---check out the great stuff I got!:) Some I won't show as they are presents for people, but here is what i got just for me!:)

That night there was a band singing with people gathered around singing along....and then some people started dancing---we felt like we were in a movie with how perfect it was! See the pictures and video's below:)

Sing along in the street----and Dana:)

We splurged and bought the expensive bus tickets for the ride home Sunday night and were very glad to have more space and not freeze like the way there. Although I cannot sleep on a bus very well, it wasn't too bad of an experience:)

So we have 2 short weeks and Thanksgiving and then only a few more week's till Christmas break! It's going crazy fast, but I'm looking forward to going back to the States for a little while---but i will probably feel strange hearing everyone speak English all the time everywhere:) haha

In case I don't write again before Thanksgiving----Happy Thanksgiving!!:)