An Inconvenient Life

Letting go of the life I was expected to lead.

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January 9, 2019: Getting out of town.

Posted on 01/12/201906/11/2019 by margrad80

Yesterday when I was out up near the El Pipila monument, I looked over the valley, and noticed that there was some sort of structure on the facing hill. Later when I was home, I looked it up on Google maps and found that it was called Mirador de Rayas. It is a scenic overlook near the Mina de Rayas. I wasn’t able to find much on the internet about the structure.

This morning I got up and putzed around until 10am, when I headed out to the overlook. I followed Google’s directions until I came to the padlocked gate. I think it was the the back gate of a carpark, which is only opened when needed. I guess it was open when the Google scouts were out. As I turned back to the main road, I noticed that the trees flanking the alley were orange trees, but the fruit was too high for me to get at, so I settled for a photo.

I ignored the path Google had set me on, and went back to main drag and made my way past to the lady selling Champurrado. We went through the same sort of exchange as before, where she tried to dissuade me from buying the drink because it was no longer hot. I walked away with my drink, vowing to myself, that one morning I would get out earlier and make her happy by buying a hot beverage.

By the time I was sitting in a tiny park around the corner from the roundabout where the Champurrado lady had her stand, drinking my drink, Google had given in and decided to let me continue on from where I was, without redirecting me back to the back entrance of the carpark. I think that the little park was next to the front entrance of the same carpark. I guess I should have walked in to see if I could find the gate, which had thwarted my progress.

One of the many small streets I walked through on my way out of town.
In the center of a roundabout there was a mine car filled with flowers.

The walk up from my apartment to the Mirador de Rayas was quite steep. I took my time, stopping often to take photos. There were quite a few times that the sidewalk was totally overgrown and I had to walk in the road. That wasn’t a problem, because here everyone walks in the road. I once mentioned that jaywalking in Cuenca was a fine art. Here it is just business as usual. When a car needs more room, they sound their horn lightly and everyone moves over.

I particularly liked the terrace on the red building.
A very tiny chapel I passed on my way up.

Every angle I saw the Mirador de Rayas from, as I approached made me want to take photos. I took 79 photos today, but only the best will be added to this post.

I have no idea what this was. It wasn’t part of the Mirador de Rayas grounds. I walked to the sunny side to take the photo, only noticing as I walked back under that it looked as if it would fall down at any moment.
Dr. Seuss called and wants his flowers back.
A ruined chapel on the grounds of Mirador de Rayas. I first approached from the back, to find a locked gate. The front entry is wide open.
I zoomed into this on a distant hill. I will one day try to figure out what it is.
Looking down from the Mirador de Rayas at Guanajuato.
Zoomed into the the monument where I was the day before.
The Mirador de Rayas’ top is decorated with the detritus of mining.
That is one big millstone
A normal sized millstone
Mine Elevator
That is about as close to a selfie as you are getting out of me today.
There were three rounded openair spaces at the top of the Mirador de Rayas. This one was a nice little amphitheater.

When it was time to head down again, Google wanted me to retrace my steps, but I decided that I would rather go down the other side of the hill, ending up in Centro.

The road I saw from the top that I determined was another route back to town.
The other two round spaces were gardens of sorts.
I think that this is the top of an old mine shaft.
The outside of one of the round gardens.
I saw a lot of ruins as I made my way back into town.
Looking back at the Mirador de Rayas
I haven’t been able to determine what this is, but it is really impressive in person.
A detail of an overgrown buttress.
This hole in the side of the ruin made me wonder: Was it made by an artillery shelling?
Mirador de Rayas as seen behind the ruin.
Ruins in the valley below the Mirador de Rayas
It looks like a graveyard way up on the hill.
Looking back at the ruin, with a new construction house going up in the foreground.
Bug of the day. I found it way out in the middle of nowhere.
This is a parking area, on the roof of a house built into the hillside. I saw a lot of these, as I walked around the road at the top of the valley.
Looks sort of familiar.
Back into town again.
I get the idea, they want us to keep out.
This photo has become a jigsaw puzzle.

When I arrived in Centro I went to the Hidalgo Market in search of a public restroom (sanitario público). It looked very clean, but I wasn’t able to enter since I didn’t have 6 pesos in coins to open the automatic gate. I continued walking to the Mega supermarket. There the restroom had an attendant, who made change. It was also only 5 pesos, and provided a portion of toilet paper. I had some in my pocket, but that was saved for another day.

I did some shopping before heading home. Since I wasn’t carrying very much, I took the opportunity to stop and buy a cup of roasted corn, calesquites mayo, cheese, and a salsa with lots of lime juice for 20 pesos. (Recently learned that these are called esquites.) I sat on a nearby planter enjoying my treat before resuming my walk home. I stopped one more time to pick up a ball of my favorite cheese at the taqueria near my place.

Roast Core with all the fixens. That is esquite.

To learn more about the great food of Mexico click here to go to a blog post that says it better than I can.

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My Inconvenient Live

I am a retired American Merchant Mariner.  l was living a nomadic lifestyle somewhere between being a nomad and an expat, before Covid19. I moved from country to country as my visas ran out. This blog covered my travels and the random thoughts about life, technology, travel, and the Oxford comma. Now I am stuck waiting for the pandemic to pass. During this time my posts will have very little to do with traveling, and more to do with keeping myself entertained during lockdown.

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