Hidalgo - Pachuca and easy day trips from the capital.

Well this state is one of those places that people have heard of but they can't seem to be able to tell you exactly where it is... They will say they know it is close to Mexico City but gets lost among all the tiny little states and the renowned beautiful cities of central Mexico which take up most people's time.

Store in Pachuca

Crazy with excitement at Tula

Hidalgo state is important for many reasons. It was the site of many mineral mines which were created by the Spanish and then over the years added upon with the advice of the French and the English. Now the whole landscape of the state is dotted with impressive ruins of the glorious mining past. Additionally the state is famous for its pasties. Imported to Mexico by Cornish miners, the famous pasties have been adapted from their root ingredients of potato and meat to include many staple Mexican dishes such as mole, chorizo and sweet flavours such as pineapple and rice pudding! WOWSERS! Taste wise they are similar to the English snacks but the pastry is thinner and less crispy. Well worth trying one or two and luckily there are stores seemingly every two metres or so in every town here...

Street art - Pachuca

Hidalgo is also important as the state where football was introduced into Mexico. Not being a massive football fan, this fact doesn't particularly excite me. But when you think about how football obsessed this country is – it is rather significant.

Prismas! 

Thirdly Hidalgo is famous its production of the alcoholic drink Pulque. The hot dry climate of the mountainous areas of Hidalgo are perfect for the growing of the maguey plant (agave) from which the sap is removed and fermented producing a strange thick bitter drink which is a similar consistency to milk. It is often served mixed with fruit juice and is a good thirst quencher and needs to be tried. It can be a bit of a love / hate thing though! Rarely found in cans, the drink can be bought on the street in small towns or in special pulque bars called pulquerias.

PACHUCA

Main plaza - was under renovation

Awesome sculpture

The capital of Hidalgo, Pachuca, is a criminally under-visited gem. After being in Mexico City for a while, Pachuca can seem a little villagey in comparison. Nestled in between many mountains and hills which surround the city, the city is easily explored on foot and hosts many interesting buildings and monuments. The most iconic of these is the clock monument which stands in the broad central square. Closed off for refurbishment on our visit, and due to open the following week, we had to peek through the fence to see what it looked like. Pachuca is an interesting city as it doesn't actually have a cathedral on its main square and actually doesn't have one at all! The main church is the Parroquia de San Francisco.

Dove of Weapons

In terms of things to see Pachuca has a couple of good museums – the Museo de Mineria museum being one of them with hugely insightful and enthusiastic guides which make the history of mining come alive for you. Guides are seemingly only in Spanish. The Cuartel del Arte houses different mini museums and galleries for you to explore – the only one open was the Museo Nacional de la Fotografia which contains a whole range of amazing historical photos of Pachuca and Mexico City.

The city's main park is also well worth a wonder for a moment of relaxation but also to see the striking peace memorial which is a beautiful white dove, but look closer! The whole construction is made of weapons which were confiscated within Hidalgo state. Impressive, disturbing and lovely all that time!

Selfies with Jesus

The tourist information van is well worth visiting. It is located on the main square and they can give you maps and they offer tours during the day and in the evening too! We did one of their tours which for $40mxn will take you up to the north of the city to one of the hilltops which overlook the city and you can see the Jesus statue that overlooks the city. Although I have seen quite a few Jesus statues in Mexico, I think this is one of the best! The construction is pretty nice and the view from up here is amazing. The tour usually also stops a sacred art museum at the Cuartel del Arte.  

In terms of places to eat and drink, Pachuca wasn't exactly stomping with energy! There seemed to be a lack of range of good places to have a beer or two and when we visited it being Easter weekend people seemed to be hiding somewhere out of the city! One great place was Espresso Central an amazing coffee house with great friendly staff a good range of paninis and also with craft beer! Housed in a communal building with a range of different bars, shops and restaurants, you can decide on what place looks best for you. Next door and accessible through Espresso Central is the cute bar in a shipping container The Black Wolf which stocks craft beer from three different local breweries including Pachuca Brewing Company (the Black IPA is GOOOOOOD!), Additionally a quick mention to Revolucion Cervevercia stocks a good range of local beers and is your standard beer bar with flags and beer memorabilia lining the wall. Unfortunately their staff were unwelcoming and grumpy so that was a let down.

Excursions out of the city: 

BALSALTIC PRISMAS

Prismas!

This place is well worth the trip from the city of Pachuca and accessible by colectivo from the side of the market in the city centre. These are beautiful naturally formed long salt rocks shaped into edge of a mini valley with picturesque waterfalls. This place gets super busy – especially the weekend when we visited and the selfie sticks were out in force!!!! Go early if you can and if you have the stamina you can visit del monte and chico in the same day. Returning from the Prismas you will need to go to Huasca de Ocampo which is the place to catch shared taxis to other destinations.

REAL DEL MONTE

Bustly Real del Monte

Real del Monte is a cute little town around an hour of Pachuca and is a great place to spend a few hours. There is an extensive mining museum with huge displays of mining equipment and various different impressive buildings filled with exhibitions and displays.


The museum is by guided tour only and the groups can be a little tiring but the information is interesting. I became impatient as I went before lunch and was starving by the end.  We had to a runner out of the place because I was about to kick off through hunger.  The town was thriving with people, there were street performers everywhere and crowds of Mexican families enjoying the weather by eating ice creams in the many pretty squares dotted around. Strangely the gardens in the plaza were recently opened by Charles heir to the British throne and his wife Camilla.

MINERAL DEL CHICO

Awesome and tranquil Mineral del Chico

Chico is a beautiful picture perfect town right up in the hills. Be ready for a winding journey in a small mini bus crammed with people but it is well worth the squish to spend time in this laid-back and tranquil place. Situated on the side of a hill, you have to walk downhill to get to the main square and everything is huddled together randomly on this sloping oddity. There are heaps of food stands and drink sellers everywhere and the place has a genuinely calm and pleasant feel to it. Get a michelada and sit on a wall somewhere and just watch the people go by. Just try not to think about having to get back on that minibus to go back to Pachuca!  You can do hikes around the town and the landscape up here totally looked wonderful to explore - but we didn't have much time, but would love to return to explore one day.  

TULA DE ALLENDE and the TULA RUINS

This modern and not particularly exciting town is well worth a visit to see the ruins here. A much lesser visited archaeological site than the majestic Teotihuacan near Mexico City. The site is rather large and the ruins are interesting mainly for the decorated pillars on top of the largest temple and their depictions of Toltec warriors. During opening hours it is very tricky to get a photo with these without hundreds of people in the background! There are other fascinating aspects to the site with the carved reliefs of walls around the site and also a small museum displaying various other aspects from the site excavations.   
We found it really hard to find anywhere to
eat in this town!!!  Maybe it was the hour or the day

of the week or something but it was really tricky and we were starving after walking around the ruins for so long.  I would advise you take snacks with you. 

Cantina Crawl Part 1!

Well this was a long time coming.  I am obsessed with traditional drinking establishments and have long been an avid fan of alternative brews and atmospheric pubs in my homeland of England.  I have been documenting beer (and chocolate) from around the world on my facebook page.  I am shocked that I have been in Guadalajara this long without actually arranging an event like this!

So for my birthday this year I decided to arrange a cantina crawl around the downtown of the city.  I used the internet to research the best cantinas to go to and also the word of mouth from my friends and students who live and go out in the city.  With a route and a map prepared we headed off into the night of the strange, the weird and wonderful that these places would offer.

With a group in tow, it would be less easy to wimp out and not push the wooden doors into the unknown...There were 12 pubs on our iteniarary.  We made 7!

Realizamos un recorrido por cantinas típicas de la ciudad. Ya hacía tiempo que teníamos idea de hacer uno, pero nunca nos habíamos organizado, ni investigado propiamente, así que para el cumpleaños de Julian decidimos que era tiempo de hacer el recorrido.

Investigamos por internet al mismo tiempo que pregunté a mis compañeros de trabajo por recomendaciones de cantinas y bebidas de las mismas, así llegamos a una lista de lugares por visitar y qué tomar en cada una de ellas. Preparamos la ruta e investigamos la distancia entre cada una de ellas. Todas, afortunadamente, están relativamente cerca una de otra.

Cantina Number 1: Los Equipales (Juan Alvarez and Barcona)

Not particulary inviting on the outside with its white plaster walls and the only hint of the inside cantina being the wooden doors that stand slightly hanging off their hinges. Upon entering the bar we were greeted by a range of aging waiters who seemed surprised to have so many people enter at one time.  The arched bar area is plastered by photos of sports stars and the furniture is traditional with its tired old leather chairs and tables.  The speciality in this place is Nagas Alegres (Happy Buttocks!) hahahaa, so with those ordered without knowing what it actually was the night had began.  This place is highly recommended for relaxing and enjoying the good quality free snacks that they bring out for you when you order drinks.

The Happy Buttocks! 

Esta cantina es muy famosa y tiene años brindando servicio. Por el exterior no se ve muy agradable, pero entrando por las puertas de madera se puede percibir una atmosfera cálida pues los meseros nos recibieron con entusiasmo. Las paredes están llenas de carteles antiguos y las sillas por supuesto !son equipales!

Este lugar es famoso por una bebida llamada "Nalgas Alegres", que es un preparado de distintos alcoholes y refresco.

Hay una rocola pero también pantallas para ver futbol. Las botanas son ricas y siguen llevando conforme más vayas pidiendo.

El precio de las bebidos no es caro, hay una rocola y el servicio es bueno.

Cantina Number 2: Los Molacho's 

This place is AWESOME for people watching.  Above one of the main streets in the city centre.  You need to walk up the stairs and blindly into the bar but is well worth the bravery doing so!  Walking through the door we were suddenly forced into the centre of a party very much in swing (in its own way).  A pianist was playing and a rather drunk surgeon singing along raucously in full medical gear.  I sincerly hope that he was not on his way to work... Directly next to him a  crutch assisted older gentleman upon seeing that we had women in our group was on his feet and whispering sweet anythings in their ears.  This wooden dominated bar was full of mostly men standing around and others in intense discussion.  Upon the strange looks and questions about me being nordic we ventured to the balcony where we overlooked the busy street below.

Unas calles más en dirección a la Catedral, se encuentra este bar. Está en un segundo piso. Es un lugar pequeño por lo que estaba lleno cuando llegamos ahí. Hay un piano en el centro de la cantina con música que hace la estancia muy placentera. Pedimos una cervezas y las tomamos en uno de los balcones para ver la ciudad.El precio es barato y no vimos que dieran botana. La música es interesante y la clientela es más de señores que van a platicar y pasar un buen rato.

Cantina Number 3: La Fuente

No cantina crawl would be complete without a visit to this classic near the main theatre of Guadalajara.  This amazingly atmospheric drinking hall has been frequented by most of my visiting friends and family.  The last time we came here, we had a photo taken behind the bar pouring tequila and they refused to allow us to pay for our drinks! hahahah! AMAZING!  The friendliness ebbs and flows depending on how busy it is, but it is always worth a go.  Frequently they have a pianist and drunk men and women often accompany him drunkenly leading the whole bar into high volume sing-a-longs.  Tonight it was busy and the singular waiter struggled to keep up with the orders.  I don't care, its brilliant! There is a dusty bicycle behind the bar area.  The legend goes that a man was drinking in bar and after quite a few was unable to pay his tab.  He left the bike as a down payment and promised to return with the money and to collect his bike at a later day....he never did.

Llegamos al lugar obligado para cualquier visita al centro. Bar La Fuente. Esta cantina es un clásico un punto de reunión de ajenos y locales. Es una cantina antigua que en la actualidad es visitada por muchas personas. En un día normal se pueden encontrar señores que parecen que han ido a esa cantina por años, jóvenes que pasaron a tomar un trago antes de ir a otro lado, extranjeros que van a conocer más de la cultura local, personas que van saliendo alguna boda o ceremonia religiosa de un templo cercano, entre muchos otros.

Esa noche estaba muy llena y tuvimos problemas para ordenar.

Lo interesante de esta cantina es que arriba de la barra tiene un bicicleta antigua en la pared. La leyenda dice que un cliente no pudo pagar por las bebidas que pidió así que dejo empeñada la bicicleta con la promesa de volver, pero nunca lo hizo.

El precio de las bebidas es barato. No vimos botanas y la música es en vivo. En el centro hay un pequeño escenario donde músicos van a cantar o tocar.

Cantina Number 4: Mascusia

Another great cantina!  Blocked from view from the street by wooden panels but open at the top, this cantina covered with pictures all over the wall is renowned for its Yerbabeuna drinks which are a limey herby drink with vodka and also for its speciality snack which is bull penis.  Within minutes we received the snacks - the usual pig fat with spicy sauce and lime juice and the aforementioned bull penis.  The Mexican contingent of the group seemed horrified by the thought of this, but the US and UK group all tried the snack as far as I know.  It was surprisingly ok to eat and just tasted fatty.  I didn't like to look at it for too long... After seeing us all trying the delicacy the waiter who was really smiley and friendly brought over a tried bull penis and we all took turns examining it and passing it around the group.  What a strange hour or so...

Esta cantina también es un clásico. Tiene años y años en la ciudad. Esta en una zona no muy bonita de la ciudad que puede parecer peligrosa de noche. Hay varias cantinas ya con el mismo nombre, pero esta es la sucursal original.

Me habían comentado que en este lugar servían unas Yerbabuenas muy ricas, así que pedimos unas que estaban servidas en una chabelas. También me habían comentado que había viril de toro en este lugar, así que nos llevaron un plato de botana de viril. En realidad sabe a cueritos, no tiene un sabor distinto ni presentación "extraña".

El mesero nos trajo un viril de toro disecado y los examinamos mientras reíamos y decíamos chistes y albures.

Se pueden encontrar diversas bebidas y los precios varían. Hay botanas gratis con las bebidas y una rocola.

Cantina Number 5: Bar Lido

The sign really reflects the inside of this place!

Crikey.  This must be where souls go to die.  Originally part of a bar and restaurant complex.  The latter looks like it has been dead in the water for quite some time and from initial glances the bar looked like it was closed too.  But not quite.  The deserted tables and chairs welcomed us and the barwoman barely moved from watching something on her phone, midly nodded on our introduction to her and then nodded again after we had ordered.  This place had the atmosphere of a morgue, the mix of traditional music and the blaring sound of the boxing match does not invite warm feelings.  Don't go to the bathroom here, its quite lovely.  Of course not. Drinks were drunk quickly and we moved on...

Bar Lido - WOO! 

Este lugar en realidad no es muy interante. Se encuentra en frente de los dos templos paralelos del centro. El Aranzazú y el otro templo que siempre olvido su nombre. Fuimos los únicos clientes del lugar y el mesero no era en realidad amigable. Así que solo tomamos una cerveza y nos movimos al siguiente lugar.

Cantina Number 6: Bar Gil

A beacon of light greeted us from outside in this 1970s style bar cantina which after the Lido seemed like the Sistine Chapel.  Lively groups packed this place when we visited and a blaring jukebox accompanied the friendly waitress and nice crispy snacks.  It could have been the fact that this was the 6th bar or after the Lido, but I really liked this place.  Traditional and old fashioned but had a good feeling and heaps of Beatles on the jukebox too.  WOO!

Un cambio total en relación al bar anterior. Es un lugar pequeño, como una casa que fue adecuada a bar. Esta lleno personas que quieren ir a pasar un buen rato. Se siente una atmosfera relajada y de fiesta.  Tomamos una cerveza mientras escuchábamos música de la rocola y comíamos unos churritos de botana.

Cantina Number 7: El Morelia II

Bras on the bar!  

Approaching this tiny little lo
cal oddity, we realised we had been taken here on a previous drunken evening out.  This bar is always rammed to the roof with locals this bar I felt was one of the least friendly from the evening tour.  They apparently had no beer left when we arrived and that could be true, it wouldn't be the first place we tried to visit that had run out of alcohol!  They did give one of my group some free food which was pretty good.  Worth ducking your head into if in the area as the bar is adorned with quite a wide range of bras.  We drank Mezcal here and were knocked into a lot by the lively crowd before heading off into the night... for tacos of course.

Caminamos unas cuantas cuadras para llegar al bar El Morelia, que todavía era más pequeño que el bar Gil e igual era como una casa adecuada para ser bar. Debido a lo pequeño del bar la gente estaba de pie dentro y fuera del lugar bebiendo.

Nos acercamos a la barra y nos dijeron que ya no tenían cerveza. Lo que se nos hizo muy raro. Los meseros y el servicio no fue el mejor pues parecía que no querían atendernos.

Ordenamos una ronde de shots de mezcal y nos fuimos del lugar.

Algo interesante del lugar es que arriba de la barra hay un cable con muchos brasieres.