Tlaxcala sentimental

It's late. We just spent an hour or two, under the main portal arcade of Tlaxcala's main square, listening to a very romantic and skilled trio playing the kind of poetic yearning songs that to us represent the very best of the Mexican tradition. They played a vihuela for the rhythm, a guitaron for the bass, and the melody on a regular guitar. The three sang with a fourth guy with that gorgeous harmony that gives fullness to the music. Although it was chilly the music was very warming. There were small family groups listening, all of us seated at the cafe's small tables under the stone arches.

Today was a perfect day. Had delicious breakfast in our hotel, the Gran Casona de Cortes, of fruit, chilaquiles, and enchiladas suizas. Went to the market and roamed then hopped on a local bus to go half an hour out in the countryside through the town of Nativitas and then got dropped off in the burbs and walked about seven steep blocks, past a churchyard with its graves outlined in orange marigolds, up to the ruins called Cacaxtlan. This ruin, 1500 years old, has beautiful murals in turquoise, red, white and other colors, remarkably like Bonampak in the Yucatan, so much so they feel sure this place had Mayan influence though soooo far away. We could have seen all three of the big volcanoes from the hilltop site but it was a little hazy. The area is rolling hills with pepper trees, a few pines, cornfields, some Joshua tree like plants and giant nopal cactus. Beautiful. A few rivers.
On the way back met a sweet young Mexican American guy who is assembly of God, here on a personal mission of sorts, teaching in a village while attending the university in Tlaxcala.
Then we combi'd back to town, caught the end of another charreada, caught another performance by the Voladores de Papantla, did some shopping then ate an incredible pork chops in red pipian sauce, so savory, with some Don Julio reposado, then walked the plazas then had a pie called "5 chocolates" that was creamy with a sponge cake soaked in various chocolates and then after some more strolling found this band, "Los princes". Perfectly full day to end this perfectly full varied week. How we love being in Mexico. Sad that it's time to go home but it could not have been a better last day.

Tomorrow we hop on our last bus from Tlaxcala straight to Mexico city's huge TAPO bus station where we'll get a "secure taxi" which you need in Mexico City if you've got luggage, to the Mexico city airport for a last great Italian meal... Then home.