After a slow bus ride from Puebla twelve of us students from the Spanish Language school arrived in the city of Tlaxcala, Wednesday the 3rd April, the first of three "school trips" planned. Tlaxcala, the capital of Mexico's smallest state, the extinct volcano La Malinche (Matlalcueyetl, the 'woman with the blue skirt') rising in the distance, is the home of the state's most popular bullring, the Jorge 'El Ranchero' Aguilar. The architecture we saw was well-preserved, especially the 16th century buildings in the historic centre such as Government Palace which houses Desiderio Hernandez Xochitiotzins beautiful murals depicting ancient Tlaxcaltecan history. We also stopped into the Museo Vivo de Artes y Tradiciones Populares to watch some weaving and beadwork being done in the traditional way. Then a walk over to the bullring for pictures with el toro before heading to a nearby bar, Pulque Bendito Dulce Tormento, for a taste of el Pulque the traditional alcoholic beverage of central Mexico made from the fermented sap of the maguey (agave) plant. It has the colour of milk with a somewhat viscous consistency and is served with different types of juices that disguises the taste. We had a couple of drinks each before heading over to the bus and back to Puebla. All in all it was an interesting day in one of Mexico's many colonial cities. gws
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| Museo Vivo de Artes y Tradiciones Populares, Tlaxcala |
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| Government Palace, Tlaxcala |
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| murals by Desiderio Hernandez Xochitiotzin, Government Palace |
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| Jorge 'El Ranchero' Aguilar bullring, Tlaxcala |
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| bullring, Tlaxcala |
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| Marie, jacaranda trees in bloom behind her, Tlaxcala |
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| enjoying El Pulque, Tlaxcala |
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| outside the bar Pulque Bendito Dulce Tormento |
