Archive for November 2025

Woke up to another bright, sunny day – 52 degrees. Went to church. The UU congregation holds its services in the ballroom of a hotel – about 200 attend. They just celebrated their 30th anniversary. The topic was “Silence”. After church a bunch of us walked to a parking lot where a large group of…

The mission church in Jalpan’s center, today known as the Santiago Apóstol Church, is an excellent place to begin touring. Built between 1751 and 1758 by the indefatigable Fray Junípero Serra, this was the first of the Sierra Gorda missions. Take some time to examine the details of its earthy façade. The first section features…

Meet Hilario. He’s a weaver from Oaxaca. The state of Oaxaca lies to the south of Mexico City. Its southern border is the Pacific. Many of Mexico’s popular crafts are produced in and around the capital city, Oaxaca (pronounced wahaka): terra cotta miniatures, glossy black and green pottery, alebrijes – wood sculptures of fantastical creatures…

Look what we found in the jungle of East Central Mexico. It’s a series of surreal structures, a cement garden. Located just outside the village of Xilitla (pronounced heleetlah) Las Pozas is the semi-fulfilled dream of Edward James, a multi-millionaire Englishman with some royal blood coursing through his veins. Built between 1964 and his death…

Blood and silver make for a toxic blend. Looking at the history of the Spanish conquest of North Central Mexico reminds one of the “blood diamonds†of Sierra Leone, Africa. In the early 1500’s Spanish troops under the leadership of Hernan Cortez marched north from Mexico City to an area that is now the State…