Day 3
Although Puebla is no longer a part of this Caravan tour, given the delay with our bus getting the “boot”, our tour director Manuel presented us with a little treat, in the way of a short stop in Puebla.
Puebla is the capital of the state of Puebla and is one of the five most important colonial cities in Mexico, being a main route between Mexico City and the port city of Veracruz. It was founded in 1531 and due to its rich history and architectural styles, ranging from Renaissance and Mexican Baroque, Puebla was named a World Heritage Site in 1987.
Puebla is the only city in Mexico where the Indians were not displaced. It is the seat of the best textiles and tiles in all of Mexico and is the 4th largest city, with a population of approximately 1.5 million.
The university in Puebla, University of the Americas, is internationally recognized for the fields of medicine and archeology.
As we entered the city there are a number of life-size trumpeting angels that can be seen guarding the city.
It is an understatement to say that Puebla has some of the most striking churches that we have seen to date and is definitely still on our “bucket list” to visit in more depth.
The Templo de Santo Domingo was probably one of the most striking churches in the city, both in color and facade, as well as the chapel inside housing the Virgin of the Rosary.
The interior of Templo de Santo Domingo is difficult to capture, with its many arches and gold leaf lined ceiling, but the chapel dedicated to the Virgin of the Rosary has to be seen to be believed.
The elaborate murals and the massive amount of gold leaf in the chapel left me with such a feeling of awe. This is an ornate chapel of unbelievable proportions.
Although the Cathedral below may not look as interesting as some churches from the outside, the inside revealed quite a few gems, although we were not able to photograph them due to a mass being held at the time we were there. The walls surrounding the chapel were beautiful, bedecked with angels on every pedestal.
The zocalo (plaza) is the focal point of this city, with the Cathedral, the residence of the Bishop of Mexico, and several shops and cafes bordering it.
From here we headed to Veracruz, where Carnaval was still in full swing.
Paint Your Landscape 