At the foot of the legendary
Popocatépetl and
Iztaccíhuatl volcanoes is
the majestic, peaceful city of
Puebla.
They say that Puebla, a lovely
colonial city, was entrusted to the
angels when it was founded, and this
is the source of its name: Puebla of
the Angels.
Those of us who live in Mexico City
are privileged to be near to Puebla,
just an hour and a half away by a
modern highway.
On May fifth, 1862, Puebla was the
scene of one of the historical
events that fill Mexicans with
pride: the victory of our army over
the French army, which was the
biggest in the world at the time.
This success would not have been
achieved without the heroic
participation of the
Zacapoazxtlas, the
courageous natives of the region,
who joined with the young
General Ignacio Zaragoza,
appointed by President Benito Juárez
to defend the land from the French
invasion.
Without knowing military strategy,
they armed themselves with sticks
and machetes, and overcame the
French, ennobling the name of
Mexico. From that year on, their
feat has been commemorated on the
5th of May every year.
Taking advantage of the fact that
another anniversary of this very
important event was approaching, we
had the opportunity to spend a
marvelous weekend in Puebla.
When we arrived, we went directly to
where the famous battle took place:
the Loreto and
Guadalupe forts. They are
half-destroyed constructions now,
but the idea of being at the exact
place where an event of such
importance for our country was most
exciting.
After staying there a while, we
decided to wander about Puebla,
appreciating the avenues and the
colonial buildings, which are the
best representation of colonial
Mexico.
We went downtown. There we saw the
typical town square or "zócalo",
with its bandstand, fountains and
doves that fluttered all around. To
one side, the great cathedral, the
loveliest that the Spaniards built
in Mexico.
The people of Puebla say that it was
once again the angels who, one
night, hung the enormous, heavy
Cathedral bell. It is normal to have
attributed to these celestial
beings, the truly superhuman effort
the indigenous people of the region
had to have made in order to place
this enormous instrument in its
position.
The bell is not the only interesting
feature of Puebla's Cathedral,
however, because it holds the work
of great Mexican artists like
Manuel Tolsá, who also
designed the Metropolitan Cathedral
of Mexico City.
While in the city's center, we
were able to enjoy the provincial
side of Mexico: the man that sells
balloons, the lady selling the
typical candies, children
selling crafts, a musical trio
playing Mexican songs from the 50's,
and by the fountain, some lovers
enjoying making Puebla even more
romantic.
Afterward, we walked along the
famous "Callejón del Sapo".
Things were in full swing when we
got there, and we were barely
able to make our way through the
customers and the marvelous crafts
and antiques for sale there, that
give this picturesque street its
reputation.
Obviously, we couldn't do without
eating "mole poblano"
and the patriotic "chiles en
nogada". Who wouldn't lick
their fingers over these dishes fit
for a king? Almost all the
restaurants in Puebla serve the
delicious enchiladas,
made of chicken with an exquisite
mole, topped with cream, cheese and
onion rings ... and in September,
the dishes are dressed in high style
with the delicious chiles
whose recipe is a true national
treasure.
For those with a sweet tooth, there
is nothing like the mouth-watering "borrachitos",
"cocadas", "besos de novia", "trompadas",
and of course, the famous "rompope"....
The State of Puebla, of which
the city of Puebla is capital,
stands out from the rest of the
Mexican States because of its
religious fervor, being one of the
most conservative places in the
country. This is seen in the
innumerable churches in the capital,
but in particular, in the wonderful
Cholula, the site of more than three
hundred churches that both visitors
and inhabitants have "turned" into a
thousand.
But this lovely state is also
characterized by a close
relationship with the past. Puebla
is one of the few states that
proudly preserves not only
traditions, but cities, where time
seems to have stopped.
An excellent example of this is the
mystic town of
Cuetzalan. We also took a
little trip through there, and
witnessed the enigmatic, traditional
nature of this city. Because of its
winding alleys that climb the
foothills of the Sierra,
women walk about attired like their
forebears, showing off their "huipil"
and their lovely headdress covered
with colored ribbons.
The balconies are always overflowing
with flowers, and at sundown the old
folk sit in a chair in the doorway
of their home, chatting or simply
remembering, while night falls and
the sky fills with stars.
One doesn't know which of the towns
and cities that form the State of
Puebla to go to: they are all
mysterious, religious, mystical and
beautiful. They all embrace the
Catholic faith without forgetting
their native heritage, something
that makes Puebla a State that
represents perfectly, the union of
races that make up the Mexican
people.
Click on the
pictures to enlarge them.
