Puebla Trip part 3
- To read part 1 of this trip log, about the Puebla portion of this trip click here.
- To read part 2 about the volcanoes portion of this trip click here.
Thursday: Atlixco and Cholula
After an outstanding breakfast at Casita de Barro we leisurely headed out for a 30 minute drive to Atlixco, “city of the flowers.” That slogan does not exaggerate! If you go to Puebla, I highly recommend a visit to this beautiful small town. Surrounded by fields of red and gold flowers, the town plaza was a feast for this eyes with every kind of flower you could imagine. Up top of the hill there is a lookout and church with a panorama of the entire area. I loved watching the farmers work the fields. Not only did we see lots of horse- and donkey-drawn plows, we saw hand plowing also! Here is where I finally saw the fields of cempasúchil I was longing for. Also in season were huge fields of red cockscomb. Click on any photo to enlarge it or view a slideshow.
From Atlixco we headed to Cholula for the final days of our trip. Here we stayed in a gorgeously remodeled hacienda that is now a boutique hotel, La Quinta Luna. I had reserved this hotel for a couple of reasons. First, not knowing how “rustic” the cabin at Casita de Barro might be, I wanted to end our trip on a high note. And two, another photographer that I follow online had recommended it as having a gorgeous view of both the volcanoes and the famous hilltop church, Shrine of Our Lady of Remedies. This hotel is pricier than what I normally pay. During our stay it was cloudy and the volcanoes never showed themselves. The hilltop shrine can be seen from anywhere in the city. So, the view we got was not worth the price. Danny and I would stay here again in a minute, however, as it was such a gorgeous and luxurious place. We had two queen beds in a huge room with super high ceilings, a separate bathroom, dining, sitting room and kitchen. And the room overlooked an indoor courtyard. The hotel has an incredible library and a rooftop sitting area. It was a terrific way to end our trip.
The big draw in Cholula, in addition to lots of gorgeous churches, is the largest pyramid by volume in the world, atop which sits Nuestra Señora de los Remedios. The climb is steep and the view spectacular. Danny and I were also very pleasantly surprised at what a terrific town it is for young people: very hip restaurants, bars and clubs, and a whole happening section of the city. It would seem to be a young adult’s dream. There is one area called Container City, with a bunch of bars and restaurants housed in shipping containers. Two other places I absolutely want to recommend to you. One is Recaudo, an organic/vegan restaurant with food and drink that is seasonal and beyond delicious! The second is a handmade chocolate shop by the name of Ki Xhokola. You do NOT want to miss it! In Cholula we bought several types of mole pastes to bring home; can’t wait!
I of course had to go out at night in Cholula to take some photos as well.
This is the final entry in the Puebla trip log; I trust you enjoyed it and, more importantly, will thoroughly enjoy your trip when you make it!
¡VidaMaz! 