Tlaxcala

Tlaxcala is the capital of the Mexican state of Tlaxacla and is located, like Puebla, just an hour from Mexico City. We stopped there to meet up with friends of my cousin, to visit to the nearby archaeological site of Cacaxtla, and to visit the small town of Huamantla; but there was more in store for us than just that.

It turns out that Tlaxcala is a great place to visit and even better when you hang out with new friends. One guide book said you could waste a whole day just wandering around the streets of Tlaxcala. Agreed. And there's great transportation connections although we were ferried out to Huamantla by Ana in her Jeep.

For a change, I won't mention the churches, parks, vegetarian restaurants, ruins, and museums; but will show a few in the photos below. Instead, the highlights of our two days in Tlaxcala were getting to know Ana and her sons; getting a tour of the bullring in Huamantla; and finally getting a sunny day in which we could see three of the Central Mexican volcanos: La Malinche, Popocatepetl (Popo), and Iztaccíhuatl (Izta).

Although we would never attend a bullfight ourselves, they are a part of Mexican culture and seeing the backstage sections of bullring plaza de toros was pretty cool: the corrals that hold the bulls, the some chapel where the matador says maybe his last prayer before he goes out to face the bull. Turns out that Ana has a relative that used to manage a bullring so she was pretty knowledgeable.

The murals at Cacaxtla were cool but the highlight was the bus ride where we first had a view to La Malinche to the east and then the twin volcanoes of Popo and Izta to the west.

Great visit to Tlaxcala. And although I stated above that I would not mention food, Zana-Hora Comida Vegetariana (CALLE XICOHTENCATL No.21-B, COL. CENTRO) in Tlaxcala was even better that the nearly similarly named La Zanahoria in Puebla.

Tlaxcala, Mexico.


The Plaza de Toros (bullring) in Tlaxcala.


La Basílica de Ocotlán is worth the 20 minute uphill leg-stretcher from Centro.


Sun-Ling and Ana at Hacienda Soltepec La Escondida in Huamantla.


Basilica Nuestra Señora de la Caridad - Huamantla, Mexico


The recently covered Plaza de Toros La Taurina in Huamantla.


The red door is opened and the bull runs down the corridor and out into the ring.


The small chapel just outside the ring where the matador may say his last prayer.


Ana and Sun-Ling "behind the scenes".


Meal at Zana-Hora featuring encamisados (left), baked chile poblano relleno, and alambre (right).,


The murals in the Palacio de Gobierno of Ciudad de Tlaxcala entitled "The history of Tlaxcala" were created from 1956 through 2000 by Desiderio Hernandez Xochitiotzin.




We finally see Popo and Izta on the way to Cacaxtlan.


The ancient murals at the Cacaxtlan ruins. The site is covered by a huge roof.