Unexpected Orizaba

Orizaba is the town the highest peak in Mexico, Pico de Orizaba, is named after, though the peak could not be easily seen all around town Orizaba. Our guidebooks didn't prepare us well. Instead of an industrial town, we arrived at a major tourist destination. It turns out people from Mexico City love coming to Orizaba for the mountains and clean streets. 

The city does an excellent job of keeping tourists busy. There are a ton of attractions for every taste.

• The municipal building has an Orozco mural.
• We really enjoyed the Veracruz State Art Museum. which holds 30+ Diego Rivera paintings, the second most important in Mexico. There was hardly anyone there when we visited.
• Everyone was on the river walk. The river is more like a creek this time of year. The few kilometers long walk is dotted with zoo exhibits with endemic animals, e.g. big cats, monkeys, alligators, ostriches, etc. This is the first time we came across this format. Since nowadays we are cold on zoos, this format has its merits.
• We had a little walk up to the top of the teleferico and were much surprised to see how many other people were foregoing the teleferico (the lines are long) and choosing to walk up instead.

From the front seat of the Veracruz to Orizaba bus, there were more-than-occasional good views of the "perfect" volcano Pico de Orizaba. Here's one.


The riverwalk and zoo and swinging bridges and stepping stones were very popular with weekend visitors.
















The Cathedral and Chapel facades! And the beautiful proportions of the interior featuring angels on columns.






Palacio de Hierro de Orizaba, across from the Cathedral, was designed by Gustave Eiffel.




Below are a few highlights of the "Diego Rivera, Artisa Universal" galleries at the Veracruz State Art Museum. The first below is fittingly his painting of the Pico de Orizaba. We enjoyed seeing the non-mural works of DR.












The museum is on one side of this beautiful courtyard.


Centro is busy in the evenings.




"Revolución Social”, the José Clemente Orozco mural in El Palacio Municipal de Orizaba.


Our second day, we walked up to the mirador from the north and came down to the south.


Snack time view (with air plants) to the western suburbs of Orizaba.




The park at the top of the teleferico (cable car) has walking trails, an observation tower, zip lines, a great view down to Orizaba, and more.














To the east of Centro, is the historic Poliforum Mier y Pesado, once a sanitorium, now a cultural center.




At the Poliforum, there is a statue to honor the person who is the Mexican voice of "Homero Simpson".


Finally a bonus of 2 short 15-second "murmuration of birds" videos.