Mural, Cosala and Cow

New header but don't really like it. Maybe I can get a better one at sunset.
Tuesday our 54th day on the road. Got gas this a.m. [price of gas here is controlled by the government and it has gone up from 7.72 pesos to 7.88 since we’ve been here – about US$2.40 per gallon.] Then took a ride out to the new International Convention center to look at the mural on the side of the building. It is beautiful. Kind of three dimensional mosaic. It’s 82 feet high and the width of the building. Designed by a 17 year old high school student. Over a half million pieces of mosaic. Got a couple of pictures of it before the guard yelled “NO!” at me and ran us off. ???? It’s a public place for crying out loud. (remember click on pic to make it bigger)
Then we took a ride inland to Cosalά. When we left Las Glorias we thought about going there in Jennie. Now I’m glad we didn’t. From Mazatlan we drove east to the Libre (free road MX15). Then north on it for around 60 miles. It was a very good road. Two lane but with some shoulder and pretty smooth.
The only problem was if you got stuck behind a slow moving truck. In Willie it was no problem, he has enough power to pass in a short distance. In Jennie I think (just my thoughts not The Drivers) that it would be very difficult to pass. Got to the Cosalά turn off and the road was fine for about ten miles, then we ran into construction – turned into one lane dirt.
Again okay in Willie – in Jennie??? After the construction the road was partly pavement and partly pot hole – seemed like a lot more pot hole than asphalt. And some really gnarly topes in a couple of towns. In fact the topes were so bad you practically had to walk over them. At each tope were children selling home made bread and rolls. Didn’t buy any but it looked good.
See the size of that tope! Nasty bugger.
Cosalά itself is a neat little town. Founded by the Spaniards in the mid 1500s as a mining town. It is now a Pueblo Magico. Very colorful and very few tourists.
There is a nice central plaza with a lot wide walking and sitting areas surrounding it.
Lots of cobblestone and very very high sidewalks. At one time the rain must have really been a problem here. Some places there are as many as five steps from the street to the sidewalk. The stones are worn out from years of feet.
This is one of the old buildings from the 1600s. It’s been repainted but appeared to be vacant.
Next door was the Municipal Palace with its two stories and center courtyard. Very busy with people coming and going.
In the street in front of these buildings were lots of iron benches and places to eat. The older men of the town occupied most of the benches.
We stopped at a really nice restaurant for lunch. El Pueblito – very pretty inside.
And they had a little green parrot who was talking and talking. Sounded like he was having a conversation with attitude. Funny to listen to.
Several of the streets off the plaza are now walking only streets. Lined with brightly painted buildings housing little stores and businesses.
The church named for the Patrona de Cosalά, Santa Ursula, was first built in 1604 and added to in the 1800s. It is very stately with its one bell tower and copula in the rear.
Inside it is very pretty with glass chandeliers, black and white tiles floor and a beautiful blue ceiling in the copula.
Walking around we passed a hardware store with a big display of paint cans and their colors.
Next to it was a very pretty hotel and a dentist office.
Up the street a ways we came across a vendor selling marlin from the back of his maroon pickup. Kept the fish in a cooler and had a scale to weigh out the purchases.
Seemed like every vehicle that passed us had their radio on loud and on different stations. A variety of music available depending on the age of the driver.
While driving the very narrow streets we even found a Chinese restaurant.
Can just see it on the left - talk about a narrow street!
Only spent a couple of hours there as we wanted to get back to Mazatlan before it got dark. Pleasant day and pretty little town.
On the way back I did see this – cow and calf on outside of fence bull inside. Imagined the conversation Cow to bull – “See what you did to me! I’m out here with the baby fending for myself and you’re in there being taken care of and fed!”
Bulls……..