We are back from Colima (part 2)

Our first day started by loading the car and heading to Colima, no problems other than a couple of nasty topas (speed bumps) that cleaned off the bottom of the Echo. The traffic wasn’t bad at all and we stopped at the toll booth and had the tasty Tuna sandwiches that Mary supplied. As we got to the highway bypass at Colima we discovered that the whole thing is being updated, with new overpasses and detours. Well,,, unfortunately we found ourselves almost downtown before we could find somebody that gave us correct directions to our hotel.

The courtyard between sections of the hotel.

Anyhow we were checked in to our rooms and relaxing with drinks and munchies by 2:30. We decided to take a cab and check out the “Liverpool” Mall and “Home Depot” next door. I got a hose, hanger and nozzle for our terazzo, but most everything was way more expensive than at the local hardware stores. At the mall Betty found perfume she was looking for and I was able to buy some Glucosomine that I haven’t been able to get here in town. The mall is pretty big and they are expanding it to include a “Sears”, but about half of the stores are empty,,, go figure. The area around the mall seems to be undergoing massive construction projects, so I guess someone expects the area to thrive. We grabbed another cab and went to the Super Wall-Mart down town, bought a bunch of stuff that is hard to find here in town.

Waiting for our supper.

 

We had supper at the hotel dining room, very good food, but a little pricy, almost Canadian prices. We then grabbed a taxi to center town to wander around one of the the Jardins (town square) and take in the sites and sounds of Mexico. There are many, many Jardins in Colima, each with a historical theme, you could spend days just exploring these parks. Nothing too exciting going on, as it was Wednesday, but the atmosphere of 300 year old buildings, people strolling in the park, the smells of foods being prepared outside on the storefront cafes is what makes me love this place. A look inside one of the museums and the grand cathedral, I wanted to visit the Hidalgo Theater which was built in 1871 and we had seen it in the daylight the last time Betty and I drove back in 2009. As we approached the theater we were ushered in to see a Historical presentation of the “Conquest of Colima” being put on by the special education department of the Colima school system. An attendant found us seats on the second level balcony and as we entered through the velvet drapes we were surprised to find that this portion of the play was performed by children and young adults with hearing and speaking problems and they were all using sign language and when there was a break the audience showed their appreciation by waving their hands back and forth, we and a few others quickly stopped clapping, it was very emotional. We stayed for another couple of performances and because we didn’t understand most of what was going on in Spanish, we thanked our hosts and took our leave.

Just part of this fantastic theater, there are five balconies.

It never ceases to amaze me, how the Mexican people will take us strangers in and give us their warm hospitality. We always seem to luck into something or someplace to experience things we just never could find around Cornwall.

A cab back to the hotel about ten o’clock and we fall into bed exhausted.

More tomorrow,,, I hope.

Dan