Saturday in Aguascalientes

Paul's second area as a missionary was in Aguascalietes, Mexico some 47 years ago.   He wondered how much things had changed since then.  Our hotel was right next to the central plaza with its impressive cathedral.  Paul remembered as missionaries they asked and were permitted to climb to the bell towers of the cathedral.

The Virgin of the Ascention

Paul remembered the government building with its mural inside.  We had a guide kindly explain the mural to us that explains Mexico's quite complicated and sad history on its road to independence.  Some of the mural was recently added but some of it was here during Paul's mission.

Aguascalientes state governor's office is here as well as several large murals.

Our guide also explained that we happened to have arrived on a weekend they were having a celebration on the city plaza.  Normally it is empty but while we were there, it filled with people and kiosks.  .

We saw older buildings that have served different functions over the years but were still standing. 

Mexico's 1917 constitution was signed in this building.

We saw a double decked trolley and asked if we could climb aboard to see more of the city.  The San Marcos Fair is a huge yearly event from mid-April into May.  

We saw the bull fight ring that is only used during the San Marcos celebration

 This is the area where merchants set up only for The San Marcos fair.

Out west of town we saw the mountain sillouhette of a body with head on the left and feet on the right

The bulls are represented.

Catrina on the Isla de San Marcos.

Pope John Paul visited here in 1985

Don Quixoti and Sancho Panza

After our tour of the city, we went to the central market that was still there and still busy after all of these years.  This is where Paul bought his woolen Mexican blankets years ago but they don't sell them now.

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 On Monday, we returned to the market so Paul could buy an Aguascalientes t-shirt and a chess set.

We made our way to the train station that was functioning during Paul's first mission but is now a museum.

In the train station there is a miniature copy of a famous 75 foot high statue called "The Broken Christ"  located 20 miles away but we didn't take the time to visit the original.  This statue seemed more life-size.

Aguascalients [hot waters] was named for the hot springs that flow from a spring.  The spring below no longer seems to function and they are remodeling the area.  It functioned very well when Paul saw it last--47 years ago--but things change.