Real del Monte

Jewelry at the market

On Saturday we celebrated the end of the school year, OANSA (Awanas) and as a big thank you to all of the youth who helped and served with the children we had a fun day!  The youth group is really more of a college group. We were going to go to a water park near by but we got rained out so instead we went to the mountains!

Grilled Mexican corn
They put mayonnaise and chili powder on it!

We went to the little town of Real del Monte, the first mining community outside of Pachuca. It was founded by Cornish miners in the late 16th century. So basically, it is a really old town that looks like a village in Europe with a view like Colorado with people who only Spanish. Or in other words, one of the most lovely places I've ever been. 

We walked the streets and looked through the markets. We went into the Cathedral there, every little pueblo has its own uniquely beautiful Cathedral.  You could tell the age of the church because there was a little bit of Islamic influence in the architecture,coming from Islamic-influenced Spain. 

A woman praying in front of a shrine

I found my mango! Too bad he's a statue!

We ate pastes, which actually stem from a kind of pastry in England.  Basically a fluffy pastry filled with meat or potatoes or fruit or whatever you want. Delicious. And Mexican hot chocolate with cinnamon!

All the girls!

Our rebellious Mexican clown

We went up to the English cemetery, which is exactly what it sounds like.  It was like being in England for a few minutes. All of the graves face toward the Atlantic, toward England.  The Mexican Romeo and Juliet are buried there in addition to hundreds of English miners.  There is also a Mexican clown buried there, who loved Mexico so much that instead of facing England is buried perpendicular to every other grave.

Youth group playing some card games