Mine the beauty of Central Mexico

Whizzing down a winding highway at an alarming speed, we traveled in our tour guide Arturo’s competent hands over the Bajio plateau of Central Mexico. As we glimpsed semi-arid landscapes dotted with Acacia and Mesquite trees, he explained the region’s ecological history. Five hundred years ago, this high desert was densely forested. But the Spanish brought horses, sheep, goats and cattle, overgrazing brush while nibbling on the mesquite once the grass was all gone.

The European Union currently has plans to rewild this area, considered to be one of the 5 Great Forests of Mesoamerica, reforesting and restoring vegetation degraded by cattle. We need this! In the Bajio, are 17 species of oak and 150 species of birds. Not incidentally, Arturo Tirado Morales, naturalist and cultural historian, is also the local Audubon Society president. Everyone knows birds need trees and forest moderates climate change.

Before arrival of the Spanish, six original native civilizations included the Olmec, Maya, Teotihuacan, Toltec, Aztec and Mexica. Some disappeared, others died from disease, war or submission. Yet others intermarried.

Riding in Arturo's comfortable Jeep, we were literally tracing the steps of Spanish colonialists along the Camino Real or Silver Road, dating back to the 1500s, but moving at a much faster clip than the conquistadors on horseback.

When the colonialists were expanding their empire during the 16th and 17th centuries, they focused on Zacatecas for its plentiful and accessible gold and silver mining. Silver, gold and mercury form inside metamorphic rock created through the heat and high pressure of volcanic action.

The soil is extremely fertile from lava eruptions. Guanajuato’s silver production improved later on, once La Cata mine opened in the 1720s. Local mines were able to dig deeper with newly developed technology. Yes! Technology even in the 1700s.

Things started to look up for Guanajauto. The first Jesuit school was established, which evolved into the Universidad de Guanajuato where Arturo is currently professor. Water systems and a dam controlled flooding and aqueducts to power the mills. The riverbed tunnels that directed water to flow safely through the city are now used as roadways for automobiles.

In 1769, a rich silver vein was discovered at Valencia, transforming Guanajauto into the crown jewel of New Spain! Magnificent mansions, churches, temples and haciendas were built from sandstone.

By 1790, Guanajauto was producing more silver than any other place in the world. Of course, silver was needed to make coins. Even though we toss them away at the laundromat and car wash today, they were the world’s currency.

Indigenous Chichimecas were not as enthusiastic about mining as were the Spanish and a violent 50-year war broke out.

Arturo said the alleged Spanish holy mission to convert souls is a “nice story,” but they actually colonized Mexico to get its gold. I am not surprised.

Arturo led us through the historic center where the Garden de la Union is located. The baroque Teatro Juarez and Mercado Hidalgo loom large. Because the city sprang up within a canyon with a river running through, the city streets have no grid pattern whatsoever. Narrow pedestrian alleyways never follow a north - south - east - west direction and often climb unexpectedly, giving one a sense of continual discovery. Two or three of us were frequently getting separated from the group, having been distracted and then disoriented by the maze of converging pathways.

At last, we stopped for lunch at La Virgen de la Cueva where I was overjoyed to find a Libertad craft blonde ale awaiting and interesting local dishes for sampling.

Several historical cities are located along the “Bicentennial Route,” tracing the path of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla’s revolutionary army in the War of Independence, including Dolores Hidalgo, Sanctuary of Atotonilco, San Miguel de Allende, Celaya and Guanajauto.

On September 28, 1810, a rebel army entered Guanajauto and ignited a bloody battle at the public granary Alhondiga de Granaditas. We stopped en route at the statue of Juan Jose del los Reyes Martinez, aka “El Pipila.” An indigenous miner, Martinez battered down the granary door, set it afire and executed the aristocratic royalists hiding inside. At the end, most wealthy Criollo and Spanish families had either fled or been massacred. However, Guanajauto continued to thrive because of the silver mining.

Regretfully, we did not have time to explore the recently excavated Canada de la Virgen, an Otomi archaeological site founded about 540 A.D. and abandoned around 1040. The site was dedicated to the moon, sun and Venus. The Otomi people were sky-watchers and used astronomical criteria, religious beliefs and agricultural cycles to select the site, which faces celestial north where the stars spin in a circle throughout the year. The moon moves up the stairs of the pyramid as its cycle advances and falls in pyramid notches in the lunar calendar. That would be something to see.

Guanajauto is a completely livable city of about 200,000 residents with shops, restaurants, cultural activities, including a world renowned Cervantes Festival in October and moderate climate.