Queretaro

On Saturday June 27th I went with the other senior missionaries for an outing to the city of Queretaro.  We drove in a van and met Carlos Zapda and his wife Sylvia along the way and then followed them to the city where they showed us the sites.  Unfortunately Dennis stayed home because he would have been the only doctor on campus and he felt he was needed there. Queretaro is a Mexico independence city as it was there that an uprising was planned for September 15th.  The people rose up and defeated the Spanish army so they could have their freedom.  We went into the independence hall and saw a bust of the Mayor and his wife who help plan and institute the uprising.  

Carlos and Sylvia met each other in high school when the CCM was the Benemerito church school.  He graduated and then went on to become the high school principal. He now works at the CCM.  They live in Pachuca an hour north of the CCM. He  stays at the CCM from Monday through Friday and then drives home on Friday to his wife and returns again on Monday.  He has lived in Utah and speak English well.  His wife does as well.

They took us to brunch at Nico's restaurant where most of the couples had eggs.  I had a fruit plate and they served fresh bread plus an apple roll.

Me, Sylvia and Carlos, the Calls, the Beechers and the Gills

Carlos had divorced eggs. That is an egg dish with two eggs separated by black beans. One had a red sauce and the other a green sauce.  Sylvia had an egg, potato, cheese dish called tortilla because it was flattened with the hands like a tortilla

Sister Beecher in from of a pink VW bug.

We went to a park run by the government.  It cost only 1 peso to get in.  It was very well kept and seemed to be a very popular place for 15 year old girls to come and have their picture taken.  Evidently in this culture at the age of 15 the parents throw a big celebration sort of like a "coming out" party for their daughter.  There were three girls there dressed in formals with flowers and photographers.  It seems like their parents are pushing them a little to grow up.  Is this an invitation to be promiscuous early.    The event is called quinceanera and may involve a limo, parties, a fiesta, etc.

Benito Juarez is shown in this statue at the state park.  He has been the only indigenous Mexican president.

Pizza Hut delivery on moped

The traditional Mexico doll only much larger.

We were going to eat at this scenic restaurant by the reservoir but being short of time we ate fast food at Carl's Jr.  instead.