Tepotzotlan outing June 19, 2015

Today was our preparation day so we went on an outing with the other senior couples.  Stan and Janet Call, Neal and Jackie Beecher, Fred and Nancy Gill went to the city of Tepotzotlan.  We went in a CCM van and Fred drove while Stan navigated.  The city is about a 45 minute drive north west of mexico.  We went over the hill with the "B" that stands for Benemerito and drove north on very crowded streets.  Fred did very well to navigate.

The city was was populated in Aztec times and was later known as a city for the Indians.  (or in my reference it was a city for the Lamanites who remained after Christ has come)  Later it became a major education center when the Jesuits established a College of San Francisco Javier.  The college complex that grew from its beginnings in 1580 remained as an education center until 1914.

Today this complex of colleges units is the home to the Museo del Virreinato (Museum of the Vice Regal or Colonial Period).  We went through that museum and then went to dinner just outside of the official museum but in part of the church/school grounds.  We then walked around the town and shopped at the small outside stores.  I bought a little purse at a tienda where two sisters were selling the bags their mother made.  Sister Beecher and Gill bought many bags.  I just needed a small one to put on my shoulder and carry my key and phone and notebook as I go across this campus.

On the way home we stopped at Walmart and bought groceries and supplies.



Tepotzolan Cathedral

We encountered this little alley after we parked and walked to the town.

What colorful "junk food" was sold in the plaza.

The Beechers, the Gills and the Calls with the cathedral in the back ground

Before the priests entered the holy church they went into this room and washed themselves with water from the fountain and then changed their clothes into holy clothes that were in the cabinets shown in the pictures below.

  

The priests took a vow of poverty and then worshiped  in a gilded cloister.  This was just one of the many walls covered with baroque gold decorations.  This wall was dedicated to the priest Guadeloupe.

stairs going up to the organ loft

more detail of the gilded  walls.  The area of Mexico is rich with gold and silver

the organ

Nancy Gill leading the choir with the organ and the bellows in the back

Stan and Janet from the organ loft looking down in the the gilded walls

a view from the top of the cathedral

In the outside plaza and orange groves

At the restaurant inside and on the grounds of the Cathedral, Beautiful bougainvillea.

making fresh tortillas in the town

The two girls who ran this shop are church members.  We all bought purses and bags from them.  They showed us a picture of their mother as she sat on the ground and wove the fabric for the scarfs and bags.  They said she would send me via email a picture of their mother.