Basalt columns p-day to Pachuca and beyond

We took an excursion with Stan and Janet Call for a 2 hour drive north and east of the city.  We went beyond Pachuca to the basalt prisms near the town of Huasca de Campo.  They are one of Mexico's top natural wonders.  Sometimes when lava cools it forms into 5 or 6 sided columns.  These columns can be very tall as they were in this case.  Because there was a water source near by it seems to aid in the development of the columns.  We were able to walk down into this canyon of columns where water was falling off the top.  

The hanging bridge was a little scary especially when 80 school children started crossing it.  They tended to make it swing.  

The storage tunnels as seen from the basalt formations above.  

Interesting water works as seen from above.  Built over 200 years ago.  The water was a little dirty but the waiter said when they have an event there they open the head gates and flush out the pools so they are  clean. It is obviously used for weddings.

Inside the hacienda (the ranch) where they have updated a beautiful pool area as they also have a hotel and rooms now.

I want one of these zip line swings at the cabin.

The tunnels that we saw from above were used to store the sugar cane and grain grown at the hacienda.  The animals were and are also stored here.

The dome arched shaped tunnels are a great architecture feature.  

They went on and on and lower and lower even into a dungeon/jail area.

As with all the old structures here in Mexico even the pyramids are  made of rock or brick and then covered with stucco.  If the stucco wears off as it does in time the rock is left.  

Entering the Hacienda Santa Maria Regla was like stepping back in time 200 years.

Lunch at the Santa Maria Regla Hacienda

After viewing the basalt columns we drove just a few minutes away to the Santa Maria Reglas Hacienda.  The very old structures and architecture were amazing.  

There were a lot of haciendas or ranches in the colonial time of Mexico.  They have turned many of these into resorts with rooms for rent.  This was the imperial room that was very large.  it had a huge fireplace with a very tall chimney to warm the room.  The fireplace went into both sides of the room, the sitting room and the bed room area.  

The Spanish influence of a beautifully carved chest.

This imperial room had a very large red bathtub and a beautifully decorated mirror

This is the bedroom side of the room.  It has a big canopy bed with a view of the chimney and fireplace.  Again the influence of the carved Spanish furniture is seen in the bench.

Another carved chest  and a good view of the fireplace

The not so imperial suite had a wonderful remodeled job of these 200 year old rock structures.  Each of the rooms also has a sauna in the bathroom area.  

The sitting room with a piano.

After the prisms and the hacienda we went to the town of Mineral del Monte.  Dennis and I had already been there so it was a quick walk through to show the Call's.  This was a fun bakery.  They had a huge oven and this was the paddle that they used to take things in and out of the oven.  Very large oven.  

This oven was very interesting.

They don't really have brown sugar here like ours but as this woman showed us at their bakery they wrap the regular sugar in corn leaves and  bake it until it is brown and then uses it in their breads and cookies. It tastes a little like molasses.

This is amazing rock structure considering it was built 200 years ago.  

A cross, as a reminder of the very Catholic influence in this country.