If you're going to Mexico to lose yourself, you'll have no problem doing so
on the streets of Guanajuato (gwah-nah-whah-toh). They seem designed for just
that purpose as they curl this way and that, becoming alleys or stairways, and
intersecting each other at different angles. At times it can seem like the Twilight
Zone; I've heard of people hurriedly passing by a curious-looking shop intending
to return later, and then never being able to locate it again. To make matters
worse, the streets are filled with things that can draw your attention away
from the business of getting from one place to another. The town is so photogenic;
everywhere you look is postcard material. Most buildings, like the streets,
are irregular in shape, creating a jumble of walls, balconies, and rooftops
meeting at anything but a right angle. The churches are the exception, having
regular floor plans, but even they show asymmetry -- despite the best efforts
of their builders, none has two matching towers, which only adds to their considerable
charm.
Founded in 1559, Guanajuato soon became a fabulously rich town, with world-famous
mines (such as La Valenciana, Mineral de Cata, and Mineral de Rayas) that earned
their owners titles of nobility. Along with Zacatecas and San Luis PotosÃ, Guanajuato
was one of Mexico's most important mining cities. From the 16th through the
18th centuries, the mines in these towns produced a third of all the silver
in the world, and Guanajuato bloomed with elaborate churches and mansions. Floods
plagued the city until the citizenry finally diverted the river, leaving a bed
for what has become a subterranean highway with cantilevered houses jutting
out high above the road. To improve traffic flow, the city has opened an impressive
network of tunnels (it is, after all, a mining town).
Still, on the surface Guanajuato seems like an old Spanish city dumped into
a Mexican highland valley. It's one of Mexico's hidden gems, explored by relatively
few foreign tourists, but popular with Mexicans. Picturesque and laden with
atmosphere, Guanajuato should be high on your list of places to visit.
