The sidewalk café, with the blue umbrellas, is where we eat, so far. The setting is relaxing and pleasant. Across the street is a park as seen in this photo taken from our balcony window ...
The park's Gazebo is a delicately designed charmer with refined detailing. It was made in Belgium. Here is a more complete view of it. Musical performances are presented there in the evening.
It is interesting to see how people frequent this park, especially in the evening. The park benches fill up providing a market for sidewalk vendors who pass by offering ice-cream, yogurt, candy, etc.
Another feature of this town square is that it is lies across the street from a large church. This church has bells and is not afraid to use them. Quasimodo lives in Colima! When it's time for bells, as in the middle of our breakfast this morning, the bell-ringer hurls himself into his work with amazing gusto and perseverance. There are dings and dongs, bings and bongs, clangs and bangs, and crescendos of ear-splitting clamor that last for about five minutes. This is a *long* time to be hearing bells. And just when the performance appears finally to be petering out with a diminishing sequence of dings, old Quasimodo reaches for a rope to awaken a colossal bonging behemoth that sends the whole neighborhood out of focus every time the clapper hits metal. All conversation, and even thinking, is abruptly halted by the ringing of the bells, bells, bells, bells, bells.
From the roof of our hotel I was able to photograph the Colima volcano. Although I've seen an extinct volcano (Mount Royal) and although I've seen a dormant volcano (Mount Vesuvius), this is the first time I've seen an active one and just knowing molten rock is cooking up there does make it interesting.
And now for a word about dancing dogs...
From what I've read, the dancing dogs concept originates with the ancient natives of Mexico. The leading dog is older and part of his decoration includes stripes. He is supposed to be dancing with a young dog. This reportedly represents the older generation passing along its wisdom to the younger one. If only it were that simple, huh?
Meanwhile, we have noted that Colima is not at all a tourist-intensive place. In fact, at the moment we might be the only non-Mexicans around. We sure stick out from the crowd. This being January we see many locals in long pants, long-sleeve shirts, sweaters, hoodies, jackets and boots. We're wearing shorts and summer tops. Hey, it was over 90 degrees F. today!
1 comment:
This is a very clean, charming colonial city. It looks very European and has a certain sophistication about it. Our hotel is a national heritage sight. Our room is 16 feet high, with ornate ceiling mouldings, feels palatial. You see glass storefronts and no bars on windows which is so different from the norm. People are definitely gawking at us. We are soooooo tall and white.
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