Puebla: The Jewel Of Diversity

PUEBLA

Take a break from the routine of beach vacations and visit a city filled with a wealth cultural history, a culinary marvel, and a background of diversity.  So, does such a place exist?  Of course, and it is named Puebla!

Officially this city is named Puebla de Los Angeles (Puebla of the Angels).  It came to be known by such a name due to the legend behind it, which led to its establishment in 1531.  It is often told that a group of angels guided the bishop, Julian Garces, to the exact location of land where the city lies now.  It was in a dream where Garces saw a field in between two rivers and one running through it.  In this same dream, two angels delineated the exact land where he was to build the city.  As it so happens, Garces (accompanied by several other people) went in search of this place and found it!  Incidentally, the land was known as Cuetlazcoapan, which means “Where the Serpent Changes its Skin,” to the native indigenous people.  Of course, if you don’t believe in legends you should know that Puebla was also built out of necessity.  Puebla is located exactly between Mexico City and Veracruz, which were two vital cities for the newly arrived Spaniards.  Not only was Puebla built because a shorter commercial route between the Mexico City and Veracruz was necessary, but because the Spaniards wanted a city away from the indigenous people.  Nevertheless, the indigenous’ hard labor was imminent for labor and the construction of buildings.  As a result, members of the indigenous tribes, Tepeaca, Cholula, and Huejotzingo, were allowed to settle at the city’s outskirts.  Due to its location being central to commerce, Puebla’s economy boomed.  It’s important to include that fact that part of the transportation and commerce was done with China in the Philippines.  As a result, Puebla adopted some aspects of Chinese culture and to this day, Puebla’s ceramic art bears witness to this.

Ever hear of “Cinco de Mayo?” Well, in 1861 the then newly appointed indigenous Mexican President, Benito Juarez, refused to pay a debt owed to Europe.  As a result, the following year three major European countries, France, England, and Spain, sent delegates and troops.  The negotiations failed, somewhat, and England and Spain vowed out of the conflict. At the same time, Mexican conservative forces were concerned with the newly appointed President, who was perceived as an enemy of the Catholic faith, had been ordained a 33rd degree Mason and received considerable support from the emerging Yankee power from the North. Conservatives argued that the Americans had just annexed half of the land of Mexico and were determined to subvert Mexico’s political traditions and impose a liberal Democratic government. Democracy, they thought, was a mechanism to control the direction of Mexico by way of total control of public opinion, and which would bring about economic ruin. Mexican conservative forces were paranoid, and concluded that France, being a Monarchy, a Latin and Catholic country and at the time a tour de force in the world, should integrate Mexico into it’s empire and protect it from the United States of America.   France agreed.  France proceeded with the plan of taking over Mexico and appointed Charles de Lorencez as the man to do the job.  On May 5th of the year 1862, over 6 thousand French troops faced 2 thousand Mexicans led by General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin.  As we now know, Mexico was victorious and that battle has come to be known as “La Batalla de Puebla” (The Battle of Puebla) and “El Cinco de Mayo.”  Also, due to this victory the city was renamed as “Heroica Puebla de Zaragoza” or Heroic Puebla of Zaragoza. Nonetheless, the French continued their advance and were successful in establishing a Viceroy from the house of Habsburg, in Mexico. From this era, Mexico gained French cultural influences that persist to this day, such as the Mariachi music, the establishment the nowadays very popular music from Sinaloa. In fact, many Mexicans today have French ancestry and surnames that descend from France.

After this event, the city remained the same, in terms of commerce and prestige.  Business was so great that it even branched into the textile industry; in fact, Puebla was the leader of this industry.  Another result of Puebla’s continuous economic success was an inflow of European and Eastern European immigration.  People came from all over Europe, including Italy, Spain, Germany, and France.  There were even people from Lebanon migrating to Puebla.  The result of Puebla’s increasingly diverse population can be seen today in the city’s culinary delicacies, streets, monuments, museums, and other buildings.  As a matter of fact, some people still maintain their original languages!  For instance, a group of Italians settled in the outer parts of the city at the end of the 16th century and to this day they have kept their culture and their language.  Another group that has made its mark in the city is Germans.  They built their own neighborhood with typical building found in South East Germany.  They not only established a Lutheran church but also a college, “Colegio Aleman Alexander von Humboldt.  In fact, the city of Puebla celebrates the renowned German holiday, Oktober Fest.  Thanks to such a diverse background, Puebla’s cuisine is one of the most delicious in the world.  When you visit, you must taste the staple and tradition of Puebla: El Mole Poblano.  This can best be described as chicken or sometimes turkey cooked with a special thick dark sauce made of chocolate, peppers, and many other spices.  Another traditional delicacy is Chiles en Nogada or poblano peppers stuffed with fruits and meat and then covered with a creamy nut and pomegranate sauce.   Tacos Arabes (Arab Tacos) are made of roasted seasoned meat or sometimes pork inside a wheat tortilla.  Perhaps as a desert, you might want to try some Camotes, which are like sweet potatoes or yams.  And for drinks, you have to try some rompope, which is an alcoholic beverage.  Hmmm!

After a delicious meal, you’ll want to explore the city.  In Puebla there are so many places to go and things to see that I don’t know where to begin!  Why not start with something prehistoric: La Gran Piramide de Cholula(The Great Pyramid of Cholula).  This pyramid, built in the times before Christ, is bigger than the Pyramid of Gizah in Egypt!  It consists of a series of trapezoids stacked.  What’s even more incredible is that this pyramid even has a number of extensive underground tunnels!  At the top of the pyramid you’ll find a church that was built according to Hernan Cortez’s orders.  It was used in the 16th century to convert the Aztecs to Christianity.  The church is called, La Iglesia de los Remedios or The Church of Remedies.

Another interesting sight is Fuente a la China Poblana (Fountain of the Puebla China Woman).  This is a fountain in memoriam of a legendary Indian woman who came to be known as the “China Poblana” or very loosely translated, “The China Woman from Puebla.”  Legend has it that Mirrha, her birth name, was born in Delhi, India.  She was kidnapped by pirates when she was nine years old.  She was soon sold as a slave to a Portuguese merchant who later sent her to a man from Puebla (Don Miguel de Sosa) who had previously asked him for a young Chinese slave.  The “Chinese slave” was adopted by Sosa and his wife, who renamed her Catarina de San Juan.  Upon the death of the couple, Catarina married Domingo Suarez, who was a Chinese servant at a local church.  What caught the attention of the people of Puebla at the time were Catarina’s acts of kindness and charitable efforts and of course, her attire.  Upon the death of her husband, Catarina joined a convent and furthered her charitable cause. Obviously, as you can see, she was not really Chinese, but rather, from India, therefore the name is a bit of tongue in cheek pun in itself, to allude to the ignorance of previous centuries, when an Indian woman was taken as being Chinese.

Another place to visit is “El Centro Civico 5 de Mayo.”  This “civic center” is composed of nine separate units atop an impressive hill that oversees the grandeur of the city.  “El Museo de la No Intervencion en el Fuerte de Loreto,” “Museo de Antropologia” (Museum of anthropology), “Fuerte de Guadalupe,” “Expo Puebla” (where the annual state fair is held), “La Sala de Exhibiciones,” El Planetario” (a planetarium), “Museo de Historia Natural” (Museum of Natural History), “Plaza de Toros ‘El Relicario’” (Bullring), and “Auditorio de la Reforma.”

El Zocalo de Puebla is another magnificent place to visit.  This is an extended park and during the weekends don’t be surprised to find it filled with musicians and a variety of other entertainers keeping the crowds in awe.  After you get your dose of fun entertainment, just walk across the street and visit Mexico’s most beautiful church, La Catedral de la Concepcion Inmaculada (Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception).  This cathedral has two identical towers that seem to touch heaven, incredible!  If you’d like to do some shopping, then go to El Caledon de Los Sapos, or The Alley of the Toads.  The set-up is like a swap-meet, but unlike to traditional swap-meet, this place has antiques, original and typical local art, restaurants, and you’ll even find a few bars.  If you’d like to enjoy a little of Puebla’s night life, which includes live music, then come here on Friday and Saturday night.  In fact, a local tavern sells alcohol made out of fruits including one called “pasitas” made out of raisins.  Another place for some shopping is Mercado de Artesanias El Parian.  Here you can find anything typical of Puebla, from ceramics to textiles to art, and even candy.  Puebla also has a first-class zoo.  Unlike most zoos, Africam Safari is more of a wild park where the animals are roaming freely in a replica of their natural habitat, similar to the San Diego Wild Animal Park, so don’t worry; you get to see everything up close and personal from the safety of your reinforced vehicle.

One of the best parts about Puebla is the proximity of the attractions.  For instance, once you visit El Zocalo all you have to do is keep walking north and you’ll be amazed by the following ten blocks of interesting sights.  Right there in the Zocalo you can see the Municipal Palace which is an excellent example of the Spanish-French renaissance architecture.  After this, you can see the Museo Universitario, also known as Casa de los Muneco or Doll House, built in the 1600s.  This Museum was built using red brick and hand-made talavera tiles; talavera is a white and glazed type of ceramic used for vases, decorations, and so on.  Special cartoons are painted on the tiles, and this is what gives the museum the name of House of Dolls.  Following this is the Iglesia Del Espiritu Santo where the local folk hero, La China Poblana, is buried.  This church was built in 1578 and inside you can appreciate the Iberian-Muslim style and Italian facade.  Another establishment you can’t miss is Biblioteca Palafoxiana-Casa de la Cultura.  This place, built in 1646, is often host to many cultural events.  The second story is the one that houses the library and this you must see to believe.  It houses over fifty thousand books neatly organized in shelves carved out of cedar wood; the floors are decorated with a unique red-colored tile, and wait ‘till you see the desks.  The desks are embedded with onyx!  After this marvel, you’ll soon find yourself staring at the Greek-Roman style of Puebla’s oldest house known as Casa del Dean.  Inside you can stare even longer at the incredible murals that remained unseen until their discovery in 1930.  Onyx seemed to be quite popular in Puebla’s churches, for some of these including Iglesia de San Cristobal and Iglesia de Santo Domingo-Capilla del Rosario feature onyx- encrusted or onyx-covered decorations.  If you’re an admirer of religious art you must visit the Ex-Convento de Santa Monica (Ex or Former Convent of Saint Monica), which used to be a hidden convent and as so you must cross through a house and a hall in order to get to it.  One particularly interesting sight is an image of Jesus Christ on the cavalry or his crucifixion; it can be seen inside the Templo de Santa Monica.

Lastly, one can’t mention that fact that Puebla is surrounded by three well-known volcanoes, with the following indigenous names: Popocatepetl, Matlacueyatl (also known as La Malinche), and Iztaccihuatl.  So do not be alarm to suddenly see a light breeze of ashes.  But more soothing is the thought of fresh summer showers, as they’re very common here.  So dress lightly, pack a sweater, wear comfy shoes, and don’t forget your umbrella!  But before you pack, see it first at www.patawalk.com!

About the Author

I’m an English instructor. I love my career because it allows me to work with students of all ages (from children in kindergarten to mature adults in college) and walks of life.  I have a B.A. in English from San Diego State University and have recently obtained my M.A., also in English, from National University.  During my free time I travel and write short articles for the Patawalk Virtual Tours website (www.patawalk.com).  This site takes visitors into fully mapped virtual tours in 360 formats of amazing places such as Cancun, Mexico. It’s like being there!

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