Today Dolores Hidalgo is known primarily for its ceramics industry, started by Father Hidalgo, which provides income to well over half the city's population. The inexpensive and mass-produced output of the town is marketed throughout the world.
Ten of us decided to go as a group and take a day trip into Dolores Hidalgo. Around 10:30am, we walked the short distance to the road in front of the RV park, crossed over and about thirty seconds later we saw the bus coming. Great timing!
What a sunrise we woke up to!
From the RV park, the bus cost 40 pesos ($2.00 USD, $2.75 CAD) for the 30 km (18 mile) ride. Uneventful trip, and it dropped us at the terminal in Dolores Hidalgo just a couple of blocks from the main plaza.
First stop was for ice cream!
Besides the revolution and the pottery, Dolores Hidalgo is also known for it's specialty home made ice cream and the wide variety of oddball flavors. How about tequila ice cream? Maybe some shrimp ice cream? Or you could try some cheese ice cream. Among many others!
Statue of Father Hidalgo.
Big Christmas tree in the plaza.
We went into a small museum.
And we played dress up!
Lots of fun. Then, it was getting time for lunch. We wanted to eat in the market, but it was busy and very tough to find a place where all ten of us could eat together. So we split in two groups of five and Ruth went with one group and I went with the other. My group ordered hard shell tacos and the order did get confused a little, however we all ate what was put in front of us and it was delicious. I forgot to get photos! With a drink, it came to 50 pesos ($2.50 USD, $3.40 CAD) per person.
Ruth had enchiladas at the same price, but without a drink.
Next stop was the big ceramics shop. Ruth and I have been here a few times before, but it's an interesting stop because you get to tour the factory itself.
But we had to get there, and it was a 3 km (1.8 mile) walk each way. This is fine for part of the group, but the other part is not so mobile. We tried to get taxis right in the centro, but couldn't get any. So we walked up to the main street and tried to take a bus, but couldn't get accurate info from the people at the bus stop as to which one to take. So we started walking to the Soriana grocery store, figuring there would be taxis there. And we were right, but by then, the ceramics place was only 1 km away! Oh well... nothing wrong with a little exercise, and everyone made it!
Lots of different items for sale.
We wandered around the shop for a bit, and then went for the free tour...
Apparently 325 people work in this factory!
And half of the town's employable population is in some way related to the ceramics industry.
In various stages of production.
They have 7 huge gas fired kilns for baking the stuff.
Painters hard at work.
Finished product ready for shipping!
They ship this stuff all over the world. There was a shipment being prepared for Switzerland while we were there, and it is shipped out already pre-tagged with prices in Swiss Francs.
Yikes, there goes a load now.
Hope they don't hit a pothole!
We ordered taxis to bring us back from the factory to the bus station in the centro. When we bought our bus tickets, we told the girl we didn't need to go all the way to San Miguel de Allende, because the RV Park is 5 kms out on the road towards Dolores Hidalgo. So she sold us the cheaper tickets at 41 pesos. We didn't think anything of it because the bus into town had charged us 40 pesos. But when we got to a stop 2 kms from out destination, the bus driver told us to get off the bus as our tickets were only good that far! We ended up having to pay an extra 10 pesos each to get him to drive us that extra 2 kms!
It's always an adventure in Mexico!
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For the dog owner...
And in Canada...
It didn't take us long to get there, but then, Chris was driving! Nice memories there too. The ice cream is great!
ReplyDeleteIf Chris was driving then of course it wouldn't have taken long to get there! :-P
DeleteLove the ice cream there. :-)
Ah, now I know where most of my Mexican pottery comes from! I've bought a couple pieces in Mexico but the rest I pick up for a dollar or two at garage sales and thrift stores (people have no idea it costs way more in Mexico). Love the colours! That shot of the cathedral and the tree is very beautiful
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't all come the Dolores Hidalgo area but I bet a good chunk of it does. :-)
DeleteWe love the colours of the pottery as well.
Always an adventure! which is why we love it. and those revolutionaries from Canada really look scary - haha
ReplyDeleteWhen you are traveling in Mexico, you always have to be relaxed and just go with the flow because not everything works as smoothly as you might hope. We are really lucky because this group doesn't seem to be affected much by some of these little setbacks. :-)
DeleteNice to know that we "helped" them win the revolution! ;-)
Yikes. If they have topees (speed bumps) like we saw in Tulum I can imagine the pottery would not make it safely.
ReplyDeleteTrust us, they have topes here and that was my first thought when we saw that truck driving down the road. We can't understand how that load could safely make it to its destination.
DeleteWhenever a Mexican bus driver tells you to get off the bus, that's your cue to say, "¡No entendemos español!"
ReplyDeleteLol, that might work or it might not. We would rather just work it out with the driver. :-)
DeleteI would assume there is broken pottery all over the streets there. Beautiful stuff!!!
ReplyDeleteYou would think that but there isn't! :-)
DeleteThat sunrise!!!
ReplyDeleteYep, it was a beautiful one! :-)
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