Peña de Bernal, Querétaro, Mexico

Peña de Bernal (in English: Bernal's Boulder or Bernal Peak) At 433 m (1,421 ft) it is one of the tallest monoliths in the world. Other tall monoliths include the Rock of Gibraltar and Sugarloaf Mountain. (Mount Augustus, in Western Australia, is sometimes credited to be the world's second largest monolith.

Peña de Bernal, Querétaro, Mexico (Picture taken by Gary, KGH).

Peña de Bernal is located in San Sebastián Bernal, a small town in the Mexican state of Querétaro.

Bernal town center (Picture taken by Gary, KGH).

According to Leonor López Domínguez of México Desconocido, the porphyrytic monolith was formed some 100 million years ago during the Jurassic period, when it must have been at least three times higher than today.

Trail head of Peña de Bernal (Picture taken by Gary, KGH).

A recent chemical analysis by researchers at the National Autonomous University of Mexico has determined that it is much younger—likely formed about 8.7 million years ago.

Panorama view from the top of Peña de Bernal (Picture taken by Gary, KGH).

Many people make a pilgrimage to the highest point hikeable, visiting a little chapel about halfway up.

Information Source : Wiki

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Church of the Immaculate Conception, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

The convent of this church, known as Las Monjas, was founded by Josefa Lina de la Canal y Hervas (1736-1770), the first-born of Manuel Tomas de la Canal (1701-1749).

Las Monjas Church, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico (Picture taken by Gary, KGH).

From the very first day of the convent’s foundation to the inauguration of the actual structure, Maria Josefa de la Canal worked arduously to sustain the project that she herself created—both in terms of financing and religious pursuits. Maria Josefa passed away five years after the official opening, on August 9, 1770.

Las Monjas Church, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico (Picture taken by Gary, KGH).

Initiated in 1755, the new convent took ten years to build, and upon completion, the nuns moved into their new home to commemorate the occasion on December 28, 1765. The church, however, remained unfinished, including the main towers, the bell tower and altars, which were completed during the first half of the 19th century.

San Miguel de Allende city view from Mirador (Picture taken by Gary, KGH).

Another important component that remained missing was the dome, and talented mason Zeferino Gutiérrez (also author of the Parroquia’s neo-Gothic façade) was called on to do the job. Assisted by the great Mexican artist popularly known as Dr. Atl, Gutiérrez found inspiration in the monumental church of Les Invalides in Paris.

Information source : Visit San Miguel

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Caesar’s Salad, Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico

Caesar’s Salad, Caesar’s Palace Hotel,Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico (Picture taken by Gary, KGH).

Cesare Cardini (February 24, 1896 – November 3, 1956) was an Italian American restaurateur, chef, and hotel owner, who is credited with creating the Caesar salad.

Hotel Caesar's, Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico (Picture taken by Gary, KGH).

After having worked in European gastronomy, Caesar went to the United States in his early 20s. He ran a restaurant in Sacramento, then he moved to San Diego where he was in the restaurant business. At the same time he engaged in the same business in Tijuana, where he could avoid the restrictions of prohibition.

Cardini is credited with having created "Caesar's salad" which became fashionable among Hollywood and other celebrities, especially after he had moved his restaurant a few blocks to the hotel built c. 1929 (nowadays called Hotel Caesar's).

Information Source : Wiki

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Parque Benito Juarez, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Parque Benito Juarez, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico (Picture taken by Gary, KGH).

The park grounds were once full of plentiful orchards and vegetable plots thanks to the water coming down from El Chorro. Dr. Hernández Macías wanted San Miguel residents to have a place for recreation, and also wanted to create a "lung" for the city, and so over a period of 9 years, from 1895 to 1904, he bought the orchards one by one and put them together to create this park, an extraodinarily beautiful sight when it opened 100 years ago.

Parque Benito Juarez, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico (Picture taken by Gary, KGH).

Specially chosen trees grew lush, pruned cedars and acacias graced the two original entrances on Diez de Sollano and Aldama (fomerly Calle de Hospital), lawns were dotted with calla lilies, and sculpted hedges lined the interior paths. The park also had two large cisterns, which would supply water in case El Chorro ran dry.

Parque Benito Juarez, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico (Picture taken by Gary, KGH).

Where today we see basketball courts was once a field full of sunflowers, with an impressive fountain in the middle. Though that fountain is gone, other fountains have been preserved. These all have low walls, letting us see reflections on the water.

Information Source : Welcome Sanmiguel

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Cathedral and Plaza de Armas, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico

Cathedral and Plaza de Armas, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico (Picture taken by Gary, KGH).

One of the Morelia downtown highlights is the baroque cathedral with its surrounding plazas: the Plaza de Armas. The cathedral is enormous, covering more than 2 city blocks in area. Architectural details like the flying buttresses and tiled cupolas give it a distinctive look.

Cathedral of Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico (Picture taken by Gary, KGH).

The Cathederal is the site for the local “Day of the Dead” celebration in early November. It is more of an experience than can be described here. Most of the activities take place after dark and especially on the weekend.

Information Source : Wikitravel

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