Puebla
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Puebla is a city in Mexico. It is located in the Puebla Valley, surrounded by volcanoes and snow-capped mountains, slightly over 110 kilometers (68 miles) south-east of Mexico City. The city proper in 2005 had a population of 1.5 million people, while the metropolitan area had a population of 2.1 million.
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[edit] Understand
The city of Puebla is the fourth largest city in Mexico with 2.1 million inhabitants and the Capital of the State of Puebla. It was founded on April 16, 1531 as "La Puebla de los Ángeles". It was the first city in central Mexico founded by the Spanish conquistadors that was not built upon the ruins of a conquered Amerindian settlement. Its strategic location, halfway between the port of Veracruz and Mexico City, made it the second most important city during the colonial period. During the seventeenth century, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz lived in the city until her confrontation with the Bishop of Puebla.
The city’s main claim to fame, however, is Cinco de Mayo, a festival commemorating the May 5, 1862 defeat of a French expeditionary army by Mexican general Ignacio Zaragoza. It was after this battle that the name of the city was changed to "Heróica Puebla de Zaragoza". The forts where the battle took place are a major tourist attraction of the city and the site of an annual month-long carnival marking the anniversary of the battle. The city is also famous for its cuisine, being said it is this city where "Mole" -a famous mexican spicy thick sauce- was invented.
[edit] Get in
Traveling to Puebla from Mexico City is fairly straightforward and can be best accomplished via bus. There are two major bus terminals with continual service to and from Puebla throughout the day and night: first is TAPO (occasionally known as Terminal Oriente) and the Benito Juarez International Airport. Taking an Estrella Roja bus from the airport costs about $170 pesos (~$17USD) for a one-way ticket or $320 pesos (~$32USD) for a roundtrip. A one-way ticket on ADO or Estrella Roja from the TAPO usually runs about $40 or $50 pesos (~$4 or $5 USD). Buses leave for Puebla approximately every half hour from both locations.
There are two bus terminals in Puebla: the Centro de Autobuses Puebla (CAPU), the main bus terminal, and Estrella Roja’s 4 Poniente bus terminal (only Estrella Roja buses go there). Both ADO and Estrella Roja run buses to the much larger CAPU. If you’ve never visited Puebla before, the CAPU is your safest bet to get you to your final destination; there are secure taxis and the CAPU is a major intersection of several public transportation bus lines (known as combis or camiones).
[edit] Get around
Traveling within Puebla can sometimes be stressful as the local public transportation system is entirely privatized, leading to hundreds of bus routes, none of which are mapped out. If you know where you are going, you can ask around as to which route will take your destination, but often transfers are necessary for long-distances, which can be confusing, especially if you are not familiar with the language. The general fare rate is $4pesos (~$0.40USD) for combis. (Safety note about buses: they are generally safe, but they tend to carry pickpockets, especially when crowded. Always have a hand over any bags/backpacks that you have.) The buses generally run from about 7am to 10pm.
Taxis are, naturally, more expensive, but in Puebla they are almost always safe. They tend to run between $40-$70pesos for a ride. Negotiating a fare before entering a taxi is normal as the taxis do not carry meters in Puebla. If the taxista does not offer you a fare that you like, you can always just wave them off and wait for the next taxi.
List of Taxi Companies in Puebla
[edit] See
- Los Fuertes (Fuerte de Loreto and Fuerte de Guadalupe) - The forts, which sit atop the Cerro de Guadalupe is where the Battle of Puebla took place on May 5, 1862. This successful defense of the city by General Ignacio Zaragoza from invading French forces is commemorating every year in Puebla throughout the month of May and specifically on May 5 (Cinco de Mayo in Spanish).
- Zocalo (City Center)- Puebla historic downtown contains beautiful colonial architecture and was granted UNESCO's world heritage status in 1987.
- Cathedral - Built between 1575 and 1640 and has two of the tallest church towers in Mexico.
- Palafoxian Library - A library built in the 18th century which contains a unique collection.
- Los Sapos (Art District)- Many painters have ateliers offering their paintings and a block away, every Saturday and Sunday there is a flea market where you can find handcrafts and some antiques.
- Flowers in Atlixco
- Metepec
- Huey Atlixcáyotl - A festival in the municipal of Atlixco that occurs the last Sunday of September.
- Cuaxcomate, the world's smallest volcano (now extinct), is located in Puebla.
- Cholula - A neighboring town 10 kilometers away filled with as many as 365 churches and an archaeological site.
- Africam Safari - A Zoo park where wild African animals live freely.
[edit] Do
1. Visit other towns, if you can, such as Cuetzalan in the Sierra Norte de Puebla, or Atlixco.
2. Go to the National Park on Popocatepetl and spend the day hiking or camping there.
3. If you like night life, try the "antros" (clubs) in Cholula. Many don't charge cover. Alcohol ranges from $450-800 pesos (~$45 to $80USD) a bottle if you want to get a table in the clubs. There is also abundant live music throughout Puebla. Smaller and less popular antros are also located in the Los Sapos district, only a few blocks from the zocalo.
4. Visit the churches of Tonantzintla and Acatepec. They were built and decorated during the late 1600s and early 1700s in the baroque style. Both are extremely lavishly decorated outside and inside.
[edit] Buy
- Talavera (Fine china-like wares.)
- Local crafts and artifacts from El Parian.
- Jewelry, antiques and crafts from Los Sapos.
[edit] Eat
- Eat the street food. Travel books will almost always tell you not to, but generally speaking, it is entirely safe and can be one of the best "cultural" experiences of your trip.
Street foods to try: Quesadillas with mushrooms, sausage (chorizo), pumpkin flower (flor de calabaza), or huitlacoche (corn truffle, an Aztec specialty)
- Mermelas (tortillas made with raised edges and filled with red or green salsa, then topped with onions and cheese)
- Elote (corn on the cob with parmesan cheese, mayonnaise if desired, and chili powder)
- Pelonas (fried sandwiches filled with meat, lettuce, cream, and salsa)
- Gorditas (similar to mermelas, but topped with chorizo, chicharron--fried pig skin)--or chicken, avocado slices, salsa, onions, and cheese)
- Potato chips, usually fried the same day (extra crispy) and topped with lime juice and hot sauce
All street food generally costs between $8 and $15 pesos ($0.80- $1.50 USD).
- A must is something with "Mole poblano"
- Tacos Arabes - Very good. Made with Lamb. Originated from the high arabic population in the city.
- Chiles en Nogada
- Pozole
[edit] Drink
- Pulque
- Agua Miel
- Tequila
- Agua de Limon
- Agua de Tamarindo
- Agua de Jamaica
- Horchata
- Chocolate Mexicano
- Atole (Cornmeal Drink)
- Cafe de olla (coffee with cinnamon)
[edit] Sleep
- Del Portal. Can get a room (very small balcony) that faces the zocola. The rooms don't have air conditioning only fans. The hotel provides small bottles of water. A bottle of pepto bismal would be an essential item to take just in case. They did not have wash cloths. Take some Dove facial cloths and used these as wash cloths. They do provide towels.
- <sleep name="Holiday Inn Puebla" address="2 ORIENTE NO.211, CENTRO HISTORICO " phone="52-222-2236600" checkin="" checkout="" price="US$80-$120" url="http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hotel/puedt">Located in the heart of the historical district, the Holiday Inn provides upscale lodging for a reasonable price.</sleep>
[edit] Stay safe
Buy bottled water. No one in Puebla drinks the tap water. Do not eat raw veggies or fruit unless they can be peeled or they have been well washed.
If you have a backpack the locals can spot you as a tourist. If you carry a purse wear it around your neck and arm. Although, it is better not to carry one. Stay in populated areas.
At night the nicer restaurants prefer their patrons to dress nicer than just wearing jeans.
Wearing shorts is another way locals can tell you are a tourist. Most people in México in general will not wear shorts. Also tennis shoes are not as common.
If you are staying in a hotel and you want to take a taxi, someone working the front desk will most likely be able to call and arrange for a cab to pick you up, or you can hail one off the street, if you speak enough Spanish to be able to negogiate the price with the driver.