Part 6!!!
After leaving the exhacienda. We went to a small group of houses nearby that sell homemade rompope and cajeta ( Think of it as sweets and traditional drinks and candy).
We purchased a few packages.. they were delicious. It was a looong time since I tasted stuff that good.
My mother and Sister also purchased their respective products and we went towards the small miner town nearby which was the 1st "Pueblo Magico" of the entire Mexico (magic town, as in full of culture).
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This town has also very old churches, roads, etc..
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Unfortunately, there was nothing much to do. As it was not weekend. During the weekends the town goes full of life. With shows, markets, etc..
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This church is very special, Supposedly it had relics sent by Pope Jean Paul II. And also a ton of very different pictures and paintings of different styles on each side.
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Interesting bit is, almost all these churches in the area had a nearby capilla connected by a small door (seen in this photo above).
After lingering a bit, we left the town towards a nearby mine which was still maintained as a guided tour with former retired miners as guides.
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These mines produced hundread of tons of silver and gold (mostly silver). Which was sent first to the Spanish, then to the English corporations and finally Mexican companies before it was closed down as their ore was not worth exploiting anymore.
Most of these mines are already flooded in its lowest levels. So reactivating them would mean a huge cost in draining and repairing all the equipment involved.
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These are the main tower crane which lowered the miners to the below tunnels. See the mountain on the background? that was extensively mined and a lot of the mine shafts and tunnels go deep into it.
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There were a few engines, systems and machines in display, showing the evolution of machinery and the advancement of technology as time went by.
From the older systems of using a simple pike and shovel. To advanced pneumatic and electrical bore tools and the usage of explosives.
Note that there is a cost for entering (maintenance and guide pay, plus tips). Also there is an additional charge for photography and video.
Which isn't expensive anyway ( around 2 USD) so it was worth paying it.
After checking the nearby areas, we meet the guide that was going to explain all the stuff to us. He did show some of the machinery, the meaning of the warnings, the sound system, the hours , syndicates and general history.
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(continuing in part 7 as its photo heavy)