March 21-23, 2004

While staying with the boat in Acapulco we decided to travel inland to Taxco where most of all silver comes from. We took a bus Estrella Bus company AC movie and comfort with Betty and Kevin from Citation. The trip took about 6 hours and then we got a Taxi to the town.

I am writing this account two months later so it may not be as reminiscent as the others. Taxco is another colonial city in Mexico but in 1531 the first silver mines were discovered. The miner population moved into the town and formed “The Mine Royal of Tasco”Spanish and European settlers also came over the century to mine. Wars broke out and Taxco independence was finally declared in 1811. After independence Taxco lived much poverty cause the exploring of the mines had ceased and the art of working with silver was lost At the end of the 19th century some American and English companies started exploring the mines of Taxco extracting more of zinc and mercury for the silver mines were practically abandoned.

In 1931, an American Guillermo Spratling arrived into Taxco who, motivated by the ability of silver craftsman sent for some specialist in Mexico, to teach them to handle silver. He created first workshop ”Las Delicias”. It became the most important silver and jewelry school in all of Mexico.Mr. Spratling died in a car crash in 1967. During his life in Mexico he collected pre-historic pieces and donated most of them to the city.
Taxco is a town of small narrow hilly cobblestone streets. This shows their colonial history. The Mesoamericans and Aztecs are their traditional cultural. Betty and I found a neat B&B within one of these historical building. Hotel Mi Casita right in the center of town on a hill which gives you a panoramic view of the city. The owner Maria grew up in this home when her dad had built it. With minimal changes she has made a B&B. We enjoyed a quite evening with wine on the patio. To get around the towns you use mostly V.W.bugs, which Pat became very nostalgic having owned one for soo many years.

Santa Prisca Cathedral is a showy religious construction of European baroque style with all its glitter.

Betty thinks the town looks like one in Europe. We took a self-guided walking tour and to a few museums and silver shopping. Also in the center of town or zocalo there is a stone mosaic of Taxco Hieroglyph in front of city hall and inside there is a wall mural for a graphic review of Mexican History.

View from hotel

Before leaving Taxco we went to the north side of town to Hotel Monte Taxco and had a nice lunch. After that we rode the Cableway above the highway and having beautiful vistas of the countryside pine studded mesas on one side and beautiful vistas of the town on the other side.
We then headed back to bus station to catch bus back to Acapulco. It was a well-done trip and interesting to see and buy the silver.

Taxco Hills

Taxco Streets

Our Hotel Mi Casita

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