Mexico, Tenancingo Degollado, : Alixco

Took a trip to the east. From Tenancingo we passed through the State of Morelos with its fertile dark soil, ample water, and the scattered bones of sugar haciendas their brick chimneys rising high into the clear sky. Sections of well worn stone aqueducts appeared and then faded back into the flat earth and remnants of sugar cane. We headed towards Atlixco (At-lees-co) accompanied by the active volcano Popocatepetl always to our left half hidden by the clouds. The visit to Alixco was to be a short. just a few hours and one night.

Atlixco de las Flores or Atlixco Heroica is a magic pueblo at the foot of Popocatepetl. Atlixco at first glance seems one of those magic pueblo party towns. It was a saturday and there were scores of tourists. Second floor bars about the zocalo were jammed with youth and emanating loud music. There is something unerving about traditional architecture and just plain tradition negated by good times a rolling. Tradition like cornflakes become just a medium for additives.

We were hungry so we sat down at an open air restaurant on the zocalo called Don Porfirio. Within minutes we were assailed by "ambulantes" selling food and other things. This is a phenomena in some magic pueblos where often wealth meets poverty in a kind of "tidal line".

The waiter didn't have any idea why the restaurant was named after Porfirio Diaz. It received its title of "Heroica" due to the Battle of 4 of May of 1862 that would precede the Battle of Puebla on the 5th of May in 1862 (cinco de Mayo). Porfirio Diaz distinguished himself in the battle on the 5th of may. Cinco de Mayo was the final part of a pattern of interventions by the French in Mexico,,, that began with the "Pastry War" that took place between 1838 and 1839. The Pastry War is a rather false title. It is more a humorous name given to a serious threat. A french pastry chef in Mexico City claimed his shop was damaged by rabid Mexican soldiers. Superficial Reason: The war was fought because French citizens living in Mexico during a prolonged period of economic strife had their investments destroyed and the Mexican government refused any sort of reparations. Real Reason: Mexico had a long-standing debt to France due to much internal strife.The Pastry War ended when Mexico agreed to compensate french investments. However France's incursions into Mexico continued. Subtitle: Really really the French wanted their turn at colonizing of Mexico and French repeated efforts were eventually sucessful installing Maximillian of Austria, another Hapsburg sausage eating bastard as Emperor of Mexico that lasted for at least a few years.

After eating we walked about.The zocalo was adorned with thosands of flowers in pots a display which occurs each year near easter week. In Atlixco there is a downtown small mountain, like in Tenancingo, called El Cerro de San Miguel. Atop is a small church. Popocatepetl looms beyond this rocky prominence like a powerful moody God.

Atlixco is a city with more than one hundred thousand inhabitants, which has managed to harmonize its urban development with the majestic legacy of colonial architecture left by its founders (1579), which today is one of its main tourist attractions It is known for a temperate climate and bustling flower, ornamental, and fruit tree agriculture, hence the other name, Atlixco de las Flores or Farm of New Spain as it was called during the colonial era.
We slept well in the Hotel Mansion El Conde and the next morning after breakfast we attacked the Cerro de San Miguel. From above at various viewpoints you can gaze down the city and environs. Popocatepetl is always with you standing sentinel beside Iztaccíhuatl, another dormant volcano. If you don't already know the legend of Popo and Izta let me explain. The story takes place in the era of giants. Of course I cannot give an exact date. Iztaccíhuatl was in life a beautiful young daughter of the boss of bosses of Tlaxcala. She was in love with a skilled warrior called Popocatepetl. When the people of Tlaxcala went to war with the Aztecs, the "Capo de Tutti Capos" promised the young warrior that if he brought victory on the battlefield then he would reward him with glory, gifts and the hand of his daughter, Izta. Not a politically correct gift but a desireable one at that.

Popocatepetl went to battle and was victorious. While the battle raged the girl, Iztaccihuatl received sad but false news that her beloved had passed away. This news was spread by a man who also was a suitor to the young woman. Iztaccihuatl was inconsolable and went into a prolonged mourning until she finally died of sadness. When Popocatépetl returned to his land and discovered the horrible news, he decided to build a mountain to act as the tomb of his beloved. He gathered 20 smaller hills to construct the memorial, then the warrior took the body of his beloved to the top and with a Torch in his hand veiled the remains in snow . Time passed, both Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl became volcanoes. Even today you can see the smoke coming from the torch of Popocatepetl, who continues to stand vigil over his beloved. In some of the legends the Volcano, Nevado de Toluca, or Xinantecatl, was the suitor to Iztaccihuatl who lied about the death of Popocatepetl. It is said that Xinantecatl often has hurled stones toward Popocatepetl. We can assume this means an eruption. The last plinian eruption from Xinantecatl took place 11,500 years ago. Obviously there were people here to witness it and construct a legend.

El Cerro de San Miguel is a dry rocky place. There was a constant light wind. Popocatepetl appeared and disappeared as we wound our way up towards the top. The climb is not exhausting. There are stairs and ramps. The chapel atop is quiet, small, and spiritual place.

There is a legend about a devil appearing in this place. It's hard to get a straight answer from anyone about him. Devil legends are very popular in Mexico. It is said he appeared about the hill before the feast of San Miguel. The legend is based on a 16" wooden statue of a devil that had a home in this place for 150 years until it disappeared in 1985. Each year The statue was taken to the sacristy of the Ex Convento de San Francisco near the base of the mountain where it is said he was tied with a chain to a tube with his face towards the wall, a tradition told by the caretakers of the place. In this annual ritual those persons that each year tied up the devil were replaced by San Miguel who inherirted the responsibility to bind him up when the festival began. Of course there is no more wooden devil to push around.

It was said that when the devil statue was bound to a pipe in the convent one could find things pinned to the wooden sculpture and there were figurines placed behind him, which meant there were people worshipping him,, asking Diablito for favors. This is a common theme in Mexican folklore right up to the present with the worship of Santa Muerte. It also bears resemblance to the tableros (exvotos) or milagros pinned to walls or favorite statues. It seemed the head cura of the convent didn't care to start a competeing cult so he threw Diablo into the basement where he disappeared into the darkness never to make an appearence again.