If we were playing jeopardy, the correct response to the title of this blog post would be “what do you find in every plaza in Querétaro”?
Remember a couple of posts ago, how excited I was about those green patches I saw on my Google map? Well, turns out, this place is even better than I ever expected. There are plazas aplenty here! Far more than what appeared on the map. These squares are truly the hearts of the community–beautiful public spaces, with statues, fountains, vendors, music and happy people. There is a whole lot of living going on in this town, much of it taking place in these wonderful plazas.
Here is a brief tour of just a few of Querétaro’s plazas. If you want to see more, you may just have to come here yourself.
This cool sculpture represents an Otomi warrior. The Otomi were living in Querétaro when the Spanish arrived.
I had expected The Plaza de las Armas to have a military theme. Instead of cannons and guns, however, this beautiful fountain dominates the square. I’ve seen lots of creative ways to get water gushing forth, but this is the first time I’ve ever seen it coming from dogs’ mouths.
You don’t have to walk very far in this town to stumble upon a church. The interiors are much the same–crucifixes and lots of gold, but I found the exteriors rather compelling.
I particularly like the Templo of Santa Cruz. (I have no idea why they are called ‘templos’ here instead of iglesias. Maybe that terminology is particular to Mexico?) Anyway, this Templo has it all–fountains, a convent,
a statue representing the indigenous population the missionaries were sent to “save”,
and a replica of the stone cross that the Spanish and the locals saw in the sky on July 26,1531, during “the battle for domination”.
According to legend, that day, there was a total eclipse of the sun, followed by the appearance St. James, riding a white horse across the sky and carrying such a cross, (sans serape, I would expect). The legend states that this celestial event frightened the Otomi and their allies, resulting in a Spanish victory.
Okay, so enough of the history. On to the party dresses. They are EVERYWHERE.
Which reminds me. Time to go shopping!
Destination NOW 
Seems like a wonderful spot sister! Party dresses galore in that window but they looked like wedding party dresses!
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I wish I had a place to go that required one of those dresses ..but then again….I don’t own a strapless bra ??
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And I don’t own anything to put in a strapless bra! Not only that, but did you see the size of the waists? Made me think of Scarlett O’Hara.
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Hmmmm. Party dresses at “athletica”. Makes me think that maybe these dresses can also be sports uniforms?
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That last comment is mine. Don’t know how anonymous got on there
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Church is the people who congregate in the temple (the building is the temple) my best chas chas chuit charla explanation. do I get a prize????
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Hermana preferida, you get TWO points.
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Hi Debby,
You are very observant. Your comment made me think of a very specific “sport” those uniforms are suited for. Something tells me that is exactly what you had in mind!
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Mexico has long been one of my favorite travel destinations and I love being able to visit an area new to me. Your sentence “There is a whole lot of living going on in this town, much of it taking place in these wonderful plazas” is true of every Mexican town I’ve had the pleasure of exploring.
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I think we North Americans could learn a lot from our southern neighbors when it comes to quality of life.
This weekend several of us will be going to Guanajuato, so I will have experienced TWO towns that are not typical tourist destinations.
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Those statues are stunning!!! What a headdress in the first one.
Are those dresses just for show or are there young women with 12-inch waists ?!?
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They ARE quite tiny. I bought a terry cloth robe (because it is cold getting out of the shower), one size fits all. Next time I’m shopping in the men’s department. I look like a husband wearing his wife’s bathrobe! I won’t be posting THAT selfie–or taking it either, for that matter!
Shelley
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That’s hilarious 😋 just what we need – another reminder of thickening waists!!
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In spanish the word Templo is used for the building only, while the word Iglesia is for the institution, the explanation is simple, on Sunday you go to the “Templo” to be with the “Iglesia”
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Thanks for stopping by, yorcharturo. And thank you for the explanation.
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