Puebla, Mexico is the largest city and the capital, of the state that has a colonial charm and the same name, Puebla. During colonial times the city was known as Puebla de Los Angeles (Puebla city of Angles) and is still referenced as such today.
In 1987 Puebla was named a UNESCO World Heritage site. This was thanks to its history, but also for the various architectural styles found here, such as Renaissance, Mexican Baroque, and Classic. Each style is well represented in more than 5,000 buildings throughout the city.
Puebla was built and founded in 1531. The town was sandwiched between two indigenous settlements, Tlaxcala and Cholula. Cholula is home to indigenous ruins that include an old Pueblo church. I would have loved to check these out, but unfortunately the ruins were closed due to health and safety concerns surrounding the Covid pandemic.
I spent about four days here. I thoroughly enjoyed the relaxed vibe of the city, while engorging in all the street food that I could find. I explored the pop-up street markets for hours. They were scattered all throughout Centro Historico (or the Historical Center) and the Zocalo (or the main square). The pop-up markets are not just restricted to these areas, as they are dispersed throughout the rest of town. Puebla is consumed by churches, monasteries, mansions, museums, and a handful of parks.
The Cathedral takes up a massive portion of the Zocalo and is fenced off from the rest of the streets. This creates a massive square for the people to congregate. Inside, the Cathedral’s ceiling eclipsed everything else it had to offer. It was breathtaking. Each separate section was lined with golden dots, outlined with sky blue and more gold. This creates an effect that brightened the entire corridor, as the sunlight poured through every window and stained glass it could find. Puebla is also the richest Catholic diocese in Mexico.
The food of Puebla is second to none. They’re famous for, and disputedly credited, as the origin of the famous sauce used in the dish named after the city, mole poblano. The moles of this region will blow any traveler’s mind. I believe I tried three different dishes, and each was special in its own right.
Chiles en Nogada is another dish that should not be missed. The plate comes loaded with ground turkey picadillo stuffed in a poblano pepper, smothered in a creamy walnut sauce, and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds. This combination of ingredients makes the colors of the Mexican Flag and is often popular around Mexico’s Independence Day (or Dia de la Independcia de Mexico).
I ended up spending two extra days in Puebla thanks to the rain. The first day, I extended in an attempt to hike the local 14,639-foot volcano. The rain, paired with cold temperatures on the mountain, had other plans. The high temperatures were expected to be 34 degrees Fahrenheit, with a 90% chance of a combination of both rain and snow. The hike would have been miserable. With this in mind our group called it off at the last minute.
The volcano we wanted to hike is La Malinche. La Malinche is just north of the city and is part of the Parque Nacional La Malinche (or La Malinche National Park). Unfortunately, the clouds never opened up while I was in Puebla. Normally, La Malinche can be seen towering over the city, along with seven other prominent volcanoes.
Drenched in a Downpour
That night I found myself sampling the local street vendors food options. I tried three different stands before the sky decided to open up, dropping a torrential downpour on any unfortunate soul caught outside. Every cab I tried to get was filled to the brim. It was up to me to figure out how to get back.
I ran about 2 miles without stopping. I bolted from awning to awning as the rain turned the streets into small streams. With only .5 mile left, I began to notice my shoes were completely flooded. Any effort I’d spent trying to keep my things dry has now been for nil. So, I began to sprint back. It was this moment when I took a wrong turn.
Everything on me was completely drenched by the time I arrived back at my hostel. I had to extend an extra day to allow my clothes, my passport, and my shoes to dry. Lucky for me, my passport didn’t take any water damage. However, I had already feared for the worse. I did not take the time to see how my passport had dried out, lesson learned.
Instead, I panicked, but as we all now know, everything turned out just fine. My passport dried as if nothing had happened. This misfortune ended up being a strong reminder of why it is best to roll with the punches when traveling. Not everything will go according to plan so it’s up to us as travelers to remember to be flexible. I spent the extra day absorbing some history, and a touch of culture, with a stop at the main museum, Museo Amparo.
Museo Amparo is made up of two colonial-era buildings, built between the 17th and 18th centuries. The first was once popularly known as El Hospitalito and was built in the 17th century. The building was once used as the hospital of San Juan de Letran, but was later converted into a women’s college and eventually, a convent. The other building was a mansion that was built in the 18th century.
The museum is home to 14 exhibition halls. Seven of these halls are home Pre-Colombian artifacts. The other seven include a mixture of pottery, steles, and sculptures from the Aztec, Huasteca, Maya, Olmec, and Zapotec cultures. Included in these exhibits are several pieces of fine furniture and religious artifacts from the colonial period. Entrance to Museo Amparo is free for everyone. The museum is open every day from 11 am to 7 pm, and closed on Tuesdays. According to their website, the only days these hours change is during the week of Christmas through New Years Day.
Overall, my time in Puebla was fantastic and quite memorable. This stop simultaneously reminded me how important it is to be flexible. I will definitely return. If for no other reason than to hike La Malinche. May is supposed to be the best weather for Puebla and will probably be when I choose to return. I would also love to catch the sites that I was forced to miss due Covid-19. As I continue my journey through Mexico my next stop is the city of Oaxaca!
