Arteaga
Our Pueblo Mágico next door.
We’ve all been there. And this is what it looks like:
At least, on a Sunday, this is what Arteaga looks like.
For those who haven’t been to Arteaga (on a Sunday), there’s a pretty large market that sets up all over Arteaga’s Alameda every Sunday. Go early, because parking is a pain mid-afternoon!
The other day–a THURSDAY MORNING–(who goes to Arteaga on a Thursday morning?) this is what it looked like:
Shhhh . . . it’s very quiet here on a weekday!
Maybe too quiet for some . . .
But I love Arteaga when it’s quiet!
Plus, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that there are some restaurants open during the week.
I also ventured off the Alameda and found the Plaza de Armas. It’s another tree-lined square, with the mayor’s office on one end and the elementary school on the other.
Another block away (behind the elementary school) was Arteaga’s main church, San Isidro Labrador. His feast day is the 15th of May. So when the kiddies don’t have school for Teacher’s Day, swing by Arteaga–I bet these few blocks will be rockin’!
Here’s a gorgeous video from Televisa, highlighting the town (and county) much better than I can!
When I´m itching to get out of town, Parras de la Fuente is my easy getaway of choice. Only two hours from Saltillo, it makes for a great daytrip. Sometimes it´s nice to stay for a whole weekend, too.
public swimming. This is the only one I´ve tried. But I love it so much, I may never try another! The 9-foot deep, crystal-clear, chemical-free pool would make a beautiful setting for the Olympic games, with the church on the hill, Santo Madero, towering majestically over the reservoir.
insanely affordable, a mere $15 for adults. We like to live it up and rent a palapa for the day, so we have some shade, benches to sit on, a table to use, and a grill. That sets us back a whole $50 for the day. They do charge for parking, but the lot is locked, and again, the price is negligable. They also charge for bathrooms, but that´s also about $3. Despite all the nickle-and-diming, it´s a very affordable day away!
Monterrey is fiercely proud of its industry, and this park showcases that industrial pride well. Parque Fundidora (Foundry Park, in English) is built on the site of a former steel foundry. Part of the original foundry has been converted into a museum. It´s a sight when lit up at night. Take advantage of their nighttime tours!
The Paseo Santa Lucía connects Monterrey´s downtown with Fundidora Park, thanks to a blue canal, wide sidewalks, and grassy embankments. From one end to the other, it stretches for about 2km, with fountains and playgrounds interspersed. Closer to downtown, restaurants have tables right on the canal.
On the far side of the Macroplaza from the Paseo Santa Lucía is Monterrey´s cathedral. People from Monterrey have a tradition of visiting seven different churches during Holy Week. Despite our aversion to crowds, we joined the throngs pouring into the cathedral. The wooden latticework around the side doors give a nod to Monterrey´s Lebanese population, and the murals around the altar manage to incorporate both Monterrey´s industrial pride and biblical Holy Week scenes—it´s odd, yet distinctive. To me, that mural seemed to sum up the city´s essence.
The Alfa Planetarium is Monterrey´s Children´s Museum. They boast four floors of exhibits for all age levels, plus a prehispanic sculpture garden (unusual this far north), and an IMAX screen, playing two different movies a day. While the kids were initially excited about the idea of a children´s museum, it took them awhile to warm up to the activities. The second floor had a Tinker-Toy exhibit, and they did have fun playing with the Tinker-Toys, although the exhibit wasn´t as hands-on as I would have hoped. Upstairs, they had a room dedicated to Clifford the Big Red Dog. I was afraid this would be too babyish for my six-year-old, but they jumped right in, and worked the store, drove a boat, fed Clifford enormous bones, and sat down a read a few books. They would have been content to spend all afternoon there.
Despite being surrounded by desert, Saltillo is officially labeled a temperate zone (according to information at the Desert Museum). This temperate zone extends into the neighboring county of Arteaga, making it a perfect area for apple orchards. Have you noticed the huge crates of “Saltillo apples” at HEB? Yep, they´re from Arteaga. In this part of the country, it´s tough to get produce more locally grown than that!
For an afternoon excursion out of town, consider Los Lirios, smack in the middle of apple country. It´s about a half hour outside of Saltillo. The drive itself makes the trip worthwhile, winding through the pine-covered mountains, skirting orchard-strewn valleys.
There´s not much to the town of Los Lirios, but there are crates of apples for sale on every corner–honey, too. The streets are narrow and more people drive through the town on the weekends than those streets were meant to handle. So drive with patience. Or, better yet, park and walk around.
Restaurants seem pretty nonexistent in Los Lirios. But they certainly have plenty of corner stores, so a light picnic lunch is easily found. To be sure of a hearty meal, stop at one of the cabrito stands in the town of Arteaga first, before getting on the highway.
