Pyramid of El Cerrito

Atlas Obscuro features Pyramid of El Cerrito.

Just outside the beautiful city of Querétaro, towering above an arid landscape of scrubland, looms the desolate stone ruins of a pyramid known alternately as El Cerrito and El Pueblito. In ancient times, this site was the religious center of an enigmatic civilization that devoted itself to the fervent worship of an inscrutable and buxom goddess of fertility.

The Chupícuaro civilization and its city center, known today as El Cerrito, arose around 300 BC and was for many centuries contemporaneous with the Teotihuacan civilization. Later in its history, it was conquered and came under the influence of the Toltec empire as a vassal state. This socio-cultural change was reflected in the city’s architecture, and led to the construction of the Toltec pyramid that still dominates the site and the surrounding landscape today.

Interestingly, the main deity worshipped here above all others is believed to have been a powerful mother goddess. Excavations in the area have repeatedly discovered clay statuettes that depict curvaceous female figures believed to represent her. These sculptures were typically found buried in areas where staple crops such as maize, beans, and squash were cultivated. It’s been theorized that these objects may have been annual votive offerings to gain the favors of the goddess and to invoke rain or bountiful harvests, keeping the ever-present threat of catastrophic drought and famine at bay. 

The archeological evidence suggests that the cosmovision of the Chupícuaro civilization venerated the fertility of agriculture and nature, embodied by the image of this enigmatic divinity. Yet not much more is known about the cultural practices or ontologies of this mysterious Mesoamerican civilization, which has often been overshadowed by other Central Mexican cultures such as the Teotihuacanos, Toltecs, and the Aztecs. 

The collapse of El Cerrito and the Chupícuaro appears to have occurred around the same time as the fall of the Toltecs in 1168, and was probably similarly caused by a combination of environmental stressors and the invasions of warlike northern tribes known as the Chichimecas. The absence of archeological evidence after this time period seems to suggest that the practice of worshipping the goddess was suddenly discontinued by the survivors, who perhaps felt angered or that they had been abandoned in their time of need. 

Nevertheless, although El Cerrito was never again to regain its former glory, it is known that the area continued to be inhabited by small tribal communities right up until the time of the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in 1519. Today, the El Cerrito Archaeological Zone is an intriguing and easily overlooked archaeological gem just a short drive from Querétaro. Aside from the ruins, there is an interesting museum displaying artifacts from the Chupícuaro civilization that were discovered at the site.

Know Before You Go

The archaeological site and museum are open from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. from Tuesday to Friday and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekends. Entrance is free.

PHOTO: Cristopher Maubert Salgado - 

Book Review: Walking Tours of Queretaro of Santiago By William J. Conaway

Book Review:
Four Stars Walking Tours of Queretaro of Santiago
By William J. Conaway
Print Length: 39 pages
Publisher: Publicaciones Papelandia; 1 edition (January 1, 2008)
Kindle Price $5.99
Publication Date: January 1, 2008 ASIN: B008I51A2Q

I chose to buy Conaway’s book for several reasons. He came to Mexico in June of 1961 and published a series of short books about walking tours of various cities of Mexico including Guanajuato, Puebla, San Luis Potosi, Taxco, Morelia, etc. He also shares information about driving tours, Mexican food and history for Gringos.

The second reason I bought the book: four of us headed out at noon for Queretaro from San Miguel de Allende. I had a doctor’s appointment at 5:30. I figured that we would have plenty of time to see a little of the city and have lunch before my appointment. However, I got lost on the way, I chose to go to Celaya then to Queretaro. Getting lost and wading our way through long construction lines took over four hours, so we didn’t get to see much at all.

I want to go back and do it right.

Conaway spends the first 40% of the 39 pages telling us the history of the people who lived in the area and gives us a list of 25 places to see on the two walking tours. They can be accomplished on one day, but with so much to see, it sounds like one should spend two days. The history is very interesting as are the places to see.

I would give the book five stars for the writing and the history except for lack of maps and several errors that should be corrected. My downloaded copy has two opening pages and two bios. In addition the author’s picture comes out muddled.

I would like to see more photos of the sights to see on the tour and arrange the photos so they can be seen on one page instead of being split over two pages.

Sustainable Tourism, Key for Growth

This is an exciting time for Mexico. Its economy is the 14th largest in the world in nominal terms; it has signed 12 different trade agreements with 44 countries; and its domestic market has more than 112 million people – the third largest in Latin America and the 11th largest in the world. With an urban population of 78%, the country’s statistics reflect its forward-looking attitude, making it a great choice for both business and leisure.

Read more at The WorldFolio

Pueblos Magicos

The Magical Towns of Mexico Program, developed by the Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with various government agencies and state and municipal governments, contributing to reassess a whole population of the country that have always been in the collective imagination of the nation as a whole and representing fresh and different for domestic and foreign visitors alternatives. More than a rescue, it is a recognition of those who inhabit these beautiful places in the Mexican geography and have managed to keep to all the cultural and historical riches they contain.

One Pueblos Magicos is near San Miguel.

People Peña de Bernal Queretaro Magic Town Magic Towns

Lost in time, this small town has been recognized as magic for the beauty of its buildings and its colorful, home to legends and breathtaking scenery. Bernal word is of Arabic origin and means rock. Thanks to its unique Peña and the rescue of the urban image, in February 2006, he was awarded the category of magical town.

San Sebastian Bernal is the full name of the town which houses the world's third largest, after the Rock of Gibraltar and Sugarloaf Brazil monolith. the cobbled streets, landscape and crafts in Bernal makes time stand still to admire frayed, blankets and tablecloths made in looms with 100 years old.

It was founded in 1642 by several Spanish families that took possession of the land, it has beautiful buildings dating from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries that preserve architectural styles of singular beauty. Ancient flowery balconies and lanterns give life to this magical town in the charming craft shops which display spectacular and laborious tablecloths and blankets made on looms of 100 years old.

There are 83 Pueblos Magicos. I intend to explore each one.

Lake Juriquilla, Queretaro, MX

Today is Sue Reid's birthday and we celebrated by having cake and ice cream before dinner. Then four of us picked up Rock, an ex-banker, and headed for Lake Juriquilla, Queretaro, MX. The town of Juriquilla is small and forms the northernmost part of the city of Querétaro in Querétaro, Mexico. "It was founded originally as a hacienda in the 18th century, and fractioned into a golf course and residential area in the 1970s."

Wikipedia says that Juriquilla has always been known as a residential area. A ten minute drive from downtown puts Juriquilla far enough to avoid the city common problems, such as traffic jams, but close enough to enjoy all of the city's advantages. During the last decade, Juriquilla has slowly been recognized as an investment opportunity area, due to the prices of the land and the arrival of many people from Mexico City. However, Juriquilla's population has grown enough as to suffer from traffic problems when inhabitants leave their homes for their jobs, which are usually located in Santiago de Querétaro or El Marqués, or when returning home. There is a lake in Juriquilla, formed by a dam and five or six different restaurants sit right on the little lake. You cannot see them from the parking lot of the Centro Nautico but once inside you can stroll along an interior boardwalk and find the one that suits y our appetite and pocketbook.

We chose first to have a drink at the Rattle Snake. You sit just above the lake and attentive waiters bring your bebidas drinks and free appetizers. Then we went down some stairs to the lake level and dined at Porto Buzios, a seafood and lobster restaurant. The five of us ordered drinks. It was happy hour or two for one if you chose cervasa beer or tequila. Then we ordered salmon, blackened salmon, mahi mahi, oysters Rockefeller and mussels. y salmon was grilled and came with puree de papa mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. The food was good, but wasn't the best I've ever had. However the atmosphere was wonderful. The lake was calm and we looked across the dam to Querétaro. Around the lake were spendy houses. It reminded me of Lake Oswego.

All the way to Juriquilla, the clouds built. Huge white clouds that seemed to reach effortlessly into the sky. We knew what was coming. As we ate dinner the sky turned almost black and lightning started to appear in the distance. Drops of lluvia rain fell as we reached the car for the drive home. Then all the way to San Miguel the most spectacular, brilliant lightning flashed across the sky. As we neared the city fireworks filled the air. They were awesome, but didn't compare to nature's fireworks.

That's Rock. From all of us, Happy Birthday Sue.

BTW Dinner was 1592 pesos plus 300 peso tip or about $130 for the five of us. One more thing, it is easy to get lost looking for the lake. Watch for the signs to Juriquilla.

Ford to Announce $2.5bn Investment

Mexico News Daily | Tuesday, April 14, 2015

It’s a week for big automotive announcements in Mexico should the “industry sources” and “insiders” have it right. v Today, Reuters reports that Ford Motor Co. is also set to announce two big investments of its own: a US $1.3-billion expansion of its plant in Chihuahua, and $1.2 billion for a transmission plant in Guanajuato.

The expansion of the Chihuahua engine plant, located in the city of the same name, will allow it to build two new diesel engines and likely create 4,000 jobs.

The announcement will be made Friday to celebrate the auto maker’s 90th anniversary in Mexico, and it, too, will be attended by the president, the report said.

Industry figures say Ford is the fourth-largest auto exporter in Mexico, producing 108,000 units that were shipped abroad, mostly to the U.S.

Its last investment here was $3 billion to update the Cuautitlan plant in 2008.

 “Zibata” a Queretaro planned, gated community designed for 150,000 people.

The Washington Post reports that Mexico has a middle-class and it is growing,  Yes, somewhere between 24% and 50% of the 114 million people of Mexico are considered poor, but if "...the middle class can be defined (as a) household with a new refrigerator, a car and a couple of cellphones, ...even if the combined salaries of the members of the household would make them miserably poor in Washington,..." then they are considered middle-class and growing in Mexico.


Being middle-class may me smaller families, a college education, two earners and some of America's values.  The WP even saw a copy of Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" on a Mexican coffee table. The middle-class also tends to be socially liberal, but fiscally conservative and they were the deciding factor in the election of Pres. Calderon.