Before approaching the wonderful gem of Hidalgo, we made a brief stop in Querétaro to climb up one of the world’s tallest monoliths: the Peña de Bernal.
This 350m high piece of volcanic rock towers over the Querétaro plains and although our hiking backpack was at hand, Zoe decided to scramble up the steep and rocky path all by herself. Not bad going for a two-year-old! It was a fun hike up, but we couldn’t take in the views for long. Because during the months of June to October, it could rain in any moment, it’s the rainy season. And those black clouds were rolling in. So we descended as fast as we could to the foot of the Peña de Bernal, where we were camped for the night, making it just in time before those heavens opened!
We skipped the modern and huge looking city of Querétaro and headed straight to Hidalgo, where everything was lush and green, full of maguey agave and prickly pear. The local diet here: Borrego Barbacoa and Pulque…and oddly enough Cornish pasties (we’ll tell you more about that later).
Our main objective, though, in visiting this state was to check out the famous Grutas de Tolontongo. And boy are we glad we did. These magical hot pools, chiseled into the mountains, overlook quite a breathtaking scene! We mentioned green and lush earlier…well this location was oozing with natural beauty. And the treasures to be found beneath the canyon? Two mysterious grottos and their volcanically heated river flowing out of them were awaiting. Yes, Grutas de Tolontongo was huge, and there was much to see and do, which is why we visited the resort on two separate occasions.
Tolantongo offers two sites to go and soak in. La Gloria, which lies on the western side and the larger and more touristy Grutas de Tolantonga, on the east. You can only reach both by walking over the bridge that connects the two, and driving from one to the other would take a good two hours. So with the weekend approaching, we took on La Gloria first.
La Gloria itself is a challenge to get to. The tight switchbacks down the mountain had our hearts racing with some quite tricky maneuvers to be had at the edge of the cliff. But it was all worthwhile because the backdrop was magnificent. We can see why they named the area “La Gloria”- Glory! As if the trees in their abundance were touching the heavens themselves. So rich and plentiful.
Our stay at this side of the resort did not disappoint either. With very few tourists, one can soak in the extremely pleasant warm waters in solitude. And there are many to choose from too. The paths between the pools, small caves and dramatic cascades were also filled with their own gushing streams. A tropical walkway. At this moment in time, we felt very grateful to be exploring this country the way we do. Our night spent in the car park after all, meant we could do it all over again the next morning.
You’ve got to love Mexico for its tourist attractions.
And speaking of which, it was time to explore the busier touristy side of the Tolontongo river. We were a little apprehensive about visiting these grutas on a Friday, so after a little weekend break at nearby Ixmiquilpan, we returned on the following Tuesday.
And what a wise move that was…this place was heaving! We could see why though, with a great maze of pools to choose from, zip-lines to transport you back down to the river, huge dark and mysterious caverns to swim in, and even more spectacular views to take in, one may just turn a blind eye to the crowds. Our verdict: if you have the time, go and explore it all! It’s definitely been one of our biggest highlights on this trip so far!
So what did we do on that weekend in between our two hot pool extravaganzas? Well, after stocking up on supplies and some giant Chicharron at the markets of Ixmiquilpan, we headed over to Eco Alberto Park – The Gran Cañon. This was the perfect location to escape the Tolontongo multitude. Practically all alone with only the raging rio to accompany us, we enjoyed a peaceful weekend crossing the rickety-rackety bridges of the adventure park and watching a few more zip-lines whizz over our heads. Another absolutely stunning corner of Hidalgo, if only the crazy evening thunderstorms didn’t empty the locals’ rubbish collection…on those days, the river was flowing with mass amounts of trash! A very big shame.
On our way to Teotihuacan and Mexico City, where we had planned to see the famous pyramids: Pyramide del Sol and Pyramide de Luna, we made one final stop in Hidalgo; the former silver mining town of Real del Monte. Set 2700m above sea level, this town was once home to over 350 Cornish tin miners. They were over to help share their mining expertise, and it turns out, brought with them their love of football and Cornish pasties too.
Yes, it is because of these miners that fútbol is so popular in Mexico today!!
And being a Brit myself (Abigail), I just had to go and sample those Cornish pasties! ‘Pastes’ (the name given to them by the Mexicans) are a big thing in Hidalgo, with bakeries and fast food joints selling them everywhere. There was even a museum dedicated to the English delicacy, so off we went to check it out. And what a great experience! Not only did we learn all about this Cornish connection, which started in 1824, but we got to make our own ‘Pastes’. And …believe it or not, they were pretty authentic! Yum, yum!
With four more pastes for the road, we were well and truly full, but hold on, we can’t leave this state without eating some famous ‘Barbacoa de Borrego’. Alongside Cornish pasties, Hidalgo is also known for its typical dish: a whole lamb slow-cooked over an open fire or, more traditionally, in a hole dug in the ground covered with those agave (maguey) leaves. And just before crossing the border into the state of Mexico, we found ourselves a huge portion on the highway to take away for some yummy tacos. Perfect!
Thanks for reading and we’ll ‘meat’ you guys around the world!
