The city of angels

Few Mexican cities preserve the Spanish imprint as well as Puebla de los Angeles with its 70 churches and over 1000 colonial buildings. Historically, Puebla is a catholic stronghold and Puebla's conservative citizens maintained Spanish affinities longer than most Mexicans. In the 19th century and during the Mexican revolution such patrionism was seen as almost suspect and today poblanos (citizen's of Puebla) enjoy a reputation of snobbishness and pretentiousness.

Adding to this a population greater in numbers than Stockholm itself, it does not sound like the small, warm and friendly place to socialise with locals but ironically enough, its centre is quiet, peaceful, shady and welcoming. Furthermore, my best mexican friend (possibly also the sweetest young girl in the country) is from the city of angels. Irony of the fate. Or just a very mis-matching reputation.

So what about the angels then? Puebla was the first city founded by the Spanish not located on top of the ruins of a conquered indoamerican settlement. The location is said to be given to bishop Julián Garcés of nearby Tlaxcala by angels who appeared in one of his dreams (they probably believed him as bishops are not supposed to take drugs). The city was then founded according to the angels' plan in this beautiful valley surrounded by snowtopped volcanoes. The angels did a pretty good job as it became a strategic location halfway between the port of Veracruz and Mexico City. The valley has today grown into the fourth largest metropolitan area in the country.

The shady Zócalo with the baroque Cathedral in the background

The impressive Cathedral itself, which also appear on Mexico’s 500-peso notes, features Mexico’s highest cathedral towers and a striking organ

The half-exciting train museum, located at Puebla’s disused train station, displays a series of trains and coaches that have been rolling on Mexican rails, all from steam engines to modern diesel and electric locomotives. A must-see for a train fanatic but unfortunately, they put little effort in transforming the “train parking lot” into a decent “museum”.

The hill in the background with the little church on top is located in Cholula, a suburb of Puebla, and is much more than just a hill. It is in fact the world’s third largest pyramid (after Cheops in Egypt and Pirámide del Sol in Teotihuacan). The pyramid was once covered by the god-fearing Spanish invaders and symbolically converted to a Christian establishment by the construction of a chapel and its surrounding park.




I was invited to Mariana’s birthday party, which was a superb day starting with family breakfast, tour of Cholula, food and drinks with the doctors at the university campus, dinner with some crazy aunts and finally rounded off with drinks and dance at a Puebla bar. Note my T-shirt, which clearly is the coolest T-shirt in the world.







La Paz – a church on the top of a hill. Nothing like the grandiose Sacre Ceur in Paris, but still a nice place to visit.








Sprawling markets of Puebla. Here you can find almost anything you want (but more likely don’t want).








Fancy a painting? At the “Barrio del Artista” painters exhibit their latest works. Urban motives, flowers, animals, surrealistic or romantic, you name it.