El Callejon del beso
There are several kids around the site of Callejon del beso. They tell the story of the kiss while leading the tourists through the mazes of houses, and everyone gives them some pesos for their hard work.
We are all being led by our small story teller to the place of the kiss.
One of the streets that cars can drive on in Guanajuato. There are a lot of streets that are so narrow, you can only get to the house by foot.
The university. You have to be dedicated to go to this one. They built it with about 250 stairs. I guess they figured if you can get to the top of the stairs, and you still want to go to school there, you can be admitted.
If you look behind us, there are building, but the other blurry things are people. There were tens of thousands of people.
Guanajuato is a fun place to visit. I have never seen a place like it. The houses are colorful, and attached to each other (like most of Mexico), but unlike most of Mexico, the city is built into the hills. If you live at the top of the hill, you must walk up to your house, as most of the residential streets are not make for cars to drive through. I was there for the Cervantino Festival. There is more info on it below. I am, also, going to include the legend of the Callejon del Beso after.The festival takes place every October (specific dates vary) and features world-class performances by international and Mexican acts, in music, dance, theater, visual arts, and street-performance. Every year the festival invites a different country of honor, as well as a specific Mexican state, to bring traditional and contemporary performances from that region. The attendance is very wide, drawing spectators from throughout Mexico and the world and often tickets to performances (as well as local hotels) are booked months in advance.
In recent years, the festival has become a magnet for a younger generation, more interested in the party atmosphere that accompanies the festival than in the performances themselves, and the streets are often jam-packed. In recent years (1998-2006 approximately) this young partying affluence affected in certain degree the festival reputation because many just went to excessively consume alcohol and some drugs. However, in 2007 edition, the Festival Internacional Cervantino was renewed and alcohol sale was regulated (making it illegal to consume it in the streets); besides, police increased its presence in the event, making its cultural sense to prevail. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festival_Internacional_Cervantino )
In recent years, the festival has become a magnet for a younger generation, more interested in the party atmosphere that accompanies the festival than in the performances themselves, and the streets are often jam-packed. In recent years (1998-2006 approximately) this young partying affluence affected in certain degree the festival reputation because many just went to excessively consume alcohol and some drugs. However, in 2007 edition, the Festival Internacional Cervantino was renewed and alcohol sale was regulated (making it illegal to consume it in the streets); besides, police increased its presence in the event, making its cultural sense to prevail. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festival_Internacional_Cervantino )
Legend of Callejon del Beso
One of the most surprising legends, given its tragic and romantic flavour, is this one.The story is told that Doña Carmen was the only daughter of an obstinate and violent man, but as tends to happen, love wins out, unlucky as it might be. Doña Carmen was courted by her beau, Don Luis, in a church near the maiden's home, where first he offered her holy water with his hand. On being discovered, she was subsequently locked up, threatened with being sent to a convent, and, worst of all, with being married in Spain to a rich, old noble, a marriage which would help to restore her father's dwindling fortune.
The lovely, obedient creature and her companion, Doña Brígida, wept and prayed together. Then, before the young girl submitted to her sacrifice, they decided that Doña Brígida should take a message to Don Luis with the unfortunate news. A thousand plans occurred to the young lover, but of all of them, there was one that seemed the best. A window in Doña Carmen's home gave onto an alley so narrow that it was possible, leaning out the window to touch the wall on the other side with a hand. If he could get into the house on the other side of the alley, he would be able to talk with his beloved and, between the two of them, find a solution to their problem.
He asked who the owner of the house was and bought it for a fortune. One can only imagine Doña Carmen's surprise when stepping out onto her balcony, she found the man of her dreams so close.
When a few moments had passed since that indescribable lovers' conversation began, and the lovers were deep in thought, violent words were heard from the back of the room. It was Doña Carmen's father shouting at Brígida, who risked her life trying to prevent her master from entering her lady's chambers. The father pushed Doña Carmen's protector aside with ease, and with dagger in hand, with a single blow he plunged it into his daughter's breast.Don Luis was shocked into silence. Doña Carmen's hand, still in his, slowly went cold. Resigned to the inevitable, Don Luis left a tender kiss on that smooth, pale hand, now lifeless. This is why this spot, undoubtedly one of the most typical of our city, is called the Callejón del Beso (the Alley of the Kiss).
The lovely, obedient creature and her companion, Doña Brígida, wept and prayed together. Then, before the young girl submitted to her sacrifice, they decided that Doña Brígida should take a message to Don Luis with the unfortunate news. A thousand plans occurred to the young lover, but of all of them, there was one that seemed the best. A window in Doña Carmen's home gave onto an alley so narrow that it was possible, leaning out the window to touch the wall on the other side with a hand. If he could get into the house on the other side of the alley, he would be able to talk with his beloved and, between the two of them, find a solution to their problem.
He asked who the owner of the house was and bought it for a fortune. One can only imagine Doña Carmen's surprise when stepping out onto her balcony, she found the man of her dreams so close.
When a few moments had passed since that indescribable lovers' conversation began, and the lovers were deep in thought, violent words were heard from the back of the room. It was Doña Carmen's father shouting at Brígida, who risked her life trying to prevent her master from entering her lady's chambers. The father pushed Doña Carmen's protector aside with ease, and with dagger in hand, with a single blow he plunged it into his daughter's breast.Don Luis was shocked into silence. Doña Carmen's hand, still in his, slowly went cold. Resigned to the inevitable, Don Luis left a tender kiss on that smooth, pale hand, now lifeless. This is why this spot, undoubtedly one of the most typical of our city, is called the Callejón del Beso (the Alley of the Kiss).
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