On the road from Guanajuato to Dolores Hildago you go up into the mountains and stay on course around winding curves for most of the trip.  Approaching Dolores Hildago, you are finally back down to flatter land and the town where the war of independence from Spain was declared in 1810.

You can get about fifty different varieties of sherbet in the city of Dolores Hidalgo.  Not only that, but you can get a variety of flavors that you wouldn’t get anywhere else in the world.  Shrimp, for example, how about that?  There is also tequila, appropriate when you consider where you are.  I was looking forward to avocado, but wouldn’t you know–the four stands in the four corners of the central park did not have avocado the day we were there. 

No avocado sherbet was OK because the real goal of our side trip for me was to check out the ceramics.  Dolores Hidalgo is famous for the abundance of ceramics produced in this city.  Local potters have been active in the production of pottery since Father Miguel Hidalgo shouted out the call for independence from the Spanish on September 16, 1810, right in front of the square and the church where we were deposited by our taxi driver that morning.  Father Miguel was obviously not only good in the matters of revolution, but also in business.  He put the townspeople to work and to this day the industry, known as Talavera, still flourishes.

After spending time in Nuestra Senora de Dolores (Are any of the churches here less than amazing?) we were given directions to walk five blocks straight ahead to find the streets of pottery.  Sure enough after five blocks and turning one corner, we found three blocks packed with little shops.  Knowing that I did not have a way of carrying back a variety of pots or plates with me I settled for four cups.  I didn’t pursue my curiosity of where the studios and artists were. (But I did enter in almost every shop.)

Back at the square, we sat on benches and indulged in leisurely watching the citizens go to and fro and about their business.  Michael got his sherbet.  After being offered so many samples I was full of  sherbet and opted out, but he got mango with chile.  He ate it like a kid and told me how really delicious it turned out to be.  We found out there is a bus station close to the square and we fortunately arrived right on time for the departure to Guanajuato.  The journey to and from Dolores Hidalgo was half the fun.  The buses connecting the cities of the state of Guanajuato are so pleasant and as long as nobody steps too far down on the gas pedal, they are very relaxing.  Our route was through mountains and curves and beautiful countryside.  I thought again about the sherbet. It isn’t really sherbet as we know it.  It is more liked  flavors on finely shaved ice.  I noticed on the vendor’s sign in the photo today that the first flavor is Coca Cola.  Dang! To be back again on a really hot day; Coca Cola sherbet.  Sounds refreshing.