The holiday season is always a busy one, and we made the most out of it this year!  It included Posadas, Fiestas, concerts, gingerbread, countless piñatas, and lots of skype time with loved family and friends around the globe.

Some highlights of our time:

the editing on this one leaves much to be desired - my apologies.  hey but at least it isn't months and months after the fact!

our vacation also included a trip to Guanjuato which was previously posted.

We spent the first part of our December holiday doing a little exploring in Mexico.  Despite living here for three years we have seen very little outside of Bahia Banderas (Karli travelled extensively in Mexico some moons ago).  We decided to go to Guanajuato (as well as nearby Dolores Hidalgo and San Miguel de Allende) which had received rave reviews from our friends - it did not disappoint.

Guanajuato is a gorgeous city nestled in a valley with colorful houses that cascade down the hillsides.  It is extremely old and the mines that surround the city continue to pull out rich deposits of silver, which was the main reason the UNESCO world heritage site was settled.  Many of the streets are not wide enough to allow for car traffic and instead wind in and around the homes and up the hillsides; those that do allow cars, are one lane and there is a complex network of tunnels that keep much of the traffic underground.  With a thriving university campus there is a youthful pulse to the city and an abundance of art (Diego Rivera was born here), music, and great things to see, do, and of course eat.  The family survived its first two overnight bus rides and i am thankful that the kids coped so well ... as i know it will lead to continued adventures (its in their blood).
In short, Guanajuato was a fantastic and rich trip that we highly recommend. (lonely planet)

Some of our adventures:

Our holiday was great and there is more great stuff to come (more traditionally Christmas) so stay tooned...



Much of this video could use some further explanation, we'd love to sit and share it with you:
(some explanations/memories)

• (3:50)  While walking into the main plaza in Dolores Hidalgo (the birth place of Mexican Independence) a funeral past with the mariachi's playing behind.  It was truly beautiful.  Karli made me promise to get a mariachi band for her funeral, so if I check out first .... you know.
• The doors and the street art in Guanajuato were absolutely amazing (photo gallery)
• (6:14)  This long "poster" is a chronological history of the world...from Adam and Eve.  It was absolutely fascinating and unlike anything I have ever heard of or seen before.  It was tucked away in a room we easily could have missed at the mine and was a true surprise highlight of the trip.
• (0:48)  2007 Scorpions world tour ticket ... nuff said.