The drive from Pearland to Mexico was really fast. Probably b/c I slept most of the way.  We arrived in Mexico and went straight from the Visas check to Rancho El Zancudo.  The ranch is 2500 acres of pure wilderness and absolutely one of the most peaceful places I have ever visited.  The house sits on the very top of the tallest hill on the ranch.  Its is only concrete walls and brick ceilings right now.  Every wall is stucco and the floor is dirt.  We had so much fun designing the tile on the dirt!  We came up with some really great ideas while at the casa and took lots of measurements and pictures while at the house. So we could be prepared for all the shopping to come. I took some really great photos and will be posting them when I get back.  Terri and I ended up walking about 2 miles or so on the rancho and I had so much fun photographing nature.  Once back at the house we fed the five horses;Jeesy, Mama, Booger, and two others until the bats started swarming around my head, then I was in the house.  We had chex mix and beer for dinner then hit the hay.

Friday morning we got up at 6am and drove all the way to San Miguel.  We arrived in San Miguel around 4:30pm.  The trip there was not really at all what I expected. Mexico has so many different landscapes.  We were driving  through all this fog then once we reached the mountains the fog lifts and it was beautiful.  The mountains are huge and each one looks completely different.  Some are covered in sediment, others in various shades of sand and dirt, and then some are covered in palm trees.  The palm trees look nothing like the palm trees we have in the back yards in Pearland.  They are old and twisted and have tons of character.  Goat, cows, burrows and horses are everywhere on the sides of the road.  Also, on the side of the toll road they sell long ropes of ajo (garlic) and then farther into Mexico instead of garlic on the rope its snakes and gato skins... that's right not bobcats, house cat skins! We stopped at many pemex ( gas stations) along the way and to my surprise most were very clean and nice. Except one... where we got attacked by about 8 young children begging for money.  It makes you realize how much we have in the states.

We came into an area called Delores Hildago, the landscape went from being mountains to flat farm land.  The land was a bright green and so where the plants.  The town was quaint and full of color, but nothing compared to when we arrived in San Miguel.  I was instantly in love.You can see a really old church that almost glows and is surrounded by the city.  The trees are blooming a deep purple and are covered in flowers.  Every house is draped in bright pink, yellow, orange and red flowers.  The streets are old cobblestone and people are everywhere.  The town has great energy and you get almost a high walking down the streets.  There are no stop signs, people just stop and let you pass.  Same thing with when you want to cross the street by foot.  Everyone is so friendly.  Every house has a unique wooden or metal door that is hidding the oasis behind it.  Every door when opened goes to beautiful garden or sittting area or home.  We spent all afternoon walking around the town and then stopped to eat a resturaunt.  Which had the best food ever.  I made friends with some wonderful people from Austin, TX.  The waiters sat down with us at our table and chit chatted... I am determined and inspired to learn Spanish after visiting with them.

Tomorrow we are going to the Cantera stone manufacture. Its about 40 miles outside of San Miguel and then we are going to tour Casa Luna.  I will post more tomorrow.