Two "Magic Towns" in one day

In my previous post, I talked about our visit to "la Peña de Bernal", the huge monolith of rock in the state of Querétaro.  From the flank of the "peña" we could look down at the town of Bernal.

After finishing our hike along the path that goes part way up the rock, I suggested to Alejandro that we drive into the town of Bernal and find a place to eat.  I am so glad we did because we both thought that the town was thoroughly charming.

We found a place to park the car not too far from the town square.  As we walked toward the plaza, I was thinking to myself, "This is such a pretty place.  It should be declared a Magic Town."  (If you have read many of my posts, you already know that the Mexican tourism department grants the status of "Pueblo Mágico" or "Magic Town" to towns that are of outstanding scenic, cultural and historic interest.

Obviously the tourism department agreed with me, because when we reached the town square I saw a plaque commemorating the town's status as a "Magic Town."

The plaza is very picturesque.  On one side is the town hall, built in a rather whimsical style of architecture.  

 

On the other side is the little, 18th century Church of San Sebastián.  Next to the church is a small park filled with flowering jacaranda trees.

 

From the park there is a view of the towering Peña de Bernal.

 

Besides the jacarandas, there were lots of bougainvilleas and other flowers.

I didn't see any American tourists, but both the rock and the town seem to be quite popular destinations for Mexican tourists.  There are a number of hotels and restaurants in the town, and I found some high-quality shops selling local handicrafts.  In one shop I found some very attractive pottery done in a style that I had not seen before.  It is produced in a nearby factory.  I couldn't resist buying a couple pieces.

It was time to eat.  There were a couple restaurants that offered rooftop views of the Peña, but after looking at several menus, we chose a little courtyard restaurant that turned out to be a very good choice.  The food and the service were very good.  There was also a quite talented musician playing the keyboard.  His repertoire was very eclectic... ranging from Chopin and Mozart to Broadway musicals to ragtime.

For dinner I ordered Querétaro-style enchiladas and "cecina" (a type of dried, salted beef that is a specialty of the area).  Alejandro had a steak served with "cuitlacoche".  "Cuitlacoche" (also called "huitlacoche") is a fungus which grows on the ears of corn.  In the U.S. we call it "corn smut", but in Mexico it is a delicacy.  I am not big on trying foods that to our standards seem bizarre (like grasshoppers, ant eggs, or cow brains), but I have tried "cuitlacoche", and it is not bad.  Our name, "corn smut", makes it seem unappetizing, but really it is nothing more than a type of mushroom.

    
By this time it was early evening.  But we made another stop before heading back to Mexico City.  Just down the road from Bernal is Tequisquiapan, another "Magic Town".  We stopped and spent an hour strolling through the center of the town.  The lively plaza with its colonial church and the pedestrianized streets around it were very pleasant.  However we were both of the opinion that Bernal is much more "magical".