La Carrera Panamericana 2009
San Miguel - Querétaro - Dolores Hidalgo - Pozos (Mexico)
01.08.2009 - 31.10.2009
La Carrera Panamericana is probably the toughest rally in the Speed World, which leads in seven days, about 3,500 km through three of the four climate zones in Mexico.
In heavily armed racing vintage cars about 100 teams racing in the tropical south of Huatulco, Oaxaca over, Ciudad de México, Querétaro, San Luis Potosi, Guadalajara, Zacatecas to the north of the border town of Nuevo Laredo.
Thus, the La Carrera Panamericana in this year's highest demands on man and machine!
The legendary race will be held for the first time in 1950 for the opening of the Mexican section of the Panamerican Highway.
Who is allowed to go on the Panamerican Highway, this spectacle is simply not to be missed.
And so we are interested in the race and the magnificent men (and women), flying in their boxes.
San Miguel de Allende is the nearest point of this year's route in about 65 km away Querétaro.
Previously, however, are still a few festivals in the calendar.
The history of the Mexican independence struggle vacate a prominent place in San Miguel, and then the Independence Day has a special significance here.
Already on the eve is celebrated with fireworks at the Jardin and the famous El Grito, the priest Miguel Hidalgo proclaimed the 199 years before the war of independence against the Spaniards.
Priest Miguel Hidalgo and his followers then marched from the nearby monastery to Dolores Atotonilco and on to San Miguel to get here to unite with Ignacio Allende and his men.
The arrival of the independence fighters is adjusted annually by a traditional march with horsemen and foot soldiers in period costumes.
No less spectacular are the memorial services in honor of San Miguel Arcangel (Archangel Michael) on 29 September, the patron saint of the city.
On the following Saturday morning at 4:00 clock is (!), A gigantic and deafening fireworks fired from both sides of the Jardin.
Parish of the fireworks shoot in the middle of the crowd (see below: Video "La Alborada"), a strong smell of powder in the smoke-filled air, it is incredibly loud, impressive, and the endless shoot-unprecedented acts strangely beautiful.
Sixty minutes takes this cracking drama. A suggestion for the next City Festival - at 4:00 in the morning in Germany.
Around 6:00 clock we fall into bed - the Spanish course at 9:00 fails.
We will represent the colorful procession in the afternoon, at the lovingly decorated dancers in traditional presentation of the various indigenous tribes of the region (see video "Los Danzantes" and photo gallery Los Danzantes 
).
Many of the dancers come here literally in a trance, what with the long strain and the temperature is not surprising.
The La Carrera Panamericana has begun and we're going to Queretaro , A city with outstanding historical significance and since 1996 a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The colonial city center is well maintained and is considered relatively safe. Many German companies have settled in Querétaro.
We visit the major sights of Querétaro, including impressive churches, pretty squares and the nearly 1300 m long aqueduct of Queretaro, which supplies the water-poor city with water since 1738.
The La Casa de la Marquesa - once noble city palace of a respectable family - is now a stylish hotel, which you should definitely watch from inside.
Gasoline is in the air! It is 17:00, the official arrival of La Carrera Panamericana at Templo San Francisco.
Arco de Lledgada called the red inflatable gate, which is run through a target of today's stage.
Our top spot right on the Barrier promises the best view of the close finish of the race.
Thinks there is a small group of organizers and also turns on the other side of the grid directly to our attention.
Will do with the photos - it sucks! Place change!
Anywhere along the street spectators and a good place to be is no longer found.
We are just at the end of the barrier, when an official pass us squeezed through the crowd in the street.
He wants the front grille! Before we know it, we get into his slipstream in the cordoned-off area at the target.
Finally more space, better visibility and in the middle!
Organizers are right next to us, on the other side of the TV, right and left of the road safety gate, behind the spectators.
It sees us, but we do not send us away. What they think well who are we?
The special stages were coming out of the city and the vehicles in succession by perhaps 15 meters from goal.
Hostesses at each side of the road give the driver and passenger a nice medal for reaching the goal for the day.
Between the end of the barrier and place the night of the vehicles forms a narrowing street people, the teams will be greeted as heroes and the honking cars will - on behalf of the unattainable shoulder of the crew - a knock on the roof and fenders.
Southern Germany has also sent his heroes, and so we meet in the middle of Mexico not only the ubiquitous VW Beetle, Porsche and Mercedes but also from Stuttgart, Balingen and Starnberg.
More and more spectators crowd in the restricted area to the front, so we prefer to go to the already parked cars in order to make some pictures.
Many vehicles have already left the team, while teams dedicated their fans happy even with autographs and talking with interested spectators.
Here we meet Alexandra and Thomas had on her black Mercedes 280 SE with number 382, whose website we discovered earlier, and followed the blog.
After a nice conversation, we still look at the other cars and make us quickly on the way home already darkening.
A day tour takes us to the town of Dolores Hidalgo and the church of Rev. Miguel Hidalgo, who called out here with the Grito de Dolores (Cry of Dolores) in 1810 the struggle for independence.
We visit the Museo Nacional de la Independencia, which images, documents and other objects of the struggle for independence issue.
Our return journey takes us past the monastery Atotonilco, Hidalgo, from which time the church banner with the image of the Virgen de Guadalupe (Our Lady of Guadalupe) fetched before it is moved to San Miguel.
Another tour takes us into the 60 km from the mining village of Mineral de Pozos, who was one of up to 80,000 inhabitants and more than 300 active mines once to the four major cities in the state of Guanajuato.
Until the 1950s, Pozos degenerated into a ghost town with only 200 inhabitants.
After Pozos was declared a national monument, put up a small upturn, so that the place is now reportedly back more than 2000 residents.
The visit of Pozos is a journey into the last century, which starts right at the entrance.
Here, the time traveler, the smooth asphalt ribbon of modern exchanges in the rough cobblestone streets of the colonial past.
The bright buildings emphasize the sadness of a deserted village.
What a contrast to the colorful facades and colorful life in Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende and Dolores Hidalgo, which Pozos was once mentioned in one breath.
2000 residents will have the place!
Where are they? Get color?
On November Mexico celebrates the famous Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Two pictures of the preparations are in the gallery (see below) of this report. More pictures and info on Día de los Muertos will follow in the next report.
Gallery
To enlarge click on one of the images. In view of the large scrolls a click in the right half forward and backward in a click of the left half.
The travel videos of La Alborada and Los Danzantes originated in San Miguel de Allende.
Pauses a video to recharge more often, simply press the Pause button to let the video load completely and then press Start.
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Information for Travelers
More information (GPS information, travel tips, etc.) for this travel report are in the country information.
To the corresponding paragraph in practice Mexico Travel
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"There will be cars that are pulled by any animal
and therefore drive with incredible violence. "
(Leonardo da Vinci, 1452-1519)