Destination Monterrey and Planetario Alfa

In front of the planetarium

 This weekend, Clara had a three-day weekend, Mario had a one-day weekend, and I was itching to get out of town.  What better to do than to brave the wilds of Monterrey on my own? 

After five years of living an hour and a half from Monterrey, it´s about time I began to figure out this town! 

In my defense though, I´ve had babies for most of the time that we´ve lived here, which doesn´t make exploring easy.  Furthermore, two years ago, Monterrey was one big shooting range, so we erased that from our list of nearby places to visit.  Fortunately, things seem a bit more stable there, my kids are old enough (or at least sufficiently predictable and flexible) to make a day away enjoyable.   So we took the plunge on Saturday!

I had been curious about the Planetario Alfa for almost a year, when I heard that it´s Monterrey´s children´s museum.  I got on their website, found out that they offer transportation from Monterrey´s Alameda (which is very, very near a metro stop), so I decided that the Planetario was our plan for the day.    



Someday I may learn my way around Monterrey to be comfortable enough to drive there.  But that´s not the case at this point.  We took a bus from Saltillo to the central in Monterrey, walked a block to the metro, took the metro one stop to the Alameda, and then looked around for the museum shuttle.  (I know, we probably could have walked to the Alameda from the bus station, but it was super-hot at noon in Monterrey, and I have two small children who were super-excited about the thought of riding a train.  It was eight pesos well spent!)

The shuttle stop on the Alameda

Joey wanted to be closed into a wind chamber.  All the pieces of paper were supposed to be germs and he was the immune system trying to catch them!

The shuttle stop is on Washington Pte, near the corner with Trinidad Villagomez.  There´s an information kiosk just a few meters before the stop.  The museum's ¨bus¨ is actually a Mercedes Sprinter, with a capacity for 19, so it´s best to get there a few minutes before the bus´s scheduled arrival, every hour on the half-hour (12:30, 1:30, etc).

Picnic in the Alameda

While waiting for the shuttle, we had a fruit salad picnic in the Alameda, then we bought some hot dogs and water.  Unfortunately, after taking maybe one bite each, she shuttle came, and it was clear that we needed to get in line or we wouldn't get a seat. So we finished our picnic once we reached the museum.  Near the entrance to the parking lot, in the prehispanic sculpture garden, they have a number of picnic benches at the ready (in the sun, of course).  We chowed down next to a giant Olmec head.

Then, we entered the museum.  The basic entrance is $60 per person (ages 3 and up).  The Alfa does boast an IMAX, so if you want to see a movie, that will add an extra $30 to the ticket.  We didn't have a ton of time, so we skipped the IMAX this time around.

The second floor has a temporary exhibit about Tinkertoys (leaving at the end of May). The kids had a good time building things, turning cranks, etc, but it was geared for kids that were a little older. 

So we headed to the fourth floor, where they have a temporary exhibit on Clifford the Big Red Dog, on loan from the Minnesota Children's Museum.  I had a feeling that this was more of a toddler/preschool exhibit, and I was not wrong!

We spent most of our time with Clifford, but we did run down to the third floor, to check out their "Me" exhibit, describing the human body.  Then we had to book it out of there 1) before my kids lost all the skee balls for a game and 2) before the 5:00 shuttle left without us.

It took the shuttle a mere 15 minutes to get back to the Alameda.  We had ice cream, watched the fountain and then finally headed to the metro to grab a bus back to Saltillo. 

It was a long day (the two hour bus ride back wore me out the most), but it was a good day.  I'm glad I finally tried out Monterrey on my own.  

We'll be back in a few weeks, to play in the fountains on the Paseo Sta. Lucia!     



Clara, Emily Elizabeth, and Clifford!

Destination: Cola del Caballo

And a destination this was! Two years ago, we meandered out this way with some friends, but never made it to the actual waterfall. It wasn't in the original plan anyway.

So this time around, when my parents were around and we thought that a drive through the mountains would be lovely, I was determined to get to Cola del Caballo. Of course, I wasn't driving!

Leaving Saltillo, we made our way to Arteaga, the county just east of here. Arteaga is known for their apple orchards, last year's forest fires, and the largest artificial ski slope in Latin America. Huh. They do boast a number of cabins to rent, which I'd really like to do some weekend when the spring/summer heat gets unbearable.

Right around the time we meandered to the Nuevo Leon border, we found ourselves in this impressive canyon, which we explored two years ago. Traffic is very light, so a number of people (ourselves included, clearly) just pulled off to the side of the road and pondered the sheerness and immensity of the cliffs. Incredible. To be honest, this part of the road was more impressive than the waterfall that was our destination.The view from (almost) straight up.Some perspectiveThrowing rocks into the stream.

I thought that the waterfall would be just twenty minutes more down the road. After another hour had passed, I was quite confident that we'd shortly be entering the outskirts of Monterrey and we had somehow missed the waterfall.

I wasn't too far off. However we did find the entrance to the Cola del Caballo just before we cruised into Monterrey. If one would be driving from Monterrey, the entrance would be much more obvious. But if, like us, you prefer the longer, windier road, keep your eyes open!Mom & Dad with the waterfall
Clara & Grandpa

Destination: Monterrey (Paseo Sta. Lucia)

Monterrey is not much of a tourist trap, and there are many good reasons for this. It is one of the biggest industrial centers in Mexico. Therefore, large factories and pollution often dominate a drive through Monterrey. Furthermore, the city is freakin' hot. While there, I often wonder if we're not really just a block away from hell. It's that hot.

However, Monterrey boasts some nice areas in order to make up for all its industrialization and to make it livable for its millions of inhabitants. The Macroplaza (I believe it would be Monterrey's zocalo, except it stretches through the entire downtown area), is green and fresh and is bordered by nice restaurants, stores, and museums. I wish I could say more about their museums, but I know that my 4-month-old daughter would not be a happy camper if I were to introduce to her to a museum, Jill-style (aka read every word printed), any time in the next ten years or so. So I'll just look at them longingly.

But the entire Rodriguez-Douglas family is a big fan of the Paseo de Santa Lucia. The Paseo is Monterrey's canal walk. It begins on the edge of the MarcroPlaza, between the Mexican history museum and the museum of the Northeast, and winds its way for about a mile to the Foundry Park (a much nicer place than the name implies). The popular pontoon boats cram at least 20 visitors onboard for their guided tours. Given the lines for these boats, it must be a good tour, but I don't know that I'll ever experience it--the line always looks too long. Walking is pleasant though, as the canal is decked out with public art, fountains (which kids are encouraged to enter), and tantalizing cafes. On weekends, children's theater takes over a few of the sidewalks, which are thankfully wide enough to admit the stage, bleacher seating, and plenty of room for those of us who are just cruising past.

As Monterrey is so notoriously hot, the crowds really come out in the evening and at night. Families pull out blankets near the playground areas and listen to bands play. Soccer games are televised on huge screens, so many, many Tigres fans can celebrate or commiserate together, outside, in the nicest area of their city. Someday, I'll be occupying a table at one of the cafes near the entrance. Sipping a beer while watching people on the canal sounds like an excellent evening to me. Ah, Santa Lucia!