[Gocamino] plazas

[Robert Spenger]

I haven't really seen that much of Spain, but I have been disappointed with the plazas that I have seen. To me, pavement, fountains, and statuary make for a rather barren plaza. I guess that I have been spoiled by the plazas of Mexico, with their emphasis on greenery, especially the the little oasis villages in the otherwise very arid Baja Peninsula. I would have to say that San Ignacio is my favorite, with its view of the magnificent, ancient mission (http://www.colonial-mexico.com/West%20Mexico/kad.html). Not as old as those in Europe, but remarkable to find in this tiny village after driving over hundreds of miles of parched land. Another one is in the same region of the earth, but another few hundred miles to the south. It is Santiago, believe it or not. Not all the way south to Santiago, Chile, but just a little way off the carretera of Baja,  down near the tip, on the way from La Paz to Los Cabos. This far south, you are leaving the arid Baja desert region and getting into the tropics, so the landscape is a tad more lush. Santiago, another tiny village, is blessed with a year round stream and even has a hot springs nearby. Its most surprising feature is a zoo, compete with a Bengal tire. Amazing for a town of barely over a thousand inhabitants.

As far as the cities are concerned, I would pick Oaxaca, where you can sit in an upper floor restaurant and look out over the plaza with its many trees and neat cupola bandstand. Actually that may be the only one I have seen in major cities. All I have seen of Mexico City is the airport area and I don't remember the plazas of Morelia, Guadalajara, Puerta Vallarta, and a few others. I do remember Patzcuaro, a town of moderate size. It, too has a very inviting plaza.

Bob S.