This watching television in the morning is addictive…this morning it was the Men’s final of the Australian open with a British opponent for Roger Federer. Andy Murray was trying to become the first British man in 74 years to win a Grand Slam tennis event.
Alas Federer was much too good and he won in straight sets to claim his world record 16th Grand Slam title.
After the tennis I packed up and went on my mystery tour.
This is taken from the Wikipedia…
José Alfredo Jiménez (January 9, 1926 in Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato – November 23, 1973 in Mexico City, Mexico) was a Mexican singer-songwriter in the ranchera style.
His songs are considered an integral part of the Mexican musical heritage and are comparable, for instance, to Woody Guthrie's influence on American folk music.
He had no musical training—according to the singer Miguel Aceves Mejía, Jiménez didn't play an instrument and didn't even know the Spanish terms for "waltz" and "key". Nonetheless he composed more than 1000 songs. Among the most famous are "Ella", "Paloma querida", "Media vuelta", "El Rey", "Sin Sangre en las venas", "El jinete", "Si nos dejan", "Amanecí en tus brazos", "Llegando a ti", "Tu recuerdo y yo", El hijo del pueblo", "Cuando el destino", "El caballo blanco", "Llegó borracho el borracho" and "Que te vaya bonito", as well as "Camino de Guanajuato", where he sang about his home state of Guanajuato.
José Alfredo Jiménez' tomb in Dolores Hidalgo, Gto. has become a tourist attraction
In addition to his own hit recordings, many of his songs have been recorded successfully by renowned recording artists from around the Spanish-speaking world, most notably by Miguel Aceves Mejía, Pedro Infante, Rocío Durcal, Javier Solís, Pedro Fernández, Jorge Negrete, Vikki Carr, Luis Miguel, Lola Beltrán, Alejandro Fernandez, Chavela Vargas, Maná, Antonio Aguilar, Vicente Fernández, Julio Iglesias, Joaquín Sabina, Manolo García, Los Tigres del Norte, and Gualberto Castro.
Jiménez, like others of his contemporaries (Jorge Negrete,Pedro Infante and Javier Solís, the so-called "Three Mexican Roosters", or Tres Gallos Mexicanos), died young. He was struck-down by hepatitis at age 47 and is regarded, along with Agustín Lara and Juan Gabriel, as one of the best songwriters that Mexico has ever produced. He was certainly one of the most prolific composers in the history of popular music, world-wide.
Shortly before his death, he wrote and recorded his last song, "Gracias", thanking the public for all of the affection they had shown him. His tomb has become a place of pilgrimage for serious music fans from around the Spanish-speaking world.
I had heard about his tomb and decided today was the day to find it.
I went to Dolores Hidalgo which is famous for the many pottery artists and stopped and bought a few little samples…
After getting about three different sets of directions I located the cemetery on the edge of town.
This was a huge place but again with more directions I located
and the tomb!!
It was really a remarkable sight this huge Sombrero and serape and all his songs were entered on the serape, quite a sight!!!
I then headed out to another small town about 40 minutes away called
This is another tiny village noted for its pottery.
I was more interested to see the great church that was located in this valley.
The drive down into the valley was on a very narrow dirt road which ended at the church through this tiny entrance.
Good job I was the only vehicle on the road.
The inside of the church was interesting.
This was taken on the dirt road on the way back.
I decided to follow the loop road through to Guanajuato and on the way saw this..
If you look very closely right underneath the b in below that is the statute of Christ where we went on January 6th for the cowboys pilgrimage.
It was an uneventful drive back to SMA and I got back around 6pm and about 30 minutes later the heavens opened and it rained so hard and thundered with lightening strikes. I don’t think I have seen rain like that since I was in Costa Rica.
Anybody seen this lady around?
Let me know if you do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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