Before I describe the amazing adventure we had this evening in downtown Puebla, I should note that we spent all morning and afternoon working. I am teaching a short unit on the ecological impact of chemical processes next week, so I spent time researching the topic and preparing notes and activities. As with the previous topic, I was given a set of PowerPoint slides, and though they are helpful, I cannot use them as given. The information presented in them is severely disorganized and sometimes incorrect. I wonder whether this is more due to the writer’s lack of expertise on the topic, or to their lack of English language skills. Nevertheless, I appreciate the slides as a starting point for my lesson planning.

Downtown Puebla held many rewards for our hard work! First, as we wandered from the zocalo towards the Capilla del Rosario, which Kristina re-christened the “Sparkly Church,” we walked past a pet store and did a double take when we saw a large iguana sitting atop a cage containing two toucans! I can’t recall having ever seen a toucan in real life before, so I was quite excited about this. Unfortunately photos of them were not permitted. As we continued along our way, we stumbled upon a hidden gem of a bakery. It didn’t look like much, but it smelled incredible, and Kristina and I soon found ourselves purchasing a large bag of delicious sweet breads and pastries for only about four dollars Canadian.

Despite our frequent side-tracking, we did make it to the Sparkly Church, and it certainly lives up to its name. I would try to describe it, but I really think the photograph below says more than I ever could.

We peeked inside several other churches as we continued to explore the city, but what really took our breath away was the view of their towers from the rooftop terrace of the Museo Amparo. This spectacular place was yet another lovely surprise for us, as we had gone to the museum only to look at its exhibits, but were asked to wait on the terrace for a few minutes while a piece of art was being moved. Needless to say, we spent much more than a few minutes on the terrace once we discovered what it had to offer. In addition to an incredible view, this included comfortable white rocking chairs, lime trees and other flourishing flora, sunshine, and a chorus of ringing church bells coming from a distance. Add in some great conversation with a friend, and you have one of those wonderful moments in life when you are overwhelmed by your blessings and cannot think of anything in life of which you are in want. We stayed until the sun set, basking in the wondrous surprises that life holds in store.