From the airport in Mexico City we drove in a rented VW Jetta to Tequisquispan. This is a resort town two hours north of Mexico City and was to be our launch site into the various towns north.

The location of Queretaro made it one of New Spain's most prosperous cities. The US made Queretaro the Mexican capital in 1948 after the Mexican war. It was here that a treaty gave the US half of Mexico's territory and that the Emperor Maximilian faced a firing squad. We took a guided tour focusing on the buildings around the Plaza de la Independencia. One was the Casa de Escala - a sumptuous residence now supporting government offices. In the Casa de la Corregidora are a few old prison cells from the time when it was the royal residence in 1700. The guide was great and so helpful in understanding the history of the buildings. We then ate lunch in at a sidewalk cafe on the Plaza.