Mexico 1906
Monday, Aug. 20, Mexico City [1906]
Tuesday, Aug. 21, Toluca
Mexico is a fine city but with many very poor people, picturesque, churches
Went by narrow gauge ry. [railway] over a pass at abt. 10,000 ft. & down to 8,000 at town of Toluca, pouring rain, grand dinner last night 5 kinds of wine.
Men do much of the work of horses.... Our baggage was brought late by men who staggered in under trunks and valises.... Today left by train for a village near the mt. & were there met by a brass band and a troop of Guarda Rurales in uniform heavily armed ... 30 horses with red blankets & Mexican saddles waited for us & in time we ... started for Toluca de Nevada. At first trotting & loping in a long picturesque procession through small villages & corn fields purplish in stalk & husk, the people crowding out to see us, setting crackers & jangling all the church bells ... little spits of rain.... The Rurales put covers over their steeple hats & drew on black ponchos, looking somber enough. Some of our party had capotes like Capuchins & the gay procession turned funeral.... The sky cleared & we went steadily down to a village....
Notebook 42, 1906, [pages 157 - 160]