Retire Early
Lifestyle
Retirement; like your parents, but way cooler
In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age
of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this
financially independent lifestyle, they invite you
to take advantage of their wisdom and experience. |
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Unveil the
Enchanting Streets of Puebla, Mexico
Billy and Akaisha Kaderli
Embark on a journey through
time as you explore the captivating streets of Puebla,
Mexico. Puebla,
the country's fourth-largest city, boasts a rich history and architectural
splendor, making it a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A World Heritage
Gemstone Awaits
Just a two-hour drive from
Mexico City,
Puebla offers a world of its own. To be included on the prestigious UNESCO World
Heritage List, a site must possess exceptional universal value. Puebla achieved
this recognition in 1987, showcasing its significance across various categories
like architecture, culture, and history.
Immerse Yourself in
Puebla's Architectural Marvels
Wandering the streets of
Puebla is like stepping into a bygone era.
Puebla's
historic center is a treasure trove of architectural gems, each street boasting
unique beauty. Expect to be captivated by vibrant colonial buildings, adorned
with intricate details and bathed in warm hues.
Beyond Words: Experience
Puebla's Magic
While words can describe
the beauty of Puebla's streets, nothing compares to experiencing it firsthand.
Imagine strolling along charming avenues, marveling at historical buildings, and
soaking in the city's vibrant atmosphere.
Plan Your Puebla
Adventure Today
Puebla beckons you to
discover its magic. Start planning your unforgettable trip to this captivating
city and delve into its rich history, architectural wonders, and vibrant
culture.
Below you will find some of her most
beautiful streets and
buildings.
Colorful Colonial buildings in Puebla,
Mexico All
throughout Puebla you will see colorful Colonial buildings that have been
restored to original condition. The streets are clean of trash and debris,
and the sidewalks are wide and flatten out to the streets for easy access.
No broken curbs, no potholes, no missing
chunks of concrete to stub your toe or fall into.
Lovely!
Notice in the center of this street is a
map and signs explaining some history of this location. You will find these
signs with historical information all over town.
Stunning architecture and wrought iron
I don't know the name of this corner
building, but the painting and wrought iron work is really beautiful. It can
easily rival Europe.
The Circle K store on the bottom floor
never had it so good!
Man sitting on the stoop
Here is an older gentleman sitting on the
stoop of this Church. Notice the Spanish style brass work on the door, and
some talavera tile in the upper left of the photo.
The steps are stone, and the building
itself has been made of local stone as well.
Three story brick and carved stone
building
Another lovely brick and crafted stone
building, with concrete balustrades and wrought iron balconies.
I can only imagine what the interiors
look like!
Nicely done.
Casa del Afenique behind shoe shine
kiosk
Afenique is a kind of sugar and almond
candy, and this building is named for the intricate mortar work on its
facade.
The home was left to the State in 1896,
and was used to house the first public museum in the city of Puebla. The
museum collection is over 1,500 pieces of historical nature.
Directional signs
All around the city of Puebla, you will
find these directional signs letting you know where tourist attractions are
located. Also, there are engraved metal signs posted on buildings and
special stands explaining the history of the building or statue, as shown in
a previous photo above.
One can easily do a walking tour on their
own, with these directional signs showing the way, and the individual
explanations given in both Spanish and English around town.
The Paseo Bravo is an
urban park in the city.
The Museo Amparo is one
of the most important historical museums in Mexico.
Calle de los Dulces is a street occupied
by nothing other than candy shops. Puebla is known for their sweets.
Mercado la Victoria at the end of
Calle de los Dulces
The local sweets of Puebla have been
considered a delicacy since Colonial times.
The first store to sell
sweets and pastries on this street was founded in 1892 and became
immediately successful. Soon the street filled up with other stores selling
their ideas of delicious treats.
Now there are at least
40 of these dulcerias, with the owners often living upstairs above
the shop. Mexico
has always had their style of desserts and sugary snacks, but the influence
of the French and Arabians have made an impact on today's varieties.
Here you can buy the sugary skulls famous
on Mexico's
Days of the Dead and thousands are shipped all around Mexico from these
shops. This
street is a must-see.
Rendition of a young woman making mole
Puebla is famous for its mole, a sauce
that begins with one or more types of chili peppers. The classic styles of
the moles of Central Mexico and Oaxaca such as mole poblano and mole negro
include two or more of the following chili peppers: ancho, pasilla, mulato
and chipotle.
There are all sorts of other ingredients
such as cumin, cloves, anise, garlic, dried fruit, ... and mole poblano has
an average of about 20 ingredients. Oaxacan moles can have over 30
ingredients.
Chocolate, if it is used at all, is added
at the very end of cooking.
Many families have their own varieties of
mole passed down for generations, with their preparation reserved for
special events in large batches.
Talavera pottery tiles on buildings in
Puebla
Talavera pottery made in Puebla is a
mixture of of Chinese, Italian, Spanish and indigenous ceramic techniques.
The authentic talavera only comes from the states of Puebla and Tlaxcala,
Mexico.
What made production so prevalent in
these states was the availability of clay and the great demand for tiles to
cover churches and convents. There was a "golden age" of tile-making between
the 17th and 18th centuries.
You will see this talavera tile on
buildings all over Puebla.
The front building here has "El Parian"
clearly marked on its awning. El Parian means "market" (coming from Tagalo
in the Philippines) but now can also mean a craft area or store.
Sandwiches for sale
Puebla is known for their sandwiches too.
Here they are called cemitas, and the filling comes on a sesame seed bun.
They can have a pulled pork filling, beef leg, pounded and fried chicken
breast or ham.
Actually, it's the bun that is called
cemita, which was introduced by the French during the short, 4-year period
of French Intervention in Mexico.
These cemita sandwiches are running less than
$2USD. It makes for a very affordable lunch.
Notice all the talavera pottery in this
store.
Another clean Colonial street in
Puebla
Once again, there are handsome buildings,
brightly painted and some have the talavera tile on their fronts.
This city has a stately attitude about
it.
Wrought iron balconies and doors
The legacy of the French is visible
throughout the city illustrated by the elaborate wrought iron balconies and
gates in Puebla.
In the historic government buildings and
palaces, there are crystal chandeliers, another influence of the French.
Palacio Municipal, Town Hall
The Municipal Palace in Puebla is the
seat of the City Council. The current building was begun in 1887 and completed in 1906. This location was the
seat of civil power since 1536, but there have been 3 different buildings on
this location as
the city grew and changed.
In 1714, in the second building, the
corner of the second floor was reserved for the mayors. There was balcony, a
chapter house and chapel. After the main door there was an audience room, a
jail and the mayor's home.
Building signs and street signs in
Braille There
are many signs written in Braille on corners of buildings in Puebla.
Corporate buildings,
hospitals, schools, universities and government agencies all have these
signs in Braille.
Institute for Public Assistance
Balustrades, talavera tile, and wrought
iron balconies adorn the Public Assistance building in Puebla.
The corner of 9 East Avenue and South
2nd Street
The corner door on this bright orange and white building is a pastry shop,
called Le Sucree Patisserie.
Looking down South 2nd street to the
corner of 7 East Avenue
Again, no matter where you go in Puebla,
the streets are clean, the sidewalks are wide, and the buildings are kept
up. I imagine the UNESCO rating had a lot to do with this.
A stand selling tortas, tamales and
atole This is
typical Mexican fare.
Atole is a traditional
hot corn/masa beverage that dates back to the time of Mesoamerica, and comes
from Nahuatl, the still-living language of the Aztecs.
Chocolate atole is known as champurrado
or atole. It typically accompanies tamales, and is very popular during
Days of the
Dead and Las Posadas celebrations.
A tamale is a traditional Mesoamerican
dish, made of corn/masa, which is steamed in a corn husk or banana leaf.
A torta is a sandwich (a cousin of
the cemitas) served on a roll or bun. Tortas can come in many varieties and
can be served both hot or cold. Your torta Mexicana can be filled with a
wide variety of ingredients including different types of meats, poultry and
cheeses with beans, avocado, and peppers.
The Museum of the Revolution and
previous home of Aquiles Serdan
Notice the bullet holes on the wall of
this building.
Yes, real bullet holes.
This is considered to be the place where
the Mexican Revolution began, November 18, 1910.
Aquiles Serdan was politically active in
the anti-reelection of President Portfirio Diaz, and was accused of
distributing propaganda against him. Police assaulted this building and
Serdan and his family fought back. The police chief and Serdan were killed,
and many members of Serdan's family were killed or injured.
Over time, the federal government
acquired this building from the Serdan family and converted it into the
Museum of the Revolution.
Curiously, La Gran Fama (see the Calle de
los Dulces above) was operating its Dulceria next door at the time. Today,
there is a placard in the shop naming the shop as a "witness to one of the
most significant events in Mexico."
Puebla has a system of tunnels underneath
the city dating back 500 years. Long considered an urban legend, these
tunnels were rediscovered in 2015. This tunnel system is believed to extend
for more than 10km, and are high enough so that a person could easily ride
through on horseback.
Since they begin in the historic center
of Puebla, and end at the Loreto fort where the Cinco de Mayo battle
happened against the French, researchers consider that these tunnels were
used by solders during the Battle of the Mexican Liberation.
For more photos and stories on Mexico,
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About the Authors
Retire
Early Lifestyle appeals to a different
kind of person – the person who prizes their
independence, values their time, and who doesn’t
want to mindlessly follow the crowd.
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