Our recent weekend travels (Friday, March 21 through Sunday, March 23) with our friends and guides Manuel and Alejandra included the Prismas Basalticos and the Hacienda Santa Maria de Regla, already described here in the last pages posted. But just as important were more visits to some wonderful "Pueblos Magicos" in the mountains of Hidalgo State. The photo collections here give our accounts of those adventures.

The first magic town we came to is Mineral del Chico ( http://www.visitmexico.com/en/magicaltowns/center-region/mineral-del-chico ) where we enjoyed a delicious Mexican brunch:

We stayed Friday night in Real del Monte, a rather larger and more famous (see this article from "Voices of Mexico": http://www.revistascisan.unam.mx/Voices/pdfs/5217.pdf ) magic town, also known as Mineral del Monte ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral_del_Monte ):

There we visited the mining museum created from the restoration of the Mina de la Dificultad (Difficulty Mine!)

• Entrance to the Mine Entrance to the Mine
• Chimney Chimney
• Guide Guide
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• Base of chimney Base of chimney
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Nearby, we visited the beautiful Hacienda San Miguel de Regla ( http://www.sanmiguelregla.com/ ):

The third magic town of our delightful weekend is Huasca de Ocampo ( http://huascapueblomagico.gob.mx/ ), where the Prismas Basalticos and Hacienda Santa Maria de Regla are located:

And finally we returned to the home territory of Alejandra and Manuel, in Toluca. We spent a little time there visiting Metepec:

• Victor and Don Victor and Don
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• Alejandra, Manuel, Victor Alejandra, Manuel, Victor
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• Farewell concert Farewell concert
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