last weekend we were out of town, celebrating a friend’s 30th birthday at a house in a small town southwest of ciudad de México called Malinalco. 
Malinalco, although quite tiny, is well known both for its beauty and for its unique cliff-side pyramid and large Catholic convent.
Pyramid of the Jaguar - Malinalco
we visited the pyramid last year – and it is another fascinating one to see. unlike most pyramids built in valleys or on mountaintops, this one is built into the side of a mountain, so that they really only carved out two sides of the main building. it is also one of the last to be built, probably started after the Spanish had arrived on the continent. because of the conquest, it was never completely finished, but it also is not quite so old and therefore is better preserved than some other sites. beyond the archa
the local convent is also interesting to visit, as the walls are covered not with the traditional Spanish gilt you
see in most Catholic churches but instead with traditionally stylized painting; it is a combination of moorish geometric design with depictions of the plants and flowers of the region, all in typical mesoamerican colors and style, and it is quite pretty. i liked the artwork particularly because it reminds me of Tomie dePaola, one of my father’s favorite children’s illustrators, and i wonder if he was at all inspired by this style.
but last weekend was not about sight-seeing; it was about relaxing with friends and celebrating together. for two nights we rented out a large hacienda-style house complete with waitstaff, a pool, a koi pond, and a paddle-ball court (like tennis, but smaller court and different rackets). the house was beautiful, and the group of people we were with was a ton of fun. it was a great way to kick off the new school year! getaways like this are what make living in mexico so much fun, and a reminder of how lucky we are to be here.
view from patio to pool and ball court
love the pool!