My wife, Rebe, and I love going to the botanical garden which is located in the picturesque capital city of our state, Tlaxcala. This beautiful and tranquil place is situated on about 22 acres of property which is covered with all kinds of trees and plants. The park shows the public what is possible if we sincerely care for what nature has to offer. Pecople come to this garden to walk, jog, run, meditate, read, write, picnic, and learn.
Oftentimes as we travel through Mexico, we may get the idea that Mexicans care very little for nature since more than 50% of this country's natural resources have been uprooted in the last 100 years. However,
when we experience places such as Tlaxcala's botanical garden, we learn that the educated citizens have convinced the government to put aside land to demonstrate what the country can do. This is shown the very moment Rebe takes the first few steps into this beautiful place.
As you can see, the garden begins with an excellent layout of paths for walking, jogging or running. On our right side are trees that have been in the area for a long time, whereas those directly behind us were planted in the last 10 to 20 years. They consist of trees from various parts of the world. Although we are here in the middle of the day on a Sunday, it is most conducive to come here in the early morning to sit or walk in meditation.
Walking along the trail in the park, we see numerous benches where it's possible to sit and just soak in this lovely environment. Whereas the busy world drowns out the sounds of nature, the garden is full of the songs of birds, both large and small. I've noticed that the people who use this natural sanctuary usually keep their voices down and just enjoy where they are. Also, conveniently located along the paths are a series of waste receptacles which encourage visitors to keep the place clean. In many ways, the garden serves as a refuge from a preoccupied world.
Further along in this beautiful area of nature, we find people strolling quietly and enjoying their time together. Mexican families are quite united, and the more one lives or spends time in this country, the more he or she begins to realize why this is so. Trust and security lie in family, even the one with whom we may spend so little time here. It's not unusual to see each one of the family members put close attention and care into getting along with their sisters, brothers, parents, uncles and aunts, nieces and nephews, grandparents, and cousins.
At one end of the garden, we see a biking and running trail that goes along a river. Between six and ten in the morning, there's a gate where, with the exception of cyclists, walkers and runners can come into the park and enjoy a lap or two.
Old growth is not limited to other parts of the world, Rebe has also found it in Tlaxcala's botanical paradise! Tree hugging is a wonderful experience. There's something about embracing a tree that brings us so much closer to nature--it's like listening to and feeling living energy flow through the veins of a living being . Poets find it inspiring and let its words run thoughtout their prose. Its wisdom is profound.
Located near the garden's theater and main entrance, we find a map. It gives us an image of the first part of the "Jardin". With the experience of this wonderful place and the information about its operating hours, we're encouraged to come again and again.
And we might even be curious about some of the other things the city of Tlaxcala has to offer. For example, there's a wonderful park (zocolo) in the middle of the downtown area. Surrounding it are numerous restaurants, a couple of coffee shops, several museums, a five star hotel, and many other commercial activities. Sundays are a good time to go there if you enjoy the arts, crafts, and dancing. There's also a tour bus of the city. During the week, the early morning is the time to enjoy the quiet and see the squirrels running about the park--they're multiracial for they've crossed between the black, the grey, the brown, and the red breeds of these animals. Whatever your taste, you'll find something in this city for you, especially, the botanical garden.
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