Hacienda de Cortez

Hacienda de Cortez is a former sugar mill built in the 16th Century. It was burned down during the Mexican revolution and all the wooden roofs and fittings were destroyed, but the stone walls and foundations survived. Restoration began in 1981 and a beautiful and very romantic hotel now stands, incorporating the remains of the old buildings, amid lush tropical gardens.

Our friends took us here for lunch yesterday. The food was okay, but the location was superb and we spent ages walking around just enjoying the atmosphere. Amazingly, it was quiet and serene inside the grounds, while just over the wall was all the noise and bustle of the street.

Here is a view of the back of the restaurant. At the centre back of the picture is an acqueduct (you'll have to trust me - you can't really see it) that was used to turn the water wheels of the sugar mill.



Here is a view inside the restaurant. All over the place are these enormous fig trees (not the eating kind of fig). The trees start life lodged in the stonework. Their branches grow up and their roots grow down, eventually reaching the ground. They are all over the place here, and have even been allowed to grow inside some of the buildings.