Guanajuato: We were robbed

Guanajuato has got to be my favorite city so far. The most appealing part about it was how pedestrian-friendly it is.

An extensive tunnel system under the city was built to divert the river from flooding the town. Then they made a damn and repurposed the tunnels for vehicular use, leaving the majority of Guanajuato to be overrun by foot traffic.

I was traveling with my friend Cameron at this point. He commented that you won't find any towns or cities built on the hillsides like this. They're either set in the valley or on flattened ground. But this gives Guanajuato its charm and character. The labyrinth of walkways zigzag up the hills, buildings packed together like the clothes at the bottom of my pack and slapped together like a quilt made of discarded fabric...or the clothes at the bottom of my pack.

Another appealing factor is the university. There always seems to be something being put on by the students. Going to the zocalo (town square) in the evenings almost guarantees you see something new every time: parades, music, comedy, dancing, and epic downhill mountain biking!

That was my favorite part.

The hike up to La Bufa would have been my favorite part. It was so refreshing to get out of the city and climb a hill; the views were gorgeous! But it got us into an unpleasant situation.

It isn't uncommon for hikers to get robbed in Mexico. However, La Bufa is the most popular hike in Guanajuato; it's on most people's lists of things to do, and tours always go up there for hiking and rock climbing. If I were to go hiking anywhere, I figured this would be a good place, and having Cameron with me felt better not being alone.

But things still happen.

It was a gorgeous view at the top, overlooking the city and countryside. We were up there for a while, meditating and eating lunch. It was so peaceful.

On our way down, this guy came from around the hillside. It was pleasant at first, just a friendly nod hello as we kept walking. Our first hint was that he rushed to catch up with us.

I think it's a Canadian weakness to be friendly, and if someone approaches you, they probably want to chat, right? However, chatting doesn't usually include pulling out a giant nail and gesturing more dramatically at someone's pocket, where they obviously have their phone. And it sounds silly to be threatened by a guy with a nail, but it was a big nail, and when you've never been in a situation remotely like this, it's still freaky.

When Cameron refused to comply, the man grabbed his shirt and punched him down, wrestling the phone out of Cameron's pocket. Then he turned to me.

I think I was very fortunate in this particular case to be a woman because all women's pants have sh*t pockets. There was no way I was hiking with my phone hanging out two-thirds of the way, ready to fall out any second. All my valuables were in my pack, so he was disappointed to find nothing but lip balm and hair clips in my pockets.

I started shuffling my way down the hill, trying to get some distance from him. He grabbed the shoulder strap of my pack, and we played a quick game of tug of war. I won.

We could tell at this point that he didn't want to use the nail. The most threatening thing about him was the look in his eyes. He was desperate to get something, anything. He was so desperate that he would go outnumbered with nothing but a nail because that was all he had.

Cameron and I started scrambling down the rocky, bushy hillside. He followed us for about twenty feet and then gave up. He had a phone, at least; he wasn't leaving empty-handed. That would have to be enough for him.

Looking back, I can't think of much to do differently. I consulted some people, and suggestions included bear spray and a large stick. I don't imagine bear spray being easy to find here, as there are no bears. Sticks can be tricky, too. All the bushes are spindly, and anything more significant is a cactus.

And with that experience, I will still say that Guanajuato has been my favorite place.