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the night. Windows opened to the hallways. But as a guest among strangers, I felt the need
to close the windows. This interfered with the circulation, and the room became humid
and warm.
El Castillo is a pleasure, and the traveler must stay here. Edward James placed his artistic
imprint on his home. It is a treasure. Guests are free to wander this multistory fantasy
structure and to photograph the inspiring views of Xilítla and the lush terrain, where the
principal crop is coffee. There is a swimming pool and a large family reading room that
runs the full length of the building. It's currently used as the guests' dining room. An
Egyptian-inspired fantasy created by Leonora Carrington accents the doorway, and in the
morning the hallway is dappled with sunlight that is scattered by a honeycomb pattern of
windows.
A recent addition is the Edward James Museum. There is a photo history of James, but
the most interesting items are the hand-carved molds used in the construction of James'
surrealistic garden, Las Pozas.
Saturday morning I walked this hill town. Gray mist and humid banks of smoke-like fog
enveloped the valley with a Shangri-La impression of lost time and mystery. Vendors were
taking over the plaza and side streets, setting up stalls and canopies to shelter buyers and
merchandise. Breakfast in El Castillo was at 8.30 a.m. I felt like James or a member of
his family starting a day in Xilítla, casually, with the sun lighting the steep-walled valley
dappled with fog.
I came here to see Edward James' Las Pozas, a garden in the jungle, an inspired, surreal
fantasy garden constructed of concrete that makes you think of Salvador Dalí in three di-
mensions. Mexicans call it a “dream catcher.”
Las Pozas (The Pools) opened at 9 a.m. I walked the mile downhill from El Castillo to
Las Pozas. This magnificent surrealistic garden constructed in the heart of nature's garden
attracted young couples, travelers in love. Las Pozas covers acres, and you can see only a
glimpse at a time. Workers are constantly cutting back vines and plants. Trails wind up the
mountainside, and you hear the waterfalls before you see them. Swimmers enjoy the pool
under a large waterfall.
But it was James' imagination that created the trails and ornamental concrete flowers
painted in bright colors, the snakes and bridges, archways and oval entrances and multi-
level spiral stairways, framed by fantasy columns and concrete bamboo fences. Those are
the things make Las Pozas a rich reward for the artist and a pleasure for all visitors.
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