GUANAJUATO, MEXICO -- 5

CASA ZUNINGA

Casa Zuniga has another super-duper bonus.

Its located footsteps from the only funicular in town.

Folks who grew up in Pittsburgh or other hilly towns will know that a funicular is a sort of loving elevator or inclined rail car.

It allows lazy, portly folks like this writer to avoid walking what seems like a quarter mile up twisting, endless steps and passageways to make it from downtown up the hill to Casa Z.

The funicular runs from about 7 a.m. to about 10 p.m. and its costs little more than a dollar US.

But you don't even have to pay!

Rick buys tons of punch cards for you!

The cards have about 10 rides on them and the funicular attendants take out a hole punch and literally punch your ticket once for each ride down or up.

If you run low, Rick's around to give out more cards.

So if you're afraid of practicing your Spanish, you don't even have to worry about buying a funicular ticket en espanol.

For the record, you should try out your Spanish -- don't be an ugly American.

For the record, part II -- Rick speaks perfect English, as does his wife Carmen.

The live in the San Francisco Bay area, so any gringos worried about language barrier need not.

And because it's their home, Rick and Carm are always around to help.

The City itself is pretty espanol-dominated.

San Miguel de Allende is the gringo town about an hour's drive away.

Guanajuato -- or GTO as the locals abbreviate it -- is full of students and visitors.

Many of the visitors are professionals from Mexico City or other areas.

So the shops, restaurants and museums function in Spanish.

Picking up some lingo on the streets of Miami equipped me perfectly for conducting all tourism matters in town.