El Callejon del Beso

   Ana was the daughter of a controlling Spaniard who was determined she marry a wealthy man. He was so single-minded in his plans for her that he would go to great lengths to stop her speaking to anyone he deemed too poor.

   However, one day, as she strolled through the streets of Guanajuato, she met a handsome but humble miner named Carlos, and the pair instantly fell in love.

Going against her father’s wishes, Ana met with Carlos in secret.

   However, after hearing rumors of the pair’s meet-ups, Ana’s father followed her and caught the pair together. Furious, the father threw Ana into her bedroom and locked the door, vowing to marry her to an old, rich nobleman from Spain.

   Separated from his love, heartbroken Carlos went to visit Ana’s house. When he got there, he noticed Ana’s bedroom sat in a very narrow alleyway and, within touching distance, there was another home with a balcony facing her bedroom.

   With renewed hope, Carlos went to the owner of the home and offered to purchase it. The owner refused, asking for more money. Carlos raised his offer, again the owner refused. Carlos raised his offer again, but the owner refused once more.

   Starting to get a little irritated with Carlos’ persistence, the owner raised the price so high that he thought Carlos would leave him alone.

   However, Carlos accepted, gathering every last coin he had to pay the man.

Now the proud owner of a house within touching distance of Ana’s bedroom window he called to his love. The pair embraced and promised to see each other every night.

   But one night, as the lovers were lost in a passionate kiss, Ana’s father entered her bedroom. Seeing his daughter in the arms of the humble miner, the father went into a violent frenzy, picking up a dagger and plunging it into his daughter’s chest, killing her.

   Some say that, in his desperation to protect his love, Carlos attempted to jump from his window into Ana’s bedroom, but crashed to the floor, hitting the third step and breaking his neck.

   Others say that, overcome with grief after seeing Ana’s lifeless body, he committed suicide in his place of work, La Valenciana Mine.