I arrived after a large downpour and there
was water everywhere but the sun was shining brightly.
It was great picture taking light.
This is one colorful town and an artist's delight! I
stayed at the Dona Lala, 300 pesos, which was a splurge
for my budget. Really the room was not much fancier
than others I stayed at; but it was a unique old hotel.
It had a swimming pool that was too cold to use and a
nice, pricier restaurant than others in town.
I found out about an American guy named David McCauley,
who lives there. He is birder and highly regarded by
bird people. He lives on the Plaza Dona Marta and you
can do a Google search to find him if you want to hook
up with him. I was going to join him and some birding
folks that I introduced him too, but decided against it,
since I did not have the right footwear.
This is definitely a birder's paradise.
Even though I don't
have huge knowledge of the varieties of birds, just waking
up to the songs in the morning, or sitting in the Plaza in
the evening listening to their chatter brings back sweet
memories. This is a colorful town with a variety of painted
houses in spectacular colors; Portales and all!
I was invited by a man (who was cleaning the church)
to climb the stairs for a better view. There were bicycles
everywhere as a method of transportation. I read some place
where someone did not find the locals friendly.
My experience was totally different. I was at the Casa
de Cultura watching some young adults practicing Fandango
for Candeleria and the director came over to chat and
invite me upstairs to look at some art.
I declined, saying I would return the next day, as
I wanted to view the beautiful sunset over the Rio
Papaloapan. Unfortunately, I did not get back there,
nor did I take the boat ride on the river that I had
hoped too. I really needed one more day there, which
I continue to regret. I wanted to get to Veracruz before
the weekend started.
Veracruz
Fortunately David McCauley had some connections with the
Hotel Amparo and reserved a room for me, which they do
not normally do. When I arrived on a Friday, early afternoon,
they told me they were full. When I mentioned David's name,
I got a room! He told me they fill up every night.
I also had the special pleasure of meeting the famous poster
on The Thorn Tree, John Todd. A woman named Eline, from Holland,
also staying at the Amparo (140 pesos) and I had the pleasure
of John being our tour guide for that Sunday.
He is a wealth of information, with his knowledge of Veracruz,
having spent some 20 years in the area. He took us up to the
ruins of Quiahuiztlán,
Zempoala and to the town of La Antigua.
All very interesting and hard to get to without a vehicle so
this was a real treat.
I certainly could have spent more time wandering around all
three places on my own, as I love to wander. We also shared a
meal in Zempoala. The shrimp is fabulous in Veracruz! I am missing it
already. Thanks again John!
In Veracruz City, I really enjoyed the music and dance
in the Zocalo on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.
And the Lecheros (coffee with steamed milk) at Café
Parroquia, was a thrill for the coffee snob that I am!
I enjoyed visiting the old fort and a couple museums.
The city is not distinctively beautiful as others I have
visited in Mexico, but it had its own kind of Caribbean flavor.
Unfortunately, there was a sad event when two tourists from Orizaba
were hit and killed by a bus crossing a street in Veracruz. It put
a bit of a damper on my Saturday night after seeing this. It makes
you realize that you have to pay very close attention to the traffic.
As a local said, "There is a saying in Mexico: You have no
rights in Mexico. The only rights you have are your last rites."
It makes you think.
Papantla and El Tajin
Next stop was Papantla and El Tajin. I traveled with
John Kovac, a harp maker and musician from Front Royal
Virginia. I met John at the Hotel Amparo. He had come
to play music in Veracruz and it did not pan out as he had hoped.
Since I was travelling alone, I didn't mind a travel companion
for a short while and suggested he travel to Papantla. We arrived
in Papantla to... what else, but more rain. We stayed at
the Hotel Pulido for 140 pesos. I thought it was a bit of
a dive.. grimey as LP describes it. One night was enough.
I was sitting in a café on the Zocalo, and a Totonac Indian
started talking with me. He was born at the ruins of El Tajin
his family was moved out with other families when he was 14
due to a major exploration. I assume this was in the 70's.
I would love to have spent more time talking with him, but
John showed up and was ready to roll. One reason I prefer
to travel alone is to be on my time schedule.
El Tajín
Regardless, there were few people at the ruins and they
were truly spectacular. I cannot describe what I felt.
It was magical and even more far superb than Palenque
in my opinion. Others may beg to differ. It was too
bad we were not visiting
Vanilla
Papantla when the Vanilla is supposed to be pungent,
spring I think, but timing is everything. They were
selling vanilla in the Zócalo where I picked up some
ground vanilla and a heart shaped item made of the vanilla plant.
I think I would have enjoyed the town more if the weather
had cooperated, but it was a pleasant and beautiful sunny
day at the ruins. I thought John left, but I ran into him
in the little coastal town of Tecolutla. I decided to spend
one night there just to experience the Gulf.
I took the first hotel as a young man greeted me when I got off
the bus. Instead of lugging my bags all over, I took the room at
the family posada paying 140 with some negotiations. It was a
short walk to the river of the same name.
I ran into John, and he was thrilled with the room he found
right on the beach where he planned to finish out the remainder
of his week. He had a great view of the ocean (a bit damp and muggy)
for 170 pesos. He planned on relaxing, playing his harmonica and
hoped to hook up with some people to play music with.
I enjoyed eating fish and shrimp in this town. It was a bit foggy
in the morning, but the sun broke through and I had a pleasant walk
on the Malecón along the river and along the ocean.
Someone mentioned the beach (sand color) and I found it was
not much different from coastal Washington. It was brown,
with some black, which made me wonder if that was oil or a
natural color.
There were people swimming. Lots of erosion, with sand bags
and coconut palms falling over on the beach. Not the
prettiest beach I have visited in Mexico, but pretty in its own way.
Xalapa
From the bus, the Costa Esmeralda looked remote and pretty.
From there I took a bus to Xalapa. I had planned to stay
at the Limon, suggested by posters on TT, but it was full when I arrived.
Don from Winnepeg, who I met in Tlacotalpan, suggested the
Posada Santiago on Ursolo Galvan. I used that as my base.
It is a few blocks from El Centro. I paid 140 per nite.
The women that worked there were a lot of fun and were very welcoming.
I felt the Limon was not that friendly, but really cute aesthetically.
Anyhow, I visited the Anthropology Museum, which was fabulous,
especially after visiting the other ruins, including El Tajín.
The problem was that after 3 hours of standing on the marble
floors, my feet, knees and hips were hurting. I got a great
overview though. I enjoyed eating more shrimp in Xalapa and
the excellent coffee.
The Snake
I visited Coatapec and Xico two times and hiked
to the waterfall, running into a small red, black
and white snake on the steps. Being alone, and fearful
of snakes and out of breath from the climb back up from the falls,
At first, I was a bit panicked. I threw little pebbles
at it as it kept spiralling upward. Finally it slithered
off the steps and I took off running. I was told by two
people it was poisonous and another it was not. I was told
it was something like a Coralillo?
Anyhow, pretty falls there in Xico and an interesting
walk (about 40 min) from town down a cobblestone road
through beautiful coffee and banana plantations. I love
the whole coffee theme of the area, as I bought beans,
liquor and even rosaries and jewellery made out of coffee beans!
I returned to Coatepec to see a dentist (by recommendation
of Roy Dudley- an American living in Xalapa for 31 years).
The dentist did an excellent cleaning for $22.00.
I also ate wonderful fish (Trucha) at El Tio Yeyo. Lots of
food and yummy. I sound like somebody else here on the
TT that loves food. Guess who? I returned to Xico the same day
to get drenched with rain.
Cuetzalan
One mission I had while in Xalapa was to go to Cuetzalan
in N.E. Puebla. It would have been easier from Puebla itself,
by one bus, but I was not back in Puebla and wanted to be there
for the Sunday market.
I made the mistake of going out to listen to music on
Friday night with Roy Dudley and two of his renters, a
retired Harvard Professor and his Psychologist partner.
I left the music regretfully at midnight, as I had hopes
of catching a 6:30 a.m bus to Teziutlan not sure what other
connections I would need to make.
When I got to the bus station, I was told there was no
6:30 bus, I had just missed the 5:45 and the next one
was at 11:00 a.m. Having little sleep, I was irritated;
wondering what I should do. I went and got a cup of coffee
to think about it and decided that I really wanted to go to Cuetzálan.
So, I bought the 11:00 ticket, took a taxi back to my hotel,
to try to sleep (not) or relax. Got up again, had breakfast
and took the bus back to the bus station, CAXA, to wait an
hour for my bus. It was 2 and a half-hours with ADO to Tezuitlán, Puebla.
I had to change buses there and take a bus to Zaragoza which
I took a fast bus (half-hour). I then had to switch buses
there for a bus to Cuetzalan, Puebla. That was a 1 and half-hour ride.
The whole bus trip was very pretty. There was scenery that
reminded me of Switzerland with the mountains and dairy farms.
The scenery was different on the Zaragoza-Cuetzalan leg…a very
windy mountain road that seemed to climb and climb and climb.
Beautiful lush ferns and fern trees.
The latter two bus lines were VIA. I arrived at about 5 p.m.
exhausted and hoping that all this trouble and time was worth it.
I read a woman's post through a Google search and it all seemed
so mystical. And it was.
Hard to describe, but as soon as I walked up the cobblestone road
from the bus station with a view of the old church, I knew I was in
a special place.
I checked into the Posada Jacqueline on the Zócalo where I paid
100 pesos. I didn't like the musty smell or the funky door latch,
but I was tired. I walked up the street to the Posada Viky to
check it out wishing I had stopped there first.
It was the same price so I changed rooms the next day. I had a
second floor room with at large window that looked over the town.
It had a leaky toilet, which seems to be a common problem in Mexico,
for me anyhow! I had dinner on the Plaza and many of the Nahuatl Indians
started hitting me up right away to buy. I was too pooped and wanted to
eat and go to bed.
I slept several hours waking to the sound of trucks and voices very early
when it was still very dark. These were people coming from many towns
around for the major market that happens here on Sunday. It was the
church bells that finally got me up and going.
I had coffee off the plaza, relaxing before my major shopping affair
and visited the church on the Zócalo to see kids lined up at the door.
A priest was trying to shoo a dog out of the church, who was also
inside the door. I was trying to figure out what was going on.
Finally, I realized the priest was blessing the children before they came in.
Off I went to shop, buying beautiful woven purses,
a scarf, carvings, embroidery (blouses, doilies)
a necklace and other little items and oh yeah, Puebla coffee!
There was great picture taking, though most of the
Indians did not want their picture taken, which
I respected. I decided to take a chance and hook up
in the back of a truck (must have been at least 24
of us in the back) to go to the small ruins of Youalichan
about a half-hour from town.
These ruins were apparently discovered in or around 1979
from what I was told there. They did not take long to see,
but they were pleasant for such small grounds. They had a
pyramid with Niches, like El Tajín. I spent about an hour
their before the truck went back. LP book says you take a
colectivo and walk about a half-hour, which I was concerned
about being alone even thought I was told I would be O.K.
Fortunately, I met the owner of restaurant, La Terraza,
who spoke better English than my Spanish. He made a phone
call and wrote down the name of the truck station. I told
one of the guys I bought purses from and he told asked another
guy who walked me right to the station.
At first I decided I would not get on a truck unless I had
a seat as they pack them on. I think I counted 24 people in
the back of the truck! So I waited for a truck with a seat.
The fun part of the ride was that everyone was laughing and
just having a good time, going home from their day at the market.
What a joy to be with such a happy group!
Back to Xalapa for la Candelaria
I returned to Xalapa for a couple more days. I was invited
to celebrate Candelaria with the gals at my hotel.
They knocked at my door and invited me to tamales
and hot chocolate. I took pictures and then we
paraded with candles and sang in a procession
around the Posada Santiago. I hadn't a clue what
we were doing but it was their spirit that moved me!
Then we all made the sign of the cross and kissed the
baby Jesus. This was another fun, loving, and fond memory
of the wonderful people I met.
To Puebla
I left Xalapa for Puebla, to spend my last 2 nights
in Mexico, staying at the Hotel Victoria. A bit of a
mistake for 140 pesos a night. In the first room the
light was so dim I could not read and the TV volume did not work.
The guy (Antonio) who works afternoon's evenings
decided he had the hots for me. He was half my size
in height and kinda creepy. Anyhow, I moved to
another room the next night.
I enjoyed running around Puebla, eating well.
I loved the menu of the day at La Zanahoria.
One meal had an excellent salad of cactus, tomatoes,
radish and cheese, cabbage and garbanzo soup, huge
plate of baked broccoli, onions, peppers and cheese
and 2 spinach stuffed cannelloni and 2 rolls and fruit
water for not much more than 4 bucks! I had to take half
of it to go; finding a woman and her two children out on
the streets begging. I asked them if they wanted it and they did. I was thanked.
Talavera Pottery
I also took a tour of the Uriarte Talavera factory, having a
special English tour by the grandson (maybe great grandson)
of the original owner. He was 85 years old and had lived in
the US working at a ceramics factory in 1941, in Wisconsin.
It was a fascinating tour and I learned a lot; of course buying a
piece of Talavera.
I was dreading going back to my hotel at night to see my buddy
Antonio. He wasn't so hot when another guy at the hotel was present,
when I arrived. About a half-hour later I hear this persistent knock
on my door. It is him and he wants to know when I am coming back to
Puebla. He tries to hug me and I want to barf!
So eventually I try to get to sleep. Fat change on a Friday night
in Mexico. My wakeup call is at 4 am with a taxi arrival at 4:30.
At about 10:15 I hear this noise that sounds like a truck in the lobby.
Finally I cannot stand it, get dressed to find out they have a
large hose running across the first floor. They are pumping in
Potable water! Why do they not do this during the day? It was ridiculous.
Guess you get what you pay for!
Anyhow, one thing I would have done differently would have been
to spend a bit more time checking out rooms before I was eager
to take the first one. This can be one small advantage of solo travel.
Also, I found that many places that the LP book said were free
on Sundays or other days were not. For instance at the ruins in
Cholula. I was told that was only for students on Sunday.
I was also told in other places it was only for Mexicans.
At the El Lencero Hacienda, the LP book said it was free on
Tuesday, the day I visited. This was also not the case. So
I do not know if things have changed since it was written
or if it was just wrong information.
I found in Oaxaca and Michoacan that the book was truer when
it came to free days listed. I also want to mention that I
was pretty cold at night most of the time sleeping in long
underwear and a long sleeved shirt, many times with 2-3 blankets
and a couple of times with my coat.
I guess it is winter there too. This was a surprise for me.
I never wore shorts, but probably could of in Veracruz a couple of
days because the weather was warmer.
But you do not see this much in the city. Temperatures were pleasant
for the most part, but never really hot. My trip consisted of 3 weeks
and I had a busy agenda, sometimes wondering if I was moving too fast.
All in all, as always, the greatest part of travelling in Mexico.
To me, it is the people and the land. I loved the Music, the Food
and the variety of visiting two very different states in Mexico.
I am always so surprised how few gringos travel there. Kind of nice though!
For you Mexico lovers, try Veracruz and Puebla!
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