THU. 22 October 1998. Barry dropped me off at the airport @ 5 AM. I was there very early. American Airlines to Dallas. Over 2 hours in Dallas, ate chicken soup, that's where I met Thelma & Billy, 2 Vancouver ladies. Walking down the corridor in Mexico airport, met Bette & Gunner (they had Adventures Abroad tags). Our luggage was there already. The 5 of us were expected and we rode in a van to the Majestic Hotel (it's rush hour) where most of the rest of the group were in the lobby with our French Canadian guide Claude Morency. He gave us 30 minutes to freshen up. I have a room to myself, there are 15 of us in the group, no other single. Old hotel by the zocalo, nice but noisy. Walked to the restaurant, had a delicious set menu: soup, salad, stuffed chicken breast (cactus), dessert and coffee. Except for Pippa who's traveling with her mom, they're all seniors but they look fit and they're all travelers. Came back to the hotel, had a free drink, a good brandy, with Bette & Gunner, at the bar upstairs. A bit of a restless night, I can hear the band.
FRI. 23 October 1998. Cloudy, cool. Walked to breakfast (juice, bread, fruit salad with yogurt, crepe, good coffee), Mercedez and David joined us from U.K. She's Spanish, he's Brit. Our local guide Gabriel took us first on a walking tour: the zocalo, Palace National with beautiful murals by Rivera, sinking cathedral full of scaffoldings inside, Santo Domingo plaza where people go to have letters written. Santo Domingo church, a building from the 18th century which housed the Inquisition, then the school of Medicine. Church of the Franciscans, House of tiles, park Alameda where we got our bus, to the museum of Anthropology. On the way we stopped to take picture of the Independence column (it's high above the street because it's not sinking and the rest of Mexico is). Wide avenue like Champs Elisées. Great buffet lunch at the cafeteria of the museum. Rapid tour, Gabriel explained about history. He went to university to become a guide. He also said: Mexico has about 25 millions habitants. The government is making an effort to reduce emissions: car tests, catalytic converters, drive only 4 days; seems to be working. Back at our hotel at 5:15. I walked to the cybercafe on Bolivar but it's closed.
SAT. 24 October 1998. To Puebla. Clouds, a bit of sun, rain. 2 hours drive from Mexico basin to Puebla basin over a mountain range. Room overlooking the tiny pool. A bit of confusion with luggage. Left at 12 for walking tour: palace of governor, zocalo, outside of cathedral, pedestrian street, rich person's house now a museum, pizza lunch which I shared with Claude, Pippa and her mom. Gold chapel in church. We saw new Volks beetles from the factory. The secret convent of Santa Monica and another convent where Mole sauce was invented. Rest then dinner. After, went for a walk with Pippa, we said we're happy there's another young person in the group.
SUN. 25 October 1998. Sun in the morning, rain in the afternoon. We have a good guide today, Baltazar. To Cacaxtla, huge roof over the ruin. Murals. We can see another pyramid from there. Long bus ride, the road we came on was closed but it's interesting to see villages. Lunch in Cholula, a restaurant with interior courtyard. I had French spaghetti, with cream sauce. It was raining when we left, we walked around the ruins, had a look in the small museum and entered the tunnel. There are miles of them. We can see the different pyramids that were built one on top of the other. It's the largest (truncated) pyramid ever built. There's a church on top (the Spanish didn't know they were building on top of a pyramid as it was covered in dirt and vegetation). We walked around the grounds in the rain. Stopped at 2 neat churches with both Catholic and pagan gods, Santa Maria de Tonantzintla is very ornate inside. We all bought picture, that's how they support the church. Then looked at the outside of Templo San Francisco, we took pictures of the village too. Back in Puebla, wonderful Amparo museum, statues, frescoes, etc. We really enjoyed it. The older people stayed on the bus and were dropped off at the hotel, they're too tired. One hour to relax then a long table at a restaurant by the zocalo where there's a political rally. I'm tired, read in bed till 11 and slept well.
MON. 26 October 1998. Sun early, clouds and rain PM. Popocatepelt is smoking. From the bus we saw the highest peak of Mexico, Pico de Orizaba. Fields of corn, flowers. Crossed the Sierra Madre Sur. Nopal cacti, yucca, the Oaxaca valley has beautiful vegetation. We're staying in San Felipe, on the outskirt of Oaxaca. Left the hotel @ 2 to go downtown. Ate a delicious vegetarian pizza shared with Pippa, Glen and Grace. Walked along a pleasant pedestrian street to the zocalo. Visited Palace of governor (mural), the church, bought stamps at P.O., visited a museum. Started to rain fairly heavily. It felt hot and stuffy in the museum, sat outside with Pippa, Bette. From Lonely Planet, I saw that there's an internet place close by so went there. Took 30 minutes to write and send a letter. We had 45 minutes at the zocalo, sat with Pippa and her mom at an outside cafe. Mom is very tired, feels we do too much.
TUE. 27 October 1998. Mainly sunny. Nice buffet at 7 AM, ate yogurt, bread, te de manzanilla (camomile tea). Took a banana. Don Pepe, 85 year old, came along with us. He first came to Monte Alban in 1926 with his teacher to look at plants. He told us the following: The mounds were covered with earth, there were a lot of trees with white flowers. Monte Alban means white mountain. In 1928, Don Alfonso Caso came to Monte Alban and started to clear the site. He financed the excavations then the government took over. Monte Alban used to be an island, the Oaxaca valley was a shallow lake which was drained by a earthquake. The buildings were painted red. The pyramids contain one Olmec layer on top of 3 more Zapotec layers. There used to be a cistern then it was built as an altar. Don Pepe was present when 3 skeletons with jade masks were dug up. The site reminded me a bit of Machu Picchu because it's also located on top of a mountain. The carvings on a building were originally thought to be dancers but now the experts have decided that they are the sick or the disabled making this building the hospital. Tepec means mountain. Then we went to San Bartolo Coyotepec. Valente, son of Dona Rosa, turning pottery, I bought 2 small vases. We saw theTule tree (cypress), it is 14 m. in diameter, 42 meters high, 2000 years old. The knots in this tree all have names: this one is "the lion". Tough chicken at Mitla for $40 pesos. Lots of shops in town, no time to look. The ruins have intricate small pieces of stone work not seen anywhere else. We got there before the hordes of French tourists but they soon caught up with us. City of the Dead, Seven patios. The church was built over a ruin with stones from the ruins, cactus fence. Like in Monte Alban, there is evidence of animal sacrifice but not of human sacrifice. The buildings were painted red and white. All the stones are made in a wedge shape, wider outside, inside is a rubble wall. Each small stone was shaped by rubbing it. The finely carved and inlaid stones form unique geometric patterns. Looked at belts in the market but none I liked. Teotitlan, demo of wool: carding, spinning, weaving. Bowls containing natural dyes. Beautiful expensive rugs, bought 2 small purses for 40 pesos. Drove back in the dark, Don Pepe is still talking, we re all pooped. Santo Domingo church, magical in the night lighting, beautiful cloisters, arched ceilings, delicate frescoes. Saw the content of Monte Alban tomb 7, Mixtec treasure. Said goodbye to Don Pepe, what an extraordinary man, he explained things well. Had fish at the hotel.
WED. 28 October 1998. Cloudy along the road but sunny in VeraCruz. The dogs woke me up. Buffet but not so many choices as there are less people at the hotel. Left at 8:30. Same road North towards Puebla but we turned East toward Orizaba, Cordoba, Vera Cruz. Sat with Bette for quite a while, it's 6-7 hours. Lunch at the toll booth, sandwiches on the side of the road. Arturo played rock & roll, Beatles, etc. To the old fort in Vera Cruz, it's tucked in behind a bustling modern port, lots of containers, truck drivers waiting. The fort is crumbling, they are fixing it up as they lack tourist attractions. I was fascinated by the juxtaposition of old and new, the ancient stone tower and the modern metal cranes in the background in the busy port. Claude said a lot of suffering took place in this fort, a 16th century fortress that defended the port. Brought back memories of the book Caribbean by Michener. Vera Cruz was the door to the New World. Relaxed in the room for 2 hours, I was too lazy to get out, I read on the bed. Then I had an avocado cocktail and prawns in a restaurant by the zocalo. We walked through the zocalo and to the Malecon, like a peninsula jutting in the ocean. Warm, humid, well-dressed women, lots of local folks strolling or sitting around. Then Pippa and I walked around the zocalo, she bought a little purse. Slept soundly.
THU. 29 October 1998. Sunny. Breakfast at the same restaurant, outside. On the bus at 8AM. When we left Veracruz, we drove North parallel to the shore. We glimpsed at the ocean and crashing waves. We saw sugar cane plantations, palm trees, small villages, ranchitos, low eroded volcanoes and small limestone hills, one that reminds me of the Tusk, one of a sugar loaf, swamps formed by sandbars, 2 men on horseback, cows, egrets, a nuclear power station, 2 women washing clothes in a river, 3 big trucks each towing 3 more. Pit stop at a Pemex station, there was a lovely little store. The woman spoke excellent English. I tried on nice leather sandals but they didn't have my size. Lots of friendly locals. We all got juices, snacks, they also made cheese. Drove by a row of shops and palm trees, we can see crashing waves but can't see if there's a beach. Sandy and I said it would be pleasant to spend a couple of days here, doing nothing. Went directly to El Tajin, ate a sandwich in the cafeteria. It was 30 C in the shade. We had a very good guide, a local Totonac named Juan Angel. The Totonacs occupied this site. Local people work on the ruins. It's a beautiful site still hiding in the jungle. El Tajin is Totonac for thunder. It was first occupied about 100 AD, but most of what is visible was built around 600 - 700. Around 1200 it was abandoned. There are 41 uncovered structures for a total of 168 buildings. They were covered with red and blue plaster. The green mounds are buildings covered in earth. The famous Temple of the Niches was found in 1785. It's a misnomer, there's nothing inside. There are 17 ball game courts on this site. I took a picture of a carving of ball players: the winner is beheaded as a messenger to the gods. The figure of Death is upside down capturing the victim s last breath. Our visit lasted over 2 hours, we saw a lot. Bought myself a white embroidered rayon top and one for mom with colourful flowers. We saw the Voladores, quite a show. They carry out the exciting rite from a 30 meters high steel pole. They are like birds, their red costumes stand out against the blue sky. It may be a tourist show, it was still very impressive. Arturo and Claude had trouble finding our hotel so we did a lot of sightseeing in Papantla, big bus, narrow streets. We finally found it after a couple of laps around the zocalo. The best hotel in town disgusted the Americans, it's downhill from everywhere else we stayed at. Bette and I went to the mercado and bought 5 bottles of vanilla each. Had a cold shower, very refreshing (no hot water). The Americans complained about that too. Good dinner at the hotel though. I had to be a plumber to operate the toilet!
FRI. 30 October 1998. Mainly sunny. Left at 8, over the Sierra Madre, left the tropical vegetation behind, it's pines in the mountains. An old trade route existed here from Teotihuacan time. Got into a traffic jam so did not get to Teotihuacan till 2. Dropped off Pippa and her mom at the hotel, an ex-club med resort and had lunch in a posh dining-room on the site. David called it the control tower. We had a guide who explained in Spanish, the Americans were not happy but Glen, Mercedez and I were delighted. Temple of the Plumed Serpent. Walked along the avenue of the dead, 3 km, 2 levels. School kids in blue uniforms were climbing the pyramid of the sun, like a blue column. We climbed the pyramid of the moon and had a wonderful view over the site, the only way to really appreciate it. We all thought it was too restored, too symmetrical, after decrepit El Tajin. We were all bugged by the salespeople, some really ugly stuff. More murals then drove back to the hotel. 4 of us went swimming under the moon, I really felt I'm on holidays. Good dinner at the Club Med where we're staying. Pippa's last night, she's leaving at 6 AM tomorrow.
SAT. 31 October 1998. Sunny. Our driver Arturo looked happy this morning, he went home for the night. Skirted Mexico city, lots of traffic. Lots of industries on the outskirts of Morelia and along the road (Nestle, Chrysler, etc). Stopped in Toluca. Visited the Cosmo Vitral Botanical Gardens, our guide was the director of the gardens, a passionate man who explained it all with great eloquence in poetic and colourful Spanish. The stained glass represents the opposition of light and darkness, good and bad, life and death. The cosmos, beginning of time, man and woman in the East window, birds of prey in the North window, birds becoming men in the South. The man in the sun, radiating flames from the head represents creativity, knowledge. It's built on the site of the old market. Ate in a restaurant at the Portal, shared a table with Bette, Gunner, Elizabeth. I had delicious enchiladas. Got to Morelia (state of Michuacan), the Fiesta Inn, hundreds of kids are milling about, waiting to check in. Claude went to get our keys (cards), took a while. I have a big room, king size bed, view of the pool. Bette and I wanted to swim but the pool was full of kids. We had a long time to relax before dinner so I went to bed and watched an old ER. When it finished I had to remind myself I was in Mexico, not in the U.S. Arturo dropped us off in the centre and we ate at Los Comensales (Tarascan soup - beans). Took cabs back, we split up, lots of people, it's Noche de los muertos, a long week-end. The couple we were meeting here didn't show up, Claude had to call all the hotels.
SUN. 1 November 1998. Sunny. Buffet breakfast in the hotel. Got on the bus, Rosalia (Rosie) our local guide, joined us. She's a doctor. She explained in Spanish. Stopped in a village market, bought belt, earrings. Tzintzuntzan, place of the hummingbirds, 100,000 people lived here at its height. 5 pyramids, rectangular and circular, reminded us a bit of Aztec ruins. Lots of traffic, the cemeteries are being decorated. I bought pottery in Quiroga, we saw the convent and church, walked around the market. Lots of people in Patzcuaro. We ate upstairs by the zocalo. Back on the bus to the pier to go to Janitzio island. Pleasant 30 minutes boat ride, Patzcuaro lake is disappearing rapidly, only 11 meters deep. Lots of people on the island, obviously a Mexican holiday, they look happy. They make up the majority of the tourists. Walked up to the cemetery, looked in a church, around the shops, really enjoyed the island. Came back in the dark. The pier is full of people waiting to get on the boats. We're following Rosie. Arturo met us half way down the dark road he parked on. Traffic is leaving Patzcuaro but there is still lots of it near the centre. The restaurant was not ready so we went to the House of 11 patios, an ex-convent. Dinner at the same place, I had a delicious curried chicken. I sat with Claude, Rosie, Mercedez (we spoke Spanish), David and Fifi. Went to a small village, Ihuatzio, for the celebration. Arturo did another miracle with the bus. Saw the dance of the "old people", it was great. Then a group played music (el condor pasa), we stood by the loud-speakers, big crowd. Walked to the cemetery and milled around. Lots of candles and offerings, people in traditional costumes. We were touched by the tomb of Elizabeth who died last year at the age of 17. Her father (?) has a grave there too. Her family looked sad. We felt like voyeurs but Mercedez told us later that she talked with them and they feel our presence, our interest, validate their tradition. At midnight, there was a mass. Left at 12:15, we're all exhausted.
MON. 2 November 1998. Breakfast at Los Comensales, good cappuccino. Rosie joined us and we did a city tour. I'm too tired to absorb much. We saw the cathedral, Palace of governors with a statue of Porfirio Diaz, a Jesuit church (baroque style, 16-17th century) with an art show in front of it, another little chapel-convent (the Convento Santa Rosa) complete with gargoyles. The tourism office gave us posters of the night of the dead. A museum with beautiful jewelry, different artifacts, a park with paintings, we had our picture taken beside an effigy of a skeleton. Looked around the stalls by the zocalo and in some shops, beautiful furniture, bought postcards. Said goodbye to Rosie. 3 hours drive to Guadalajara, big city. Bette, Mercedez and I had a swim in the rooftop pool, cold water. Relaxed in the room, the Calinda Roma looks like a 50's hotel, faded and stained but with big, comfortable rooms. Watched Mexican Candid Camera, theme: day of the dead, very funny. Walked over to the restaurant, enchiladas with red sauce, not as good as the green sauce. 7 of us walked down the old town, beautiful buildings, a big pool, quirky chairs/sculptures. Mariachis outside, it was enjoyable but seemed seedy, lots of drunks, children and adults peddling stuff. I was glad there were 7 of us.
TUE. 3 November 1998. Sunny, very warm. Buffet at the hotel. City tour with Eduardo, a little man who enjoyed lecturing us. Cathedral with yellow tiles on the towers, visited the sacristy. Plaza with 12 bronzes of the most famous Jalisco men, Legislature House, theatre where the symphony was rehearsing, casa de la cultura with its gruesome murals. It used to be the orphanage, lovely patios. I'm too tired to take much in today, Eduardo goes on and on, brain overload. I walked around the huge market with Fifi, she bought 4 silver charms sombreros for her grand-daughters, she's a shrewd bargainer. I got a colourful blanket. Bette was looking for a tablecloth but none were right. On the bus, the air-con is not working, Arturo spent the morning trying to get it fixed. To Tonala, glass and ceramics. Nice lunch in a restaurant with colourful tablecloths. Lovely zocalo with a little church, flowers, a kiosk in the middle. Bought a colourful butter dish. Wandered around, they're filming a singer in traditional costume. To Tlaquepaque, more up-market but lovely, only had 30 minutes. Came back to the bus first so I stood in the shade and chatted with Arturo. Another swim with Bette, I felt overheated today. After shower, we went to a fabric store, they had nice stuff but not artisanal fabric. Dinner upstairs in a restaurant with all the windows open, warm and noisy from street traffic. We re all tired and leaving early tomorrow so early to bed.
WED. 4 November 1998. Fog early AM then sun. Early start, the aircon can't be fixed but it's comfortable in the bus. Interesting mesa along the way then, in Guanajuato county, lots of agriculture, approx. 5 crops a year but they are using up their aquifer. In town at 12, Claude had to go on foot to the hotel, they were supposed to send a minibus. The usual people are upset, we lost 1 hour. Lovely town, the roads are tunnels using the old river bed. Lunch then got our room. The hotel Posada Santa Fe is on the park, beautiful but the rooms are so-so, I don't care. I have a ceiling fan and a big bathroom with mauve tiles, the only window is in the bathroom. Got on the minibus again to get to our bus (too big for town) to go to the Valenciana mine then to a church. I didn't go in, I went to the square to buy silver earrings (100 pesos). To the gruesome Mummy museum, the children looked like dolls. Walking tour of town, the granary where El Pipila was killed, narrow streets, the kissing alley. The 1905 flood drowned 5000 people. The town is built at the bottom of the canyon, the river has been rerouted. The name comes from the Indian: Quanax = frog and huato = hill, hill in the shape of a frog. Beautiful town, I'd love to come back. It's a safe town, little crime. Gunner, Bette and I sat at the terrace of the hotel for a beer. A good-looking friendly Mexican couple were serenaded by Mariachis (better players than in Guadalajara). We talked with a Texas woman who is on a sabbatical for 1 year and will stay here to study Spanish. She says Institute Falcon is the best. Shower then dinner across the street. We had L-shaped tables, I sat beside Burt who was very happy the pianist was playing Glen Miller. Fifi got to dance with an old Indian woman in the square (it's really a triangle) it was funny. Some of us went for a walk then Fifi and I walked around the square again. Slept soundly.
THU. 5 November 1998. Sunny. Woke up at 6 AM and went to the roof to take pictures. My key didn't work, got another one which didn't work either. An employee got me a third key and unlocked my door, he must have thought I was an idiot. Went downstairs early and went for a walk. We ate on the patio, nothing else is open. Hidalgo market, black cheese that looked like chocolate, lots of everything. Fifi bought 3 belts for her grandsons, they are bull neck bands. Bought a battery for my camera, 145 pesos and a red scarf, 10 pesos. Got bags ready, sat outside in the square for a while then got on the minibus to the bus. The scenery on the road to San Miguel de Allende makes me think of Merritt. We arrived at noon, the hotel is an old hacienda, big pool, very pleasant. Got our rooms, huge, 2 beds, a door opening on the pool. Back on the bus to San Miguel, followed Claude up crooked streets to Mamma Mia where we had excellent pasta in an interior courtyard. Nice square, El Jardin, lots of people. The church looks inspired by the Sagrada Familia. Fifi, Glen & Grace & I tried to have a mad shopping spree but most of the shops are closed for siesta. I bought a sun-moon plaque for 35 pesos. Bought San Pedro brandy. Waited at the bus with Arturo, I had my picture taken with him and the bus. Back at the hotel for a swim, there are a few of us in the water. Mercedez & David arrived. I took a picture of him wearing his jaguar mask. Shower then sat under the blankets wearing my coat, I felt cold. Watched TV. Dinner at a huge table in the middle of the big dining-room, felt like a medieval banquet. We're the only people here. I had chicken, it was fine. The wine was expensive and not very good. Claude has a cold. Felt very tired, in bed at 10:30, slept like a log.
FRI. 6 November 1998. Early fog. Breakfast in the banquet room, 3 tables. Bus just before 9, we are a prompt group. David passed his book around, beautiful watercolours and sketches that really capture the emotions, the feel of Mexico. Stopped in Tula, post-classical site. When Teotihuacan fell around 800 AD, they came here. Quetzalcolt is said to have been their leader (white man coming from nowhere) then he went to Chichen Itza. Tula probably caused the fall of Teotihuacan. We climbed on top of one pyramid, the warriors (rows of huge stone statues) carry spears and have bare bottoms. We walked through fields of cacti, flowers, saw butterflies and lots of little stalls selling stuff. I bought a little clay face. There are not many foreigners, they prefer Teotihuacan. Lots of school kids, pillars, a nice plaza. We took a group picture by the bus. Lunch at a very clean roadside restaurant, Arturo sat with us. We had good quesadilla made with tortillas hot of the stove. I had a beer. We are staying at the Majestic again. Bette and I went to the big market and I found a nice blanket for myself. She bought 3 little outfits for her grandsons. Celebration dinner. Goodbyes in the lobby, half of the group is going on to the Yucatan.
SAT. 7 November 1998. Left around 8 AM with Mercedez, David, Bette & Gunner in the van. Met Glen and Grace at the airport and had breakfast together after checking in. Bought a video of El Tajin and a bandanna. Long wait at Dallas, there is something wrong with the plane we are supposed to use so we have to walk (or be transported) across the airport to another gate. Zoro is playing. In Vancouver late. The others were either ahead or behind me so we never said goodbye.
