Ten Mexican states have led us to the southern Yucatan over a duration of 13 days. Everyday I am scheming ways to elongate our trip; yearning to explore this vast country more deeply, for an extended period of time. Two years ago, we crossed the United States border in Nogales; at the end of today, we will have driven the entire country from north to south [2,290 miles].
The following road log is a quick summary of where we have been....more detailed stories of each location will be posted in the near future.
Day Six~ July 2, 2014
Bernal to Cholula
States Traveled: Queretaro, Mexico, Tlaxcla & Puebla
High 66, low 47 degrees [Heavy Rainfall During the Night]
8465 ft. above sea level
Population: 118,170
Camped at RV Park Las Americas
If there is one thing we do right, it is go the wrong way. Hallelujah, we made it around Mexico City via the Arco Norte bypass [can’t say the same for all the other cities we have encountered]! Upon arrival to our campsite, we met a couple from Switzerland [along with their pup]; enjoyed happy hour cocktails at their van and learned about their 6 months of travel in Mexico. Strong rain fell for about 2 ½ hours during the night and we stayed dry; thanks to some tent repairs earlier in the afternoon, replacing the waterproof window on the tent fly. Sage has decided to sleep in the car due to the abundance of fireworks nearby. One thing is for sure….we need to buy warmer clothing before heading to Chiapas and Oaxaca. Our winter sleeping bags are keeping us cozy at night, but we are fully layered during the daytime.
Bernal to Cholula
States Traveled: Queretaro, Mexico, Tlaxcla & Puebla
High 66, low 47 degrees [Heavy Rainfall During the Night]
8465 ft. above sea level
Population: 118,170
Camped at RV Park Las Americas
If there is one thing we do right, it is go the wrong way. Hallelujah, we made it around Mexico City via the Arco Norte bypass [can’t say the same for all the other cities we have encountered]! Upon arrival to our campsite, we met a couple from Switzerland [along with their pup]; enjoyed happy hour cocktails at their van and learned about their 6 months of travel in Mexico. Strong rain fell for about 2 ½ hours during the night and we stayed dry; thanks to some tent repairs earlier in the afternoon, replacing the waterproof window on the tent fly. Sage has decided to sleep in the car due to the abundance of fireworks nearby. One thing is for sure….we need to buy warmer clothing before heading to Chiapas and Oaxaca. Our winter sleeping bags are keeping us cozy at night, but we are fully layered during the daytime.
Day Seven~ July 3, 2014
Cholula
We arrived early to the famous pyramid in the center of town. Best news of the day was learning all archeological sites are free of admission with our Mexican teaching identification cards. Holla! Worst news of the day….too bad one of us forgot to bring our current card. We were the only people touring through the long, narrow underground tunnels of the pyramid. After about 5 minutes, my heartbeat increased as my mind tried to convince me the walls were going to crumble in on us. The whole thing felt very Indiana Jones-like [and I may have imgained myself fleeing from a gigantic boulder rolling after us, down the tunnel]. Once free from the maze, we ascended thousands of stair to a church perched at the top of the pyramid, dramatically adorned with fields-worth of fresh flowers. The weather is cool enough the dogs stayed in the car and were rewarded upon our return with a run at a nearby baseball field; spotted from the top of the pyramid. To our dislike, we watched a knife fight between two men endure some 10 minutes before someone broke it up and each of the contenders walked their separate ways. Our busy day ended with a game of bocce ball with Marie Paule and Michel, from Switzerland. The security guard was very intrigued by our game, so we invited him to throw a few balls. Sage has taken up permanent residency in the backseat of the car in fear of the fireworks and thunderstorms. I ended the night sipping some tequila and painting my toe nails, while sitting under our canopy, in the pouring rain.
Cholula
We arrived early to the famous pyramid in the center of town. Best news of the day was learning all archeological sites are free of admission with our Mexican teaching identification cards. Holla! Worst news of the day….too bad one of us forgot to bring our current card. We were the only people touring through the long, narrow underground tunnels of the pyramid. After about 5 minutes, my heartbeat increased as my mind tried to convince me the walls were going to crumble in on us. The whole thing felt very Indiana Jones-like [and I may have imgained myself fleeing from a gigantic boulder rolling after us, down the tunnel]. Once free from the maze, we ascended thousands of stair to a church perched at the top of the pyramid, dramatically adorned with fields-worth of fresh flowers. The weather is cool enough the dogs stayed in the car and were rewarded upon our return with a run at a nearby baseball field; spotted from the top of the pyramid. To our dislike, we watched a knife fight between two men endure some 10 minutes before someone broke it up and each of the contenders walked their separate ways. Our busy day ended with a game of bocce ball with Marie Paule and Michel, from Switzerland. The security guard was very intrigued by our game, so we invited him to throw a few balls. Sage has taken up permanent residency in the backseat of the car in fear of the fireworks and thunderstorms. I ended the night sipping some tequila and painting my toe nails, while sitting under our canopy, in the pouring rain.
Day Eight~ July 4, 2014
Cholula to Catemaco
States Traveled: Puebla & Veracruz
High 83, low 68 degrees [Severe Rain from Hurricane Arthur]
36 ft. above sea level
Population: 27, 615
Hotel Room at Casa Rosa
Today was a very bad, horrible, no good, rotten day of driving. I will be blunt: Hey Veracruz, your highways frikin’ suck and the potholes are going to kill somebody! If they don’t the metal center divider swaying in the wind in the fast lane certainly will. Note to self: do not EVER take a yellow road in the atlas [35 kilometers in 2 hours; including having to pay two 7 year old boys who were holding a chain across the dirt road, in order to pass.]. Camping was not even in the picture after today’s drive and the heavy rainstorms. The charming Casa Rosa owned by a German woman who loves hosting dogs was our sanctuary for the next two days.
Cholula to Catemaco
States Traveled: Puebla & Veracruz
High 83, low 68 degrees [Severe Rain from Hurricane Arthur]
36 ft. above sea level
Population: 27, 615
Hotel Room at Casa Rosa
Today was a very bad, horrible, no good, rotten day of driving. I will be blunt: Hey Veracruz, your highways frikin’ suck and the potholes are going to kill somebody! If they don’t the metal center divider swaying in the wind in the fast lane certainly will. Note to self: do not EVER take a yellow road in the atlas [35 kilometers in 2 hours; including having to pay two 7 year old boys who were holding a chain across the dirt road, in order to pass.]. Camping was not even in the picture after today’s drive and the heavy rainstorms. The charming Casa Rosa owned by a German woman who loves hosting dogs was our sanctuary for the next two days.
Day Nine~ July 5, 2014
Catemaco
The heavy rain remnants of Hurricane Author gave us the perfect excuse to be lazy. We meandered the malecon [boardwalk] along the lake, several times, out of sheer guilt for the dogs who were pleading to explore. Countless offers to see a local ‘brujo’ who could attempt to cleanse our dirty souls or cast a spell on one of our enemies were ignored. The touristy vibe of these enticing offers kept us from perusing the opportunity. The state of Veracruz has a very different feel than anywhere we have visited in Mexico; the town itself, reminding me of the time we had spent in India [somewhat seedy and an overload on the senses]. The evening rain was ferocious and didn’t relent until the morning sun rose. Again, we were lucky to meet some good people; a fabulous couple from Mexico City with whom we shared stories with, while back at Casa Rosa.
Catemaco
The heavy rain remnants of Hurricane Author gave us the perfect excuse to be lazy. We meandered the malecon [boardwalk] along the lake, several times, out of sheer guilt for the dogs who were pleading to explore. Countless offers to see a local ‘brujo’ who could attempt to cleanse our dirty souls or cast a spell on one of our enemies were ignored. The touristy vibe of these enticing offers kept us from perusing the opportunity. The state of Veracruz has a very different feel than anywhere we have visited in Mexico; the town itself, reminding me of the time we had spent in India [somewhat seedy and an overload on the senses]. The evening rain was ferocious and didn’t relent until the morning sun rose. Again, we were lucky to meet some good people; a fabulous couple from Mexico City with whom we shared stories with, while back at Casa Rosa.
Day Ten~ July 6, 2014
Catemaco to Isla Aguada
States Traveled: Veracruz & Campeche
High 95, low 73 degrees [Humidity 25%]
3 ft. above sea level
Population: 6,204
Camped at Freedom Shores
The highway scenery continues to change. The pineapple fields of Veracruz abruptly transformed to lagoons and swamps as we entered the state of Campeche. A four kilometer long bridge; barely hovering over the Gulf of Mexico connected us to our next camping destination. We arrived with plenty of time to enjoy watching the locals relax with their families along the beach on a Sunday afternoon. Clearly, they were just as intrigued by us as we set up camp, just steps away from the sand. Upon registering with the owner, I discovered she and her recently deceased husband are retired school teachers. She showed me a picture of her husband….the face staring back at me was my high school Spanish teacher [gasp, 23 or so years ago]! I love how the universe works in such mysterious ways. Obviously, I would have loved the opportunity to reunite with him; rather than hear of his passing from cancer.
Catemaco to Isla Aguada
States Traveled: Veracruz & Campeche
High 95, low 73 degrees [Humidity 25%]
3 ft. above sea level
Population: 6,204
Camped at Freedom Shores
The highway scenery continues to change. The pineapple fields of Veracruz abruptly transformed to lagoons and swamps as we entered the state of Campeche. A four kilometer long bridge; barely hovering over the Gulf of Mexico connected us to our next camping destination. We arrived with plenty of time to enjoy watching the locals relax with their families along the beach on a Sunday afternoon. Clearly, they were just as intrigued by us as we set up camp, just steps away from the sand. Upon registering with the owner, I discovered she and her recently deceased husband are retired school teachers. She showed me a picture of her husband….the face staring back at me was my high school Spanish teacher [gasp, 23 or so years ago]! I love how the universe works in such mysterious ways. Obviously, I would have loved the opportunity to reunite with him; rather than hear of his passing from cancer.
Day Eleven~ July 7, 2014
Isla Aguada
Our tidy backpacks have exploded and the once organized nooks and crannies of the car are overflowing; making it impossible to find our belongings. We did a four day grocery buy, in Cuidad del Carmen, before crossing the bridge. We anticipated [correctly] limited services in our next two stops. Sam cleaned out the car as I sanitized the veggies and re-organized the ice cooler and food bins; an easy afternoon task, with the ocean just several steps away. The beach became alive with local families during the warm afternoon hours. We went to the water to join in the festivities; swimming fully clothed in my jean shorts, bra and tank top while drinking a cold beverage. There was no way I was going to be the only person in a proper bathing suit with so many onlookers; intrigued by the out of place gringos, living from the back of their car. The evening heat was stifling inside the tent and we [attempted] to sleep with the fly off; however, Sage was restless and there was one ‘pinche’ glutenous mosquito buzzing around. The four of us had limited sleep, woke up exhausted and couldn’t wait to fill up on some coffee from Oxxo.
Isla Aguada
Our tidy backpacks have exploded and the once organized nooks and crannies of the car are overflowing; making it impossible to find our belongings. We did a four day grocery buy, in Cuidad del Carmen, before crossing the bridge. We anticipated [correctly] limited services in our next two stops. Sam cleaned out the car as I sanitized the veggies and re-organized the ice cooler and food bins; an easy afternoon task, with the ocean just several steps away. The beach became alive with local families during the warm afternoon hours. We went to the water to join in the festivities; swimming fully clothed in my jean shorts, bra and tank top while drinking a cold beverage. There was no way I was going to be the only person in a proper bathing suit with so many onlookers; intrigued by the out of place gringos, living from the back of their car. The evening heat was stifling inside the tent and we [attempted] to sleep with the fly off; however, Sage was restless and there was one ‘pinche’ glutenous mosquito buzzing around. The four of us had limited sleep, woke up exhausted and couldn’t wait to fill up on some coffee from Oxxo.
Day Twelve~ July 8, 2014
Isla Aguada to Chichen Itza
States Traveled: Campeche & Yucatan
High 95, low 73 degrees [Humidity 36%...HOT & Sunny!]
102 ft. above sea level
Population: 5,528
Hotel Room at Piramide Inn
An absolutely stunning drive through the pristine, uninhabited coastline of Campeche. After two years of living in Mexico and having driven two round trips from Arizona to the Mexican state of Nayarit, we were finally pulled out of line by ‘federales’ to have our car searched. Typically, they take a peek at our foreign license plate, smile and wave us along. As we arrived to the Yucatan state, we were asked to show our paper work for our foreign owned car and to step out while the officer searched under the front passenger seat; ignoring his massive automatic weapon, as it swung and clunked around. After finding only our stash spot for cash, he called Sam over and gave him a frisk. Something was discreetly muttered to a fellow officer, they flashed us a smile and released us back to the open highway. Now able to focus more intensely on two other cars, driven by foreigners; also pulled over along the highway. Along the drive we had decided, due to the hot weather, one of us would visit Chichen Itza as the other stayed at camp with the dogs and switch roles the following day. The twenty something stray cats in the garden space of camp and Sancho’s squeaky, annoying bark quickly persuaded us to indulge in some air conditioning and the luxury of a real bed for the next few nights [along with the discount offered by the owner]. Our excitement for visiting the pyramid grew after seeing a film called Mayan Skies in the local observatory.
Isla Aguada to Chichen Itza
States Traveled: Campeche & Yucatan
High 95, low 73 degrees [Humidity 36%...HOT & Sunny!]
102 ft. above sea level
Population: 5,528
Hotel Room at Piramide Inn
An absolutely stunning drive through the pristine, uninhabited coastline of Campeche. After two years of living in Mexico and having driven two round trips from Arizona to the Mexican state of Nayarit, we were finally pulled out of line by ‘federales’ to have our car searched. Typically, they take a peek at our foreign license plate, smile and wave us along. As we arrived to the Yucatan state, we were asked to show our paper work for our foreign owned car and to step out while the officer searched under the front passenger seat; ignoring his massive automatic weapon, as it swung and clunked around. After finding only our stash spot for cash, he called Sam over and gave him a frisk. Something was discreetly muttered to a fellow officer, they flashed us a smile and released us back to the open highway. Now able to focus more intensely on two other cars, driven by foreigners; also pulled over along the highway. Along the drive we had decided, due to the hot weather, one of us would visit Chichen Itza as the other stayed at camp with the dogs and switch roles the following day. The twenty something stray cats in the garden space of camp and Sancho’s squeaky, annoying bark quickly persuaded us to indulge in some air conditioning and the luxury of a real bed for the next few nights [along with the discount offered by the owner]. Our excitement for visiting the pyramid grew after seeing a film called Mayan Skies in the local observatory.
Day Thirteen~ July 9, 2014
Chichen Itza
The Mayan are absolute geniuses. Until today, the Taj Mahal was my most touted upon man made structure [holding a very special spot in my heart, since this was the site of my engagement to the Mr.]. The ingenious placement of each Mayan structure astronomically aligned to perfection blew my mind! We arrived early to beat the intense sun, but still worked hard to stay hydrated while walking around the massive ancient city. Both of us received free admission with our Mexican teaching identification cards, after the official ignored the expiration date of Sam's card. Every time I glanced at ‘El Castillo’, the main pyramid, I fell in love more deeply with this massive structure [and felt like a tiny flee underneath it's colossal presence]. My biggest fascination was for the ‘Gran Juego de Pelota’, the largest ball court in Mesoamerica; where often times the losing team or captain of the team was sacrificed. We departed as the bus loads of people from Cancun arrived and returned to our own hotel for a nap, pool time and casual conversation with one of the workers [who must be related to Uncle Eddie from National Lampoons Vacation].
Chichen Itza
The Mayan are absolute geniuses. Until today, the Taj Mahal was my most touted upon man made structure [holding a very special spot in my heart, since this was the site of my engagement to the Mr.]. The ingenious placement of each Mayan structure astronomically aligned to perfection blew my mind! We arrived early to beat the intense sun, but still worked hard to stay hydrated while walking around the massive ancient city. Both of us received free admission with our Mexican teaching identification cards, after the official ignored the expiration date of Sam's card. Every time I glanced at ‘El Castillo’, the main pyramid, I fell in love more deeply with this massive structure [and felt like a tiny flee underneath it's colossal presence]. My biggest fascination was for the ‘Gran Juego de Pelota’, the largest ball court in Mesoamerica; where often times the losing team or captain of the team was sacrificed. We departed as the bus loads of people from Cancun arrived and returned to our own hotel for a nap, pool time and casual conversation with one of the workers [who must be related to Uncle Eddie from National Lampoons Vacation].
