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Nov 5, 1998
Hello Friends, new and old.:
A big hello to everyone, I traveled from Los Mochis
direct to Mazatlan on Highway 15. I can see increasing
amounts of cactus, dry rocky soil, along with some
traffic. The roads have been great and the scenery is
beautiful as I travel along the Pacific Ocean. I spent a
night in Mazatlan with Kale, Hanna, Karen and Jan Krieger.
They are Montana neighbors that teach English in a school
in Mazatlan. I body surfed the waves on very sandy
beaches and took an overnight trip to Teacapan. This is
south of Mazatlan about 80 kilometers and is an estuary
full of osprey, pink spoonbills, egrets, cranes, and many
more shore birds. The birds are increasing because of
their migrations south. I camped Sunday night on a sandy
beach that had little crabs running all over. If you like
shrimp...the fisherman sold directly from their nets.
For those interested: The peso is the Mexican dollar and
the exchange rate is 9.85 to one dollar US.
Monday I continued on from Teacapan back to the toll road
so that I can make time. I still have a long ways to go
to get through Mexico. These roads tend to be very good.
It is a holiday in Mexico called The Day of The Dead. Nov
1st honors the children and Nov 2nd honors everyone. It is
large procession to the cemetery, bringing flowers,
candles, and food. This is a very big celebration and very
colorful. I watched a procession at Chapala (80
kilometers south of Guadalajara). I spent the night in
Chapala by a lake that is drying up because of high usage
for agriculture and population of Guadalajara.
My plan had been to stop through Morelia for the
large butterfly sanctuaries. I'm too early because they
have not migrated this far. I understand that you can
become surrounded by butterflies. Oh well, next time.
Onto Mexico City and head south to Oaxaca. ..An early
start and advice on how to get around Mexico City left me with great confidence. Ha Ha Ha!
I found myself with
one wrong turn right in the middle of Mexico City. Wow!
You would come to an intersection and 8 streets would
emerge into the center (like spokes on a wheel). I asked
directions and luck had it a gentleman was heading out of
the city. I tried to follow and that was a challenge! I made it, but only because of the kindness of someone and
we don't even know his name. I must admit the Mexican
people are most helpful. But if you are traveling. . .heed
the warning of the book. . .I have not always been given
the right change back at the gas stations. Well, told you
of getting lost but the city was beautiful. Old
architecture, colorful people, and lots of cars. I have
never seen so many VW Bugs in one place. There would be
8-10 lined up at a stoplight. It looked like a race. ( At
times it seemed like a race.)
I headed onto Oaxaca, which is at 5000 feet, and the
climate is mild with clean air. This is one of the oldest
continuously inhabited regions with human settlement
dating back to 8000 BC. The first civilizaton was the
Zapotecs and I visited Monte Alban. It was a Zapotec ruin
that was taken over by the Mixtecs and they in turn felll
to the Aztecs. The ruins included temples, game for
playing ball, medical history that is recorded on stones,
water containment areas. It was a most impressive area
that is on the top of a mountain.
Oh yea! The fleas! I can't forget the fleas...I caught a herd of fleas passing through
my bed one night.
The whole herd stopped to forage. I'm not sure but the
$7.00 hotel should have been my first guess. Needless to
say I have washed a few clothes and hope that doesn't
happen again.
Well from here I go to Guatemala. Adios till next time.
BEN |
