I am now in the magical town of Cuetzalan in the Sierra Norte de Puebla after a bit of a circuatous (sp??) route - I went from Xalapa to Puebla yesterday, and from Puebla to here though I am geographically now much closer to Xalapa but a) wanted to see Puebla and b) could not figure out the bus route - ticketbus did not have a link though am sure you can do it through a combination of 2nd class bus (which I took here) and regional collectivos. Cuetzalan is one of the Puebos Magicos on the tourists brochures, and from the little I have seen it certainly is - while at a much lower elevation than Puebla (just under 1000 metres I believe), you feel that you are in the mountains, driving over twisting mountainous ... read more

Arrived in Puebla today - and decided to stay only one day. It is a big city of almost 2 million people, and while the historic section is beautiful with one main cathedral that is on one of Mexico´s bills, and churches and museums and some pedestrian streets, coming into town I got wierded out so decided not to staymore than one night. Also the air pollution hurt my eyes -guess that answers my question if I am going to Mexico city. Coming in on the bus from Xalapa sadness encapsulated me - as we rose in elevation the land turned brown and dusty, and then straight roads in wide valleys with peaks further in the distance. The landscape seemed faded with planted agave, prickly pears, minimal oaks and some desert tree, but mainly alot of ... read more

Today I got out of the city which did me some good - on local intertown bus, went to town of Xico (about 17 km away and another world) and then to small city of Coatepec (about 12 km away). Area around here is beautiful - in foothills of mountains (peaks are usually covered by cloud) and very lush - a combination of temperate and tropical - I believe coffee, and green, and plaintains or bananas and flowers blooming. The bus ride as always was interesting with a mariachi band who got on and played for donations part of the way, and the ticket collector who sells tickets to different locations after you get on, and people getting on with buckets as you got further out - more of a schoolbus with comfortable seats. I first ... read more

Although it is only just over a 2 hour bus ride away, and in the same state, the city of veracruz seems like a different country, and my afternoon on the beach yesterday seems like another time altogether. I am in Jalapa or Xalapa (it is spelled both ways - nationally and internationally) which is a city of about 1/2 million and the capitol of the state of verzcruz. it is in the mountains (just entering them) stands at about 1400 metres in elevation as compared to the city of veracruz which is right on the gulf of mexico. it has a very different feel here - more urbane, bourgeois, cultured, and more "northern" - the climate is cooler here due to the elevation and the flora seems more familiar. The university is also here. But ... read more

I think I need some calm, my mind is zipping and feeling stressed from the constant noise and activity and changes. Had not planned to stay today, but when I got up late did not feel like moving on either. Got a bit drunk for my first time in Mexico last night - was going for one beer at one of the places under the portales that are by the zocallo as was feeling stressed and tired, had a second, and they were 3 for 2 so had a third - slightly busier there last night, the mariachis and other musicians who stroll around the portales approaching tables and playing for money - good but felt loud last night, and the guys selling watches, nuts, shining shoes, and women selling cigars. A band out later in ... read more

Again this is an entry that was started a day ago in another city which in the travelling timewarp seems light years away - especially after an overnight 15 hour bus ride. At least the buses are more comforatable than in Canada and the US - lots of leg room and the seats recline and fortunately they turn off the movies between 11pm and 7 am (they have overhead speakers here - you do not use headsets and while you often can turn off the speaker above your head, your neighbour is not far away - this bus had fold down televisions and unlike in Canada where they played videos here it is all on computer). Staying in a cheap hotel here near the zocallo - basic, clean, seems safe - for 150 pesos a night ... read more

One thing about travel is the novelty of it - the newness of situations and places you encounter - from larger things like the architecture of cities, the language, the food, the people in general, the historical sights and natural wonders, to little things - the bathrooms, the sidewalks, crossing the street, and with longer term travel how the novelty wears off after a while. When encountering the new, your mind is ablaze - new ideas, feelings, coping mechannisms and at times you long for a bit of routine, but then I find you want the new again - maybe explains those like me addicted to travel - or is it just addiction to novelty - getting quickly bored, if the mind or senses not stimulated by ideas or nature or just something simple that is ... read more

Started this entry yesterday morning in Campeche which now seems light years ago. Today I went to a small beach town - Progresso - about 25 km from here - Merida - on the gulf of Mexico. Not a spectacular beach but was nice and very low key - it is mainly a place where Meridians go for the day on weekends and in summer with a few North American retirees so is pretty low key and empty - no high rises or resorts lining the beach, no crowds in bikinis (besides it was cloudy and cool for the area) - just a simple town with a beach with a few restos and stores across the street. Had forgotten how calming the ocean is - the gulf is normally very flat, but with the wind, there ... read more

Yes, I am back in Campeche for a day on the way to Merida - not sure I made the right decision - have been longing for Merida - in memories is a good city - lots of free activities, has tourists without being too touristy, intellectual and cultural without being pretentious, and relatively easy to get out of - except the location - flat with no water and that hit me on the bus ride today - the longest journey yet - had meant to take another route that took me along the water but instead took the same route as I had coming to Palenque which now seems a lifetime ago. I wonder how Merida will feel as I guess I am getting more adjusted to Mexico. In Villahermosa decided I wanted time to ... read more

Not Big Heads at Carnaval though. Big Olmec heads in the park/museum and yes, Carnival is happening here now - later then most other places. Wanted to get off the gringo backpacker trail - and I have definately done that here. Have see 3 other "gringo" people in this city of almost 700,000. A few Mexican tourists it seems, but while a prosperous city due to oil since the 1970s, it is not on the tourist map except for the Parqu-Museo La Venta in a nice city park where Olmec heads (Olmecs were the people in this region from about 1100-400 BC and whose relics include large sculpted heads, precursor it is thought to Mayan culture) were moved in the late 50´s after from La Venta after oil was discovered and it was feared they might ... read more