Campeche - fortified coastal town

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Tuesday 7th June 2005 : Goodbye Merida, Hello Campeche and Welcome Rowan Rose

Read some more about Aristotle Onassis.

Breakfast then off to the ADO Terminal to book seats for Merida. It is not essential to book but the last thing we want is to be stuck waiting while 2 or 3 full buses leave. Strangely I cannot pay in person using visa yet I could have bought the tickets online via www.ticketbus.com.mx - no problem as there is an ATM in the bus terminal.

Back to The Nest, noticed there are ‘water floats’ in Merida i.e. electrically-powered carts like those used at home for milk deliveries.

Throw the boys in the pool and pack. Check email, still no reply from either Campeche or El Panchan, but good news from Glossop …. Congratulations Chris and Helen on the birth of your daughter Rowan Rose. Look forward to wetting heads even if we will be a little late.

Said goodbye to Rafael, maybe we will see him in the UK one day.

Comfortable bus trip, marred only by the violent cops and baddies martial arts movie. Saw a few smallish hills too, the first in Mexico.

The main bus terminal is on the outskirts of Campeche. Cheap taxi to the hostel. No they had no reservation for us - website ? email ? No they are not working. No problem, they put us in a six-bunk room and I do not think they are putting anyone else in with us - we will see.

Hostel is OK, it is all on the first floor plus a rooftop terrace. Large bedroom, high ceilings everywhere. Bar balcony overlooks the main square.

Dump the stuff and try and find food. Walk to the seafront (Gulf of Mexico) - reminiscent of Florida in that it is relatively modern and it seems the car is king. Found a ‘mall’ most of which was closed (this was around 5pm, most units were due to re-open at 6pm) but we managed an ice lolly.

Nearby there was a supermarket. They had cheeses other than the ubiquitous manchegan and American sliced stuff. Wine too.

Just as we arrived back at the hostel a decent storm began with lots of rain. The temperature fell to a comfortable level and stayed that way all evening - the best we have had in Mexico so far.

We ate and then spent the evening sitting overlooking the square as the world went by.

Wednesday 8th June 2005 : Fuerte San Miguel

Left Owen to his own devices. Caught a local bus with Rory and Deb to the Batteria San Luis, just down the coast from Campeche. From there it was meant to be a stroll up the hill to the San Miguel fort. We missed the turnoff but found our way OK. The fort is small but quite neat. It is one of a pair either side of Campeche built as part of the defences against pirates. Basically it is one storey around a courtyard with lots of room on the top for cannons. Around the courtyard it holds an exhibition of some of the stuff taken from various Mayan sites.

Strolled back down the hill. No buses in site. Walked at least half way back before we could get a bus. Trip enlivened by a hawker/evangelist who boarded and proceeded to rant on about eternal life and salvation for all (in Spanish).

Back in town we had a nosey around the city museum. The guide had said it was foc but it was 24 pesos each ! and not very exciting as we had read quite a lot of detailed history in various places. It redeeming feature was the rooftop view of the Jesuit ex-Temple which has a lighthouse on top of one of its’ spires.

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