Comitan de Dominguez (Mexico) to Tantoyuca (Mexico)

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Just a quick blog really to let you know where I am and show you the photos I have taken to date.

Think I am suffering from writer´s block as no mysterious Austrian fisherwomen or poetry have manged to penetrate my blog this time. However the good news is that in Xalapa I managed to get hold of a Mexican wrestling mask. Thus evenings in hotel rooms have been spent shadow grappling in front of the mirror whilst getting more and more addicted to Amercian tv cop shows like CSI Miami (once you get hooked on Caruso´s voice there is no turning back).

Spent the last three weeks just pedalling up the eastern side of Mexico. Trying to find the quieter roads through the farmlands and oilfields in the state of Veracruz. Had a good time, interesting scenery and friendly Mexicans. Other than in San Cristobal de las Casas, a beautiful but touristy small town in the south of Mexico, haven´t really met or seen many Gringos at all on this stage of the trip.

Breakfasts are becoming a real highlight of my daily routine. Huevos a la mexicana, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, onion and chillies are especially tasty.

Currently in the small pleasant town of Tantoyuca north east of Mexico city. Nothing particularly outstanding about this place (which may be why I like it). Has all the necessary infrastructure for a relaxing day off the bike: decent cheap hotel, cash machine, laundrette, internet cafe.

Starting to head inland. Tomorrow, with shanks clad in fresh cycling pants, going to start heading towards the colonial town of Zacatecas, then north to Chihuahua and then planning to invade the US of A in early April.

Just a reminder that I am riding to raise money for Medecins Sans Frontieres. If you would like to make a donation, over a secure internet link, please visit my website for more details, www.pushonnorth.com.

Hope you enjoy the photos. I am now going to go and have a banana milkshake.

Push on

Tim

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Photos

Dog and pineapples
Munching on a pineapple whilst waiting at a railway crossing I met this fluffy little fellow. We had an interesting chat for a few minutes about current Mexican rail freight capacity issues (in Spanish!). He then seemed to lose interest in the conversation and started sniffing his bottom.

The Geordie Grappler
As NUFC march proudly forth in the UEFA cup thrashing part-time Belgian sides 1-0 another sporting legend, the Geordie Grappler, is born in a hotel room in Xalapa, Mexico.
Did you really think I could cycle through Mexico without buying a Mexican wrestling mask? Did you?
Have you sponsored me yet? I will be back quite soon. To catch up with you all...

Santo Domingo, Chiapa de Corzo
Courtyard in monastery. Chiapa de Corzo pleasant little town in Chiapas. Main plaza Quite touristy but unlike San Cristobal de la Casas most of the tourists seemed to be Mexican.

Plaza, Chiapa de Corzo
Early morning in the plaza used the cash machine and just about to hop on my bike and hit the road.

Sumidero Canyon, Chiapas
A bit grey and wet but still quite nice, quiet roads.

Road from Chiapa de Corzo to Copainala
Wet and green country roads climb up and down through Chiapas taking me towards the Gulf of Mexico and the state of Veracruz.

Road from Chontalpa to Las Choapas

Road from Chontalpa to Las Choapas
Despite the rural agricultural appearance this is serious oil country (Mexico is world´s 6th largest oil producer and agriculture only accounted for 4.1% of the Mexican GDP. The state oil company PEMEX seems to have drilling installations everywhere not much visible physical evidence of them though apart from road signs indicating where a station is located.)

Road from Chontalpa to Las Choapas
The thick brown waters of a very full river ooze slowly towards the Gulf of Mexico. Farmland turns quickly into primitive prehistoric swamp.

Mexican Rail Freight
Mr Scott you know what you have to do...

Soledad de Doblado
Nice little Mexican town. Arrived on a Sunday afternoon lots of farmers with white cowboy hats getting wasted in 4 cantinas all next to each other in the centre of town. Reminded me a bit of Guisborough (a town in the north east of England where I grew up).

Nice yellow flowers
No idea what they are but they looked very nice.

Road from Huatasco to Xalapa
Volcano I think is called Pico de Orizaba. Wasn´t expecting it at all it just popped up when I turned a corner.

Road from Huatasco to Xalapa
This is the Valle del Pescador-the valley of the fisherman. Amazing scenery drop down then climb out of a beuatiful valley.

Road from Huatasco to Xalapa
Obligatory photo of me sitting on a bridge.

Huge reptile
You are more likely to find a member of Opus Dei tucked up with a copy of Dan Brown´s latest thriller than to find this lizard studying the green cross code. I am amazed it has reached this size it was happy to sit on the road soaking up the rays of the afternoon sun and let me get really close to it.