February 1

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Today
 February 1, 2011

We are back on the road again -- left San Miguel this morning and we are following a beautiful winding road through the hills and mountains as we head back toward the Pacific coast. This morning we started in arid rocky brown and tan country, then drove through fertile farmland with cattle and irrigated fields of vegetables, small towns with markets (and the ubiquitous ornate churches), and then over the mountains to the other side where there is a lush landscape with pine trees, palms, thriving grass,-- all green Green GREEN!

Mostly Tarjei drives which works well -- he's a very good driver, confident and fast but also careful.  I am an excellent passenger -- relaxed, happy, helping with navigation (when our Spanish-speaking GPS lady "Norma" confuses us). I also enjoy napping from time to time. HOWEVER, when Tarjei occasionally "lets" me drive (technically I own the Volvo) things don't go quite so smoothly. If I am the world's best passenger, Tarjei is the worst. He sits bolt upright in the right front seat, eyes glued to the road, white-knuckled and sweating. He warns me about every possible traffic hazard as if I were blind. It doesn't help that every couple of km there is a home-made cross planted at a dangerous curve (sometimes several forlorn crosses) with plastic flowers and names inscribed on them.  

When we ascend a mountain and I say "Wow, look at THAT view", he moans in agony, refusing to move his fixed gaze from the road for even one second. 

Eventually of course I give up and he takes over again. 

TT here: I admit that Katy is a much better passanger than I am. She reclines the seat, puts her head back and falls asleep. The passanger seat is to Katy what the regeneration alcove is to Seven-of-Nine. I, on the other hand, must follow traffice carefully from the passanger seat to help avoid accidents!

KF: Of course, I occasionally remind TT that I taught him to drive a manual transmission car in 1969 (on our old VW beetle). And which of us has actually ever HAD an accident? Hmmm?

TT: The drive from San Miguel de Allende to the west coast has been fascinating. Driving across the states of Guanajuato and Jalisco and then down to the coastal state of Colima. It is like drivng from the dry prairie of Alberta over the mountains to the lushness of the BC side. On the way, we saw a volcano begin to steam (or smoke or release dust or whatever volcanoes do). Very exciting for us, but the locals seemed to ignore it. We read later that one of the towns was temporarily evacuated in 2004.

KF again: Other realities about Mexican driving:  TOPES -- speed bumps. Everywhere. Because the only thing that will slow down drivers here are physical obstructions -- these are serious high mounds all the way across the road -- just like the ones outside Truro Center, but located in the middle of major highways at the entrance to every town or village, by schools, before curves or intersections. Hell on the suspension. 

We are enjoying our trip and all the driving anyway. We listen to our ancient Berlitz Spanish cassette tape (thank you Ron & Carol) and also  my modern i phone "Learn Spanish" app ($2.99).  There are friendly people and stunning landscapes. 

TT: We are now in Cuastecomate in the fantastic casa of our friends Jame and Sharon in Edmonton. Cuastecomate is a village on the Pacifc coast. The house is high up on the mountain side with a breathtaking view. Thank you Jame and Sharon! Photos will follow in the next blog.

So far, friendly helpful people, delicious and varied food, beautiful changing landscapes...just what we were hoping for.

TT and KF
 

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Photos

One begins to do something
While we look, steam or smoke erupts and Katy goes for her trusted iPhone.

Volvo on mountain road
Spectacular roads through the coastal mountains.

Cross at roadside
One of thousands of markings of deaths on Mexican roads. They caused us to slow down!

Comments

[Jame & Sharon]

TOPES
Mexico is such a fascinating country to drive in that it is virtually impossible to manage every topes the way they demand. Sooner or later you're going to be distracted by a 30 year old Datsun pickup loaded with two tons of coconuts topped by 5 small children, or a tarantula ambling across the highway in front of you, or a cross and plastic flowers on a tight curve just above the edge of a cliff, and then you hit one with your breaks full on. This has been the source of much invective from my passenger(s), who prefer not to have violent contact with the roof of the car. I have had to learn to put up with it, knowing full well that Topes take all eventually, without discrimination. So happy to hear that you're enjoying the view from the Casa Azul. Jame