Getting to Guanajuato

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Three days and nights, 8 buses and 3 collectivos later we have arrived in Guanajuato, Mexico.

We left Honduras and made it across the Mexican border in a day and a half. We stayed overnight in a little town called Retalhuleu (Reu to the locals). The drive into Guate City took about 4 and a half hours and was painfully hot and slow as always. I hate that drive. We got to Reu at something like 10h30 at night because what should have been a 6h00 departure time was moved to an hour later because the bus driver decided to yak and needed gas. By the time we finally left the city I wanted to yank my hair out!

The drive to the border was a nice easy one and we had no problems with our papers or anything else. My only advice is to make sure you have enough cash to get across. There's always some fee or something that you need to pay. Get your money changed from the change guys if you have to. They usually don't give you a totally horrible rate.

From Tecun Uman (Guate side) you cross into a town called Hidalgo. From here you can catch collectivo into Tapachula where the big bus stations are. The ride takes about 45 minutes. Make sure you ask them to drop you at the Cristobal Colon terminal. They have the most options. The second class terminal is literally a block down the street anyway.

We caught an over night to Mexico City that was supposed to take 17 hours and actually ended up taking more like 19. It dropped us at the Terminal Norte where we were able to catch a local bus to check out the famous Aztec pyramids about an hour outside D.F. Huge mother things. Next biggest to the ones in Egypt I think. They were pretty impressive.

We stayed for the day, went back into downtown at night for dinner and movie. If you're in Mexico city, near the Hidalgo subway station check out a little diner type restaurant near the library across from Cinemax. It really sucks that I don't remember the name of this place but apparently it's been around for more than 50 years. It had italian specialities and the best espresso I've had in something like 6 months. Look for a red neon sign right on a corner. Across the street is a park.

After the movie we made our way back to the Terminal Norte on the subway, picked up our baggage from the 24 guarda and jumped the 12h30 to Guanajuato.

We got in somewhere around 6h00am just as the sun started to come up. Had to wait around the station for about an hour or so until the first bus came to take us into the historical centre.

We are staying a little hostal called the Casa Mexicana, next to the Teatro Cervantes. The town is absolutely beautiful. It was declared a UN National Heritage site a couple of years ago. My next entry should detail more.

Until then.

Vanessa

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