Mountain pass

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Our bus is at 9.30am and we are all packed. We have no WiFi again but at least we get a hot shower. Did I mention the shampoo/shower gel in the hotel smells like the stuff they clean the floor with? Think pine toilet duck! It’s a shame as this is a nice modern hotel but there is no attention to detail!

We go for breakfast. There is no fruit and no pastries but a Mexican tour guide who is also slumming it here demands they supply it. He also says that this is a major fruit growing area of Mexico, therefore the orange juice should be freshly squeezed and not from a packet! His clients are at a posh 5 star up somewhere else in town. Fresh pastries and fruit arrive within minutes. The milk in both containers is sour this morning. Next they attempt to serve us scrambled eggs and beans - this is an add on item which we wave away as we didn’t order it. They dump it on an empty table. Fifteen minutes later two more guests arrive to eat the cold breakfast! Surely they are not happy with this?

I am just checking that all the cupboards in the room are empty and discover a set of weighing scales. Eeek, I have gained 7 kilos! Time to stop eating junk food and do some more exercise...I wish every hotel supplied a set of scales!

We check out and flag down a taxi. As usual we need to use the back seat for one of the bags. We squeeze in around the luggage.

Arriving at the bus station, the ADO clerk does not seem to care about checking us in and waves us through. The ADO first class lounge is firmly locked up so we are forced to sit on the awful metal chairs which are so rickety that they act like a springboard every time someone stands up or sits down!

There is a shoe shiner in the waiting area. It’s 30 pesos. My shoes get the best clean of their life. He does not have ‘mink’ colour shoe polish, but he does his best. He even paints the black rubber sole. I give him 50 pesos and tell him to keep the change. We are both very happy.

Our bus has arrived but the driver says we cannot board yet. He would obviously prefer us to stand in the unbearable heat outside than to sit in our nice air con seats on the bus. He disappears to the junk food stall leaving the door wide open so I decide to ignore his instructions and bag our seats using our day packs. This bus is full and we have already had experience of double seat selling!

It’s 9.15am and our driver has allowed us to board...I grab a towel from our luggage as the humidity has done its stuff. I just wish I had packed a spare set of clothing! The air con is bliss! We are travelling south now so I am guessing that it won’t get any better.

Our bus heads north, but it’s only to join the toll road - there are only two main roads from Poza Rica to Puebla and we are glad they have chosen the fast one.

The sun has been so hot that we both nodded off but now we have a rude awakening as we have joined a zig zag road up through the mountains and we are being thrown first one way and then the other. The views are absolutely stunning as we journey through tunnels and across bridges, including the impressive viaduct of San Marco. We also encounter some bone shaking dirt track roads full of potholes and the usual speed bumps.

The ADO buses are not as comfortable as some we have used, but certainly better than others. There is a bit less leg room and we are both suffering from ‘numb-bum’ after our four hour journey. And don’t even get me started on the state of the toilet! Suffice to say I only used it once.

The central bus station is north of Puebla City and our hotel is pretty much on the opposite side of town. The taxi driver is demanding 100 pesos but an Uber is only 50 so it’s no contest.

Our hotel is right in the heart of the historic centre. As usual we have been allocated a room with no windows. The receptionist tells me there are no rooms with windows today but she can move us tomorrow. Our booking clearly states ‘city view’ so I am not best pleased. Reluctantly we follow the porter to the lift - at least they have one here. It is unfortunate for them that they have left all the doors to the unoccupied rooms open. We therefore see three lovely rooms with balconies that overlook the street before we are shown to our black hole. Don’t unpack, I tell Ian!

I leave Ian and the luggage with a mystified porter whilst I return to reception. I’m not accepting that room and that’s an end to it - even Ian, who prefers an easy life, is saying it stinks of mould!

They have a room with a window but only a small bed. It turns out to be a double rather than a king - the porter is despatched to show me. Hmmm, the bed and the entire room is very small but it’s a nice bright room. I had better call Ian down from the third floor to take a look. The luggage is abandoned. Ian says we should make do with the smaller bed as the other room is terrible. Ian and the porter are left to shift the luggage whilst I inform reception.

By now there is a manager on hand and he speaks English. I tell him that the room on the third floor is like being asked to spend the night in hell and I’m really not happy as we paid for a better room. He finds the analogy amusing and kind of agrees with me! One last attempt to secure one of those rooms we have seen that are clearly unoccupied. Why are we less important than your other guests, I enquire...thrusting my booking sheet which clearly states king size bed and city view. After all, I did reserve this room several months ago! Apparently it’s because we didn’t pay in advance. But that’s not my fault, I argue...you had my credit card details and chose to wait until we arrived here. He hasn’t got an answer to this.

i am just about to give in when, suddenly, after all this to-ing and fro-ing, the manager announces. that he does have a room with a window but it has single beds. It’s one of the lovely rooms we have seen on the third floor! And actually it has two double beds - ie same size as the room with one small bed in it! Quick, give me the key, I say. The lift won’t come so I dash up the stairs in an attempt to stop Ian and the porter moving everything down to the first floor. Too late! Ian is spitting feathers, but he is pleased when he sees the room. The porter seems to take it all in his stride but I tip him double for his trouble all the same.

We take a shower to freshen up and head off to the laundry. We have another large bag to be dealt with. We locate the shop and everything is weighed...just under 3kg - 70 pesos - it will be ready tomorrow.

We decide to visit the Church of Santo Domingo as it is just around the block. This late 17th century Baroque church has a most elaborately decorated chapel. Gilt carvings adorn the dome of the chapel and much of the wall space that is not covered by the large paintings depicting the mysteries of the rosary.

Dinner this evening is in a small diner, designed by someone who has seen an American 1950s diner on TV. Definitely not a fast food joint, as most of the staff are over 60. Ian has eggs, ham and beans, while Gill has fried fish in garlic with avocados and rice.

Back in our room, night has fallen. The view from the balcony is even prettier than during the daytime. The church is all lit up and everything looks very colourful.

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