We had a great weekend in Veracruz. Betty was very pleased with her result in the Sprint Triathlon: 750 metres swim, 20 K bike and 5 K run - in 35 degrees c! She finished in 1hr 50 mins which was a few minutes faster than in her last event. She was particularly chuffed with her swimming time - 17 mins - because she's had no opportunity to train in the sea. It's a difficult event not least because of the heat and humidity. There have been drownings in the past but the sea part was extremely well monitored. Lots of canoes, boats and divers and they swam in a sort of semi circle so that they were exiting the water in a separate part of the beach. There were 3,000 competitors between the Olympic and Sprint events I think and they started in age groups (different coloured swim caps). I always find the logistics of these things fascinating. They all wore an ankle bracelet with a chip (?) in it which was activated/deactivated by passing over a mat at the beginning/end of each discipline. We saw one guy trying to cheat: there were a few people who had had to drop out of the swim for whatever reason and they were brought back to the beach, just where we were standing, by one of the boats. This chubby guy - about my age: off the boat, turned right towards the finish place, back into the water and the swimmers, swam a few metres and out as though he had done it all! I wonder did their system catch him out? Hmmm.
Anyway, despite lots of people telling us not to go, we saw no trouble apart from a fair bit of police activity outside one of the Casinos, just opposite the hotel, on Saturday night. But you know things are a bit iffy when your son says to you, as you are driving along the Boulevard in Boca del Rio gazing out at the Gulf of Mexico shimmering under a blue, blue sky with pelicans flying overhead: "what would you do if you heard gunfire Mum?"
With my years of training in Norn Ireland I would have been down in the footwell of that Jeep pdq. Thank goodness there was no need.
The Hotel Gran Diligencias was good - great location overlooking the Zocalo with its marimbas and mariachis - with a lovely outdoor pool on the first floor with a great view of the centre of Veracruz. Watched 'El Danzon' on Friday night, but not too close in case I got asked to dance! I think it has Cuban origins and was created at the end of the 19th century. Very slow and intricate: a bygone era still being enacted. The ladies were so elegant with their dresses and fans and the gentlemen all dressed in white wearing hats.
Betty found a lovely restaurant in the brand new Hotel Emporio on the Malecon (seafront). I had fish stuffed with seafood which is a Veracruzana speciality. Very tasty it was too. We breakfasted in Sanbornes (the hotel was looking for US$13 a person for brekkie so we declined) which is a chain of very traditional Mexican restauarants/stores, usually housed in historic buildings (e.g.House of Tiles in D.F.) The waitresses all wear traditional dress and they serve, well, traditional food strangely enough :D
Off to Xalapa on Friday - next post after that x
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
Friday, 26 August 2011
New plans - horray!
Hi everyone. Had a pretty uneventful week so not much to report. Betty tried, without success ufortunately, to find a dressmaker here for me as I have found some beautiful dress fabric. Anybody know anyone in Norn Ireland who can make up dresses?
That was the bad news . The good news is that I have lots of plans made:D
This afternoon we are off to Veracruz Puerto and Gran Hotel Diligencias for the weekend and Betty's Tri-athlon on Sunday.
If we survive that: the next weekend we are staying with Betty's sister and her family in Xalapa which is the Capital city of Veracruz state - about an hour and a half from Cordoba.
I will leave Cordoba on Monday 5/9, go to D.F. and then,on Tuesday 6/9, Dulce and I are going to Acapulco! How exciting is that?
It's about a 5 hour journey by bus. I've booked us into Emporio Acapulco Hotel which is right on the beach in the middle of the strip - and the one thing I really want to do when we're there is to see the cliff divers. Dulce's been there before so she'll be a great guide, as always.
Then it'll be back to Mexico City for Dulce's birthday and, as it's Independence Day on 16/9, DD, BB and I are spending 2 nights, my treat, in Gran Melia Hotel on Reforma. There are 2 main Avenues in D.F.which intersect the city: Insurgentes and Reforma. We'll be close to the Zocalo where, on 15th September, from a balcony in Palacio Nacional, the President delivers 'el grito' - Hidalgo's call to arms 201 years ago made from the steps of a church in Dolores Hidalgo in Guanajuato state.
I leave Mexico for home on the 18th and hope to be back in " the oul' sod" on the 19th, all being well, via Amsterdam and Dublin.
However - more posts and pics to come - 3 more weeks left - and 3 more hotels. How I love hotels!
Watch this space.....x
That was the bad news . The good news is that I have lots of plans made:D
This afternoon we are off to Veracruz Puerto and Gran Hotel Diligencias for the weekend and Betty's Tri-athlon on Sunday.
If we survive that: the next weekend we are staying with Betty's sister and her family in Xalapa which is the Capital city of Veracruz state - about an hour and a half from Cordoba.
I will leave Cordoba on Monday 5/9, go to D.F. and then,on Tuesday 6/9, Dulce and I are going to Acapulco! How exciting is that?
It's about a 5 hour journey by bus. I've booked us into Emporio Acapulco Hotel which is right on the beach in the middle of the strip - and the one thing I really want to do when we're there is to see the cliff divers. Dulce's been there before so she'll be a great guide, as always.
Then it'll be back to Mexico City for Dulce's birthday and, as it's Independence Day on 16/9, DD, BB and I are spending 2 nights, my treat, in Gran Melia Hotel on Reforma. There are 2 main Avenues in D.F.which intersect the city: Insurgentes and Reforma. We'll be close to the Zocalo where, on 15th September, from a balcony in Palacio Nacional, the President delivers 'el grito' - Hidalgo's call to arms 201 years ago made from the steps of a church in Dolores Hidalgo in Guanajuato state.
I leave Mexico for home on the 18th and hope to be back in " the oul' sod" on the 19th, all being well, via Amsterdam and Dublin.
However - more posts and pics to come - 3 more weeks left - and 3 more hotels. How I love hotels!
Watch this space.....x
Thursday, 18 August 2011
Change of plan.
As you know I had intended to travel to Veracruz at the beginning of next week. However, there was some more trouble in Boca del Rio last weekend. It would seem that Marines were in pursuit of some gunmen, one of whom threw a grenade outside the Aquarium which killed one person and injured 3 others, including 2 children. There have been violent incidents in Veracruz City/Boca del Rio over the past months which are being blamed on the war between the Los Zetos, Gulf and La Familia Michoacana drug Cartels. Whilst my hotel was right in the centre, on the Zocalo, and I probably would have been safe enough, David advised me to change my booking. I'm now going to travel with Betty and him in the car next Friday night instead and back with them on Sunday night after the Triathlon.
Betty and I had a lovely lunch yesterday at Frank and Ania's new house in Cosco with some very interesting people. There were 8 of us adults and a 4 year old very lively boy. At least 4 languages were being spoken: Polish (Ania and Martha) Spanish (everyone) English (for sure)and possibly Italian - the older gentleman, an anthropologist still lecturing at the age of 85, was born in Florence. His wife was American but they spoke together in Spanish. Their son spoke Spanish and English, his wife is Polish and they were talking to the little boy in 3 languages at the same time (but not the usual bi-lingual thing of each parent speaking in their own native tongue to the child). I get the feeling it was a tad confusing for him - he wasn't as talkative as you would have expected a child of that age to be.
Anyway, Ania had cooked everything from scratch. We had the most delicious hummous and flatbread along with a dry yoghurt dip with sun dried tomatoes and olive oil.
Main course was chicken curry with rice cooked with raisins, a clove and cardoman.
Fab food with good conversation and quite acceptable mexican red wine.
And all of this half-way up another mountain with the most perfect view of El Pico. Frank's hobby is building houses and experimenting with solar power and other engineering type things - he's a fascinating man.
So - I've got the trusty Lonely Planet Guide to Mexico out again checking where else the buses from Cordoba go ...........
Betty and I had a lovely lunch yesterday at Frank and Ania's new house in Cosco with some very interesting people. There were 8 of us adults and a 4 year old very lively boy. At least 4 languages were being spoken: Polish (Ania and Martha) Spanish (everyone) English (for sure)and possibly Italian - the older gentleman, an anthropologist still lecturing at the age of 85, was born in Florence. His wife was American but they spoke together in Spanish. Their son spoke Spanish and English, his wife is Polish and they were talking to the little boy in 3 languages at the same time (but not the usual bi-lingual thing of each parent speaking in their own native tongue to the child). I get the feeling it was a tad confusing for him - he wasn't as talkative as you would have expected a child of that age to be.
Anyway, Ania had cooked everything from scratch. We had the most delicious hummous and flatbread along with a dry yoghurt dip with sun dried tomatoes and olive oil.
Main course was chicken curry with rice cooked with raisins, a clove and cardoman.
Fab food with good conversation and quite acceptable mexican red wine.
And all of this half-way up another mountain with the most perfect view of El Pico. Frank's hobby is building houses and experimenting with solar power and other engineering type things - he's a fascinating man.
So - I've got the trusty Lonely Planet Guide to Mexico out again checking where else the buses from Cordoba go ...........
Sunday, 14 August 2011
All cultured out...
I loved Queretaro - not many tours but fabulous historic buildings, exquisitely decorated churches, great shops and craft markets and a safe, clean and friendly environment with a lovely climate and NO MOSQUITOES and NO SISMOS.
Said goodbye on Friday and travelled by bus to Puebla - founded by Spanish settlers in 1531 as Ciudad de los Angeles.
I stayed at Hotel Provincia Express, five minutes from the Zocalo, which is a chain, but this one housed in a remarkable building, for mx$400 (£20) a night, incl. breakfast. My room was like a nun's cell with the most amazingly decorated vaulted ceiling. The receptionist told me this morning that the house was bought by an Arab 300 years ago and it was he who decorated all of the rooms; and they have subsequently been subdivided when it became a hotel. All of the corridors, stairs, ceilings - everything - were decorated with tiles or painted patterns.
Where Queretaro had its amazing craftsmanship mainly on the inside of the buldings, Puebla has its on the outside: talavera de Puebla - glazed tiles.
After being there for only an hour I was taking a city tour on a Tranvia Tram and had another one booked for Saturday morning to Cholula, home to the widest pyramid ever built: Piramide Tepanapapa. It's also on the other side of Popocatepetl & Iztaccihuatl (D.F.'s 2 volcanoes) plus an extra one: La Malinche, named for the very smart indigenous woman who was interpreter (and most probably more) to Hernan Cortes. The last 2 are dormant but el Popo is very much still active. If it blows 30 million people will be in jeopardy.
We visited Sanctuario de Nuestra Senora de los Remedios - a classic symbol of the Spanish building churches on the top of Aztec, or pagan, sites as a msrk of conquest.
But the one place which really touched me was Santa Maria Tonantzintla - the most beautiful church built by Franciscan monks in the churrigueresque style. Thousands of caras and caritas (faces)on the inside walls and ceilings supposed to represent all of the peoples of Puebla It has no crosses inside it, only outside, because (I think - the tour was in Spanish only) the indigenous people were afraid of that symbolism. While we were there some young people were being confirmed and, at 12 noon, the bells pealed 'Ave Maria' in its entirety - a totally memorable few minutes for me.
Puebla city, while historic, lacked the empathy of other cities I've visited. Maybe I'm overloaded. But, on the Friday night, in el centro, I started to notice armed police (nothing unusual in that) but with paddy wagons and riot shields stacked on riot helmets (like millefeuille supported by raspberries) and I thought - hold on: what's happening here? My taxi driver this morning said maybe it was a precaution. But against what I wonder. Anyway - nothing seemed to have happened. A football derby somewhere perhaps?
The most positive thing about my three days in Puebla was thst I was totally immersed in Spanish: talking, listening, understanding more and more: cos not a single person that I met spoke english.
I'm back in Cordoba now. Travelled back 2 hrs 45 mins (200+ km?) this afternoon first class: mx$180 - £9. Buses here are remarkably cheap, but sophisticated. In the top echalon you have First Class, Deluxe, GL and Platinum. The best ones are like business class - reclining seats, foot stools, individual video/music thingies, free snack and drink, toilets etc. And most non stop, or maybe one stop, to your destination.
Will post more photos tomorrow.
Thanks for keeping reading my ramblings xxx
Said goodbye on Friday and travelled by bus to Puebla - founded by Spanish settlers in 1531 as Ciudad de los Angeles.
I stayed at Hotel Provincia Express, five minutes from the Zocalo, which is a chain, but this one housed in a remarkable building, for mx$400 (£20) a night, incl. breakfast. My room was like a nun's cell with the most amazingly decorated vaulted ceiling. The receptionist told me this morning that the house was bought by an Arab 300 years ago and it was he who decorated all of the rooms; and they have subsequently been subdivided when it became a hotel. All of the corridors, stairs, ceilings - everything - were decorated with tiles or painted patterns.
Where Queretaro had its amazing craftsmanship mainly on the inside of the buldings, Puebla has its on the outside: talavera de Puebla - glazed tiles.
After being there for only an hour I was taking a city tour on a Tranvia Tram and had another one booked for Saturday morning to Cholula, home to the widest pyramid ever built: Piramide Tepanapapa. It's also on the other side of Popocatepetl & Iztaccihuatl (D.F.'s 2 volcanoes) plus an extra one: La Malinche, named for the very smart indigenous woman who was interpreter (and most probably more) to Hernan Cortes. The last 2 are dormant but el Popo is very much still active. If it blows 30 million people will be in jeopardy.
We visited Sanctuario de Nuestra Senora de los Remedios - a classic symbol of the Spanish building churches on the top of Aztec, or pagan, sites as a msrk of conquest.
But the one place which really touched me was Santa Maria Tonantzintla - the most beautiful church built by Franciscan monks in the churrigueresque style. Thousands of caras and caritas (faces)on the inside walls and ceilings supposed to represent all of the peoples of Puebla It has no crosses inside it, only outside, because (I think - the tour was in Spanish only) the indigenous people were afraid of that symbolism. While we were there some young people were being confirmed and, at 12 noon, the bells pealed 'Ave Maria' in its entirety - a totally memorable few minutes for me.
Puebla city, while historic, lacked the empathy of other cities I've visited. Maybe I'm overloaded. But, on the Friday night, in el centro, I started to notice armed police (nothing unusual in that) but with paddy wagons and riot shields stacked on riot helmets (like millefeuille supported by raspberries) and I thought - hold on: what's happening here? My taxi driver this morning said maybe it was a precaution. But against what I wonder. Anyway - nothing seemed to have happened. A football derby somewhere perhaps?
The most positive thing about my three days in Puebla was thst I was totally immersed in Spanish: talking, listening, understanding more and more: cos not a single person that I met spoke english.
I'm back in Cordoba now. Travelled back 2 hrs 45 mins (200+ km?) this afternoon first class: mx$180 - £9. Buses here are remarkably cheap, but sophisticated. In the top echalon you have First Class, Deluxe, GL and Platinum. The best ones are like business class - reclining seats, foot stools, individual video/music thingies, free snack and drink, toilets etc. And most non stop, or maybe one stop, to your destination.
Will post more photos tomorrow.
Thanks for keeping reading my ramblings xxx
Wednesday, 10 August 2011
Good news and bad news
Hi again.
The good news is that there are tour companies in Queretaro but the bad news is that they all need a minumum of 4 people to enable a tour to go ahead and none of them seem to be at all pro-active in making this happen! I left my telephone number with 2 of them and am still waiting! Usually in tourist cities there are boards everywhere advertising tours of the surrounding countryside. Here there aren't so I'm wondering do a large proportion of the tourists here bring their own cars with them? Very few Europeans - or Americans for that matter. So: no visit to Freixenet and the cheese artisans this trip. Next time I'm bringing three friends with me. Any volunteers?
However, plenty to do and see in the city and all within easy walking distance. Tomorrow I'm going to count the number of churches - must be dozens. So have enjoyed it immensely. I love the terrace here outside my room - I'm quite happy sitting there under a parasol in the late afternoon watching the world go by. At the minute sitting at my desk I've got a front row seat to a 'son et lumiere' show. Spectacular thunder and forked lighting.
Leave here on Friday and travel to Puebla for the weekend. Next post from there I hope.
x
The good news is that there are tour companies in Queretaro but the bad news is that they all need a minumum of 4 people to enable a tour to go ahead and none of them seem to be at all pro-active in making this happen! I left my telephone number with 2 of them and am still waiting! Usually in tourist cities there are boards everywhere advertising tours of the surrounding countryside. Here there aren't so I'm wondering do a large proportion of the tourists here bring their own cars with them? Very few Europeans - or Americans for that matter. So: no visit to Freixenet and the cheese artisans this trip. Next time I'm bringing three friends with me. Any volunteers?
However, plenty to do and see in the city and all within easy walking distance. Tomorrow I'm going to count the number of churches - must be dozens. So have enjoyed it immensely. I love the terrace here outside my room - I'm quite happy sitting there under a parasol in the late afternoon watching the world go by. At the minute sitting at my desk I've got a front row seat to a 'son et lumiere' show. Spectacular thunder and forked lighting.
Leave here on Friday and travel to Puebla for the weekend. Next post from there I hope.
x
Sunday, 7 August 2011
Santiago de Queretaro
Internet connection established, thanks to Leonardo the housekeeper's 11 year old son yesterday when I arrived, here I am in a centrally located guest house owned by a Canadian lady. I'm on the top floor looking out from my desk onto a pretty terrace with views over the city.
The history of the city dates back to the 15th century (according to my trusty Lonely Planet Guide to Mexico) when a settlement was founded by the Otomi. "That was soon absorbed by the Aztecs and then by the Spaniards in 1531. Franciscan monks used it as a missionary base not only to Mexico but also to what is now southwestern USA."
It also played a major part in the Independencia movement 200 years ago. So - plenty to see and visit. Beautiful pedestrian areas with lovely old buildings and shady plazas lined with restaurants.
Have included, this time, some photos of food (N.B. Rocky!) taken at a restaurant three of us ate in last night.
Went with Shelley to the market this morning and this afternoon returned to a cultural space I found yesterday with loads of stalls and an artists' centre. Sat and watched local people dancing to different traditional Queretano bands. The music is wonderful (some I recognised from the soundtrack of the movie 'Frida') and there were people of all ages dancing, some in traditional dress.
The state of Queretaro is primarily known for agriculture, ranching and, of course, opals. Less well known is that it is an important cheese making and wine producing region.
The Spaniards brought wine over in the early 16th century and Carlos 1 sent vine shoots and olives over in every ship going to the 'new territories'. However in 1595 his son, Carlos 11, prohibited Mexican wine production and the industry collapsed. It was revived in the 19th century and today there are three Queretaro wine companies: La Redonda, founded in 1972, Freixenet (who would have thought?) in 1979 and Los Azteca which began to plant in 2006.
I'm going to see if I can find a tour going to one of them and will report back later on in the week.
x
The history of the city dates back to the 15th century (according to my trusty Lonely Planet Guide to Mexico) when a settlement was founded by the Otomi. "That was soon absorbed by the Aztecs and then by the Spaniards in 1531. Franciscan monks used it as a missionary base not only to Mexico but also to what is now southwestern USA."
It also played a major part in the Independencia movement 200 years ago. So - plenty to see and visit. Beautiful pedestrian areas with lovely old buildings and shady plazas lined with restaurants.
Have included, this time, some photos of food (N.B. Rocky!) taken at a restaurant three of us ate in last night.
Went with Shelley to the market this morning and this afternoon returned to a cultural space I found yesterday with loads of stalls and an artists' centre. Sat and watched local people dancing to different traditional Queretano bands. The music is wonderful (some I recognised from the soundtrack of the movie 'Frida') and there were people of all ages dancing, some in traditional dress.
The state of Queretaro is primarily known for agriculture, ranching and, of course, opals. Less well known is that it is an important cheese making and wine producing region.
The Spaniards brought wine over in the early 16th century and Carlos 1 sent vine shoots and olives over in every ship going to the 'new territories'. However in 1595 his son, Carlos 11, prohibited Mexican wine production and the industry collapsed. It was revived in the 19th century and today there are three Queretaro wine companies: La Redonda, founded in 1972, Freixenet (who would have thought?) in 1979 and Los Azteca which began to plant in 2006.
I'm going to see if I can find a tour going to one of them and will report back later on in the week.
x
Friday, 5 August 2011
Shopping, shopping, all shopped out.
Taxco was gorgeous and Hotel Mi Casita really beautiful. All you girlies out there would have loved both. Wall to wall silver shops and arcades with really narrow steep cobbled streets and old, old buildings. It was founded in the 16 century just after the conquest when the Spaniards were looking for tin. Of course they found silver instead....
Mi Casita overlooks the Csthedral and has 12 individually furnished rooms, all with wonderful tiled bathrooms.
Bought two silver rings - one with a whole fire opal set into it, still in its geode, and the other with amber from Chiapas. Thank you DEM for my birthday presents:)
Off to Queretaro in the morning - hope there's an internet connection where I'm staying. x
Mi Casita overlooks the Csthedral and has 12 individually furnished rooms, all with wonderful tiled bathrooms.
Bought two silver rings - one with a whole fire opal set into it, still in its geode, and the other with amber from Chiapas. Thank you DEM for my birthday presents:)
Off to Queretaro in the morning - hope there's an internet connection where I'm staying. x
Tuesday, 2 August 2011
Can anyone remember the movie 'Signs'?
Went to Frank and Ania's cabin on Saturday. 1,800 metres up in the mountains near El Pico. Just as well DD has a Jeep: you never in your life saw such a road up to it! A pretty rough existence for the people living along it. Nothing for miles. They all seem to have their livestock,donkeys, cows, pigs, goats, sheep and all sorts of fowl, and a bit of land so I assume they must be quite self sufficient.
We had a good old time collecting firewood (reminded me of Castle Archdale) then walked down through Frank's pine forest to the river (and back up again - it was soooo steep). It was just like home: complete with a little drizzle. The only thing was...... it was only 10 metres from a stand of maize. Every time the wind rustled the corn I headed indoors. And unfortunately we couldn't find any tin foil to put on our heads! If the dogs hadn't been with us I would'nt have slept a wink.
I'm now in Mexico City (D.F.) with Betty. Visited UNAM today:- Universidad Nacional Automona de Mexico - it has the largest enrolment of any university in the Americas and is a World Heritage site. It was built in the 1950s and must have been super modern at the time. Fabulous murals by the best 20th century Mexican muralists: Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Sigueiros and, my special favourite. Juan O'Gorman. Saw one of his murals in Chapultepec Castle the first time I was here: an obvious Irish connection somewhere along the line.
We're going to Taxco tomorrow to, hopefully, do some jewellery shopping. We're staying overnight and coming back to D.F. on Thursday. On Saturday BB goes back to Cordoba and I'm travelling up to Santiago de Queretaro, another World Heritage Site, by myself for nearly a week. Queretaro state is where the wonderful Mexican fire opals are mined. Looking forward to it - will keep you all posted. x
We had a good old time collecting firewood (reminded me of Castle Archdale) then walked down through Frank's pine forest to the river (and back up again - it was soooo steep). It was just like home: complete with a little drizzle. The only thing was...... it was only 10 metres from a stand of maize. Every time the wind rustled the corn I headed indoors. And unfortunately we couldn't find any tin foil to put on our heads! If the dogs hadn't been with us I would'nt have slept a wink.
I'm now in Mexico City (D.F.) with Betty. Visited UNAM today:- Universidad Nacional Automona de Mexico - it has the largest enrolment of any university in the Americas and is a World Heritage site. It was built in the 1950s and must have been super modern at the time. Fabulous murals by the best 20th century Mexican muralists: Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Sigueiros and, my special favourite. Juan O'Gorman. Saw one of his murals in Chapultepec Castle the first time I was here: an obvious Irish connection somewhere along the line.
We're going to Taxco tomorrow to, hopefully, do some jewellery shopping. We're staying overnight and coming back to D.F. on Thursday. On Saturday BB goes back to Cordoba and I'm travelling up to Santiago de Queretaro, another World Heritage Site, by myself for nearly a week. Queretaro state is where the wonderful Mexican fire opals are mined. Looking forward to it - will keep you all posted. x
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