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Yesterday, what did we do yesterday? Oh yes, we drove and drove and drove. Mexico is kind of like Vietnam in that you can't calculate how long it'll take you to get somewhere based on the distance. 500km? (and we are back to km, thankfully -- it's so much easier) That should take about what, 5 hours? Wrong! Extra-narrow highways and slow, lumbering trucks you can't pass for a long time because there's too much traffic going the other way will ruin your estimates.
Last night we slept at the Hotel Posada Don Fransisco in Tampico, a nice place with a very friendly owner. My father is exhausted these days, even more than usual yesterday because he drove the whole way from Matamoros to Tampico, so we didn't go far for supper, we just ate at the hotel restaurant, which was delicious.
Today we did the smart thing and broke up the route to Veracruz into two days, mostly because we wanted to see El Tajin, an archaeological site that was occupied by different peoples at different times. There are large stone pyramids (some of which we could climb), paved stone walkways and ball courts. It was after three by the time we got there and still so incredibly hot that I felt like I was melting on the inside; my blood was about to boil over! We managed to see the whole site, though I believe some of it is still underneath vegetation. We're in tropical country here, but up in the mountains. Once the sun starts going down it's quite nice outside.
Our hotel room tonight is our most expensive Mexican one so far, but for 60$Cdn. we have a king-size bed and a single bed in one room and a single bed in another room (mine! she squeals gleefully). There's air conditioning and we actually have 4 towels! *falls over from surprise* I'm just happy I can have my own room so I don't have to go to bed early just because everyone else is tired. I'll be able to write a bit more than usual in my travel journal and maybe even read a bit!
Today I drove on a Mexican highway for the first time. I also found a place where we actually pay a toll; according to our maps, we've so far been driving on almost nothing *but* toll highways, but it hadn't cost us anything. Anyway, everything was going fine until the road suddenly dipped under the right wheel for no reason and I almost had a heart attack. I thought the van was going to roll over! Not fun. Then there were the many speed bumps (they come in all shapes and sizes, here) to be reckoned with, as well as not being able to pass huge trucks going 50km/hour in front of me, dribbling sand or gravel onto the windshield.
So, now I've driven in 4 countries (cars in 3)... Canada and the States are definitely easier.
I'm stuffed. My mother and I both ordered pollo con molle y arroz, and I think they just cut a chicken in half and gave us that, the portions were so huge. Not bad for 35 pesos!
Tomorrow, off to Veracruz for real!
Last night we slept at the Hotel Posada Don Fransisco in Tampico, a nice place with a very friendly owner. My father is exhausted these days, even more than usual yesterday because he drove the whole way from Matamoros to Tampico, so we didn't go far for supper, we just ate at the hotel restaurant, which was delicious.
Today we did the smart thing and broke up the route to Veracruz into two days, mostly because we wanted to see El Tajin, an archaeological site that was occupied by different peoples at different times. There are large stone pyramids (some of which we could climb), paved stone walkways and ball courts. It was after three by the time we got there and still so incredibly hot that I felt like I was melting on the inside; my blood was about to boil over! We managed to see the whole site, though I believe some of it is still underneath vegetation. We're in tropical country here, but up in the mountains. Once the sun starts going down it's quite nice outside.
Our hotel room tonight is our most expensive Mexican one so far, but for 60$Cdn. we have a king-size bed and a single bed in one room and a single bed in another room (mine! she squeals gleefully). There's air conditioning and we actually have 4 towels! *falls over from surprise* I'm just happy I can have my own room so I don't have to go to bed early just because everyone else is tired. I'll be able to write a bit more than usual in my travel journal and maybe even read a bit!
Today I drove on a Mexican highway for the first time. I also found a place where we actually pay a toll; according to our maps, we've so far been driving on almost nothing *but* toll highways, but it hadn't cost us anything. Anyway, everything was going fine until the road suddenly dipped under the right wheel for no reason and I almost had a heart attack. I thought the van was going to roll over! Not fun. Then there were the many speed bumps (they come in all shapes and sizes, here) to be reckoned with, as well as not being able to pass huge trucks going 50km/hour in front of me, dribbling sand or gravel onto the windshield.
So, now I've driven in 4 countries (cars in 3)... Canada and the States are definitely easier.
I'm stuffed. My mother and I both ordered pollo con molle y arroz, and I think they just cut a chicken in half and gave us that, the portions were so huge. Not bad for 35 pesos!
Tomorrow, off to Veracruz for real!
