Saturday sightseeing...left early...returned late

Had an early breakfast at a little place we found several blocks from our hotel. Yum!!  We walked over to the waterfront and caught an early bus to an historic site, San Juan de Ulua.  It is surrounded by the cranes moving containers on and off ships and the modern harbor.  It was built by the Spaniards when they started the conquest of Mexico and the history of the place spans about 500 years.  It is actually 3 separate groups of buildings with water surrounding each one.  It was a garrison, a prison, has a palace inside.  It was occupied by the Spanish, the Mexicans, then the Americans, and finally by the Mexicans again.  It is incredible to me that this historical site sits in the middle of a modern, busy harbor.

We returned to the waterfront near the aquarium and then went by bus to a town south of Veracruz called Mandinga for lunch.

Then went out on a launch into the lagoon.

Returned to the waterfront around 6 pm and then walked back to our hotel.

Thursday evening and Friday in Veracruz

We are getting our walking in.  Our hotel is a long, long walk from the Zocolo (main square) or the waterfront.  

But it has a pool to cool off in.

After we arrived and got settled, we walked to the zocolo and ate dinner near the plaza where we could see all of the people going by, hear the music drifting to us from many directions, and smelling the wonderful food.  

The next morning we found a little neighborhood place for breakfast and then walked to the waterfront to walk the piers and along the beach.  It is Holy Week and so Veracruz is crowded with people from all over.  As we meandered toward the water, a little procession passed by.

A working port for sure

Crowded beaches with bands playing.  It is like many beach cities during Easter break.

We ate cups of fruit with chili dribbled on them

We went to the aquarium which was so crowded I couldn't believe it.

We rode a double decker bus around the city.

And we walked the Malecon way after dark.  Lots of friendly people, lots of families.  

A full day!  We must have walked 10 or 12 miles.

Riding on the freeways

Just some observations from our bus ride.......I haven't done much traveling in Mexico by highway before.  Usually I am taking small buses or vans around town or for short distances between towns.  Our bus trips on Thursday were in big luxury buses that drove on toll highways, first from Cuernavaca to Puebla and then Puebla to Cuernavaca.  There were two lanes in each direction.  The lane near the middle was of regular width, but the lane on the outside was the width of half the other lane.   it seems that most of the time our bus and cars drove strattling the line between the regular lane and the half lane.  That way there was a half of the lane unused toward the middle.  When the bus passed other vehicles we moved over into that empty half lane with half of our bus in the on-coming lane which seemed to work out fine as the on coming cars were only half in their regular lane, too.  They seemed to pass whether the yellow lines in the middle were solid or broken.  Occasionally there was a red Line down the center of the full lane, but I couldn't figure out what that meant.

On the water, with boats there are international rules that apply where ever you are.  For instance, if you are leaving a harbor the green lights are always on your right and when returning you always keep the red lights to your right.  Same rules on lakes, on rivers, and on the ocean.  However, on land each country has their own rules as to what side you drive on and how you are to drive on those roads.  Wouldn't it be easier if there were international laws for land as well?  I know......who would get to decide.

Just a crazy thought.

Another day of travel

We spent yesterday traveling east, by bus, to Vera Cruz. We changed buses in Puebla at the biggest bus station I have ever seen.  This is just one level and does not capture the size.  Finding the right place to buy a ticket and then finding the place your bus leaves from would be hard even for a native speaker.

First full day here, so off to El Centro (downtown) we go in a little van sized bus.

It is a long way to the center of town and I have no idea where we are going as we twist and turn down the streets.....holding on as we careen around cars, at times at breakneck speeds considering the little, curving streets and traffic.

In El Centro there seems to be less traffic and wider streets

A political protest is going on and the police with their riot gear and shields are ready just in case...

We walk throug a marketplace and several zocalos before we arrive at the Palacio de Cortes, a museum where there is a Diego Rivera mural.

Parts of the mural

Then on to three churches that surround one courtyard

Wandering the streets and lunch

After delicious food in a small restaurant, we go to the Brady Museum.  It is a converted 16th century convent that the American Robert Brady converted to his home.  Upon his death the home became a museum housing his collections of 1300 works from around the world.  

The grounds.....two patios

The kitchen

And the tiled bathrooms were amazing, as were the sitting rooms and bedrooms!  And in every room there were art works from everywhere.  

Before catching a bus home we went to the Borda Gardens where we meandered around terraces of gardens and artisans.  And we came across these dragons at the far end of a rowing pond.

Goodbye to the gardens

And back home....Susana under the Jacaranda tree in front of our place

Tripping off to Cuernavaca, Mexico to see my sis

It was a long Tuesday, but Susana was waiting when I arrived at the Cuernavaca bus station.  We took a taxi to her place.

The little street she lives on.

Her entry gate..

We enter to front yard and open garage

Susana's room upstairs

Her bed

And my bed

I got all settled in my little space....happy to be here and ready to crash