The Best of Both Worlds

My trip was delayed a day due to a sudden change in plans.  I had thought I was going to start my 10 day trip by first going up north to Papantla to see the ruins of Tajin.  But I didn’t realize that today and tomorrow are holidays, and I couldn´t find a room.  So after further consultation with my map and guide book, I decided to come first to Veracruz city instead. 

Veracruz is on the coast, and feels very tropical.  There is much greenery, and palm trees line the streets.  Someone described this place as being like New Orleans, and that is exactly what I felt as the bus into town first crossed over the city limits.  The weather is hot and steamy, with low, fairly shabby, one story buildings spreading off across a grid street plan.  There are people everywhere on the streets, as its just too hot to be inside.  The architecture of the city reminds me of what I always imagined Cuba to be like.  Yellow and light blue pastel colored decaying walls supporting archway covered sidewalks, and numerous little squares with fountains in the middle. 

There is also, of course, the sea.  Even if you cant see it from where you are standing, you can feel the breeze and smell the salt in the air.  Its nice, a big change from the DF, and its cold, landlocked location.  As it was a Monday, and all the tourist sites were closed, I just hopped on the first bus I saw, and headed down the coast to where all the resorts are.  The beaches were packed with people, everybody sitting outside on some table, or playing football in the sand.  These were people enjoying the day off with their family and friends, in enormous numbers–not the place for a single guy on his own.  It looked like it would be a great place to just chill with the people you love and eat mariscos, but today that wasn’t the scene for me.  So I came back downtown and hung out in the main square, and read the Economist while downing a few cold beers. 

Tomorrow its off to the Mixteca ruins of Cempoaola, and the city of La Antigua, the first town that Cortes founded after his arrival in 1519.