Hot Times in New Mexico

Silver City and Gila National Forest, 22-26 May, 2009

We had been in contact with our friends, Ches and Alison, whom we had met at the beginning of our trip in San Carlos. It was they that had drawn us to Alamos and had introduced us to many other travelers, as well as having indoctrinated us into the long-term touring Mexcio lifestyle. It was finally negotiated that they would leave the cool environs of Santa Fe and meet with us halfway in the area of Silver City, New Mexico.

We made the long, flat, hot trip across Arizona from Tucson and into southwest New Mexico. We turned to the north east and began to climb toward Silver City, gradually climbing into the cooler mountain air. We met up with Ches and Alison and drove into the Gila National Forest. A winding mountain road, reminiscent of many of the Mexican highways we had driven, took us into the pine forests where we spent the night in a pine forest campground- for free! We spent the evening sitting around inside the camper van, catching up on the intervening four months. Since they live in a home-made conversion Mercedes Sprinter van, the fact that we have lights, bench seats and somewhere indoors to make tea made ours the luxury RV for the night.

The following day, we continued the journey to the Gila Hot Springs. The campground is located along the Gila River at the foot of the mountains, where we paid all of $10 per night to camp. The camp ground was equipped with three natural hot springs pools which, unlike those near home, are not sulphurous. The water comes out of the ground slightly too hot for bathing and cools off quite nicely in the sandy bottomed pools. Each pool has different dress standards (whether they are required or not) during the day- after dark, clothes are optional in all three. The area is beautiful and still quite wild, with an interesting mix of artists and quirky rancher types living there. It is also a working farm complete with goats- lots of em , horses and various other farm type animals. The boys had the opportunity to bottle  feed the baby goats which was quite the thrill for some boys from the CITY.

It was such  thrill to bathe in the nude  in the hot water under the stars each night before bed. Once again, Hollis refused to get naked but Bowen made quite the show of it by waggling his bits under cover of darkness.

The local tourist draw are the Gila Cave Dwellings. These are ancient stone structures built into cliffs where native pre-Hispanic cultures lived their lives. The archeologists have all sorts of theories about what the dwellings were used for, but can't really reach a consensus. They were impressive nonetheless and the docents were very helpful.

The drive back to Silver City took the very steep and windy road back through the  forest. The brakes on the camper van started making some funny noises along the way, but this was not unusual as they had made funny noises at various points through Mexico. We hove to in the Silver City RV Park where Ches negotiated us sharing a single site between the two of us. Silver City proved to be much like home- slightly seedy but with a healthy dose of musicians, artists and cool shops in an old silver mining mountain town. We stayed a couple of nights in order to take care of personal administration (laundry, blogging, etc.) while Ches and Alison took their leave of us to head to their next scheduled rendezvous.

-Remy

Border Crossing into Tucson

San Carlos, Sonora to Tucson, Arizona 21-22 May, 2009

It was already hot when we packed up at the Best Western and hit the road for the final northward leg of the journey out of Mexico. The state of Sonora is relatively progressive about attracting tourism from el Norte, which includes good highways both in and out. The northbound lanes are newer and, as a result, actually wider than the southbound lanes. This means comfortably wide lanes and a shoulder on each side of the road. This was the nicest driving we had the whole time we were in Mexico!

Bowen had the last Mexican meal of the family, an order of tacos from a roadside stand. A young man came and cleaned our windows while we were parked. In exchange, he received 10 pesos, a Mini Mamut bar (like a Wagon Wheel) and a bag of toys the boys had culled from the collection they had amassed over the course of the trip but no longer played with.

Our reading on the process for leaving Mexico assured us that the passage through Nogales is the best for traveling tourists like us. That being said, all things are relative. There was clear signage in English directing us to the lane for the return of vehicle permits, but the functionary to whom we reported could not believe that we actually wanted to turn in our vehicle sticker- it is good for ten years, he reminded us! The thing is, that if we do not return the sticker and cancel the permit, we cannot bring another vehicle into Mexico. We don't know when or how we will return to Mexico (though Remy has visions of a mid-life crisis trip(for us both) down the Sierra Madres on a BMW GS1200 motorcycle) but we know that we will definitely return, so best to cancel the permit.

Then, in what passes for bureaucratic efficiency in Mexico, we had to cross the six-lane divided highway across a sunken median to visit the Immigration office which is located on the south-bound side of the highway. We handed in our Visitor Cards and were cleared by the Mexican government to leave.

We drove the remaining twenty kms or so to the border, the last few of which are between the electronically surveilled fences that keep the border jumpers from hitching rides on trucks. We dutifully lined up to pass through American Customs and were (not surprisingly) directed to the secondary inspection area. We encountered the sharp end of American Border Patrol and Homeland Security in the form of a female officer who measured approximately 4'8" in height and who probably weighed in at about 92 lbs with her combat boots on. She appeared visibly nervous as she questioned Remy through the driver's window about the family's possession of fruits and animals.

Next, we exited the vehicle while an interior inspection was conducted. The female officer was not tall enough to see the fruit on the open shelf over the sink in the van, and the highly trained fruit-sniffing dog failed to find the contraband in the same location. Luckily, Homeland Security was preserved by the relentless honesty of Liz, who bravely gave up our stock of Vitamin C. After another inspection by one of the tallest Customs officers we had ever seen, who used a mysterious electronic device to scan the interior of the van, we were cleared to enter the US of A.

The original plan had been to camp in Patagonia, AZ, but when we realized that it was out of the way and as it was early enough in the afternoon, we forged on through to Tucson. We checked in at the Prince of Tucson RV park and got directions to as many Walmarts and Trader Joe's as we could manage. Food was the first priority, though, so we headed to the University Historical District first and had a great pizza from a restaurant which powers its pizza ovens using solar energy. That and a great micro-brewed beer meant for a memorable meal, our first ordered in English in many months! It was a little bit strange to get exactly what we ordered the first time.

Then began the Tour de Tucson. From the far south end of town, we followed our directions to the far north end of town, seeking the (not-so-elusive) Walmart Super Centre. We found it at last, after much driving in the dark, another first after many months of avoiding it. While Liz stocked up on groceries, Remy and the boys headed to the Sporting Goods section to realize that which has been talked about constantly for months- the acquisition of Airsoft guns. The boys had done endless hours of research on the internet and had decided on precisely what models they were going to purchase and the grounds justifying these decisions. It turned out that these models were not available at this Walmart, and so months of research and justification were tossed out the window and the decision was made to buy what was available. The boys had to be returned to the van immediately so they could tear their purchases out of the boxes and begin play immediately.

We returned to the RV park late enough that we could not enjoy the pool for which we had paid so much ($31 a night) and put ourselves to bed. We woke up the next morning to extremely (for this part of the world) cool temperatures and rain- what was this about? It only made the parting from Mexico that much more sad. As well, to contribute to the sense of culture shock, there was some confusion about the local time, which Remy had to confirm by tuning  into a local radio station on his wind-up radio. We found out later that Arizona does not conform with daylight savings, in order to align with California in the summer months.

Before we could leave town, we had to track down a Trader Joe's in order to satisfy Liz' overwhelming curiosity about the place. It turns out that TJ's is like a candy store for foodies. A good selection of organic greens and other packaged goodies, along with cheap beer and wine, made for a bit of a shopping spree. Thus encumbered with treats for everyone, we were ready to embark on the US leg of our journey, beginning with meeting friends in New Mexico.

Seeing as we didn't think about taking any photos of our crossing ( the border patrol frowns on that sort of thing) we posted a cool pile of rocks located in Texas Canyon, Arizona. 

-Remy

San Carlos- at the beginning and now at the end

San Carlos, Sonora

Best Western RV park

May 19- 21, 2009

San Carlos was the first place we had "boondocked" in Mexico way back in January and the beginning of our travels but we all decided that we'd prefer some comforts for our last few days in Mexico and those could be found at the Best Western Hotel and RV park. The pool was the biggest draw and as it would turn out we really got our moneys worth because we never left the deck except to sleep and have dinner out one night with some new friends.

The Rv park was once again deserted and wasn't maintained at all as the owner said they were going to be expanding the hotel in the near future. No worries, we found a spot with a view to the pool and poured ourselves a drink!

Remy and Liz are feeling quite sad about the idea of leaving Mexico and the comfortable travel groove which we have found ourselves in here. The boys on the other hand couldn't be happier because for months now they have been researching the latest airsoft rifles and have been counting down the minutes till they can get to Walmart to make the purchase. The big airsoft battle has been overplanned via the internet and will be fought with friends shortly after we arrive home in Canada.

We spent our last two days in Mexico feasting on beautiful local exotic fruits and trying to polish off as much tequila as possible seeing as we are carrying  WAY  over the allowable booze limit per person. . It seems mangos and papaya can't cross the border either and as usual we have a vanload of them. Liz can't resist them at every roadside stand we come cross.

Of course it was our last day in Mexico when the boys finally meet some other kids their own age to play in the pool with. This gave Remy time to go spearfishing and Liz time to read, meet the Mother of the two new kids in the pool  and work on her chocolate brown tan...........ok, slightly pink with a hint of bronze tan.

It turns out that the nice Mother and Father of the two new kids in the pool were Jehovah Witnesses!  Just my luck.  It was too late to hide in the van till they found someone else to give their information to and I obviously had all the time in the world to listen.

Actually, they were great people with interesting backgrounds and seeing as they weren't pushing their beliefs on us we agreed to go out for dinner with them for our last night there. The kids had a ball together playing in the sand and trading Nintendo DS games and the grown ups ate a mediocre Greek meal serenaded by some  ho hum live music. 

Up early the next day we said our goodbyes to John, Cynthia, Caitlyn and Chase and that's when the line was crossed. Cynthia gave me some "Witness" literature that also had her email info on it. UGH . And here I thought we were good enough people in our own right and she didn't think we needed her religion. ( maybe it was all the tequila on my breath!)

-Liz

Navojoa -FINALLY, after the worst travel day of the trip

Best Western Hotel

 Navojoa, Sonora

May 18 - 20, 2009

If we NEVER , EVER have another travel day like this one it will be too soon.

We started out the day very early and were packed, fed, and on the road by 7:59am.

It was going to be a long, hot day but our destination - Huatabampito ??? was described in our guide book as a resort on the beach with a pool and a restaurant with wifi. The plan was to park here for a few days , relax and get the last of our  beach ya yas out.

After about 7 hours of driving in 40 degree heat we pull into the larger center of Huatabompo( not to be confused with Huatabampito.) We will need a few supplies for the next few days so this was the most logical stop. Oh my God, what a dump!

 Garbage was blowing in the streets which, contrary to popular belief, is quite uncommon in Mexico- along the highways , yes, but not in the towns. The one supermarket sported empty shelves but many, many employees just standing around and the second grocery store we found was very small and super packed with people. Of course we were an unusual sight in this cramped store and found ourselves being stared at from every which way.

We picked up a few things we needed then headed off for Huatabompito- another 15 KM away. We arrived to the RV park all hot and very sweaty only to find it completely empty ( not unusual at this time of year) and the fine sand from the surrounding dunes was blowing sideways. The moment we stepped out of the van we were covered in the stuff from head to toe. GREAT, just what we needed-ugh. We bumbled around with where to set up camp. Would it be better to set up next to the delapitated building for a tiny bit of shade and protection from the blowing sand  or on the ocean for the breeze and the view? It was obvious that neither scenerio was a good one and the boys were complaining about everything. It was when 2 little BLACK  bugs found their way into Liz's skin and had a good chomp that we decided we'd rather stay in a Pemex gas station than at this dump.

We checked out the bathrooms- disgusting; the ocean- full of jelly fish and weird white stringy stuff.  Gross. We quickly negotiated a full refund with the owners and told them we had never had such an experience in all of Mexico. We hope they work on some improvements before next season to prevent more travelers from wasting their time as we had just done.Remy came up with the brilliant idea that we could just get back in the van and drive to Navojoa as it was only 50KM away and there was a campground there in a mangrove beside the river! Sounded great. Let's go!

We arrived at the Alameda campground about 90 minutes later and pulled ourselves into a spot. Of the 80 spaces about 60 of them were filled with heavy machinery, gigantic plastic tubes, rotted out cars, and greasy, smelly autoparts of every description. We were so tired and hot  and now hungry we just weren't thinking straight. Bowen and Remy immediately went off to have a shower and it wasn't until Hollis returned for a paper towel that I began to see the light. "What do you need a damp paper towel for?" I ask.  "So Dad can wipe off the towel hook," he replied.

WHAAAT? HE HAS TO CLEAN OFF THE TOWEL HOOK? ....YUK."      I answered.

Hollis and I marched over to the shower to let Remy know we were going next door to the nice Best Western Hotel to see about getting a room. We caught him with a beard full of shaving cream and a deer caught in the headlights expression on his face. He was probably thinking... I know she's right but I can't believe we are moving again . UGH . Five minutes later we were negotiating a refund from a campground  for the second time that day ( and in broken Spanish no less.)

We landed in an air conditioned room across from the pool that was surrounded by fragrant blooms of every description. It was so great we ended up staying two days and did nothing but play at the pool and watch several episodes of Oprah!!

-Liz

Mazatlan, Part II

Mazatlan, Nayarit, 15-17 May, 2009

The next stop on our journey took us back to Mazatlan. We passed through the area of Guasave, where the specialty is dried shrimp. You can buy this delicacy(!) at many points along the highway. As much as possible, we wanted to avoid returning to places we had already been, but were left with no choice. The reason for this desire was realized when we scouted out RV parks. The first time we had visited had been at the height of snowbird season, when parking spaces were scarce and at a premium. We met lots of great, helpful people. This time, the parks are deserted and ours is the only rig that would be there. We ended up back where we had stayed the first time, California Trailer Park, located right at the heart of town (more about that later).

We set up in the post-apocalyptic setting of the trailer park after a big shop at the Mega store and set out to accomplish two of the major objectives of this trip- spend time at the beach and return to Tacos Alejandro! The beach was fun, and we found that the chorreadas are still as tasty as we remember. They definitely rate as one of the best things we have eaten in all of Mexico- cheapest too.

When we returned to the van to get ready for bed, we also recalled one of the disadvantages to the location- the mega huge bar on the corner with what sounds like about 10,000 watts of power! That and the rush-hour traffic on the street beside us led to a restless night. And when the traffic finally dies off, the grackles take over, testing out every tone they can produce at top volume, while pooping on the roof of the van and all over the awning. But, we awoke to yet another perfect morning and Remy did the beautiful ride along the 8 kilometer malecon to do a workout at the beachfront park with all the other physical culturists. Life in the tropics is still pretty good.

We rode our bikes along the malecon to the Viejo Mazatlan and took care of some last minute shopping at the market. Liz loaded up on "jamaica" (dried hibiscus flowers) from which she makes vitamin C and anti-oxidant loaded iced tea. A wedding photographer had brought his clients to the plaza where we relaxed with our afternoon coffee. We rode back to the van and headed off to the beach again for one last kick at the boogie-boarding cat. Bowen did some last purchasing from the beach vendors, which included getting the Superman symbol "tattooed" on his chest. 

This turned out to be a mistake for him as the new tattoo also meant he couldn't go back in the water until it dried completely. He cried his eyes out all the while watching Hollis and Remy frolic in the rushing waves.

The boys even got a chance to do some skateboarding before bed. Tonight is that last night that the park is open for the season and we have "done" Mazatlan completely now, so our heads are spaced to leave and continue our homeward journey. That, and it is very hot here!

-Remy

Lots to See But Nothing to Do at Paraiso Mirador

Santa Cruz de Mirador, Nayarit, 12-15 May 2009

We ran for the Pacific coast, anxious to be by the water again- anxious to be able to go into the water! We picked a place we had not been before, still eager to explore this country as thoroughly as we can while we can, and landed in Santa Cruz de Mirador, which is located just up the coast from Guayabitos. We ended up at the Paraiso Mirador, which is very aptly named! The beachfront resort is probably one of the most beautiful we have encountered in all of Mexico, for only 22 bucks a night to camp!

There is a hotel, bungalows, restaurant and two separate pool areas set in an incredible property overlooking the ocean. The beach itself is not particularly hospitable as it is quite rocky, which continues far out into the water. Remy discovered the hard way how difficult this makes launching and, more so, landing when trying to go snorkeling. There is a reason why the oyster divers, which abound in this area, work from boats. Needless to say, the beach was not a big attraction here.

The resort, however, was another matter. We had the run of the place to ourselves. Small groups would come for the day but we were the only campers. A small pool area about 15 meters from our van afforded two palapas and three small pools on two levels. The boys were in heaven, being able to dive from the upper to the lower pool, which looked out over the ocean. In the palapas were a colony of what we determined, after an internet search, were vampire bats. It was neat to watch the mothers nursing their pups during the day, but not so neat to see them flying in and out of the palapa at night. Especially after seeing video footage of them on the computer and how they feed off unsuspecting animals. It is not easy to relax in the wild in Mexico after dark!

Another larger pool located at the other end of the property by a hotel building was available to us as well. We could not get over how lucky we were to be here!

We explored on our bikes the nearby town of Santa Cruz. We set off after palapa school in the searing 40 degree heat to ride the highway into town. We discovered that there is nothing to do in this dusty little burg, which at lunch time includes eating! The heat appears to knock the motivation out of even the Mexicans. We returned home to find that the restaurant at the resort had exactly what we were needing anyway, which could be enjoyed under one of the palapas. And we could swim in the pool until the food arrived! We were crazy to have left, but now we know.

Remy improvised a small lobster trap out of a 2 liter pop bottle for the boys to try to trap some crayfish out of the creek that runs through the property, but they were unable to entice anything large enough to eat into it. Remy caught up on his hammock time, while Liz schemed how she could rescue Lupita the dog from Villa Corona. We caught up on our blogging and e-mail, and otherwise genuinely relaxed. It is bittersweet, as we are only too aware that our time in Mexico is drawing to a close, and opportunities like this are dwindling.

-Remy

The waterpark is closed?

Chimulco Waterpark and RV Resort

Villa Corona, Jalisco

May 10 - 12, 2009

Chimulco is one of several thermal waterparks that line the road in this particular part of Mexico. There is a natural hot spring that heats the water to the perfect bathing temperature ( maybe even a tad bit too  warm.) The pools are completely drained  and refilled each night which made it sound appealing to the grown ups as well!

We had been hearing about this place from fellow travelers  since the very beginning of our trip. "your kids will LOVE it" they would all tell us. It wasn't in the cards for us on the way into Mexico as we were eager to stay and explore the beaches but we found it made perfect sense to see it on our way back to the coast from being inland for so long.

We arrived at Chimulco all hot and sweaty after a very long day of travel. All day we had talked about how great it was going to be to do that first slide into the cool water.

Imagine our disappointment then to find that the park was closed for "sanitization" after the swine flu outbreak and wouldn't be open for business again for another week or so. BIG BIG BUMMER. The good news was that at least the

 campground was open and we were given a deal because of the lack of swimming options. Wifi was free and we wouldn't have to worry about line ups for table space either. The employee felt so bad he offered to let us use the laundry for free as well.

The boys were sooooo disappointed that they suggested we get right back into the van and drive to the nearest Pemex gas station for the night. I guess it was their way of punishing the waterpark employee. The idea of a clean pillow case that night after the free laundering didn't seem to make them any happier either. It thrilled us!

After about an hour of  their constant wining about how much this "sucks' they came around and discovered the sprinklers were on and they could play in those instead.

That was the weirdest thing! The water coming out of the sprinklers was quite warm too! Liz had the idea of having a family water fight. That proved pointless however because instead of everyone running from whomever had the water we were drawn to that person in an attempt to get warm again. We opted instead to have an outdoor shower right there in the middle of the field, what a wonderfully strange sensation that was. Family bonding at its best.

Liz was walking around the grounds one morning peeking in the windows of the rentable bungalows also on the property. A  small  dog had been sleeping on the porch of one of the bungalows but there didn't appear to be anyone around actually looking after her. She didn't have the usual mangy look of Mexican street dogs and was actually quite cute.. Liz gave her some of the kibble we had purchased for just such an encounter and she quickly adopted us as her own, we even made the mistake of giving her a name- Lupita.

Lupita followed Liz everywhere wagging her tail and doing all the usual adorable things dogs do. We allowed her to sleep outside the van for the night despite several of her attempts to get inside. Although we were quite taken with her cuteness we still had other potentially nasty doggie issues to think about.

Lupita quickly won her way into our hearts and before you know it Remy and Liz are seriously talking about taking her back home to Canada with them. We have talked many times about if we were ever to adopt a dog it would be a street dog from Mexico. There are thousands  of them here but  most are so ugly it's enough to put you off your lunch or, they have been abused so badly and some are disfigured from having hot oil thrown at them.

We weigh the options and think about a vet visit, food, shots, spaying, recovery etc and finally decide that a pet just doesn't fit into our long term goal of more family travels. Lupita would have to stay where she is but how could we get away without her following?

A plan was hatched for the next morning and there she was resting on our bbq bag when we woke- how cute is that?!

We spend the morning packing up again ( which we have become quite proficient at) and enjoy being a family with a dog so much we reconsider our decision to leave Lupita in Mexico. UGH.

Back and forth we go on the issue and of course whispering about it so the boys don't hear. We wouldn't want them to get all excited and attached and break their hearts too in the end.

-We can't take her- FINAL DECISION

 We hope to have her so busy eating breakfast that she won't even notice us driving away. WRONG! She runs after the boys as they try to make a dash for the running van- HOW CUTE IS THAT?!  Liz finally finds some sandwich meat in the cooler that we hope will distract her long enough for the great escape. It works! Hollis has run ahead to take down the rope we need to cross and Remy and Bowen are in the running van. Liz gives the ham to Lupita and runs to the waiting van. They're off.

Somehow we are supposed to feel good about getting away successfully but we just feel awful.

Liz can only imagine her looking all over the campground for us. How cute is that?!

-Liz

Guanajuato- Ghoulish and Grotesque

Guanajauto, Guanajauto State, 7 - 10 May, 2009

We bade farewell to the beautiful environs of Villa Patzcuaro and our new friend Latifa to hit the road again. Rather than take the boring cuota highway back to Morelia, we followed the secondary road north along Lake Patzcuaro through the Tarasco Indian towns of Tzintzuntzan (which onomatopoeic name means "Place of the Hummingbirds", and  is also centre of the Tarasco nation) and Quiroga (named after the liberal Conquest-era bishop who is still revered for his good works and understanding of native culture). Were we ever glad we did! Tzintzuntzan is the center of cantera stone sculpture, and we drove literally through one "showroom" where both sides of the road were lined with sculptures in the reddish rock of every description. We picked up some very cheap pottery in the square (four pieces for 6 bucks!). The town is very neat and well-kept and still retains some pre-Hispanic ruins. Quiroga was more boring, like any other town in Mexico.

We paid a lot of cuota tolls and passed through a lot of less-inspiring terrain from Morelia through to Guanjuato, our next destination. It is a town steeped in history, from the beginnings of Spanish imperialism through the War of Independence and the Revolution. It started as a silver mining town, and like the design of a warship, primary consideration was given to its main purpose and only after was thought given to where the people should go. In this case, that was up on the surrounding hillsides. We somehow made it to our campsite on the first try, despite the confusing directions given in the camping guide book, and had to finish the trip by driving the wrong way down a precipitously steep one-way street. We weren't completely sure that it was still operating as a campground until Lupa, the caretaker, came out to unlock the rotted wooden doors to the washrooms. We managed to make ourselves a cozy little nook with a killer view over town, once some garbage and doggy-do was cleaned up. 

The trip into town always started with a walk down the incredibly steep, cobble stoned streets to a traffic circle ("glorieta" or "rose", in Spanish). There we would wait until a cab came along to take us down town. The route usually involved taking one or more of the tunnels, taking us quickly from one part of town to another in a city that would otherwise be divided by the steep slopes upon which it is built. They are old mining tunnels that have been enlarged and reinforced, and the complex is so vast that there are underground intersections patrolled by Transito police. The tunnels are said to be haunted, and sometimes you can hear a woman's moans.

Speaking of being haunted, this is one town full of ghosts. The Spanish used African slaves in the mines, because the local Indians apparently weren't hardy enough to withstand the rigors of the work. The leaders of the Independence movement, when finally captured and executed by imperial forces, had their heads displayed in cages on a building downtown. We visited a wax museum, which was set up  with images of the decapitated leaders and had a few displays and figurines that really freaked the boys out.

Of course, this was all a good set-up for when we went the following day to see the Guanajuato Mummy Museum. This is a display of corpses that have been removed from crypts in the local cemetery where a particular combination of dessication and minerals in the ground have preserved the skin of people buried there. The mummies are of people who no longer have families present, willing or able to continue paying for the upkeep of their crypts, so they have been evicted from what was supposed to be their final resting place. It is rather gruesome, to see them now the objects of this entrepreneurial enterprise.

Not that considerations of preserving the dignity of the dead kept us from paying the admission fee and going in to gawk like everyone else. It was sad to see the infant corpses, dressed as saints and angels as is the custom here, or the mother and child, both having died in childbirth, buried together. The whole thing is justified as a means of preventing the defilement of the bodies, which at one time were stacked like cordwood in a large, open room, and sightseers would remove pieces as souvenirs. It was a voyeuristic experience, with the attendant slightly dirty feeling afterward. The souvenir stalls outside the museum even sold taffy molded to look like mummified bodies. For days afterward, Remy kept picturing people on the streets as mummies- a real reminder of our mortality.

The days were long, spent exploring the town and eating. It is hard to keep one's bearings, as the streets wind every direction. We celebrated Mother's day early, sending Liz for a much-needed back massage and buying some fresh flowers for the van. We found our favourite coffee shop, Conquistador Coffee, and toured the Diego Rivera museum (buck fifty admission). There are some very cool restaurants- La Fonda Antigua, where the woman who runs it was so sorry we had arrived too late to eat gave us free papaya agua de fruta and promised to cook us the same thing the next day; and Ocho,a three story restaurant/bar, where we ate outside on the plaza.

On the final day in Guanajuato we took a bus to San Miguel de Allende. We felt we had to see it, though there wasn't anything in particular compelling us to go. We took the second class bus there- big mistake! We arrived hot, cramped, and late, having made every milk-run stop possible. We bumped around town and saw the great, 4-block long artisan's market. The town, while beautifully well-kept, lacked some of the spirit that we expect and look forward to in Mexican towns- it was a little bit boring. Not to mention expensive, and the cabbie from the bus terminal ripped us off. The first-class bus trip back, with drinks, snacks, a movie, a toilet and leg room was much better for very little extra money (29 bucks for the four of us in 1st class versus 20 for 2nd), and dinner at the above-mentioned restaurant/bar cheered us up.

Hollis had obsessed about a plastic action figure he had seen in a shop. The asking price, 44 dollars, made everyone else, including Bowen, cringe. Hollis insisted, though, and against the counsel of the rest of his family, purchased it with  his own money. He impressed us with how little he allowed himself to be influenced by the opinions of others.

-Remy

Patzcuaro - Another Beautiful but Chilly Colonial Town

Patzcuaro, Michoacan, 4 - 7 May, 2009

It is good to be traveling on the cuota (toll) roads again! After a small detour first thing, getting out of Chiconquac, we had smooth (but expensive) sailing all the way to Morelia. Just when we thought that we had the hang of Mexican navigation, road construction and a morbid lack of signage threw us back into the state of insecurity that only  Mexican highways can do. We did manage to find a Mega store (Remy loves Mega- it kicks Walmart's butt!) and the road to Patzcuaro.

We found ourselves at Villa Patqzuaro, an absolutely beautiful resort offering camping and bungalow accommodation in a rancho setting. The tariff was a bit high (M$300, 30 bucks), but the boutique quality amenities were worth it. New bathrooms and showers, a kitchen building with wood-burning fireplace, an outdoor office space for wifi use by the pool, and an adobe events building with beautiful wood framing and floors were all available to campers. We had read a warning in the camping guide that children might not be allowed, but that was not the case. There were a lot of rules, posted in all the above-mentioned places, some of which referred to children, but to have written that they were not allowed in the guide was slightly irresponsible. Once again, the guide gets you into the rough neighbourhood, but lacks precision and clarity in the details.

The first morning we woke up, we were aware that the elevation of Patzcuaro, 7500' above sea level, is slightly greater than that of San Cristobal- it was cool! Liz was able to participate in a yoga class that was being held in the events building. There were two other RV's and a tent occupied by a backpacker from France. We got to know everybody in the campground in short order- Florian, from France, was waiting to hook up with friends from Europe. The couple from Washington and Texas, in one of the largest campers on the back of one of the largest pickups we had ever seen. They were full-timers, and had managed to make it as far as Patzcuaro without the Church & Church camping guide! She insisted on telling Remy about her enema at the local hospital and how cheap it had been (M$100, 10 bucks) compared to what it would have cost in the US. They also shared some of the wheelbarrow-load of papaya that they had bought. Literally!

The other RV was occupied by Latifa, a single woman who has transplanted herself from Hawaii and hopes to set down some roots in Mexico. She has been a practicing naturopath since the '70's, and quickly proved to be very good company for all of us.

Our first day in town was actully spent out of town on a boat tour to Janitzio, an island in the middle of Lake Patzcuaro. M$40 (4 bucks) buys one return passage in a lancha (boat) for the 1/2 hour trip to the island. We bought ice cream on the boat and were serenaded by a mariachi band working for tips. The boat was relatively luxurious, as far as those things go, with a roof and windows, which we appreciated when the rain began. We were treated to a demonstration of traditional fishing techniques along the way and the captain did a full circuit of the island before delivering us to the dock.

On the boat we met Chloe, a rather intrepid Korean-American back packer who had left her investment banking job in Boston (probably a good time to leave that sort of job, considering the economy) to travel the world before settling in Australia. With her back pack, she joined us for the hike up the mountain that forms Janitzio Island to the monument at the top. Janitzio is apparently a bit of a destination to Mexicans during Day of the Dead festivities, but otherwise it is a tad depressing. The island is crowned with a 40 meter tall statue of Jose Morelos, one of the heroes of the War of Independence who used Janitzio as a stronghold during the war with Spanish Imperial forces in the 1700's. It is settled by Tarasco Indians, who were among the few that were able to repel Aztec aggression two centuries before, partly due to the technological advantage of copper weapons. We paid the 6 peso (60 cent) admission fee and climbed the statue up the inside, finally reaching the observation platform in the wrist of Morelos' uplifted right fist. This was made exciting by the state of Mexican safety engineering which has faithfully been retained since the statue was built in 1936- picture a steep circular stairway with no hand rail.

The remaining time was spent wandering the streets of Patzcuaro, which ranks right up there with San Cristobal for human scale and interest. We visited the woodcarving district, something for which Patzcuaro appears to be known, and saw some amazing wood shops worthy of a Harry Potter movie set. Liz and Remy spent quality time together on the Plaza Grande, sipping very good coffee while the boys killed zombies on the computer at a nearby internet cafe- hey, we all need our space sometimes! Patzcuaro presents an amazing shopping opportunity, as the surrounding towns all specialize in one of the many crafts on offer- copper, lacquer ware, pottery, musical instruments, weaving, etc., etc.

On our final night we headed into town with Latifa, first so Remy could offer advice on the purchase of a bicycle and then to have dinner together at the Pollita Feliz (not that it gives chickens anything to be happy about!). This street booth, set up on the Plaza Chica, offers for the Family Platter of the following for M$150 (15 bucks): 1 whole grilled chicken, carrots, cabbage salad, potatoes and about 10 enchiladas. It was so much that the five of us could not finish it! We had a wonderful time with Latifa, who appears to be scheming for some way to have us stay longer, or at the very least steal Remy from Liz!

Hollis fully developed the ear infection that had been contracted in the pool at Chiconquac, so we had to visit a doctor in town. For M$350 (35 bucks) we got the examination, free ear drops and a prescription for some more powerful drugs if the drops don't work. They didn't, so the next day Latifa shared with Hollis some of her precious stock of some awful-tasting Chinese herbal preparation. We knew that he was suffering from the ear because Hollis was readily willing to try it! We filled his prescription at a farmacia. While in town, we visited the Nuestra Senora de Salud (Our Lady of Health) Basilica, to which have been attributed many health cures, where Hollis purchased an ear-shaped milagro (a small metal figurine) and said a prayer at the altar of Our Lady. We are not sure which discipline to credit, but by the next morning, Hollis was cured!

-Remy

Will We Ever Go Back to Chiconquac?

Chiconquac, Morelos 1 - 4 May

We left Oaxaca and the pestilence of the swine flu behind, but were faced with the dilemma of how to negotiate Mexico City, the epicenter of what the papers were calling the "next pandemic". We were helped by our campsite neighbours, Calvin and Leanne, who had spent two months earlier in the spring near Cuernavaca, which is southwest of Mexico City, and had good things to say about the trailer park in Chiconquac. Best of all, after the bustle of the big city, it offered a pool! So the decision was made.

The trip past Cuernavaca took us past the Sierra de Primavera (Mountains of Spring) Park, which is an apt name for the area. There was a riot of flowers growing everywhere, and huge bunches of roses were on offer on the side of the highway every few hundred meters.

After a long day's drive and having to interpret the rather opaque instructions from our camping guide, we made it to Chiconquac and the camp ground, which is located a couple of kilometers east of town. Being so near Mexico City and its bedroom community of Cuernavaca, the campground is a popular weekend resort destination for better-heeled residents of those places. It was interesting to see Mexicans cavorting in motor coach and trailer RV's and to have whole families frolicking at the pool. We quickly made friends with the camp ground staff, having couriered a letter from Calvin and Leanne relating to a cat they had adopted from the camp ground. Remy got to practice his rudimentary Spanish, explaining how things are in Canada.

The pool was the gem we had hoped it would be. Once we got past our fears that the water itself did not present any greater danger of contracting the fearsome flu (a fear that had woken Liz up the night before, and had tormented her for the rest of the night), we dove right in. It got very hot through the day and Liz had the opportunity to catch some rays again. The boys practically lived in the pool, to the extent that Hollis contracted an ear infection that we had to get treated in our next stop. It was good to see other brother pairs, here for the weekend, doing all the same mean things to each other that our two (apparently very normal) boys do.

We hopped on our bikes and did a family ride into town to see what was happening in Chiconquac. It is a beautiful and well-kept little burg that sprang up around a hacienda a few centuries ago. We happened upon market day (Sunday) so we did our shopping for the next leg of our journey and had lunch in the square. We visited the church, which is the only part of the hacienda that is still in operation, but that at least allowed us onto the grounds and gave us an idea of how grand the hacienda must have been in its day. Remy read mention of Chiconquac in his history of Mexico - apparently the Spaniards that ran the hacienda and exploited the local Indians met with some rough treatment during the War of Independence. The aqueduct that fed the mill at the hacienda (which probably farmed sugar cane) is still there, still carrying water, and makes an interesting feature that runs through town. The trip into town is very pleasant through the countryside, and the town itself is of a scale that we prefer, large enough to have what you need, but not too large.

The campground is very neat and orderly, with good bathrooms and showers. We paid M$270 per night (27 bucks) and there is the option to rent a bungalow for four, with everything including basic foodstuffs, for M$700 (70 bucks) per night. It made for a good rest stop to catch up on some maintenance and blogging before heading off to our next colonial town sightseeing stop!

-Remy

15 things to buy in Mexico for a $1 or less- by Bowen

BOWENS DECLASSIFIED HOBO SURVIVAL GUIDE TO LIVING IN MEXICO

1- BIG BAG O' STRAWBERRIES

2- ADMISSION TO THE ZAPATISTA DOCUMENTARY

3- 2 ZAPATISTA KEY CHAINS

4- ICE CREAM CONE

5- 1 KG O' LAUNDRY, WASH, DRY, FOLDED

6- 1 HR O' INTERNET

7- AMERICANO COFFEE FOR MY DAD

8- 2 CHOCOLATE CROISSANTS 

9- 10 TO 20 PACKS O' CHICKLETS

10- RETURN BUS FARE FROM THE MARKET

11- PALETA ( MEXICAN FRUIT POPSICLE )

12- BUNCH 'O' small BANANANANANANAS ( 12-15 ) RIGHT FROM THE TREE

13- COCO FRIO ( COLD COCONUT ) FROM TOPE VENDOR

14 - 1 LITRE O' FRESH PINEAPPLE OR ORANGE JUICE 

15-  1 AND  1/4  LITRE OF COKE IN A GLASS BOTTLE BUT MY MOM WOULDN'T LET ME            BUY IT

Oaxaca- Land of cheese, chocolate and coffee-swine flu

Oaxaca City, Oaxaca

April 26 - 30, 2009

With only one campground in Oaxaca we settled into what was essentially a parking lot with a few trees and a bathroom/shower room. Only one of the two showers worked as all the holes in the other shower head had calcified over from lack of use.

The good news was that the only other people in this otherwise desolate little spot were Canadians! Calvin and Leanne live in a beautiful 1952 greyhound cruiser which they have completely 

customized to suit their current life on the road. Calvin has even built in a
convenient "cat door" inside the bus which allows the cats to use their litter box stored in the old luggage compartment well away from the living space-- nifty.

Calvin and Leanne have been living in this spot for over a year while Leanne teaches English. This completely shocked us given the sparse atmosphere. However once we got to know them we realized they have a pretty sweet set up in their bus and the RV park eventually does get green after the rains come. Hollis also pointed out to us that they get to meet people from all over the world.

Our new friends were the ones to tell us about SWINE FLU.  They warned that as soon as we opened our email we would probably hear about it  from everyone who cares about us. They were right! Fortunately Calvin and Leanne took the common sense approach as opposed to the panic approach which rubbed off on us too.

It was an interesting phenomenon to watch unfold. We  witnessed first hand how the media took the story and completely blew it way out of proportion. By the sound of it one would think people were just dropping dead in the middle of the streets here. Vacations were cancelled or cut short, travel advisories were issued and by the end of the second day, all the surgical masks and bottles of  hand sanitizer were out of stock in the whole city.

I was quite impressed at how quickly the Mexican government responded. Informative  billboards went up, hand washing stations were installed and mobile medical trucks arrived in the city centers. It was impossible for anyone to not know what was going on or how to prevent the further spread.    

We couldn't resist
                                                                                                       the opportunity to wear a mask in the
center of the city seeing as they had instantly become all the rage. We did not wear them regularly though as it seemed likely they would not provide much protection anyway. Secretly we were hoping this would be just the jolt our boys needed to stop their nasty nail biting habit!

Day 2 - OAXACA -I am eager to get out and see this great city we have heard and read so much about. Remy tells me over breakfast that he is not feeling well in the gut.  I have a moment of sheer panic then we quickly eliminate the possibility of swine flu and realize he has a simple but debilitating case of diarrhea. Liz 
and the boys would spend the next 48 hours in the dreary campground looking for things to do while Daddy pooped A LOT.

Not to be outdone, Hollis developed a mild case of the runs as well so Liz and Bowen decided to ditch them both and go to the centro alone.

We had a great time sampling chocolate from all the little shops around the central plaza, we looked at the magnificent churches and admired the art made into water fountains. We sipped hot chocolate  and cappuchino while people watching at the Zocolo.

All in all it was a perfectly civilized afternoon spent with my eight year old.

Day 3- Remy is still not confident about leaving the toilet. I'm going stir crazy so decide to get my hair hi lighted at the salon right outside the campground gates. While I'm at it I drag the boys kicking and screaming for a cheap Mexican haircut.  $30 for me and $12 for each of the boys.

Day 4 -I have enrolled myself in a Oaxacan cooking class at Caso Crespo for the day. I meet Judy and Suzie , two energetic women from Portland who happened to find themselves in Oaxaca after landing in Mexico City at the height of swine flu only to discover the entire city closed until further notice. When life hands you lemons.......

Oscar, the chef, took us for a tour of the local market, we purchased food for the class and returned to his gorgeous home/restaurant for 4 hours of instruction, eating and drinking.

The three of us had a blast and ended up spending the rest of the afternoon together touring art galleries and a museum. I was in serious need of some girl time after 4 months on the road with 3 boys. Not once did we talk about guns, farting, penises ( ok, maybe once) or SpongeBob. We met Remy and the boys at the Zocolo at 4pm  and I was happy to introduce my family to my new friends who had already heard soooooo much about them. Remy was feeling better too so we had a beer and celebrated our good fortune that swine flu had diverted them to Oaxaca so we all could meet. We will see them again on our trip home!

Oaxaca is a city full of great art both in the galleries and in the streets. We met  one of the street artists on our evening stroll with Judy and Suzie and ended up purchasing 3 pieces of his work. Good thing art is flat and travels well. Now where will we store our Oaxacan pottery??

-Liz

Another Pemex night- at least its safe

Between Palenque and Oaxaca City 

Pemex gas station - April 25, 2009

Not many tourists make it as far south as Palenque and it's a shame because it is a fascinating place and being in the jungle has an ambiance all its own. Everything grows big there ( including the bugs) and it feels very exotic. The eerie sound of howler monkeys in the trees helps too.

The photo of the tree with the orange blossom is just one of the thousands that  are just coming into season all over Mexico. It is quite the sight  to drive over the hill  into yet another dusty village and be greeted with this shock of color all through the town. If I lived in Mexico I'd have a whole yard full of these! I love them.

Another thing we love about Mexico is the entrepreneurial spirit that is evident everywhere but especially along the highways- strategically placed at the topes. You might as well buy something if you have to slow down to a near stop anyway. One litre of ice cold fresh pineapple juice - $1.

Delivered right to your door. 

Camping between Palenque and Oaxaca is not possible and the trip is too long to make in one day so we opted for the super ubiquitous Pemex gas station. These are widely known to travelers as safe, dependable places to sleep overnight in an emergency. We spent our very first night in Mexico at a totally basic one just across the border. Hollis was so upset about this he insisted we put him on a plane and let him spend the next 6 months with his Grandparents. 

This one was pretty slick. The boys had a kiddie play area ( even 12 year olds have a hard time snubbing it after a long hot day in the van) laundry service was available, the restaurant served our favorite beer (24 hrs a day!) and the showers worked. 

With nothing better to do in the evening the family hunkered down on the sidewalk to eat a  $7 roasted chicken dinner ( for 4) and watch SpongeBob on the portable DVD player. Our activities seemed to cause quite a stir at the truck stop. The laundry lady watched Sponge Bob with us through the open window as she folded our underwear and  a large truck full of young Mexican men parked right beside us and watched as well. Was it SpongeBob or the novelty of the DVD player that intrigued them?

Anyway... it was apparent that the guys were staying right where they were all night and that we would have NO privacy. When  SpongeBob ended we moved the van to the other side of the restaurant  where the armed security officer had suggested to us in the first place. It turns out it was a good move as Remy noticed all eight of them  still  asleep on the same sidewalk the next morning. 

-Liz

Palenque- Mayan Ruins

Palenque, Chiapas 22-25 April, 2009

We traversed the mountains of Chiapas, northward from San Cristobal, passing through the Zapatista heartland along the way. We passed the sites of battles and massacres that we had seen the night before during the movie. Many of the villages we passed through had large billboards announcing that they were autonomous townships and proudly supportive of the EZLN (Zapatista Liberation Army). This is one of the major tactics of the Zapatista movement- unhappy with the governance of the central power in Mexico City, the ejidos (villages which farm the land communally) have undertaken to govern themselves. They set up local schools, healthcare centres and other social agencies to help look after themselves. If you don't owe anything to the man, he can't keep you indentured as a slave, which is a process that has a long history in Mexico.

Most of the drive was downhill as we lost altitude to gain the Mayan Plain. After a long day's drive, we found ourselves inside the Palenque National Park, installed at the Maya Belle Campground.

This facility was great. It offered accommodation of every description, from tenting through hammocks in palapas to full service hotel rooms. As a consequence there were people of every description, from well-heeled holiday travelers to the most dreadlocked of hippies. Most importantly, there was a pool, which in the humid jungle clime was a life-saver.

We bucked up the cash (M$850, or 85 bucks) for a guide and set out to tour the ruins. Edgar, our guide, spoke excellent English and animated the ruins for us. A very small portion of the city that  has been exposed from under the jungle covering. It is hard to believe that at one time, the city housed 25,000 people and covered hundreds of hectares of paved land carved from the jungle. Our tour included a walk through the jungle and exploration of a ruin  that has been re-claimed by the jungle. Just like something from an Indiana Jones movie, we dropped through a hole in the jungle floor into the hallway of a building that is now inhabited only by bats. We walked through what was probably somebody's house 1000 years ago and out the front door. It was eerie to be in a 1000 year old ghost town.

After our sticky tour through the jungle, it was a relief to go to the waterfalls suggested by our guide. We spent a couple of hours hiking to it and frolicking in the cool water in the midst of the jungle before heading to the museum and back to the Maya Belle for a much deserved swim.

The final day in Palenque was spent riding our bikes into town, the modern Palenque. There is a brick-paved pathway that connects the campground to the town, a distance of about 12 kilometers. Like so many things in Mexico, it is something that is brilliant in its conception, but seriously lacks follow-up. It was likely opened up to much fanfare when it was built, but has subsequently been soundly ignored. In some places, it consists of only a single track through waist high grass, and in places is so decrepit that it is nearly impassable on a bike. The last photo shows a pit about 8 feet deep and 12 feet across that had been eroded out from beneath the bike path. It is apparent from the overgrowth that this is not the first season that this hole has been in place. Just another reason why one should not travel in Mexico at night!

On the way home, we were finally treated to the sight of a howler monkey at the side of the road. We had heard these creatures in the jungle ever since arriving in Palenque, but never blessed with a face to face encounter. The individual we saw was carrying on a conversation with another howler somewhere in the jungle kilometers away. It is amazing, the volume of sound that these relatively small creatures can generate! They emit howls, growls and shrieks that sound quite terrifying, and really make it hard to sleep at night. We will never complain about the boys' talking in their sleep again!

-Remy