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Mexico Travel Diaries - Leg 12
Puebla, Cholula, Veracruz, Queretaro -- and the Last Stop
Puebla
Arriving in the outskirts of Puebla, you witness how modern suburban growth has grown up around the old Historical City. Volkswagen has a huge assembly plant here employing in the region of 13,000 people; if you drive one of the new VW Beetles, it started life here in Puebla – it’s the only place in the world where they are made.
As we enter the Historic Center, the city's landscape changes. Suddenly the streets, architecture and ambience is altered – it's like walking from an undecorated room into an elegant and timelessly decorated hall.
The short taxi ride from the bus station leaves us at the Hotel Camino Real in Puebla, a building that is owned by the State and managed under contract as a hotel. The building is an ancient Convent – Convento de la Conception – which was painstakingly restored for eight years before it was opened as a hotel. Frescoes line the walls of the hotel on inside and out, and even some the rooms have original restored frescoes as part of their décor.
As I pass through the entranceway, I’m immediately taken aback by a stunning courtyard with the frescoes still visible across the brow of the arches. The rooms are all fitted out in typical colonial style; the colors are bright but comfortable and the style is truly authentic to the building’s age. Limitations in what can be done at hotel restrict some amenities, but the hotel is extremely comfortable and provides everything you need for an enjoyable stay.
The historic city center in Puebla is typically colonial and very picturesque. Being just an hour and a half away from the capital, it’s a popular weekend day trip for Mexican families living in the city; they come out here for some relaxation, fresh air and great food.
Like most of Mexico’s colonial heritage, Puebla played a significant role in the country’s history and is particularly remembered on May 5th when the Mexican’s defeated a French army three times its size. Today, the date is a national holiday with especially huge parties and celebrations talking place here in Puebla.
The downtown area is the classic colonial layout: the main Plaza (Zocalo) with the Cathedral on one side and the Government Palace on the other. The Cathedral took nearly 100 years to build, and as Mexico’s Cathedrals go, it’s not the most attractive from the outside, but its art and grandeur inside make up for that.
The Zocalo’s gardens are a pleasant place to stroll around and relax in. Iron benches are scattered throughout it, on which friends and lovers pass the time under the cool shade of the trees. The fountain in the middle provides a focal centerpiece and popular meeting spot. Like in so many places in Mexico, shoe shine stalls are everywhere. Matt had his boots polished and was really impressed with the job: the man only wanted 2 pesos for the work, but Matt rounded the sum up generously.
Some of Puebla’s streets are off limits to cars, making them pleasant to stroll around; enjoying the colonial age architecture and cobbled alleys without having to dodge the modern-day traffic. There are plenty of restaurants and cafes to stop at and enjoy a meal, or sit with a coffee or cold beer to watch the world go by.
I walked around most of the historical centre within a day, although if I had stopped to look more closely at the fine museums and other buildings such as the fine Casa de la Cultura (house of Culture) I could have easily spent two or three days more.
Back at the hotel, food is served underneath the arches of the courtyard. Eating breakfast here is superb – you can enjoy an early morning meal in the tranquil surroundings of the old convent's courtyard, surrounded by 500 years of history. Even if you don’t stay here, you can come for breakfast; I noticed that a lot of locals do. We also enjoyed a good meal with Mole (pronounced "moh-leh") Poblano here; THE dish in Puebla, mole is a dark sauce made with spices, banana and chocolate; it is usually served over chicken with rice. Most people that visit Puebla make a point of savoring this tasty dish.
We took a 20 minute cab ride to Cholula, a town just outside Puebla. The original inhabitants of Cholula did not fare well under the Spanish, choosing to support its Aztec allies and ambush Cortez. The ambush failed and the leaders were executed, their temples and cities destroyed to be replaced by Spanish churches. Everywhere you go in Cholula today, there seems to be a church. The largest pyramid in Mexico is here: although it’s top was leveled and a church built on it, too.
Tours of the archaeological ruins of Cholula begin with a walk through a 400 meter tunnel dug out by archaeologists to explore the large pyramid which the Spanish leveled the upper part of to build a church upon. The walk is just a fraction of the full length of tunnels that exceed 8km in total. The largest pyramid in Mexico now looks like a mound, and much of the ancient city is buried.
This was not my first visit to Puebla, and it certainly won't be my last. The city has the kind of laid back attitude and style that makes it a pleasure to visit and explore many times over. As a colonial city it has everything: stunning architecture, a wonderful ambience, and great food. When you come here, if you eat nothing else that is traditionally Mexican, at least take a moment to taste the Mole Poblano.
Veracruz
There are plenty of buses from Puebla to Veracruz and the four hour journey on the fast toll road goes by quickly. The most notable natural landmark on the road journey here is the enormous volcano: Pico de Orizaba; at 5,600 meters (c.18,500 feet) above sea level it's Mexico's and North America's highest land mass.
The bus station at Veracruz looks more like an airport; like the one in the colonial city of Morelia, it has been remodeled recently and offers excellent amenities for the people passing through. The official taxi stand near the exit sells tickets to four different zones at fixed prices. Matt and I get to Hotel Mocambo on the south side of the city known as Boca del Rio (River Mouth) by about 5pm.
Hernan Cortez, the Spanish conquistador, made his first landing at Veracruz in 1519, with orders from his superiors to trade with the natives. Unsatisfied with his role as a mere trading broker, he began a march inland after hearing about a powerful and prosperous empire, hated by many of the tribes who were forced to pay homage to it. As he marched inland, he created alliances with those who had grown to hate the ruling Aztec empire, and later managed to overthrow it, spreading Catholicism while at the same time pilfering the wealth of gold, silver and other minerals.
300 years of Spanish colonial rule also ended in Veracruz, as the Spanish fled to the fort on an island (now connected by a road), which was to be the final stand for the Spanish here. The years that followed were not easy ones for Mexico, and once again Veracruz was a key centre of historical events. The city’s title: “Four times heroic city of Veracruz” refers to the expelling of the Spanish and three other military triumphs: one against the French and two more against the Americans in the years that followed.
Today, Veracruz is an easy-going, friendly and very busy port-city; its wealth created by the huge amounts of trade and cargo ships that dock here. The State of Veracruz also has rich arable land where fine coffee and tobacco is grown; and the oil industry from Mexico’s Gulf Coast is managed in the State. As a result of these lucrative incomes, Veracruz has never strived to become a big tourist attraction in Mexico.
And it’s this that gives Veracruz its authenticity at the root of which is lies its charm as an attractive place to visit.
Although Veracruz is a coastal destination, it is more in character as a true colonial city. Palm trees line the streets and the main Zocalo (main plaza); the birds that live in them never seem to stop singing. Right in the heart of a downtown city I sat enjoying coffee made from beans grown in the State and listened to songbirds loud and numerous enough to make you think you were near a jungle.
The Mocambo Hotel where we’re staying during our visit to Veracruz is situated on the south side of the city, in a zone dedicated to hotels and commercial centers, including the World Trade Centre building. It’s also the place where the best beaches in Veracruz are – the hotel is named after the beach which lies in front of it: Mocambo.
Our hotel was the first ever “Grand Hotel” on Mexico’s gulf coast. It was built in the 1930’s and was remodeled in 1995, although it still retains its authentic character and feel. Exploring the hotel’s nooks and crannies, you find charming reminders of a bye-gone world and at times, almost expect Dirk Bogart to appear. The hotel has a restful and laid back atmosphere.
The Hotel Mocambo has an abundance of arches, tall ceilings and terraces that look out onto the gulf coast. The main restaurant offers outside seating with views across the Gulf of Mexico. In the mornings, as the sun rose from the east, we enjoyed a buffet breakfast of fresh fruit, cereals, warm pastries and locally grown coffee while sitting out on the terrace, taking in the view across a cloudless blue sky, inhaling the fresh sea air that blows almost continually off the coast, while listening the sound of waves lapping on beaches below.
Beyond the terraced garden is the pool; it too is surrounded by archways and provides toboggan rides for kids and adults alike; at the far end is an open-air covered Jacuzzi. The hotel’s spa provides some gym equipment, a couple of indoor pools and a sauna. Other spa facilities are available, which I did not try out, although I talked with some guests who did. The verdict seemed to be that the facilities were not state-of-the-art, but the personal service and attention more than made up for that.
Veracruz offers some of the best hospitality in Mexico; I found the people here relaxed and friendly – and extremely courteous. It’s a city with a lot of activity going on, but not stressed with it. Downtown, the city offers a traditional colonial layout and feel; the main square (Zocalo) the Cathedral, the palm-lined promenade, the authentic markets, and block upon block of traditional colonial architecture.
In the afternoon, we took a cab to the Fort of San Juan de Ulua – built by the Spanish to protect the port from pirates (it never worked properly) and later foreign invaders, it was the scene of the Spaniard’s last stand on Mexican territory. After becoming a notorious prison during the Porfirio Diaz era, the fort was also used as a military base and today is a public museum, owned and run by the same department that manages all of the archaeological sites. The final scenes of the film Romancing the Stone were filmed here; it’s well worth 10 minute cab ride from town and you can get some good views of the port of Veracruz as well.
Many of the rooms at Hotel Mocambo have a balcony that looks out onto the sea. The ceilings are high and the tiled floors provide a cool atmosphere in what is a hot and humid destination. The furniture and fittings complement the style of the hotel; the rooms are clean and bright and offer all the amenities you need to keep you comfortable during your stay.
Beyond the main building lies a terraced garden; quite unique in its design. Access to the beach is gained by crossing a small road at the bottom of the garden; the gates are locked at 8pm every night, but you can still get access to the beach from the street. The sand on beaches in Veracruz is dark, and being a working port, it is fair to say that the waters here are not Mexico’s best; however, for what Veracruz lacks in beach water, it gains in culture, color, variety and style.
At night, the city centre comes alive with people, music, and celebration. Salsa dancing is a main event in Veracruz and live bands, mariachis and street performers are all part of the entertainment scene. This is the first place in Mexico I saw a significant number of gypsies telling fortunes, often on street benches around the city centre. Like so many places in Mexico, the food in this region has its own flavor and style: here in the port city of Veracruz, not surprisingly, you can taste some of the best fish and seafood dishes anywhere in Mexico.
The lack of foreign tourists gives Veracruz an authentic Mexican feel. I found all of the advantages of being in an authentic colonial city while enjoying the climate and breezes a seaside location offers.
Lots of Mexican families do come here on holiday, and there are some great hotels, like the Hotel Mocambo where people stay comfortably. The State of Veracruz is also growing as a major eco-tourism centre, with its wealth of landscapes and stunningly beautiful natural treasures. You have to travel off the beaten track to see them and specialized operators can organize everything for you.
Veracruz is a surprising city. Away from the traditional tourist trails, it offers a unique experience in Mexico: a relaxed atmosphere with a lively heart and soul. Some people spend their whole holiday here and enjoy the relaxed feel of the place; some pass through for a few days as part of a wider travel experience. Either way, a visit to Veracruz will provide a rewarding, enjoyable and fascinating insight into today’s Mexico.
Queretaro
Santiago de Queretaro, its full name, is a colonial gem just north of Mexico City. I would have visited here during my colonial heartland leg, although the flu caused me to by-pass it then, in a need to make up time on the journey.
We took a five-and-a-half hour bus ride starting at midnight from Veracruz to Mexico City’s western bus terminal; hired a cab to the northern bus terminal and caught a two-and-three-quarter hour bus ride to Queretaro from there. We took luxury buses on both legs, which enabled us to sleep and rest on the way. Not something you would want to do two nights in a row, but it worked for us this once.
Queretaro is one of Mexico’s most picturesque and most historic colonial cities. The earliest plans for independence were laid in Queretaro; the Treaty of Hidalgo which surrendered the south-western States of (now) the USA to the Americans was signed here, and it is also the place where Emperor Maximilian met a sticky end after his defeat during Mexico's independence period.
Today, Queretaro is one of Mexico’s fastest growing cities, as Chilangos (nick-name for Mexico City dwellers) move here away from the smoke to cleaner air and better living. It’s proximity to the nation’s capital along with a government drive to attract investment to the State is drawing increasing numbers of people.
A good deal of the historic centre has been closed off; and the local government wants more of the same: some shops are against it, displaying signs that read “no to the traffic closure of the centre”. Time will tell, but it’s certainly pleasant walking down important historical streets without dodging the cars.
Queretaro has lots of plazas, sometimes one leading off another. The Jardin Zenea, the main plaza, also hosts the picturesque church of San Francisco. Just off from here is the Jardin Corregidora, which leads onto the Andador 16 de Septiembre, a pedestrian walkway with shops and what is said to be the best coffee in Queretaro: Barra Express Café. Matt and I stopped here to test the legend. We were offered strong or regular: the strong was very strong, but the coffee was good, if a little on the pricey side.
A block away is the Plaza de La Constitucion, a former market, and a couple of blocks from there is Plaza de la Independencia which hosts the Municipal Palace and features a tree lined border with fountains and statues in the middle. The Cathedral is on a main road - west from the main plaza on Madero street - and just down from there is the Government Palace.
Half a block away from our hotel is the Jardin de Santa Clara, which features the well documented statue of Neptune which seems to be another popular meeting spot, especially for young people at night.
Walking east along Calle Independencia, is the Convento de la Cruz, which is a beautiful old convent marred with one of those awful neon bulb crosses at the top which glows blue and pink at night – not attractive. Further up the road you arrive at a viewing area across from which you can see the city’s old aqueduct which is lit up by spotlights at night time. The viewing area seems to be a popular meeting place for locals too.
At night, Queretaro lights up in a very spectacular way; and although the city's pace doesn't move up a gear, the atmosphere does inherit a soft edge that makes you feel relaxed and vibrant at the same time. As we walk around, the streets are filled with people of all ages and walks of life; street performers begin drawing small crowds to earn their crust; groups of young people are hanging together around fountains and monuments as they wait for others to join them before moving on, probably to their night venue; street traders set up stalls selling food, drinks and trinkets; local musicians tune up instruments that will fill some of the streets with music later on; children play tag around one of the fountains...
This colonial city has a welcoming feel and atmosphere; modern but traditional with a strong sense of history. You can wander around the interconnecting streets, plazas and alleyways and become engulfed by the heritage, culture and the serene atmosphere. Queretaro has managed to capture that ‘feel good’ factor in a place: somewhere you go and instinctively feel comfortable and at ease, without having to know too much about it.
Queretaro is an easy day-trip from Mexico City, although a couple of nights is needed to get a good appreciation of this important colonial city, and also, to experience Queretaro at night, with its carefully lit streets, plazas and historical buildings. It is certainly a must-see place on any tour of Mexico’s colonial heritage, and being at the gateway to Mexico’s colonial heartland, this is easy to achieve.
Last Stop
The bus ride back to Mexico's capital city is swift.
It’s only April but already the afternoon monsoon rains, which normally arrive in late May, have started in Mexico City; the rain is pouring down when we arrive. The climate feels cool as I step off the bus, but the air is fresh and much more crisp than before.
Four months and forty-four places later, I am back in the capital city where the journey had begun.
