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This is going to be the longest trip that I have taken since way back in 1973 when I studied for a quarter at the University of the Americas in Cholula, Mexico. I won't return until February 12th, so that means that I will be gone for almost six weeks. I'll be missing a big chunk of Ohio winter!
This trip is also, in a way, a four part trip. On the first part of the trip I will be accompanied by a former teaching colleague, Nancy, and her husband Fred. We will be staying at one of my favorite hotels in the world, Luz en Yucatán. I will play tour guide with them for ten days. This will be the fourth time that I have taken friends to Mérida. Nancy asked me, "Don't you get tired of going to the same place?", and I told her, "No, because with each friend, it's an entirely new experience."
After they return to Ohio, I have rented a 2 bedroom house in the colonial heart of Mérida. I wanted to see what it's like to live in Mérida. I have toyed with the idea of moving there and buying a house, but I think that in the future, I might just spend a part of my winters there. While I am in the house, another former colleague, Jane, will be spending some time with me. Jane taught Spanish with me for many years, and we are good friends. This will be Jane's second trip to Mérida. Many years ago we took a group of our students on a tour of the Yucatán, and we spent a few nights there.
For the third portion of the trip, I will be returning to Hotel Luz en Yucatán. My friend Alejandro will fly in from Mexico City, and spend a long weekend there with me. He spent some time in Mérida years ago working for an uncle, but he has never seen the city as a tourist. So I get to play tour guide once again.
For the final portion of the trip, I will fly back to Mexico City. I have rented an apartment there (not the same one that I rented on the last trip), and I will spend a couple more weeks there. On the weekends Alejandro and I will most likely take a few more excursions to places I have not seen outside of the city.
Those are my exciting plans. Be sure to check the blog for my travel adventures!
When in DF, you should try to go to Taxco, about 75 km to the south. An old silver mining town, it's beautiful and interesting, though you can probably do it in a weekend. Also on the way (if you drive) you can check out Tepoztlán, and hike up to the Aztec temple. While Cuernavaca is on everyone's list, I haven't found it all that fascinating, though I probably didn't go to the right places. These days it's just as smoggy as DF, unfortunately.
ReplyDeletePuebla is also worth the trip. And then there's millions of places in DF itself. Museo Diego Rivera Anahuacalli in the southern part of the city is well worth seeing, if only for the building itself. The collections are also superb. If you're into old cars, there's also an automotive museum nearby, which I enjoyed quite a bit, though F wasn't nearly as fascinated.
I look forward to your posts from the road.
Saludos,
Kim G
Redding, Ca
Which is a good place for outdoorsy things, but not much on the cultural front.
Well, Kim, you have to remember that I have traveled to Mexico more than 50 times in my lifetime. I have been to all of the places that you mentioned with the exception of the automotive museum. Yes, Taxco is very beautiful. I've been there 3 times, although it's been quite a few years since my last visit. And Alejandro and I went to Tepoztlán (I have a post on it). I agree with you about Cuernavaca. I was not impressed, and the smog there made the view from the Aztec temple at Tepoztlán less spectacular. I know Puebla quite well since way back in the 70's I went to the University of the Américas in nearby Cholula. Yes, Anahuacalli is quite impressive.
DeleteWhen is your next trip to D.F.? Have you been to San Angel and Coyoacán? Very picturesque "colonias" with some interesting museums. And have you been to Tepozotlán (not to be confused with Tepoztlán)? It's a short drive to the north of D.F. and has one of the most incredibly baroque churches in Mexico, and the former monastery is now the National Museum of the Viceroyalty. Yes, there is so much to see in and around Mexico City. Even after all the trips that I have been taking in the last two years to visit Alejandro, I still manage to find places that I have never seen before.
Just 5 more days until my departure!!!
Saludos,
Bill
Hi Bill,
DeleteIt looks like I'm going to have to work a smidgen harder to find something novel for you, LOL. You too, since I've been to all the places you mentioned, with the exception of Cholula, which has been on my list for a while.
I'm not totally sure when I'm going to get back to DF. As you can imagine, my primary reason for going there has gone away. But there are still a few people there I want to see. Moreover, I have a friend who's planning to go to Acapulco in early Feb, and he has suggested I meet him there. And I've been trying to tear myself away from Boston for some time now to do a roadtrip through Mexico. Hopefully, I'll soon be able to do so.
I hope you have a fantastic trip, and I hope you can make some posts from the road.
Saludos,
Kim
Thanks, Kim.
DeleteYes, my plan is to post a daily trip report while I am down there... although I'm not promising that I will feel like doing that at the end of each day. LOL Hope you get to escape some of the winter this year and make it down to Mexico. We got snow this morning and are supposed to get more each day up until my departure. No major storms are forecast though, so I am keeping my fingers crossed that we will have no flight delays.
Hasta luego,
Bill