My November '19 Report Card
As each month goes by, I can't help but feel more settled into life on the road. And honestly? I have never been so happy and proud of myself. Ever. The last three months I have spent traveling through Mexico. November is the month where it is time to move on. Guatemala has been calling my name. I'm excited to figure out why I am looking forward to a country I know nearly NOTHING about! Here is my November '19 Report Card.
Puebla
I met my friend Pablo back in Loreto, and he invited me to his home when I made it to Puebla. Luckily, I arrived just in time for Dia de los Muertos! Such an amazing experience I describe in full detail in this post. The village vibes, active volcanoes, and camping with Pablo and his cousins made this trip one that is truly unforgettable. Feeling at home can be difficult on the road. Pablo and his family gave me this feeling almost instantly.
Each state in Mexico is known for a certain type of food that other states do not have. Puebla's food was the Cemita. A special type of Torta (sandwich) only found in Puebla. The pápalo really gives this sandwich quite a kick. As I'm sure you can imagine, this is only one of the many foods I tried out in this area.
Oaxaca City, Oaxaca
Oaxaca is a city within the mountains. Now that I am getting farther south towards Guatemala, there are MANY more mountain regions to explore. One improvement I can say I've made for this report card? I am actually starting to enjoy city life more than I used to. It is a different style from the villages and open areas I have always enjoyed more, although it is starting to grow on me. Now the cool thing with Mexico, there are ancient ruins everywhere. I do wish I spent more time searching for these places while I was here, but November offers two ruin sightings for me. Plus, why not give myself a reason to come back to Mexico?
Monte Alban
My first ruins in Mexico, and I arrived too late! I got to see a little bit of the ruins from outside, as the gates were closing shortly after I got there. Maybe something I can improve upon is checking the times of operation before heading somewhere. This isn't the first time this has happened, and most certainly not the last. What I saw was cool, and gave me an introduction to the ruins I was going to see in Comitan, Chiapas!
Tlayuda time!
Puebla is known for its Cemitas, while Oaxaca is known for Tlayudas! These grilled quesadillas have plenty of filling, and are topped with some delicious meat to boot! The restaurant I went to is pretty well known throughout Mexico, Tlayudas El Negro.
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Hierve el Agua
My time with Tlayudas, and the state of Oaxaca, was quickly coming to an end. On my way out of the city and heading towards Chiapas, was a hot spring I was looking forward to checking out. About an hour and a half drive from the city, the highway started to become surrounded by a sea of mountainous green. Around every corner was an incredible view, and I wasn't even at the hot spring yet!
I arrived at the entrance, to find a whopping 20 pesos fee ($1 US) to enter the park. I figured I've come all this way, why not splurge a little! Markets lined the walkway leading to the springs, and before my eyes was this view you see to your right. A common theme of improvement on this report card is to plan just a LITTLE more before arriving to these places. I would have liked to spend at least a half day enjoying this place. It was time for me to move on, considering I don't like driving in the dark on long stretches of mountainous, curvy highways.
Tuxtla Gutierrez
My couchsurfing host, Citlaly, showed me around Tuxtla and the nearby village of Chiapas de Corzo. It was great to spend time with a local in this place, and even get to see the big attraction of the city: Canyon de Sumidero.
Canyon de Sumidero
Another small entrance fee, and we rode the motorcycle through the windy roads that led to the top of the canyon. We parked the bike, and headed to the edge to take a look. The water that carved this picturesque view created an absolute masterpiece. I mean, it is so vast it doesn't even seem real! Looking down was a feat within itself.
After checking out the view, we went into this room full of pictures. Pictures that seemed like they were part of National Geographic. I was curious to meet the photographer who took these. Turns out? He was in the room! Jorge Figueroa spends most of his time in this nature, taking pictures of animals I didn't even know existed in these parts until he showed me. What an interesting job, and an even more interesting person!
Chiapas de Corzo
The final place Citlaly took me was Chiapas de Corzo. A smaller village off the main drag, situated right next to the same river that went through the canyon! You can actually pick up a boat to tour the canyon via river from here. But, enough about the canyon. Chiapas de Corzo had some really neat things as well! A market with the BEST emapanadas I've had to date in Mexico. A historic, old town feel with narrow streets and tiny shops all around. If you're around this area, Chiapas de Corzo is a pretty dope spot to check out.
Cascada de Chiflon
Cascada de Chiflon are a series of waterfalls just outside of Comitan, in the small town of Tzimol. About a 2 mile hike in, and the views kept getting better as you went farther. The final view was a natural masterpiece. The water crashing down to the pool beneath, everything being totally soaked in water. It was a slippery way to the top, but totally worth it to feel the power behind the water.
Ruins of Tenam Puente
Ok, so after having learned my lesson in Monte Alban, I figured I would ask if Tenam Puente was open before heading over there. I arrived, and thankfully the gates were open. Although I was able to see a bit of what Monte Alban had to offer, this time I got to really see what these ruins are all about. I arrived at the first spot, and saw it similar to what was at the other place. Then I kept walking. Around each corner was a new, even more spectacular pyramid I could climb up.
Lagos de Montebello
I can't believe this is the last spot before I hit my upcoming border crossing! What is really cool about this, it gave me a real glimpse into what Guatemala would be like.
The closer you get to a border, the more cultures start to merge.
I think one of the coolest things I got to experience wasn't even the natural views (which were quite the spectacle!). It was actually the locals. These lakes were set pretty far back in nature, and the town surrounding it full of people who lived off of this land. Literally. Local townspeople would go to a specific lake, and fill it with water to drink from. I want to go into more detail about these places in a future blog post, so I will hold off for now.
It's time...
The time has come for another border crossing, and another chance for me to try to control my anxiety. I don't know what it is about border crossings that get me nervous. Maybe the fact they have full control over whether or not I can continue on my journey, or if I have to wait to figure out some glitch in the matrix. Definitely something I can improve upon!
The only thing that went wrong was me not stopping at the office on the Mexican side before crossing. One would think the border would have all the necessary components to it, AT THE BORDER. The offices were actually 4 kilometers away! My only assumption would the borders are already so congested with mini stores and people, they probably didn't have any other choice. Regardless, another border crossing down, only about 100 more to go.
A grand welcome
I simply can't believe the welcome I received upon arrival to Guatemala. My first couchsurfing host, Selene, rode motorcycles as well! I showed up at the right time for an annual ride through the mountains. We did a full day of riding some crazy roads, up to the highest peak in Central America! What a day this was. Something I will be writing a full post about very shortly.
Lake Atitlan
Nestled into a small corner of Lake Atitlan is an even smaller town called San Lucas Toliman. So small, that the day after my arrival, every single person knew about the guy riding the big motorcycle. Everywhere I would walk, I would hear people saying to each other how I was that person. It was pretty crazy, to be honest. However, these people were truly amazing. Every single local would say good afternoon, or spark up a small conversation while passing through.
I really enjoy these small town vibes. Every small village I have been to has left me with a better understanding of what it means for an entire community to be happy, welcoming, and content with their lives. Unbelievable the things this travel life has opened me up to. Unfortunately, I got pretty sick just before arriving here, and didn't get to see much of Lake Atitlan before moving on. My plan, however (wait, I have a plan? A round of applause, please!), is to do a loop around Guatemala and return to the other side of the lake. A little exploring is definitely necessary of this place.
Time to relax
I know it sounds crazy, but I realized I need to slow down a little bit. I have been going from one place to the next pretty quickly! The month of November will be brought to an end around the Antigua, Guatemala area. These past 4 months have been a total whirlwind of learning and new experiences for me. I have realized I need some time to just let it all sink in. This week is a time to catch up on the various online things I am learning, and setting up a home base for a moment. I have to say, it feels good!
Phew! I didn't realize I could pack so many experiences into one month! In terms of improvement, I mentioned a couple things in this post. Things I am glad to have uncovered, and will try my best to get even a little better with them. Small steps of improvements are all we need to look for in this life!
'Til next time,
Pete - A Traveling Teacher