In the morning (let's rather say deep night, at 6a.m.) I set off. Of course I couldn't find the right local bus but taxi solved the problem. Worse was to guess the right bus terminal, there are 5 I think and at least at mine were about 50 parking spaces...simply huge. It makes sense, because in Mexico the train public transportation is almost nonexistent. There are a lot of bus companies, joined in alliances, so it's hard to make a choice - in a good way. Unfortunately, not all their web pages work properly. My favourite became PrimeraPlus, on this trip they gave each passanger a samll snack (a can of soda, bottle of water, sandwich and a sweet). I was a bit surprised, when a security guard started to scan us before boarding the bus. After entering the bus I waas suprised again, there were only 32 seats -> a lot of space for everybody! The prices differ slightly, but you can count about 1 mexican peso per kilometre.
comfortable :)
The first stop was in a small town of Aguascalientes, I even managed to get quite accurately to the centre. The town museum wasn't much of a thrill, there were mostly religious paintings a of a local artist. The church right next to it was much more interesting. Then I found something truly mexican: a museom of death. One grim reaper next to another, all of them original creations.
this is the result of a strict diet girls :)
Photos form Aguascalientes: http://kubakozlik.rajce.idnes.cz/2011-08_central_mexico_-_01_aguascalientes/
2. Zacatecas
This town is special by its location - in a small valley in the elevation of 2500m. It's very nice, the cathedral entrance itself is worth visiting if you drive by.
3. La Quemada
I took an advantage of being in Zacatecas for two days, so I visited ruins of an ancient indian town. It's not really easy, local buses usually don't stop and drive away in the fast lane. My solution was a bit complicated, but worked - I took a detour to Villanueva and from there to La Quemada.You can recognise the place by a big silver eagle in front of a restaurant.
La Quemada photos: http://kubakozlik.rajce.idnes.cz/2011-08_central_mexico_-_03_la_quemada/
A bit of a surprise, it turned out to be a city of about a million inhabitants with quite nice centre. On a street an older man approached me and we started talking. It turned out he used to work in a tourist office for 40 years and the first place he visited outside Mexico was Czechoslovakia. In the evening we discussed changes in Europe in past 25 years while having a beer.
http://kubakozlik.rajce.idnes.cz/2011-08_central_mexico_-_04_san_luis_potosi/
5.Cascadas de Micos (Pago Pago)
On the way from San Luis Potosí to Ciudad Valles the nature changes quite a lot. It descents from about 1900 metres above the sea level to something like 70. So the weather changed from pleasant summer to insanity close to what I experienced in Puerto Vallarta. After finding a place to stay I decided to have a bath in a river, so I left for Cascadas de Micos. The bus driver stopped for me in a sharp bend and told me to follow the hydroelectric power station pipelines. Beautiful cascades with crystal clear water, just the stream seemed to be a little strong. The "peligroso" signs probably weren't there just as decoration. But it wasn't that hard to find a side stream where it was safe and nice. The downside were small fish which were constantly biting me. I've met there two mexicans and after a small chat they offered me a ride back. My first time in an original VW Beetle!
Jesus and his beetle
6. Ciudad Valles
is quite a dump, but it has its sleepy atmosphere. The map they gave me at the tourist centre was a bad photocopy, but it was enough to get by. In the north there's a recently reconstructed riverbank good for a walk, although already a bit neglected.
In the evening Jesus and his friends picked me up and invited for a couple of shots of tequila. Most of the converstaion was in spanish so you can imagine :) At the end they gave me a bottle of tequila, brand Cabrito which should be my surname in translation.
Photos: http://kubakozlik.rajce.idnes.cz/2011-08_central_mexico_-_06_ciudad_valles/
In the evening Jesus and his friends picked me up and invited for a couple of shots of tequila. Most of the converstaion was in spanish so you can imagine :) At the end they gave me a bottle of tequila, brand Cabrito which should be my surname in translation.
Photos: http://kubakozlik.rajce.idnes.cz/2011-08_central_mexico_-_06_ciudad_valles/
7. Las Pozas - Castillo Surrealista de Edward James
Absolutely unbelieveable place; a crazy Englishman decided to build a few surrealistic buildings in a tropical forest in the middle of 20th century. It's pointless to describe, better watch this video:
And the photos link: http://kubakozlik.rajce.idnes.cz/2011-08_central_mexico_-_07_las_pozas/
The accomodation was very close, they offer tents (indian style) and cabins (very nice and unusual). By that time there lived Rudolfo (the owner), Kate from U.S. with her boyfriend Paco and thier baby. Very close there is place to take a bath in the river. At night it was raining for about four hours but certainly wasn't getting cold. This place is definitely worth seeing.
8. Xilitla
A charming village rather than a town, placed on a hill in the middle of forests. Walking time from the centre to Las Pozas is about 20mins, the way back closer to 40. Views from there are astonishing. The bus stop is just a slightly widened road (also the only place where they didn't accept credit cards).
9. Santiago de Querétaro
I spent eight hours on the bus from Xilitla to Queretaro, but it wasn't so bad. The way crosses mountains about 2500m high, so there's something to look at all the way. In Queretaro the buses are even smaller than anywhere else and you can feel it inside. At least I did when we started moving and I hit the ceiling with my head. Not a pleasant welcome :) The city centre is quite large and especially the aqueduct is very nice.
http://kubakozlik.rajce.idnes.cz/2011-08_central_mexico_-_09_queretaro/
10. Tula
The journey there was funny, apparently the driver was new, so in every village somebody of the passangers had to advise him the right way to the station. Tula is very small with a big cathedral and an archeological excavation on a hill above the town - the reason of my trip. On one of the pyramids there are statues remotly similar to those on Easter Island.
Gallery here: http://kubakozlik.rajce.idnes.cz/2011-08_central_mexico_-_10_tula/
11. San Miguel de Allende
One of the tourist centres, the guide says there lives a lot of U.S. citizens. There's probably something on it; there's even a tourist centre and a computer with city map at the bus station. As usually in the town there are many churches, mostly very nice and not exactly typical ones.
Photos here: http://kubakozlik.rajce.idnes.cz/2011-08_central_mexico_-_11_san_miguel_de_allende/
12. Guanajuato
A town hidden among hills, where the revolution was beeing prepared. There were silver mines in the past and as a result there are many tunnels under the town, these days used as roads. One of the must-see in Mexico. Unfortunately for me the weather was bad so I left for Guadalajara the next morning.
The trip was amazing, only by car it would be even better and I could explore more nature.
I spent eight hours on the bus from Xilitla to Queretaro, but it wasn't so bad. The way crosses mountains about 2500m high, so there's something to look at all the way. In Queretaro the buses are even smaller than anywhere else and you can feel it inside. At least I did when we started moving and I hit the ceiling with my head. Not a pleasant welcome :) The city centre is quite large and especially the aqueduct is very nice.
http://kubakozlik.rajce.idnes.cz/2011-08_central_mexico_-_09_queretaro/
10. Tula
The journey there was funny, apparently the driver was new, so in every village somebody of the passangers had to advise him the right way to the station. Tula is very small with a big cathedral and an archeological excavation on a hill above the town - the reason of my trip. On one of the pyramids there are statues remotly similar to those on Easter Island.
11. San Miguel de Allende
One of the tourist centres, the guide says there lives a lot of U.S. citizens. There's probably something on it; there's even a tourist centre and a computer with city map at the bus station. As usually in the town there are many churches, mostly very nice and not exactly typical ones.
12. Guanajuato
A town hidden among hills, where the revolution was beeing prepared. There were silver mines in the past and as a result there are many tunnels under the town, these days used as roads. One of the must-see in Mexico. Unfortunately for me the weather was bad so I left for Guadalajara the next morning.
typical bus stop
http://kubakozlik.rajce.idnes.cz/2011-08_central_mexico_-_12_guanajuato/The trip was amazing, only by car it would be even better and I could explore more nature.
Žádné komentáře:
Okomentovat