2008 Vacation- Veracruz Mexico
‘Time to get out of the snow’
Here is a brief description of where we are going on vacation in March of 2008. Many people don't know about Veracruz Mexico, but it is a beautiful untouched truly Mexican state. We are spending 2 whole weeks in Veracruz, staying in Veracruz City, then traveling to the Athens of Veracruz up in the mountains for a week. Eventually we will be heading back through the mountains to Monte Gordo on the Emerald Coast before heading back to Veracruz City and staying in Boca Del Rio for a few days of partying on the beach.
Read through our short itinerary (mostly clippings of articles we have found online), and enjoy the photos. We will replace this page once we get back with a complete journal of our experiences and our own photos of the trip.
Enjoy!
Ron and Dominique
Veracruz City (2 days ) on the map this is the city on the south east point. March 2nd-4th
Overview
Veracruz has a charming and lively downtown, especially the main square, where musicians serenade every night and the locals dance. Hang out at one of the cafés on the Plaza de Armas (corner of Av. Independencia and M. Lerdo). Get up early for café lechero (coffee with milk) and the omelet in turkey broth at Gran Café de La Parroquia (Av. Gómez Farías No. 34, 229-932-2584), hit the big food market Mercado Hidalgo (corner of Hidalgo and H. Cortés) early for a viewing before it gets too hot.
The sea port was founded by Hernán Cortés, who first landed there in 1519 at the start of his quest to conquer Mexico for Spain. It was named La Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz ("The Rich Town of the True Cross"; the name is also occasionally given as La Rica Villa de la Vera Cruz).
It was New Spain's main port, where silver and wares from the Manila Galleons transported overland from Acapulco were loaded onto the Spanish treasure fleets for shipment to Spain. The port was harassed by hostile powers and by pirates, who succeeded in pillaging the city in 1653 and in 1712. In response to such dangers the large fortress of San Juan de Ulúa was built on an island in the harbour, beginning in 1565 and substantially expanded several times later.
A natural harbour, Veracruz has been fought over throughout its history, and boasts the title "Four Times Heroic" in reference to the expulsion of the Spanish in 1815, the 1838 occupation of the French Navy in the Pastry War, and resistance to the United States's occupations of 1847 and 1914 (see: Siege of Veracruz and U.S. occupation of Veracruz, 1914).
The city is known for its rich traditions of music, including marimba bands, danzón and comparsa. A special kind of music called son jarocho, a mix of Mexican folk music and Cuban son, was developed in southern Veracruz state, in and around Veracruz, Veracruz. La Bamba is the most famous example of son jarocho. An equally rich dance tradition parallels Veracruz's unique musical styles.
In downtown Veracruz, a large marble-tiled zócalo, called the Plaza de Armas or Plaza Lerdo, is the heart of the city's lively nightlife. It is lined with arcades that house bars and cafes. On a nearly nightly basis large groups of people sit outside in the plaza enjoying food, drinks and cigars, while they watch musicians and dancers that perform in the square. Veracruz's 18th century cathedral and 17th century Palacio Municipal are also located on the plaza.
The "Malecón" harbourfront walk along the docks, draws many tourists, more from within Mexico than foreigners. The city has several beaches as well, like Villa del Mar and Mocambo.
Plan- Tour and take in the city. First day of shopping to purchase clothing for the trip. Buy a box of cigars to last trip. Photograph the city, and the Fortress.
Accommodation- Hotel Diligencias- http://www.granhoteldiligencias.com/diligencias.swf
This air-conditioned, luxury hotel offering over 200 years of history was renovated in 2004. Guests have access to the wonderful hotel gardens and terrace and there are a total of 5 floors with 120 rooms on offer, which includes 4 suites and 1 room with disabled access. Amongst the facilities count a foyer with a 24-hour reception desk, a safe, a currency exchange facility, a cloakroom and a lift in addition to a café, a hairdressing salon, El Estribo bar, the Peques Club, a games room, a smoking room, a TV room, a seafood restaurant and a breakfast room. Computers and Internet access (WLAN) are available in the business centre and various conference facilities are on offer. There are room and laundry services to make use of, as well as a launderette and younger guests may participate in the kids' club activities or let off steam in the playground. Those arriving by car are offered a car park and a garage and there is also a bicycle hire service for active guests. Lying at the heart of the historic old town in the port of Veracruz, this hotel lies across from the government palace, the zocalo (Main Square) and the cathedral. All rooms come with a balcony or terrace affording views out over the zocalo, an en suite bathroom with hairdryer, a direct dial telephone, cable TV, a radio, a hi-fi stereo system, Internet access and a safe as well as a small fridge, tea and coffee making facilities, ironing equipment, a king-sized bed and a sitting area. Air conditioning and heating feature in the rooms as standard.
Xalapa 7 days - 2 hours from Veracruz. On the map this is the center west point inland in the mountains March 4th-11th
Overview
Xalapa is the Capital City of the State of Veracruz.
Xalapa is surrounded by mountainous landscapes, which make its Colonial architecture even most attractive.
Xalapa is “The flower city”, state capital, is a cultural center where it’s conserves the traditional colonial structure, but also is a city with a intense social and economic life, where is express the wealth of this Mexican region, that “has everything”. Rich in artistic expressions like sculpture, theater, literature, music and dance; city museums are the contact spots with the native cultures that lived in the zone: Totonaca, Olmeca and Huasteca, also the buildings and monuments of colonial origin. Anthropologic Museum, is one of most important in Latin America, conceived inside the Veracruz University, reunite archeological pieces recollected over 50 years of research and investigation, making one of the most complete collections about prehispanic cultures in the continent.
The 8 halls of the Science and Technology Museum has more than 400 samples, represents the scientific knowledge evolution and its achievements, illustrating the human progress through a global vision of the different areas and science disciplines.
The colonial life, its secrets, the ways in those who came to the new continent developed their existence in a complete different world, are reflected in the El Lencero museum, the old ranch where once the poetess Gabriela Mistral lived in. The furniture, utensils, and objects of the colonial time, are conserved and reunited in the rooms of this antique hose, alternated with courtyards and gardens where you can breathe the magic air of ancient times.
Whether it’s a solo singer-guitarist doing the standard tearjerker ballads or a full-on band complete with violins, steel drums, and a horn section, live music is a mainstay of the city. Xalapa is a town that appreciates its artists, so there’s a glut of highly skilled musicians. If there is a floor large enough, it will be covered with couples dancing waltzes, cumbias, sambas, trovas, and son jarochos. You’re welcome to give it a try without being made to feel stupid—most of the time. Cover charges are usually cheap, if they are in force at all.
You’ll find students in the discos, but for a laid-back, all-ages scene, we suggest the publike atmosphere of most of the bars and cafés.
There are three major markets in Xalapa, and Mercado Rotondo is the best. Compact but surrounded by the city’s best fish markets, bakeries, and butcher shops, it’s filled with comida corrida lunch counters for a delicious bite. Mercado Jáureguí is older and more labyrinthine—a place to look, wander, and nibble for hours. The Sundays-only Mercado Ocelote is one of only 12 organic markets in all of Mexico. Besides produce, you can find cheeses, cured sausages, baked goods, mezcal and other liquors, olive oil, honey, soaps, and handwoven clothes colored with organic dyes. Your hotel desk or cabbie should be able to help you find these markets.
The Totonacas were the first people who established themselves around the "Macuiltepetl" - a 'five-peaked' hill, which today is a park. During the 14th century, four cultures settled in the territory today known as Xalapa. Each of them built a small village: Xalitic (in the sand) was founded by the Totonacas; Techacapan (river of waste) was founded by the Chichimecas; in the northeast Tecuanapan (river of the beasts) was founded by the Toltecas and Tlalnecapan was founded by the Teochichimecas. Moctezuma Ilhuicamina, fifth Aztec Emperor, invaded the territory during the second half of the 15th century; therefore all the land became part of the Aztec Empire until the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores.
Eventually around 1313, the four villages grew and joined forming one big village which was given the name Xallapan. In 1519 Hernán Cortés passed through Xalapa enroute to Tenochtitlan. 1555 saw the final construction of the Franciscan convent which is the second most important event in that time in Nueva España. In 1772 the construction of the Xalapa Cathedral began.
Xalapa is also known as the "Athens of Veracruz" because of the strong cultural influence of its three major universities, Universidad Veracruzana (the main public university in the State of Veracruz), Universidad de Xalapa and Universidad Anáhuac de Xalapa, and also for the wide variety of cultural events in Xalapa like its theater, museums, and street art.
Xalapa also has the widest collection of Diego Rivera's paintings in all Mexico, at a gallery called Pinacoteca Diego Rivera, nearby City Hall and Parque Juárez in the downtown area.
In folklore, the Spaniards believed that Xalapa was the birthplace and home of the "Florecita" (literally little flower), the most beautiful woman in the world. Even today, some people continue to adhere to this belief, and some natives insist that it is not a legend.
Plan- Tour and take in the city. Use Xalapa as the main point of reference for day trips to local towns. Take in the Xalapa Symphony. Tour the markets including one of the only organic markets in Mexico. Buy jewelry in ‘Diamond Alley’. Buy Vanilla & Tequila. Night clubbing on Friday and Saturday. Symphony Friday. Photograph the city. If clear, photograph the extinct volcano. Stay on the lookout for art to bring home.
Accommodation- Posada La Mariquinta www.lamariquinta.xalapa.net
Situated around a tropical, lush garden, with secure, comfortable, private rooms. WiFi, cable TV, coffee, and a friendly staff that speaks English and French; 12 rooms
Located in the historical Center, on the "Hill of Alfaro", the Posada la Mariquinta is one of the rare intact examples of the colonial XVIIIth Century architecture in Xalapa. According to found documents, it was constructed before 1775. and has remained by chance through centuries without losing its original characteristics. By presidential decree of 1985, this residence of 1800 square meters has been declared a historical monument. Fortunately and to the delight of visitors, the successive owners have made an strong effort to conserve its originality.
Formerly well-known as "the House of Alfaro", it had been finished in era in which Don Manuel Nicolas de Ulloa and Figueroa projected the "Town of the Great Fair of Xalapa" (1776). Its walls are more than a meter of thickness and the distribution of its rooms, the direct access to an ample back patio, everything evokes the triple use of the facilities in those times of "Fairs": housing, a warehouse for overseas goods and corrals for "recuas" of the pack animals.
Documents are not known that tie it to Jose Maria Alfaro - mentioned twice in "the old and modern History of Jalapa and the revolutions of the State of Veracruz" (1869) - a figure who had engineering knowledge that repaired the Cathedral clock, manufactured in London in 1778, and who also received orders from the City council to construct the stages necessary to celebrate in Xalapa the solemn proclamation of Fernando VII as King of Spain. Also Don Jose Maria Alfaro is mentioned as being one of the constructors of the first aerostatic balloon that flew over Xalapa. Given to his privileged location and the elevated view from its garden that dominates the city, it is highly probable that "the House of Alfaro" has been used like departure and observation point of the aerostatic experiments in Xalapa.(*)
(*) LA GAZETA DE MEXICO, p. 82, Thursday, 19 of May of 1784
"Xalapa."
"It was made in this Town a aerostatic Globe, similar to the one reported in
the last Gazetas of Madrid, worked by D. Josef Maria Alfaro: it consists as of
18 Castilian twigs and it is beleived that it has the effect that is desired,
according to the adjustment and care of whereupon it has been constructed: this
shall be reported to the public.(sic) p.82, Wednesday, 19 of May of 1784
(*) Source Carmen Boone Canovas - With gratefulness from Posada La Mariquinta
Xico Day trip – 19km from Xalapa
Overview
Xicochimalco (“place of who used the wasp honeycomb, like a shield), 19 km away form Xalapa city, is a small town of prehispanic origin related to totonaca, olmeca, tolteca, tlaxcalteca and aztec cultures, with a XVIII century colonial architecture, of white and high walls between its stone street, remits it the rich historical past of the site. City Museum has a unique collection of wardrobe confected in honor of holy Maria Magdalena, conserved in perfect conditions, making a unique sample of the popular culture. The Virgin festivity, takes place every year between July 8th and 23rd, is an event where can be enjoy folkloric dances, cock’s fights, mock bullfight and the loose of the young bulls in the streets, Spanish style like the Pamplona parties. 2km away form the town is located Texolo's waterfall, a fallen of white lather this stands up the exuberant vegetation of the zone.
Seven miles south of Coatepec is the lush mountain village of Xico, home of the fantastically beautiful 264-foot Texolo waterfall. Each year, the colorful Festival de la Magdalena (July 19-25) sees the streets decorated in sawdust paintings of religious scenes, after which there are bullfights and a running of the bulls.
The bakeries here are some of the best in the area. Try Blue Danube, a.k.a. Danubio Azul (Av. Hidalgo No. 192, 228-813-0223), or Panadería la Bruja, a.k.a. Bakery of the Witch (no listed address/phone, but locals will know where it is). Xico is also known for its sweet and fruity mole sauce and its tlatonile (nut, seed, and chile pastes). Buy both by the jar, tub, bucket, or plastic bag at Derivados el Acamalín (Av. Hidalgo No. 150, 228-813-0283) or Mole Charito de Cazuela (Av. Hidalgo No. 176, 228-813-0389). Also look for the locally made licore de verde, similar to crème de menthe, and try the plentiful rainbow trout.
Eat at Casa Xiqueña (Miguel Hidalgo No. 32, 228-813-1530), the incredible restaurant described in the first paragraph of this story, or try the trout specialties at El Paraje Coyopolan (Prolongacción de Venustiano Carranza, 228-812-0022), which also offers several cozy rooms for rent.
Plan- View the Texolo Waterfall. Tour the town. Photograph the town and waterfalls. Buy famous Mole de Xico.
Cotepec Day Trip - 10 minutes from Xalapa
Overview
Often referred to as the “coffee capital of México,” the colonial city of Coatepec rests in the heart of coffee country. Just ten minutes from Xalapa by bus, Coatepec was once home to the Totonac civilization and was founded during the Pre-Columbian era. Today, this beautiful colonial town prides itself in the production of one of the world’s best gourmet coffees. Coatepec offers its visitors a chance to visit coffee plantations and invites them to relax in beautiful gardens and natural landscapes. The annual Coffee Festival, held in April, demonstrates the city’s dedication to its primary export. The neighboring town of Xico is known not only for its coffee, but also for its cuisine and the Maria Magdalena Festival, which features entertaining bullfights. Xico boasts local products like coffee, tropical fruits, wine, and handcrafts, as well as scenic landscapes. The glorious and nearly tourist-free Texolo waterfalls are located just two miles outside the town.
It’s hard to tell where Xalapa ends and Coatepec, five miles to the southwest, begins. It is, however, the official center of Mexico’s coffee production. Every square inch of arable land is planted in high-grade arabica, shaded by banana and other fruit trees, the seductive aroma of roasting beans permeating the air. Houses and churches are grand affairs built by wealthy coffee exporters in the late 1800s, with iron balconies and tile facades, a war of color waged between primary and pastel.
On the main square, vendors sell exotic fruits, including mamey sapote (a type of melon that tastes like a cross between pumpkin, chocolate, almonds, honey, and avocado).
Try the fruit liqueurs and toritos (cream liqueurs) found at the locally famous family-run Licores Finos de Frutas Bautistas y Gálvez. Anyone in town can direct you there.
Restaurants specialize in seafood, from the Gulf and nearby rivers, especially local acamallas (crawfish) in either chipotle sauce or a green sauce of jalapeños, tomatillos, cilantro, garlic, and lime. Eat at Casa Bonilla (corner of Juárez and Cuauhtémoc, 228-816-0374) or Arcos de Belem (Miguel Lerdo No. 9, at the front of the Parque, 228-816-2873), the latter of which also has an old-fashioned soda fountain!
Plan- Tour the town. Buy some coffee to bring home. Photograph the town.
Don Ruperto's Museum of Coffee is located in an old hacienda in Coatepec. (Roberto Opoch- Café Opoch) 5 de Mayo No 66 at the corner of Allende
Look for: Altura Orizaba, Altura Huatusco, Oaxaca Pluma: Tres Flechas, Loxiacha, Tres Oros.
Naolinco Day Trip 32Km from Xalapa
Overview
From the nahuatl voice Nahui-ollin, “four year seasons”, the town located 32 km away from Xalapa was in the past an enclave of the totonac people. Built over Chiconquianco saw, this place is characterized for its colonial architecture to the sight of a calm landscape. Wood craftsmanship, as the masks, as well the shoe and leather articles fabrication, are the main activities of the population.
The 20-mile drive north to Naolinco from Xalapa takes you on twisty mountain roads through the Actopan ravine. It’s like driving through the Spanish Pyrenees: colonial architecture and stunning views back down the valley of the waterfalls, vertical cliffs, and layered landscape. En route, stop at Las Flores bakery in Coacoatzintla (La Gloria No. 7, 279-842-8488) and choose from 75 different kinds of luscious breads and sweet breads made in the proprietress’s brick oven.
Naolinco, founded by Totonac Indians in 1313 then later resettled by Basques and Andalusians, has a long history of leather making. A huge statue of a cobbler greets you when you arrive, and you can find scores of shoe and boot makers throughout the village. You’ll also be treated to another distinctive local take on mole, more assertive than that found in Xico, as well as an overwhelming variety of sweets. Among them are gelatina, miniature works of psychedelic Jell-O art typically given as hostess gifts; and jamoncillo, little animal figures made of fruit, milk, and sugar, reminiscent of Spanish marzipan figures.
Eat at Restaurante Karla Josefina (a short way past the cobbler statue on the left), and try the chipotle rellenos (pork-stuffed and battered chipotles), chilatole picoso (very spicy red chile stew), and mole Naolinco (a spicier and more savory version of mole sauce).
Plan- Tour the town. Buy shoes to bring home. Photograph the town.
Costa Esmeralda (The Emerald Coast) 3 days in Monte Gordo (right between Nautla and Tecolutla) on the map this is the north point on the water. March 11th-14th
Overview
If you’re traveling, it’s nice to spend the night (and a couple of blissful days) on the nearby Costa Esmeralda (Emerald Coast). More than 28 miles of white-sand beach with little fishing towns scattered along it, running north from Veracruz, with coconut palms, palapa bars (open-sided and thatched structures), and countless fish, shrimp, and oyster shacks. You’ll find mostly locals on vacation here, hammocks, cold beer, shallow waters and small waves that make it good for swimming (not surfing), and a laid-back vibe. The best beach is between the towns of Tecolutla and Nautla. About seven miles west of Nautla on Highway 129 is a small, formerly French colonial enclave called San Rafael that’s famous for its fresh French cheeses.
Monte Gordo
Tranquil and lushly beautiful, this hot new tropical destination exudes a warm Mexican-Caribbean flair reflecting its many cultural influences — indigenous, Spanish, Afro-Caribbean and French, in particular. While everything and everyone here is laid back, the regional music, dance and its many other unique aspects give it a charmingly spicy character. The birthplace of Post-Columbian Mexico, Veracruz is where the Spanish first set foot in the New World in 1518. Predating that, Meso-America´s first civilization, the Olmecs, thrived here hundreds of years before Christ. The Totonacs followed, and their capital, El Tajin, which is now a very interesting archeological site, reached its zenith between AD 600 and 900. It seems that winning ball games was even a bigger deal back then than it is today. Life and death in fact, since the losers were sacrificed. Many pre-Columbian ball courts and ritual objects associated with the game have been found here. And in the last century, the nearest town of any size to Monte Gordo, San Rafael, was settled by French immigrants. Today, their descendants still produce the wonderful cheeses, breads and pastries that European country is known for, using the same old-fashioned methods as their ancestors.
Monte Gordo is on the Emerald Coast — a 50-kilometer-long stretch of blue-green
waters and sandy beaches fringed with super-lush vegetation on Mexico´s Gulf
Coast in the state of Veracruz. Sugar plantations and bounteous nature abound,
jungle rivers and lagoons home to a dizzying variety of exotic flora and fauna.
Plan- Relax on the beach. Enjoy the spa. Visit El Tajin. Take a jungle boat tour. Photograph the resort.
Accommodation- Hotel Azucar www.hotelazucar.com
The idea of an eco-friendly Mexican resort may sound far-fetched, but acclaimed hotelier Carlos Couturier of über-chic Habita and Deseo hotels is looking to change all that with the debut of Veracruz's first environmentally-friendly hotel. Most guests arrive via specially arranged airfare (yes, a prop-plane) from Mexcio City or a very long drive through the local mountains. The hotel name is derived from the area's sugar factories, a tribute to the eastern state's dominant industry. The decor mixes bohemian-chic and eclectic seaside sex appeal with individually selected driftwood and 1930's furnishings from Couturier's grandparents' farm. The property features an intensive holistic spa with daily yoga sessions by well-sculpted and spiritually developed locals. Not all-serious spiritual business, a hip pool area features swim-up bar and brightly colored beanbag loungers with silky-pillows. The resort is also a convenient stop for exploring El Tajín, the ninth-century ruins 30 miles to the north. While the local village is limited in dining choices, the in-house restaurant doesn't miss a beat with freshwater prawns and Latin-grooves compliments of Celia Cruz.
The seafront property features 20 whitewashed-bungalows with thatched roofs and
private terraces with organically produced hammocks. While some people initially
complain of the relatively few things to do in the area (note: this is not Playa
del Carmen), others indulge in the hotel’s charming outdoor library and football
games with the hotel staff. Guest rooms are decidedly minimal with whitewashed
concrete floor and walls, untreated wood-shutters and loft-style beds with
in-set lighting. Some rooms offer an in-set fireplace but the temperature in
Veracruz rarely justifies its use. An old-school metal fan is placed next to
bedsides as decoration and check-in angst; but luckily the hotel is fully
air-conditioned. The bathrooms are exactly what you’d expect from a boutique
hotel, small and well organized for quick solo showers.
El Tajin Ruins Day Trip- UNESCO Historic Site 30 miles from Hotel Azucar
Overview
El Tajin is a major site in the northeastern part of Mexico near the present day city of Poza Rica. Contemporary with later phases of Teotihuacan, it rose to its greatest height in the centuries following the collapse of the great pyramid city in the Antiplano in 750AD. Although most famous for its niche pyramid (pictured below), El Tajin is also significant for its remarkable stone carvings from the North and South ballcourts. These carvings frequently depict human sacrifice and are stylistically similiar to the ballcourt carvings of the Toltec section of Chichen Itza.
Most of El Tajin is still unexcavated, and the site has been heavily looted over the centuries, as Garcia Payon, the archaelogist sent by the Mexican government in the 1930s to protect the site, discovered. He was charged with the task of stopping "this lively trade in Tajin sculptures, which were even sold in the Papantla market". However, the remains still testify to an extensive urban center whose influence must have extended for many hundreds of miles to the north, south and west.
Plan- Photograph the ruins.
Boca Del Rio 2 days Suburb of Veracruz City March 14th-16th
Overview
Boca del Rio is characterized in Veracruz and Mexico because of its beautiful beaches and delicious coastal cuisine.
Plan- Relax on the beach for the last 2 days of the trip. Nightclubbing Friday and Saturday Night.
Accommodation-
Need to book the hotel. Hotel Lois or Executive Suites. We will decide during trip. Once in Veracruz we will ask around for a location to stay for the end of our trip.
Things to look for/ Buy:
Things you might consider buying to bring home: organic vanilla, vanilla beans, coffee beans, liqueurs, pulque (a locally made spirit similar to mezcal), tropical fruit jams and preserves, mole pastes, and recados (spice mixtures). All are available at most local markets; organic products are available only at the Ocelote Sunday market (see Xalapa, Markets).