22.08.
I spend the second day in Monterrey with walking around in the city center. At early afternoon, I begin to understand why some countries are held siesta. What do you do when it gets too hot? Right, you go somewhere, where it’s cool. In Monterrey you might visit the Museum of Contemporary Art. There are some exhibitions about the Now, the Yesterday and the Tomorrow. It is the first time that I enjoy the privilege of having a museum to myself. Except museum staff there are no other visitors. I for sure could have taken a nap in one of the darker rooms. Nobody would have recognized it.
23.08.
Before I leave, I see a flyer in the hostel, with various destinations. I say to myself “You have got to do something anyway” and go to the “Grutas de Garcia” about 35km from Monterrey. The Grutas are a very large cave system. Much more exciting than the Ruby Falls in the United States. Huge caves, enormous stalactites and stalagmites. Trails lead up and down. A playground for Indiana Jones.As the tour took much longer than I thought, I ditch my other plan, to drive a route through the mountains and went straight on to Saltillo.
Saltillo is very different from Monterrey. But I can only speak for the city center, where I was walking around. Monterrey, with its shopping street and its parks can be compared to european cities.
The center of Saltillo is more or less dominated by transversal and longitudinal streets. It is more like an anthill. The streets are full of life. No big supermarkets. Some of the bigger shops sell smaller motorcycles, washing machines and other equipment, often there are only five to six pieces of each kind standing around. There are many small shops, offering fruit and vegetables and other food, toy stores, shoe stores and fast food .. mexican style with Tasco and Tortillas.
24.08., 25.08.
The way to Zacatecas leads through an imposing plateau at about 2,000m above sea level. Far away on the horizon, the plateau is surrounded by mountains. Sometimes you go through one of the mountains, just to enter another wide plateau. The vegetation consists of a forest of cacti, or maybe some kind of palm tree, I don’t know. What a luck that the penguin is with me. We share the ride. When he is driving, I take a short nap in one of the panniers. On routes like this, I always wonder, how far I can get until the light, that tells you that you run out of gas, lights up. I did 430km. On average, I make 350 to 370km. At around 400 km, the joy changed to uncertainty. Is the light broken? Especially when there are only a few gas stations. These are the small things I occupy myself on long lonely rides. :-)
At some part of the route, there were giant grasshopers on the street. Those, hit by cars, were eaten by the other ones.
Zacatecas is located at about 2,500 m above sea level, nestled between mountains. The source of the wealth of the city is a silver mine, which was excavated for almost 400 years. That was until around 1960. Now the wealth seems to successfully come from tourism. There are many large churches and, maybe, even more museums.
The city is characterized by narrow streets, alleys and steps … so many steps. On many corners of the streets you can find mini-stores, only a few square meters in size. They offer the most necessary things. Sometimes craftsmen, like tailors or shoemakers, are running their business in one those small rooms.
I overcome an altitude difference of around 250m to “La Bufa”, the highest elevation, with a church, a museum, mausoleum, etc. You also can take a teleférico, a cable car, from the other side of the city. My heart is racing during the ascent. Can it be that you get out of breath like that on an altitude of 2,500m above sea level? Or is it just me?
Police is very present in Zacatecas too. But, in comparison to Monterrey and Saltillo, the windows and doors of the houses are not barred. This makes the city a lot more friendly. It looks like I spend more time underground than above. I do the silver mine tour in Zacatecas too. Bur for the equivalent of 2 to 5 EUR entrance fee or admission you pay, you can afford to do a lot of things.
Upon arrival at the hostel, Hostal Villa Colonial Cassot, they took immediately pictures of me and added them to their Facebook page. They told me, that a lot of motorcyclists stop here. It was not until a month ago, that two Austrians stayed here too. So I’m not the only one Austrian who is traveling by motorbike in this area. They asked me if I wanted a beer. For sure, after a long ride I could have a small bottle of beer. He puts a 1.2l bottle on the desk. “This is for you.” A great place to stay.
In the hostel I also meet Henry again, or Enrique, what his real name is. I met Henry in the hostel in Monterrey. He is around 60 years old and a notary. His first wife deceased, he is divorced from the second one, as he told me. Now he is traveling through the country. He asked me where I am going and told me tips for each place. It seems like he has been everywhere. Every now and then he does a job .. translations, advice on legal matters. He knows the people of the hostels very well, stayed there for a couple of times.
On one of the public places clowns were starting with their program in the late afternoon. Street vendors were selling cotton candy and other sweets. The place was full with families with their young children. The jugglers did their jokes until late into the darkness.
So far I did not see a dangerous Mexico. Mostly happy and friendly people.
Thank you for reading, Jürgen.
Leave a Reply