Hotel – El Tajin – Puebla Mexico D.F

We woke up at about half past nine today, and started getting ready to set off for Puebla, via El Tajin. In true mexican style, after sitting around chatting and generally fannying about, we finally set off about an hour later, under the guidance of our newly made Mexican friends and with the most people we had ever had in the car. Probably not a great idea for our low undercarriage and already knackered suspension, but people have to come before machines. After filling up the tank, we set off in search of yet another ruin, El Tajin. Because clearly we haven't seen enough ruins! Thankfully, it was pretty well signposted, and we were soon reassured that we were on the right road. The road though, unfortunately, was pretty poor, and had some of the most horrendous speed bumps that we had ever encountered. Even after Nicky was schooled in how to drive over them, there were still a couple that hurt, and one that we could actually feel through the floor in the back of the car.

El Tajin turned out to be worth our visit. As we arrived, before we even entered the site, there were some guys in traditional dress starting to do some kind of dance. What at first seemed to be a boring ritual became more interesting when they climbed to the top of an eighty foot pole, tied themselves on by the feet, and jumped off upside down, being lowered by the rope which was slowly unravelling from where they had wound it around the tower. After watching (and rather cheekily being charged for) this, we got in to the site itself. It was a bit different to others we had visited, seeming to be slightly more advanced, with paved floors and gutters, and some pretty cool temples. We wandered round for an hour or so and set off for Puebla.

All seemed to be going ok on the road to Puebla, until we came to a town where the map indicated that there should be a junction. After getting briefly lost in the town, we were directed down a few different roads, some of which was closed, finally settling on one that seemed to be going in the right direction. It wasn't, and to cut a long story short, we ended up on the toll road to D.F. If someone who lives there can't find it, what chance did we have? Thankfully, the two people who were catching a ride with us had family in the capital, and a place for at least some of us to stay. We eventually arrived at Robert's cousin Claudia's house, where Nicky stayed, since he had the least money, and Mai and I went off with Robert and another of his cousins to find a hotel. After finding a sufficiently cheap and decent one, we went for a few beers and some tacos before finally getting to bed. A rather annoying day, really, but at least we didn't end up in the arse-end of nowhere like last time. Quite the opposite in fact, we ended up in the world's biggest city with a rapidly growing network of new friends. It could have been worse!

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2. Mexico D.F.
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4. Oaxaca – Veracruz : Dodge Dynasty Delight
5. Dancing in Mexico