Trip inland

For a change of scenery, the girls and I decided to take a day trip inland to Taxco. John had already been there, and highly recommended it. Jerry was turned off by the 4 hour (one way) bus ride and did not go. Taxco is located about three-quarters of the way between Acapulco and Mexico City, in the inland mountains at an elevation of 5,000 feet. It is renouned for it silver mines. The scenery out the bus window reminded me of the road to Yosemite. Dry rolling landscape of golden grasses and scrubby brush, with mountains rising up in the distance. Though here there is a blooming tree to provide an occasional burst of color: purple from a jackaranda, fushia from a bouganvelia, or bright yellow from a primavera.

The bus stopped at the bottom of the hill along the main road that curves around the town. We walked up a road so steep it had hand rails, up to the main square. The town has a crowded feel to it, squeezed into the flattish spaces on the hill. We had lunch at a tiny cafe overlooking the square and the main church. The steep, narrow roads and furniture made with the uphill legs shorter than the downhill legs reminded me of the hill town of Sienna in Italy. As did the proliferation of small churches tucked off of little plazuelas scattered here and there among the confusion of steep-walled streets. One thing I hadn’t mentioned about Acapulco… its hot. Really hot and humid. Taxco was refreshingly cool, and had a clean mountainy smell to the air. Nice.












Unfortunately, we couldn’t figure out what was the deal with these guys. They were on pedestals outside of an ex-convent. They sure are disturbing looking... almost enough to make me want to stay out of trouble. The thorns of brambles lashed to this one contain a lethal poison. Libby knew what it was, and we saw a tree of it growing in Papagayo park, but I can´t remember the name now. Sumac, maybe? What a lousy way to die.

We wanted to check out different parts of town, and split up, reuniting at the bus station a half hour before the bus was scheduled to leave. I was on a quest for some silver jewlery to liven up my meager selection of accessories. Audrey wanted to see a church at the top of the hill. When we met up again we all showed off our purchases and swapped tales from the day. I mentioned that I wish I had bought a churro before I left the main square. A few minutes later a churro vendor miraculously appeared. Not one to spurn the miraculous, Libby and I bought a couple of churros. For some reason, Audrey doesn’t like dough fried in grease, dipped in sugar, and sold on the street, and so declined. I though I could spend a while longer in the town, not that there was a lot to do but enjoy the atmosphere.

When we got back to the boat, Jerry asked, “How was the bus ride?” What a jerk...