Mexico – for the 2nd

06.09.2023: We cross the border in Nogales. After a quick, uncomplicated border crossing, we get 20 Kilometers beyond the border our tourist card was issued: we can now do it again 180 Stay in this beautiful country for days !!!!

We already know our way around here, head specifically for the small town of Magdalena de Kino, promenade on the church square, treat ourselves to an ice cream and park behind the sports field. After a hot night – temperatures only drop at night 26 degrees down – Let's drive the long way the next day, boring route to the Gulf of California – how nice, after over 3 months back at the sea ! The water temperature now has the character of a bathtub, it hardly cools you down. We park right on the water behind the holiday resort of San Carlos, Of course we are not alone here, many Mexicans spend the day on the beach. In addition to the high temperatures, there is also extreme humidity, everything is clammy and damp, nothing dries anymore. The boys find it very difficult to cope with this climate, We hope, that they get used to it a bit over time 🙁

2 We stay here for days, have fun watching the colorful beach life: at least get out of the approaching cars 7-8 people, all packed with the obligatory freezer, parasol, Plastic- and bags of chips. Music shouldn't be missing either, Mexican folk music resonates everywhere. The locals love their music more than anything, American pop music is rarely heard from the speakers. It gets really loud on Friday evenings: 2 A pickup truck with a huge loudspeaker is parked meters next to us, with 20 People are having a party – until at 23.00 Our ears are ringing, then suddenly there is peace. About a hundred beer cans remain, that were carelessly thrown onto the floor. After a little garbage collection, we go to sleep, are happy about the peace and quiet. Early in the morning the pickup trucks arrive again with the diving equipment, A short time later the divers also appear. Alright, There is a lot to see and it won't be boring. In the evening we eat at the beach bar “Cocos” – all dishes are served in a battered coconut, the coconut meat is the basis, on top there are camarones, pulp or other.

6 Weeks of waiting in Culiacan

We leave the coast on Sunday, drive into the mountains – in the hope, that it is a little cooler there. The heat is just as merciless here, The town of Alamos compensates us for this with its nice atmosphere. After a stroll through the city and the strenuous climb to the Mirador, we watch the evening hustle and bustle in the Plaza de Armas: Motorbikes circle around here, ATVs, Riders on nervous horses, souped-up sports cars, Carriages for tourists and buses for locals pass the square, some come all 5 Minutes over again – that's very funny. We vote: Of all the Pueblos Magicos, we like Alamos, we've seen so far, preferably.

Montag, the 11. September (and, the date rings immediately) – a driving day is coming up: about 400 We drive kilometer to Culiacan to the tried and tested Walmart parking lot. In the evening we spontaneously receive a visit from our Mexican friends Joel and Griselda, they want to know everything, what we have experienced in the last few weeks. It's going to be a very nice evening, We’re about to be invited to theirs “country estate”.

Tuesday – Saturday: Henriette spends her days in the workshop, gets a new alternator, a new starter and a new relay, Löcher, from which compressed air escapes, are stuffed and a new box is made for the batteries by the locksmith. In Phoenix we needed new batteries, they are bigger than the old ones, so nothing fit anymore. Hans-Peter helps the mechanic with advice, Tat, Tools and small parts such as screws, because there is hardly any material in the workshops. You drive to the nearest Ferreteria for every single screw, that seems to be normal here.

In the meantime I spend my time with the boys in the pretty desolate parks, Due to the heat there is hardly any water in the river, everything is dry and dusty. The boys can follow 11 Clock hardly runs anymore, the asphalt becomes too hot. One morning, after a long search, we found a veterinarian, the boys get their annual vaccination, that was short- and painless. Every now and then we struggle to find an Oxxo, Here there is a bottle of ice-cold water for the furry animals, that cools nicely from the inside. In the evening we spend the night in the Walmart parking lot, later in the parking lot of the botanical garden. I feel like Saturday, as if I had been living on the streets for weeks: dirty, sweaty and smelly, Then in the afternoon a drunk guy tried to kill me on a park bench, to pull the handbag away with all his might, I am totally shocked and horrified. Luckily, other Mexicans came to help, who then beat the guy up – not a nice experience, my mood is finally in the basement.

Hans-Peter stays until 17.30 Clock in the locksmith's shop, So with a heavy heart we have to cancel our invitation from Jorge and Griselda: We no longer want to drive to Los Souces in the dark – injury! Without further ado, we decide, us for 2 Rent a room in the hotel for days – an excellent idea. Tres Rios is a few meters next to Walmart, has a large parking lot, a swimming pool and air-conditioned rooms. After an hour shower and 12 Sleeping for hours in a fresh bed and a cool room makes us feel like a new person. The boys are sleeping too 24 Hours totally calm and relaxed – what a boon.

18.09.2023: a pitch black Monday: Hans-Peter has another appointment in the workshop in the morning because of the compressed air leak. In fact, the culprit can be convicted: a small part, which controls the supply to the brakes. It is broken and needs to be replaced – actually not that dramatic, but the spare part is (who would have thought) not in stock and must be ordered – should in 2 weeks to arrive :(. Our mood rattles into the basement, We have to let that sink in first. On me, you can still drive by car, after a short discussion it is clear, we have to get out of town. Bought some supplies, The engine is already purring and we head straight towards the mountains. To 300 Kilometers we reach the old MEX 40, one of our favorite routes here. Here we take a breather: the temperature is just 18 City – perfect for a relaxed sleep. We continue to the Parque Natural Mexiquillo, We spent a night here at Easter. There's nothing going on at all, we have the whole thing, great park just for us. Water flows in the waterfall, everything looks completely different. It rains heavily at night, it cannot be denied, It's rainy season in Mexico.

After a cool night, rays of sunshine and a cloudless sky wake us up – that just calls for a long morning walk. We get a nice visit at lunchtime: Max from Berlin, who rides the Panamericana alone on his motorcycle, come and see us. We talk over coffee, a sudden shower of rain interrupts us, doesn't matter – We continue our conversation comfortably in the car. Before it gets dark, Max has to get to his hotel in Durango, So we say goodbye to the nice young man. Henriette is now standing in the middle of huge puddles, that's what she's back for (fast) sauber.

The sun also delights us the next morning, perfect for a short tour through the great landscape. The journey continues on the old MEX40 to Durango, Once you get there, finding a parking space is difficult: We won't get to the place we're aiming for, a low bridge blocks the way, We can't drive around it. We don't like the parking lot at Walmart either, in the middle of the main street and everything is narrow ?? The decision is made quickly: we go to Balneario San Juan, We were already here at Easter, a nice place. Enrique, the owner, is coming to us soon, he is pleased, that we come back. Like last time, we are the only campers, ab 18.00 clock, when the last guests of the day leave the swimming pool, we have all the pools to ourselves. Genial, So we splash around in the hot pool under the moonlight !! The temperatures are perfect, 30 degrees during the day, it cools down at night 15 degrees, It's easy to endure there.

We also use the laundry service, Laundry dropped off in the evening, On the next day, sauber, dry and folded back !! Hans-Peter is busy with our storage boxes, which collect the water after the rain and seem to slowly fall apart ??? After rearranging several times, lighter utensils are now stowed there, To be on the safe side, my husband screws the box together with solid iron brackets. It's all right, if you have enough tools and spare parts on board !!

Of course we also take a trip to the pretty town of Durango, the little streets with the many, Low-hanging cables above allow sweat to bubble from every pore. Later we enjoy the hot pool again and decide, again 3 to extend days.

The next 2 We spend days swimming in the hot pools at night (we discovered another pool, where the water is even hotter :)), sonnen, laze around, read and go for a little walk.

We leave clean pores on Tuesdays, the 26.09.2023, this nice place and drive 30 kilometers in a southerly direction. Lt. According to our research there is a small waterfall here, El Satito Waterfall ?? In fact, we come to a huge one, completely empty parking lot with a small cash register in front of it, numbers converted 80 Cent entrance fee and can admire the waterfalls all by yourself. It really is a very pretty place, with huge mangrove trees along the shore. Only the huge amount of rubbish lying around spoils the beautiful picture – sometimes you really can't understand it. You can find such beautiful places – But there are an incredible number of plastic bottles everywhere, beer cans, Bags of chips and scraps of toilet paper ?? That doesn't bother the Mexicans at all ???

Our next stop is in Nombre de Dios, ebenfalls Magic Town, the – partly in ruins – Mission churches are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The small town disappointed us a little, everything is extinct, dilapidated and poorly maintained. After a tour of the... 3 Churches, We look for a parking space a little outside via the Plaza de Armas and through a few side streets.

There is a good option on a stream bank, except the one above 10 With the neighbor's dog yapping for hours, it's totally quiet here. There is no information about our spare part yet, So we'll just stay here another night.

Supplies are running out, so we drive back to Durango and head for Walmart. All purchases on board, we continue to the north of the city. According to Google, there is a small volcano here, den El Jagüey Volcano. The surroundings turn out to be very beautiful, the volcano, on the other hand, is just a small green hill. There is neither a sign nor a place to park, 5 Kilometers further we simply turn onto the next dirt road in the middle of nowhere.

Except for a few buzzing around, You can't hear any annoying flies here at all, the temperatures are also perfect, In the evening we actually have to put on long trousers and a jacket so as not to freeze.

When we walk in the morning we discover so many beautiful flowers, partly also plants, which are sold at home as balcony flowers – Everything grows wild and unbridled here !! We also find many abandoned buildings, Walls and tunnels – what was mined here? – we have no idea ??

Saturday, the 30.09.2023: there is new news from home: now we are unexpectedly and surprisingly 4. Became a grandma and grandpa: Ida, a sweet one, little Ridgeback girl has moved in with Franzi and Hannes !! Welcome little Ida !! My mom would definitely have been happy, that her name will be carried on in the family 🙂

We now want to take a look at the volcano – this is turning out to be more difficult than expected: there is no sign anywhere, Many green hills look like volcanoes and there are only dirt roads everywhere. Do not pull, on the third attempt we find a slope, which leads to a sign – and lo and behold, es ist unser anvisierter El Jagüey Volcano. Under difficult conditions – the infamous goat hats poke through your socks in seconds – let's walk to the crater lake, Of course, Quappo has to bathe in the green broth straight away, somehow it smells a bit strong afterwards !! Henriette stands perfectly on the edge of the crater, so we vote and decide unanimously, without abstentions, to spend Saturday evening here.

A few locals are curious and come to visit us. With our few bits of Duolingu Spanish we have a hard time communicating, drink a can of Tecate together and everyone is happy – International understanding is that easy. In the afternoon dark clouds suddenly appear, the wind flares up into a violent storm, There is lightning and thunder in the distance. We will be spared for a long time, but then it also pours down on us, We hear the staccato of raindrops all night long.

The next morning the fields look transformed: everything is greener, the bean plants stand in the ranks like soldiers – impressive, what such rain does here. We drive past the freshly washed fields to John Wayne's former ranch: The Hollywood star actually had one here in the late 1960s 1.500 acre ranch called “The Jewel” bought. Countless films were made, How “Two glorious bandits”, “Bandit”, “Big Jake”, “Chisum” and “The Train Robbers”. After his death, the ranch returned to the Mexican family. The current owner, Armando, lives and muddles here with his family and offers parking spaces.

We park our Henriette on the far corner of the impressive canyon, climb the path to the waterfall “Tinajas Waterfalls”. Unfortunately not a single drop comes down the mountain, It's probably too dry at the moment. The surroundings are beautiful, if you look closer, you can also discover the Indians, that lurk behind every bush :). In the evening we watch the western in the awareness of this historic place “Two glorious bandits” an – no idea, when was the last time we saw a western?, but it was funny !!!

03.10.2023, Holiday in Germany – we make our way to the film site: Armando is happy, to see us, We take a closer look at the western town in peace and all alone. Hans-Peter stays in the saloon a little too long, He ate something (?), is the land leider am Galgen – sad !!!

Unfortunately, our supplies are running low again, so we have to go back to the city, to buy some supplies and fill up on water.

After shopping we decide, to go to Eduardo's hot pools again. We now know our way around here quite well, almost like at home. There is actually another camper on the site – a huge bus from a totally unfriendly person, French family with 3 children, 2 dogs and 2 Cats. They don't say hello, look away immediately – a very unusual one, unpleasant behavior. On me, we just leave them alone and ignore them too. Only Quappo is very interested in the cat, which is always under the bus 🙂

There is still no information about our spare part, But that's what my molar is calling for !! I lost the filling on the flight from Frankfurt to San Francisco, I have successfully suppressed this fact in the last few weeks. Now the tooth returns with clear signs, a dull pain throbs ?? After a restless night, I ask Eduardo, whether he knows a dentist in Durango. And yes, an hour later he comes with the good news, that his cousin has to take his son to the dentist this afternoon, because a wire broke off the brace. Eric, the dentist is your uncle's friend and you can recommend him to me!! So a short time later I drive into town with the two of them, I'm very excited, what awaits me. The practice is not recognizable as such from the outside, There is at least a dentist's chair in the treatment room (which already calms me down), a large couch and a huge TV. My driver makes himself comfortable on the sofa with a mobile game, Eric takes a close look at my dental disaster and his son interprets everything. It explains to me, that Eric can renew the filling, but he thinks so, it would be better, to crown the tooth straight away. Said, did, I quickly decide on the solution with the crown. The tooth is anesthetized, sanded down, an impression is taken – I'm already done. A colleague assured me, that he will make the new crown by tomorrow (it is Friday afternoon) and it can be used tomorrow – what a service.

Also, The next day we go back to the practice, The new crown is ready and half an hour later it sits perfectly, The whole thing cost 200,– € !! I would like to thank Eric very satisfied and relieved, We'll take another photo and I hope, that I don't have to come back for the time being.

Can it actually get any worse? ??? And, it can: since 3 Days it drizzles all day, a blanket of gray clouds hangs over us. Actually not that dramatic, but we no longer produce electricity – At some point we no longer have any power at all. D.h. we can't cook, no light, no charging of cell phone – nothing works anymore. Our mood is slowly falling below freezing point. Oh yes, How can it be otherwise?: the stock market also closed this week…….. ??

Only swimming in the really hot hot pool twice a day improves your mood. And we are a bit lucky: There is a small restaurant in the Balneario, That way we don't have to starve !!

Montag, 09.10. Let's finally say goodbye to the Balneario in hope, that our replacement part will arrive this week. So we drive the beautiful MEX in the rain 40 back towards Mazatlan, find a nice place in the forest, go for a walk with the dogs in the drizzle. Despite driving, we still have no power, Charging through the alternator probably doesn't work either. The sun should shine a bit on the coast, So the next day we continue to the beach in Mazatlan. At least the temperatures are back 30 City, A long walk on the beach calms our nerves. In the evening we receive the next bad news: The replacement part shouldn't arrive until next week, Unfortunately they made a mistake – I'm sorry, what? ?????

Now we don't care about anything, we try, somehow the beach, to enjoy the sea and the palm trees. The idea is slowly maturing, that we simply abandon our trip, ship the car to Germany, had everything repaired and went on tour again six months later ?? Does that make sense – We really don't know right now ???

After a gray beach day it seems Friday, to the 13.11. the sun all day: our batteries are being charged and at least the power problem is solved for now. Otherwise it says: wait …….wait ………wait ……. !!!!!

We actually have to go shopping, But we don't feel like it, to leave our place. This is how the emergency reserves are used up, That's enough for the next day. We pass the time sunbathing, swim, go for a walk and – oh yes with waiting 🙂

It doesn't help anymore, Today we have to buy a few things. In the next town, Stone Island, There is an Abarrotes shop and an Oxxo – Perfect, So we can spend the next day waiting here.

There's a lot going on on the beach today, lots of ATVs, Quads and other fun vehicles compete in small races, In the distance you can see a large group of riders, that is coming to us. The walk turns out to be a gauntlet run, We'll happily go back to the car. But something is strange ?? Henriette honks and lights up ??? Did we miss something? ?? After a short sprint we arrive, Hans-Peter put everything away and let the engine warm up. In the meantime he was visited by an angry local, who said, it would all be private, We shouldn't stand here for another second, the police have already been informed ?? Oh I, We actually don't feel like doing that at all, We leave this place as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, the sun has just set, Where should we find somewhere to stay overnight? ?? renamed by the Teutonic Order, to drive to the Walmart parking lot in Mazatlan, there are usually no angry property owners. The distance until then is around 30 Kilometer, that should be manageable. Should – In fact, the route is turning into a ghost train. Motorcycles drive on the highway, Trucks and other vehicles without lights, a hard emergency brake saves us from this, on an unlit excavator, the one with 30 km/h chugging around. There was a lot of rattling in the interior, At the moment we don't care, The main thing now is not to have another accident !! Pretty drenched in sweat (That wasn't just due to the heat) we reach Walmart, look around, what was rumbling in the interior: our Starlink antenna fell off the bed and onto the floor, Fortunately, the furry animals were not killed by her.

On me, everything went well again, The antenna did suffer a small crack, but still works.

Sunday, 15.10. We are taking advantage of the opportunity and completely stocking up on supplies. It's far too hot to stroll through Mazatlan again, So we make our way to the next beach spot near Barras de Piaxtla.

There is a cozy corner here, In any case, we are not on private property. Every now and then a vehicle comes by, They usually stop for a short time, look at the sea, throw a few beer cans out of the car and drive on. In the evening the mosquitoes don't give us a chance, we retreat inside. A bang startles us – what was that now? ?? There's a car with drunk people driving outside, The roaring Mexicans came very close to us – they shot ?? We have no idea, what that's supposed to be, a few minutes later we hear the vehicle drive away. There are now more cars parked down on the beach, People walk along the pitch-black beach with flashlights – everything very strange ??

At some point calm returns and our eyes close. The next day everything looks completely peaceful, we speculate, that the night owls may have been looking for turtles yesterday ?? We find broken eggs ??

Otherwise one (fast) more unspectacular, quiet day. As I said, almost: At lunchtime I want to take a dip in the sea, I just lie on my back for a moment, to rock a bit – The shore is suddenly quite far away. I try to swim back in a panic, but the next wave always pulls me out to sea. Oh Gott, what am I doing? ?? Nobody seems to hear my scream, so I pull myself together, consider, what to do. On one side there is a stone bank, I'm trying to save myself there. Sure enough, after what feels like an eternity, I feel a rock under my feet, cling to it. So I'm slowly working my way out of this monster wave, I do have a few scratches on my legs, but am happy, to have ground under your feet again. The current here is really extreme and treacherous, You can't tell from the beach.

Low point and another low point

There is still no news of our spare part………

To relax, we later walk to the pretty Arcor de Ventana and the small Mirador – actually a nice environment here !!

We spend Tuesday and Wednesday without any news of our spare part – We are slowly adjusting to it, to spend the next weekend here too 🙁

It really sucks, quite a low point of the trip !!

What did I say? ?? Low point ?? no, That wasn't the lowest point yet, it actually goes deeper than that :): We have no news of our replacement part by Friday, A few locals come to us for this, which protects us from the hurricane “Norma” warn. We should leave, It could be dangerous right on the beach. It is beautiful 16.30 clock, We can't drive far anymore. So we decide, to drive up a small hill to the Mirador, there were opportunities to stand. Henriette finds a flat spot, the ground seems solid, so everything is good ??

Camper pitches to stand alone – Raining is an understatement: it feels, as if we had parked directly under a high-pressure shower head. The view out the window in the morning confirms our worst fears: we are standing in the middle of a lake ?? We let the boys out for a moment to pee, everything is wet and dirty in seconds.

Also, nothing but get away and go back to civilization. Unfortunately, our next fears also come true: Henriette can't get out of the dirt, she sank in the mud. The next 4 We are busy for hours: Shovel the wheels, Place mats underneath, Get out snow chains – the whole program. A vigorous workout for my husband, the mud is incredibly tough and clayey, the shovel weighs three times as much after a minute, the mats and snow chains as well – the clay is really very clingy. Luckily, at some point we made it out with a lot of momentum – We ourselves now look like dirty pigs.

We barely reach the highway, it's raining again. We wisely booked a hotel room in Culiacan, after half an hour of showering we feel (fast) back to normal. A quick walk around the block, then sleep first.

Sunday, the 22.10.2023 – there was something?? Yes done, our big one is coming today 36, We have to call right away. See Jacob and Kea, brightens our mood a bit. Otherwise it rains constantly, no one can find the stopcock !!

Good news for that: the replacement part actually arrived, we can hardly believe it. The bad news immediately afterwards: probably remains tomorrow (and the day after tomorrow) the workshop closed due to flooding – This could actually just be a joke – or ???????????

That was the absolute lowest point – we are excited 🙂

Clear, The workshop will be closed on Monday due to flooding – In fact, some of the streets are closed, the power went out, Shops closed – There is a state of emergency here. There is one good thing in the day: In the evening we meet Joel and Griselda for dinner and spend a really nice evening together in the chic new restaurant Balbina.

Tuesday, the 24.10.2023 – Miracles still happen ! Our spare part is installed, versus 14.00 o'clock everything is done, Henriette is allowed back on the street. We want to drive as far south as possible today – We at least make it to the Walmart in Mazatlan. The toll road 15d is in a catastrophic condition due to the rain of the last few days, Hans-Peter is busy with this most of the time, to avoid the potholes.

Shortly before Mazatlan there was a strange noise – what was that? ?? In the parking lot, Hans-Peter discovers the person who caused the rattling: Part of the battery box holder has broken off – Apparently we still haven't reached rock bottom ?

Immediately after breakfast, my husband gets to work on it, to take a closer look at the damage: Unfortunately it's not that simple, the bracket must be welded on ?? This diagnosis has finally finished me off and I'm close to a nervous breakdown, the tears just can't be stopped. A nice local comes by, is on the phone right away, to locate a welder. Our friend Jorge from Culiacan also works tirelessly, to locate someone. Help actually arrives towards the afternoon: a welder from Mazatlan looks at the problem and takes away the broken bracket. He wants to bring us the repaired part back tomorrow morning – d.h. so another night at the Walmart. A few crazy young men also come by, they ask, whether you can shoot a video of us and our truck tomorrow ??

All right then, In fact, the mechanics come to us on time the next day and, with their combined efforts, the box is firmly installed on the vehicle, that should really hold now. In between come the three crazy young men, turn frantically, turned up, funny and loud a few videos from us – they really brighten our mood. So around noon 2. Attempt, to get further south. This time we'll manage something 200 km, of course with a new problem (How can it be otherwise? ??) – The air conditioning in the driver's cab gave up the ghost. A little thing like that doesn't bother us anymore, we just roll down the window. We set up camp for the night in the parking lot of a Pemex gas station, We sleep very well despite the traffic noise.

Tequila with Lynn and Phil

On Friday we reach the nice town of Tequila and are happy, when we spot another MAN in the parking lot. It's Lynn and Phil, We have already met the two Englishmen briefly in Culiacan. We get to know each other better over a beer and quickly find out, that the wavelength is correct. Unfortunately, a sudden thunderstorm interrupts our nice round, but the next morning the conversation continues.

28.10.2023 – another birthday needs to be celebrated: our big one is coming today 6 year old – Some delicious sausages are due. Later, Frodo is allowed to continue partying in the town of Tequila, a perfect location for a day out !! Lynn and Phil signed up for a tour of a distillery, we continue towards Lake Chapala. Clear, Let's stay in touch and promise, that we will see each other again soon.

Our real goal, a parking space on the lakeshore, turns out to be unattainable for us: our girl is just too big for that !! It feels like the cables and wires in the side streets are all hanging up 2,5 m – Even with the best will in the world, we can't get through it. Even on the main street we often come into contact, with bated breath we see the cables wobbling in the rearview mirror. In the next larger town, Chapala, we are lucky to make it to the Malecon and find a really nice parking space on a large meadow. We take advantage of the chance to take a stroll through town on Saturday evening and look forward to the colorful hustle and bustle on the lakeshore. Crowds of people jostle along the countless stands here, you can find everything here, We feel connected to the city right away – a bit like a Spanish coastal town. Hunger slowly sets in and with it the next problem: Mexicans probably all eat in the afternoon, In the evening the restaurants are usually closed 19.00 Clock closed. A landlord takes pity on us and turns the stove on again just for us – we're happy. The ordered molcajete with a mix of meat, Vegetables, Cheese and shrimp is super delicious, For us it's really the best dish in Mexico.

The next morning there is a lot of hustle and bustle around us again: the adjacent sports park is well attended, a baseball tournament is taking place, there are also tennis matches, avid runners and dog walkers.

As we continue our journey we experience a few police checks again, everyone is nice and uncomplicated. Shortly before our destination, however, we are stopped again by a police officer, which draws our attention to it, that we were driving in the wrong lane. He wants a punishment for that 1.000 Collect pesos ?? We have no idea, what we did wrong in the first place ?? Another vehicle stops, joins the discussion with a few bits of English. The police officer refuses to budge, he definitely wants money from us. To 10 We give him a minute of negotiation 200 Peso note, after a moment's hesitation he takes it, puts it in his pocket and lets us drive on. I'm sure the bill will be submerged in a few cervezas this evening. In any case, we learned, that you have to negotiate with the police – We should really practice this more.

See you again with Charly and Denise

Shortly afterwards we turn off to Santa Elena, it feels, like coming home !! We are very happy, Seeing Denise and Charly again, There is a lot to tell about the last few weeks. We've barely made ourselves comfortable, we hear another truck approaching – how nice, Lynn and Phil also ended up here. The joy of seeing each other again is great, Chairs and tables are immediately unpacked and toasted with a beer. In the evening we go out for a delicious meal together at Charly's, end the evening with a glass of wine in front of the car.

Hans-Peter discovered it yesterday, that the V-belt on the air conditioning compressor has broken, that needs to be repaired. Phil offers to help, Meanwhile, Lynn and I walk with the dogs to the lookout point at the cross. After a long time, our washing machine is being used again, because we have enough water and sun, she can right away 5 run one after the other. Changing the V-belt is more difficult than expected, fast 6 The men work non-stop for hours. But at some point everything fits, the engine starts again and the air conditioning works again – a successful day. We end the evening together outside, However, fatigue soon overcomes us, Such a working day is exhausting.

31.10.2023 – one last lap in the cool pool, then we pack up. It is difficult for us to say goodbye to all the people we love, they were so beautiful, relaxing days here. We reach Paracho in the late afternoon, ein Magic Town, which is world-famous for its guitar making. We wisely park Henriette at the entrance to the town, stroll to the church square, where hundreds of skeletons and catrinas walk around. the “Days of the Dead” are celebrated extensively here in the area, Here we get a first taste of it.

Days of Death

The Day of the Dead is anything but a mourning event for Mexicans. On the night of 31.10 – 01.11. the souls of the deceased children come back, whereas the following night the souls of the adults are received. However, at midnight the dead have to return to the afterlife and people eagerly await the coming year, when they can visit their families again.

Marigolds are sold everywhere, a real yellow sea of ​​flowers, wherever you look. Beautiful altars for the deceased (Offerings) are constructed, decorated with photos, your favorite drink and favorite food and of course hundreds of candles. There are of course plenty of food stalls here, so our kitchen stays cold today.

The round 70 Kilometers the next morning lead through many small villages and over hundreds of Topeze – sometimes you get really annoyed by these things. We reach Patzcuaro around midday, a small town on the lake of the same name. It was our plan, standing at the ferry port, However, we quickly discover on the way there, that this is not a good idea: Hundreds of coaches travel in this direction, there is not a millimeter of space left. Henriette struggles back towards the city center, we leave them in the supermarket parking lot, ask when shopping, whether we can stay here for the night and get the OK from a friendly grim reaper. We had read in the travel guide, that the Dias de Muertes are celebrated particularly extensively here, but that there are actually soooooooo many people here, we didn't expect. There is a dense crowd in the main square, it's like notch, May market and Hessentag together. Stalls everywhere, Masked people everywhere, Tacos everywhere, Churros and cervezas – all decorated with millions of marigolds – a colorful one, lively, happy and chaotic hustle and bustle.

After so many impressions, we treat ourselves to a little break in the car, before we make our way to the harbor at dusk. Today everyone wants to go to the small island of Janitzio, to celebrate the Night of the Dead at the cemetery and the statue of Jose Morelos, The boats leave every minute on this day.

The crowd here really cannot be described: there is a kilometer-long queue of people, to get tickets for the ferry to Janitzio Island, the next, There is no less a long queue to get on the boats – we are really fascinated.

renamed by the Teutonic Order, that we will look at the island another time, eat another delicious torta and make our way back. To 12 Kilometers of walking and the unbelievable number of impressions make us fall into bed dead tired.

The next day on the way to Tzintzantzun (no, we are not in China), we stop briefly at the cemetery of Tzurumutaro – Here too, all the graves are beautifully decorated, people eat, drink and chat with their dead, you don't feel any sadness, but above all a celebration of life and the memory of the loved ones who have died. Once again this country surprises and delights us !

When we arrived in Tzintzuntzan we were stopped by the police at the entrance to the town, everything is already cordoned off, We have no way to get to our parking space. An enterprising local takes his chance and offers us, to park in his yard. Clear, this is a perfect place for us, So we arrange Henriette between the old cabinets in his carpentry shop. Now briefly the business part: the owner wants 1.000 Pesos from us – that is a utopian price. On me, Finally we come to an agreement 300 Pesos, everyone is satisfied. Five minutes later we stroll through the small town, Here too, everything is ceremoniously decorated with student flowers, Catrinas, Skeletons and skulls can be found everywhere in all variations. There is also a colorful market here with various handicrafts, Kitsch, food- and beverage offerings.

We also pay a visit to the Yacatas de Tzintzuntzan, You can see the ruins of the ceremonial center of the ancient capital of the Purepecha, seven yacatas, Pyramids typical of the region with slightly stepped side walls.

In the evening we make our way to the cemetery, Meanwhile, the furry friends are snoring in the car. At night everything looks great, very solemn, a real goosebumps feeling. A band plays at one of the graves, we also eat here, drank, laughed and danced – it is unique. At the end of the day we fortify ourselves with tacos, try a Michelada with it (a mixed beer drink with salt, Lime juice, Tabaso sauce and Maggi – really not our taste) and a mezcalita (a cocktail made from lemonade juice and mezcal, tastes a little better :))

Friday, the 03.11.2023 – Peace has returned to the village, the stands have been dismantled, the trash has been swept up, everything goes its normal way. So today we make our way to the island of Janitzio. After a short boat ride we reach the small island, climb the incredibly steep ones 400 Stairs up to the Mirador and the really extremely ugly statue of freedom fighter Jose Morelos. When we reach the top, the usual tacos await us, Churro, Micheladas and kitsch stalls and pretty lake views. But the poverty of the residents is shocking even by Mexican standards, the dirt and garbage everywhere, the begging children scare us here.

In the evening we find a great place at the Yacatas of Ihuatzio, We receive visits from friendly people until nightfall, curious locals.

Morelia

On Saturday we head to Morelia, a large city with over 600.000 residents. Brilliantly, there is a huge one, Free parking next to a city park, From here we walk to the city center in about half an hour. In fact, we can no longer stop being amazed, Morelia really turns out to be a very sophisticated woman, spacious and pretty city, It almost reminds us of Rome because of the high density of churches. Again we are on our feet all day, all the sights run, discover at least 15 newlyweds, who exchange vows today and spend the rest of the evening with their feet up on the sofa.

Monarch Mariposa Sanctuary

Now we feel like some peace and nature, so we drive up into the mountains 3.200 m zu den Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary. Up to a billion monarch butterflies overwinter here from November to March each year – a great spectacle. The phenomenal migration behavior of butterflies, how they are on the up to 4.500 Orientate a kilometer-long journey, cannot yet be completely clarified by science. Because of its short lifespan, each individual butterfly can only cover a partial distance. The females lay their eggs along the way, The hatched caterpillars pupate and a short time later the young monarch butterflies continue their journey and arrive back in the northern USA and Canada in late spring.

The landscape is beautiful, the temperatures are very pleasant. Unfortunately, dogs are not allowed in the sanctuary, So we just have to split up: On the first day, Hans-Peter is allowed to visit the butterflies, I'll do the tour the next day. Unfortunately, not that many copies have arrived yet, They probably sank in the rest areas on their way here from Canada. All the same, it is incredibly beautiful, the boys run across the meadows full of exuberance, We look forward to a warming campfire.

The next day I set off to see the butterflies in bright sunshine – Shortly behind the entrance I am surrounded by the pretty animals. When I arrive at the Mirador, I see hundreds of butterflies buzzing around in the sky, it is an incredibly beautiful experience, you can watch the Mariposas for hours, I am completely thrilled and fascinated. Back at the parking spot, there are now a lot of fluttering men buzzing over our heads ! Yesterday a passing car asked us, whether we want Mexican food – We jumped on it straight away. So today we wait for the delivery service and we actually get our food (Mushroom soup and vegetarian tacos) delivered. There is a small problem with payment: the lady demands 390 Pesos – an incredibly overpriced price for local conditions. I already want to give everything back, Suddenly she's there 100 Pesos agreed ?? We have encountered this behavior a few times now, you don't really understand it ??

When we walk through the meadows we discover so many pretty plants:

Temple and more temple

Tuesday, the 07.11.2023, we leave this enchanting piece of earth, go to Toluca to do some shopping and then want to – actually – Stay overnight at the Teotenango temple complex. Unfortunately nothing will come of this, the facility is in the middle of town, the parking lot is already closed and there is no option, Henriette to park somewhere. We laboriously make it out of the small maze of streets and try, to find a place to stand somewhere outside. This turns out to be very difficult, the streets, that go off to the right and left, only lead to the next house, the dirt roads are so wet, that we are happy to do without it and so it is already dawning, until we finally found a suitable option: a parking lot in front of the entrance to Malinalco. The policeman, who is currently standing there with his vehicle, we ask and get a friendly nod. By the way, today we drove more Topes than ever before- an absolute horror.

A violent thunderstorm hits us at night, how happy we are, that we didn't turn onto any dirt road – that would have been another mud fight. The next morning we take advantage of the opportunity, We look at the town and are very pleasantly surprised: it has the addition “magic town” really deserved.

A huge Augustinian convent from the year 1540 characterizes the main square, A few streets further away is the entrance to an archaeological excavation site. This time I'm setting off alone (Dogs are not allowed), felt like climbing 500 Up the stairs until I reach the Aztec cult site. This facility was built around 1515, The rock temple is a unique structure in Mesoamerica. In my mind I feel sorry for the construction workers back then, who had to drag every stone up here !

We continue to the temples of Xochicalco, for the route from 40 We need over km 1,5 hours, We stopped counting at the hundredth topes, it's really unbelievable. The place by the lake, which we found in iOverlander, was not passable with our high Henriette, so we see below the temple.

Xochicalco: a wonderful facility, that you really have to admire. This time we visit both (dog-related one after the other) the temples and are really excited. A little information about it: The fortified city of Xochicalco was built in the period shortly after the decline of Teotihuacan (100 v Chr. – 650 n Chr.) built. Although the flowering period is only about 700 until 900 n. Chr. lasted, Because of its splendor and high cultural development, Xochicalco is considered the most important center of the Late Classic in the Central American highlands. The ethnic origin of the residents is unknown. a 900 n. Chr. the city was burned down, destroyed and abruptly abandoned. The city was built according to a complex plan on a 130 m high elevation and was with a maximum extent of 4 square kilometers, the most densely populated place in Mesoamerica at the time.

The most magnificent residential areas and religious sites were in the upper part and were obviously not accessible to everyone, The simplest accommodation, however, was on the lower terraces, which testifies to a strict differentiation and separation of social classes. There was a sophisticated system of drainage and storage of water in cisterns, as well as large storage facilities for corn and other foodstuffs. As in other places in Mesoamerica, there were two main deities in Xochicalco: that of the earth and that of the wind and water.

Then we continue, after 30 We already have kilometers 139 Topes behind us, then there is a detour, which we are not allowed to drive due to the low cables. The police are closing the street for us, lets us back out again. We stop, to count the topes :). In the next city, Cuernavaca, we come across a demonstration – you call on politicians, to finish a job that has been started (Money has apparently become tight and the Mexican president has to sign an approval). After waiting for an hour we continue ! The designated overnight spot in Lagunas de Zempoala NP is closed – injury, because it is a beautiful forest area. Desperate, because it's getting dark again, we drive to a liquid gas plant. First it says yes, we can stand here, But later this will be corrected and we have to 2 Drive kilometer further to a police station. We are safe here, but unfortunately right on the street. On me, it will work for the night.

Visit to Erik in Jilotepec

At iOverlander we discover an entry for a parking space, which is currently being built by a young German. We will contact Erik in advance, whether we can come to him with our fat Henriette – and, he says, no problem. We actually make it to the small place and shortly afterwards Erik himself arrives, to welcome us. He'll show us around soon, We stop by the neighbors Raul and Denis, A beer is also included, everyone is really nice. We arrange to go on a hike together the next day, Erik brings his girlfriend Ruby and his furry friend Luxi with him, People and dogs get along great. There is a great climbing garden here, which is very well attended today on Sunday. Hiking is known to make you hungry and thirsty, So we spend the evening in a nearby restaurant. In a large group of young people, the hamburger and the Indian taste twice as good.

On Mondays Erik and Ruby take time for us again, we scramble together to the summit cross. Unfortunately it's a bit foggy, but nonetheless we enjoy the spectacular view. Erik knows this area very well, can explain and tell us a lot. He is ahead 5 I got stuck here years ago when traveling in a camper through Mexico and you quickly notice, how much he loves his new home. Later we say goodbye to the two likeable young people, the 2 Days together were a lot of fun.

In the afternoon we reach the pretty EcoAlberto square, a wonderful green meadow on the Rio Tula. A herd of goats is already waiting for us, then willingly makes room for us- Otherwise we are all alone here. The next morning we cross the suspension bridge – The two boys are not entirely comfortable with this ??

Unfortunately, the sun only appears very sparsely the next day, we use the morning, to explore the area a bit and do laundry.

Tolantongo Caves

Another trip over countless tops ! When we arrived at the Grutas, we were immediately fascinated by the landscape – a rugged mountain world all around, The winding road down is not for the faint of heart. Shortly before the entrance we find a place to spend the night, are in the park itself – again 🙁 – no dogs allowed. Next to us is a French woman and a young couple from Spain – we communicate in the most widely spoken language in the world: bad English :)! The next morning we meet a young German couple next to us, Annie and Florian, who give us good tips for the Grutas. Our furry friends find their little Chihuahua girl very interesting – I'm a little scared about that, that our clumsy Quappo accidentally steps on them. We now know, drive through the entrance gate with Henriette and the boys and can explore the entire area.

Tonal tone: “Hometown, where it feels warm” – that's what the Nahua people called, that populated the area here, this cookie. Due to a printing error in the 70s it became Tolantongo. Hot water bubbles into the caves from the rock walls and ceiling, ripples down the slope and continues to flow turquoise through the gorge, that's how you felt 3 Kilometer-long swimming pool. The slopes are nestled in total 46 Thermal pool with pleasantly warm water, everyone finds their own little pool. Luckily we are here during the week, It must be really crowded on the weekend – The Mexicans love this place very much – with the whole family, the “normal” picnic- and camping equipment, the days off are spent here.

A really very special spa experience ! We enjoy this special bathing establishment and feel really clean afterwards !!

In the afternoon we continue to the small El Chico National Park – Here we find ourselves in the middle of the forests 3.000 m height again. It is wonderful – but really bitter cold ! After a totally quiet night and a quick morning coffee, we hike to the waterfall – unfortunately without water ! We can hardly tear ourselves away, But then we decide, to drive to Teotihuacan. A distance of just under 90 Kilometer – However, our Erna picks out the extra narrow streets covered with cables for us again. So we almost need it 3 hours, until we reach our destination !!

Teotihuacan

17.11.2023 – when there are no clouds, blue sky we set off to the largest temple complex in Mexico – Teotihuacan – the dimensions are really enormous!! The area was ready since the sixth century BC. Chr. permanently inhabited. between 100 and 650 n. Chr. formed the city's dominant cultural, economic and military center of Mesoamerica. It was by far the largest city in its time (around 200.000 Resident) on the American continent and one of the largest in the world !! Since Teotihuacan did not know a written language, Archaeologists are still unraveling this culture today – really exciting. From about 650 their importance faded, until they are over 750 was largely abandoned for reasons that are not fully understood.

The path first takes us to the Temple of Quetzalcoatl, then on the huge one “Street of the Dead” along to the Pyramid of the Sun, at least that one 3. largest pyramid in the world. Countless traders offer their goods along the street, a huge range of obsidian objects, Schmuck, Ceramic figures, colorful scarves and sombreros are looking for their buyer. At the end of the Street of the Dead you reach the Moon Pyramid, it was built around a century after the Pyramid of the Sun. After visiting this massive facility, we feel our feet – knapp 10 We marched for kilometers in the ruins ! In the evening we treat ourselves to a visit to a restaurant (not that easy, because most restaurants close when the tourist buses leave) with a delicious Mexican cactus lasagna, a cold beer and finally an irresistible chocolate cake.

Our contingent of highlights has not yet been exhausted !!! Today we get up very early for once – a 5.00 Our alarm clock rings. Everything is attracted, what the closet has to offer – with 6 It's quite fresh right now. And then….. a breathtaking hot air balloon flight over the ruined city. What can I say: it's simply unbelievable, fantastic, fascinating and goosebump-inducing beautiful !!! We float at sunrise over old and new Mexican landscapes, circle the Sun Pyramid, it goes up and down with the air currents, We are accompanied by around 50 others, colorful balloons. The weather is perfect, the organization too (We had a much more unprofessional flight in Germany), Landing also goes smoothly. Afterwards a glass of champagne to toast, a certificate and a very tasty one, typical Mexican breakfast (You really don't need anything to eat for the rest of the day ::) It was really a dream – you could have continued to float for hours – I think, the photos speak for themselves !!

We stay at this place the next day, they run 2 Kilometers to the city center of Teotihuacan, explore the small market, the church and the plaza. In the evening our car is surrounded by many white taxis, Apparently everyone gets together to celebrate. Clear, is drunk heavily, the music turned up, danced, laughed, eaten – until shortly before 22.00 o'clock the last car leaves (You can easily drive here with a few cervezas)

El Tajin

Since we are already in the area, we have decided, to take a detour east and look at the El Tajin temple complex. On Sundays we come to Tejocotal, find a parking space on a larger lake. An old Mexican woman comes out of the hut behind us, she is happy, that we are standing here and is eagerly talking to us – However, we really don't understand anything, but that doesn't bother her. In the morning we are greeted by one of the many cockerels (mixed with barking dogs) awakened. The onward journey doesn't start well: We accidentally turn onto a two-lane road from the wrong side – Hans-Peter immediately puts the car in reverse, gets Henriette back on the right track – tel, that was exciting. Luckily there was no police car nearby !!! Let's treat Henriette to the paid motorway today – a really great driving experience, 80 km/h to be able to drive without any topics !! This way we get to our destination on time, However, shortly beforehand the police get in our way ?? Once again we are waved out by a motorcycle, Apparently trucks are not allowed to drive on this road. Hans-Peter argues with the police for an hour (3 Reinforcements have arrived), At some point they agree on a fine of 2.000 Pesos (around 100,– Euro). We're pretty tuned in….. – no one follows any rules here, you go along 4 People on mopeds, the cars drive at night without lights, overtake on the right, left and best in the blind curve, no one is wearing a seatbelt ………. It feels like only the tourists are being ripped off !! But good, That's just how it is here, We try to put that out of our minds right away.

Despite the unpleasant experience, we are also impressed by this facility: this city was built in 1. century B.C. Chr. probably founded by the Totonacs. The place experienced its heyday 700 – 900 n. Chr. , versus 1.200 Was he left for reasons that have not yet been clarified?. abandoned. The niche pyramid is particularly striking, she has 365 Niches, which is most likely meant to symbolize a solar year. El Tajin is also known for its ball courts, around 10 Places have so far been discovered here. It is accepted, that in the ball games either the losers or winners were then beheaded – this ritual sacrifice was considered a great honor. How well, that today the Bundesliga players are only applauded or booed, even if it's not that honorable !!!

Our parking space compensates us for the stupid experience: we end up with Luis, the owner of the Xanath Reserva Ecologica – a really little paradise right here in the middle “Rainforest”. The next morning Luis shows us around his garden, shows us, how vanilla grows, explains many other exotic plants and insects to us. A really nice and very interesting man, we were able to learn a lot of new things. Now quickly fill the water tank, We're heading west again.

Tuesday, 21.11.2023: somehow I completely misjudged the area: We really are in no man's land here and in the middle of the jungle: We drive through lush landscapes on the narrowest of serpentine roads, it goes steeply uphill and downhill. Soon we'll notice, that our around 90 A destination kilometer away cannot be reached before dusk – we come with average 15 km/h forward. There is a place to stay overnight right next to the road – I'll quickly go for a walk. However, it comes 15 Minutes later the call from my husband: I should come back, the police are already waiting !!!! I can not believe it, but the police are just friendly and enlighten us, that it wasn't safe here. They bring us 5 Kilometers further to a safe place, other place and promise, to take care of us tonight – that reconciles us with the law enforcement officers – 10 Points for this great campaign !!

The weather report has it (Unfortunately) predicted correctly: Cold snap on 22.11. !! I like to put on my long pants and thick jacket in the morning, it's cool, foggy and a few drops fall from the sky. For the others 40 We need kilometers 1,5 hours, again it goes up and down, in between countless potholes and – who would have thought – Tops in all variations. We reach the Cascadas La Gloria around midday, a great, We have a large meadow all to ourselves. We're about to make our way to the waterfalls, the untamed one, wild vegetation all around is fantastic.

Cantona

It gets very chilly in the evening, the heating can work again. A local comes by during breakfast, who wants to cash in on us again – we explain to him, that we had paid the day before and at some point he leaves us alone. So we continue on the small winding roads through the foggy jungle. Fifty kilometers later we are back in a completely different landscape: there are large fields here, wide valleys – we have left the rainforest behind us. Our goal for today: the archaeological site of Cantona. For the first time we are allowed to take the dogs inside, the facility is huge, we are the only visitors right now. We don't have to pay admission either, no idea why. Fast 2 We need hours for the circular route – it really was once a huge city, alone 24 Ball courts have so far been excavated here. Twelve of them were designed as an architectural group with a pyramid at one end. Lt. Wikipedia estimates an area of ​​for the settlement 12 square kilometers indicated, the city planning and construction differed from most other Mesoamerican cities. There was, probably due to the uneven terrain of the lava flow, no symmetry of the system. the very densely living population of up to 100.000 Residents lived in up to 8.000 Residential units, which were separated from each other by high walls made of broken lava rock in the form of dry stone walls. The inner-city connection was ensured by a wide and complex network of narrow streets.

Unfortunately they won't let us spend the night in the parking lot, So we drive a little further to the Malinche National Park. With 4.420 m, this is one of the highest volcanoes in Mexico, You can probably climb it easily too. Incomprehensibly, there is an absolute ban on dogs in this park, this is how we smuggle ours 2 (with a bit of a bad conscience) just one. Otherwise, the overnight spot in the forest is super relaxed and quiet !

The park rangers don't even want to let us out of the park the next morning, they write down the license plate number, talk on the phone pompously – Panic is slowly rising in me! At some point they pull together and open the barrier for us – tel, everything went well !!

Cholula

Friday, the 24.11.2023: As we continue our journey we see all three volcanoes in bright sunshine: den Malinche, the Popocatepetl and the Iztaccihuatl – a wonderful view. Shortly afterwards we reach the Pueblo Magico town of Cholula, find a perfect parking space right next to the pyramid and immediately set off on an exploration tour. We immediately succumb to the charm of this pretty place, everything is colorful here, cheerful, tidy: There are nice restaurants and shops in the small streets, The large parks serve as the perfect dog meadow, Furry friends of all sizes and colors frolic happily here – Frodo and Quappo are in dog heaven.

The church of Nuestra Senora de los Remedios towers above the city on the largest pyramid in the world by volume. The construction of the pyramid began from 3. century B.C. Chr. , then it was up to about 750 n. Chr. Various peoples continued to work on this building. The scientists have found out, that the pyramid all 52 years was expanded. After the Spanish conquest, 16 The large church was built on the top of the pyramid in the 19th century.

Even after the Conquista, Cholula still remained a holy city, because she has 38 (!!!!!) Churches, which, according to legend, together 365 Have domes. We haven't checked it, but the density of churches here is truly unbelievable.

We've barely returned from our stroll through the city, we hear another vehicle parked next to us ?? A big white brother of Henriette: the MAN from Marcus and Natascha from Cologne. We are very happy, meeting the two here by chance, We had Marcus in mind 5 Met at the Bimobil open day years ago. Of course there is a lot to tell, so we decide, to spend the evening together in a nice restaurant. The next morning I get the small sourdough starter from Marcus “Jose” hand over – hopefully Jose grows and thrives well with us.

Popocatepetl

After saying goodbye to the two nice people from Cologne, we pack our things and set off on the tour to Popocatepetl. The asphalt road ends after a few kilometers and we find ourselves on a tough off-road route. Above 12 The rocking and bumping goes on for kilometers, everything is shaken up. Arrived at the top, we can control the chaos, that opens before our eyes, can't believe: the parking lot is hopelessly overcrowded, the vehicles are parked all over the place, it is almost impossible to get through. Somehow we make it onto a small dirt road, which should lead to a park. On the way, Henriette takes a few Christmas decorations with her – Equipped with fir branches and exhausted, we reach the Parque Ecologico Apatlaco. At least we're standing up here 3.600 m, At night it gets frosty and in the morning we already have hoarfrost on the grass. There is also a lot of activity here: Hundreds of cars parked, there is the usual taco- and drinks stands, Ziplines, Ride horses, Pedal boating and a go-kart track – a huge spectacle. A young Mexican enlightens us: This weekend half of Mexico City will probably be heading out, to buy a Christmas tree – and here there are the largest fir tree plantations in all of Mexico. We're really exhausted, We didn't expect a soul.

We decide the next morning, to leave early, to get out of this traffic chaos. And yes, it is the same picture again as the day before: the parking lot was completely full, Hans-Peter works with full concentration, to get Henriette through it. Once a few bystanders help, to push a Mustang parked on the curve a few meters forward – otherwise we wouldn't have gotten past without a scratch. As we continue down the mountain we see an incredible number of cars, Motorbikes and bicycles welcome – They all want to get into the crowded parking lot ???

We are so happy, than us from above, have narrow serpentine roads behind us to the right and left, Even the tops don't bother us anymore. We can drive a few relaxed kilometers, Here we are again standing in narrow streets on the way to our parking space in Chalcatzingo, decorated with dangling power cables – it is despairing. Exhausted, we finally reach a small parking lot and take a breather. We decided not to visit the archaeological excavation site: no dogs allowed !!! So we just walk around the village and look for a more Henriette-friendly emergency lane for tomorrow !!!!

It's worked out: The next morning we first look at the temple over the fence, then we can do it, Easily find the exit to the main road around the village. The further journey on the MEX 160 surprises us: a really good road, little topes and no tolls – what more do you want. We find our overnight spot in a dry riverbed, of course comes later 10 Minutes later the first Mexican passed by, who asks us, whether everything is okay. No matter what nowhere we are standing in, Someone always comes by here – it seems, we would have installed a magnet. But the people are really super friendly and ask 10 times, whether everything is okay or whether we need help – super sweet !!

Tuesday, the 28.11.2023 – we drive the MEX190 further south. The road leads through inhospitable cactus terrain, Nothing really seems to be thriving here. The route is very scenic, the serpentine route is in good condition, there are surprisingly few tops! Bei Tamazulapam of Progress (the names of the towns are truly unpronounceable – How are you supposed to remember that?) we find a nice lonely place – Of course, after half an hour a friendly local also comes by, who asks, whether we have a problem ????

Oaxaca

Her reputation precedes her – We've heard it so many times: You will like Oaxaca – this is a really beautiful city – our expectations are accordingly high :). Like so often, our planning does not prove to be effective. We head for our overnight spot in the middle of the city bustle: the entrance to the parking lot, which is supposed to be suitable for large vehicles, is absolutely narrow and winding, It is immediately clear to us, that we don't fit in here – everything is fully parked, Taxis jostle around us, Motorcycles and pedestrians – oh Gott, nothing but get out of this hustle and bustle. Back on the next major road, take a deep breath !!! Also, An alternative plan must be found quickly – We drive straight to the campsite in the next village of Santa Maria del Tule. The place seems like paradise to us: there is a pool with wonderfully refreshing water, hot showers and a large washing machine – what more does the camper heart want, We'll book straight away 3 take. In the evening we take a leisurely stroll to the village square, The supposedly largest tree in the world is located here: a really huge bald cypress, which has been around 2.000 Shaded the place for years. The tree has a diameter of 14 m, a scope of 58 m and is round 42 m hoch – so really huge. We satisfy our hunger in a nice pizzeria – the pizza is also amazing !! A real beginner's mistake, Here in Mexico you're really not allowed to have any 2 Order pizzas – the pieces are as big as wagon wheels and impossible for even the hungriest to eat. But no problem, We'll let us pack up the rest, So dinner for tomorrow is already secured.

The next day we enjoy the luxury: the washing machine will 2 x loaded, We take a long shower and splash around in the pool. In the evening a chat with the Swiss neighbors, with the German neighbors from Cologne, a little stroll and a cool cerveza – a relaxing day!

01.12.2023 – the first door in the Advent calendar !!! We jump into the fray: After a cup of coffee we head into town. Not that easy, to find a taxi for us and the ponies – but a nice driver takes pity on us. Arrived in the center of Oaxaca – You're immediately overwhelmed with impressions: Markets on every corner, Churches, crowds, Scents, Colors……………… Everything at Zolaca is decorated for Christmas, Thousands of poinsettias have been planted, There are fir trees on every corner – Despite everything, I don't get into the Christmas spirit at all.

The former monastery- and Mission Church of Santo Domingo de Guzman is one of the most impressive buildings of its kind. she has belonged since 1979 as part of the historic city center a UNESCO World Heritage Site. She's so flashy on the inside, that it is already disgusting.

At the Mercado Benito Juarez you can experience colors- and smell rush – there is simply nothing, what you can't buy here. Frodo and Quappo are also excited, There are carnercerias everywhere, cute (or less nice ones) Street dogs and lots of news on every corner.

A special drink from the Oaxaca area is Tejate – a soft drink made from corn and cocoa, that the Aztecs are said to have drunk !! Of course this has to come at a cost – not necessarily my favorite drink, but very interesting !!

To 4 For hours we are saturated with so many impressions – We start looking for a taxi for the return journey. Unfortunately, there are a lot of fully occupied vehicles coming our way, After half an hour our nerves are on edge. Finally a collectivo is found, that takes us with it – but at twice the price !! All the same, we are happy, that we are back in our village. In the evening you can cool off in the beautiful pool and put your feet up.

On Saturdays we start the day slowly, we decide, to extend another day here on the CP. Beauty care is on the agenda later: showers, Swimming in the pool, Yoga…… The fur animals also receive treatment: they are showered under protest, shampooed and creamed – they look like new !!! In the afternoon we go for a walk around the town, find a really nice Lokas and eat delicious specialties: black mole with pork, There is also a house spirit Mezcal. Mole negro from Oaxaca is a typical sauce around here, which are made from a variety of ingredients such as roasted chilies, Chocolates, nuts, Flavors, spices, Fruits and vegetables are produced. Everyone here has their own secret recipe, which of course won't be revealed. The sauce definitely tastes very tasty, delicious, I can confirm that.

We pack up on Sundays, the Sunday market in Tlacolula, a close 20 A small village kilometers away, is on the plan. The market is very original, the providers come from the surrounding villages, are dressed very traditionally and everything is on offer, what the garden, the sewing room and the workshop has to offer. Like all markets, it is colorful here too, chaotic, according to – simply a feast for the eyes. I think, the photos speak for themselves:

By the way, we ourselves are an eye-catcher everywhere: everyone turns to look at our ponies, we stand out like white elephants !! Now more photos, I just couldn't decide

So, these are really the last ones:

To 2 For hours all senses are saturated, we drive a few kilometers further to Mitla. We will look at the archaeological excavation tomorrow, Today we'll settle for that, through the many small stalls, which are set up here in front of the church, to stroll.

So after breakfast we head to the excavation site, as always, one after the other, because dogs are not allowed. The relatively small exposure surprised us positively: Those from the Zapotecs 200 n. Chr. The buildings built show special friezes. They are worked as a mosaic and consist of up to 100.000 separate, precisely crafted stones. Different patterns can be seen, These reliefs probably really had no meaning, special were intended purely as decoration. The patterns are varied, creative and very beautifully pronounced. The researchers assume so, that Mitla was a palace city, where even the dead were buried in underground burial chambers, the palaces are recreated.

In the year 1494 Aztecs conquered Mitla and sacked the city. When the Spanish later took over the place, they had trouble, to assert oneself against the original faith and to missionize people. To fix the problem, They built new churches on the foundations of old temples, They used the torn down cult buildings as building material.

After this journey into the past, we move on to another highlight: Boil the water. It is very well known in the area among locals and tourists alike and is always well attended. What's remarkable for such an attraction is the way to get there: first a fantastic one, well-developed road, then you swing to a small one, narrow gravel road with countless potholes and tops – we thought so, we would have taken a wrong turn ?? But no, this is the official route, Even the large coaches have to travel over this bumpy route. There are countless small mezcal dishes along the way“The factory”, the agaves are pressed using donkey power. The gray long-eared bats have to walk in a small circle all day long, your heart bleeds, to see that.

After around 10 Kilometers you then arrive at your destination dusty and shaken: a large parking lot and the usual food stalls, Drinks and souvenirs. Luckily we can (even with dogs) stand here overnight, This means we can admire the complex late in the evening and early in the morning without crowds of visitors.

The name means “boiling water”, although the water from the bubbling mineral springs is rather fresh (22 City) is. It is supersaturated with calcium carbonate and other minerals, has been running over terraces with small natural pools to a rocky edge for thousands of years. In the places, where the water runs down the edge, Beautiful formations have formed over time through deposits. From a distance they look like large waterfalls. Up to 30 m high are these petrified ones, impressive natural phenomena in different shades of ocher. Up close they look like stalactites, that grew upside down.

In the two larger pools (There was a little help from humans) you can bathe – Of course I won't miss that !! The water is also said to have healing effects – that's how I hit 2 Flying with one stone: enjoy the cool water, the phenomenal view and do something for my health !! On the way back we fortify ourselves at a Tlayudas stand – as it turns out, are these (who would have thought) smaller tacos with bean meat and guacamole – Anyway, they taste delicious.

The next morning we get up quite early for once, to enjoy the sunrise and swimming alone in the pool – a great start to the day !!! After breakfast, the parking lot fills up constantly, so we decide, to clear the field.

On the way back to Oaxaca we make a short stop in the weaving village: Teotitlan del Valle, There is actually at least one loom in every house here. We note with surprise, that predominantly men do this craft. We really like the pretty carpets in beautiful colors and great patterns, but unfortunately we simply don't have space to store these souvenirs. So we only buy a mini-mini carpet as decoration for Henriette.

In the evening we venture into the city traffic of Oaxaca again, to get to the Soriana supermarket. Important supplies such as dog food and beer cans must first be replenished there. Because you can stand here overnight, Let's just stay where we are – However, it will be a very loud night. Some kind of alarm goes off every few minutes – That can't be true now. To 2 The alarm still goes off for hours ?? We're getting to the bottom of the matter: There is a pillar in the parking lot, from which a caustic siren sounds every few minutes – we do not know, what this is supposed to be good for ?? Possibly to keep uninvited overnight guests away ?? This thing is really really annoying, So we park again and stand a few meters further back. The stupid siren isn't quite as loud here anymore, So we sleep reasonably well.

Back to the Pacific

06.12.2023 – St. Nicholas Day !! Thanks to the care of Hans-Peter's former employee Reinhold Winderl (he read our blog, that we don't have a Christmas spirit :)) Christmas feelings are starting to emerge now. Because of our same passion for Lindenstrasse, he sent us old videos of the series, where Helga Beimer once again lets her ravens burn – thank you for these nice memories !!

After so much city and culture, we feel like going to the beach and the sea again: This can be implemented very quickly in Mexico !! On the winding MEX 131 we drive slowly towards the coast. A nice place to stay overnight can be found in San Sebastian de las Grutas, surrounded by forest and meadows. After a wonderfully quiet night, we even discovered the Grutas the next morning: a huge cave, that you can easily walk into alone – impressive !!

Around midday we continue up and down the mountain via many hairpin bends – Hundreds of decorated vehicles are coming towards us in the opposite lane ??? We research, what that could be – and lo and behold, we find out, that on 08.12.2023 the festival is celebrated in honor of the Virgin Juquila. The town is on our way, Let's see, what else we experience there. Today we will spend the night on a small meadow in the village of San Cristobal, right next to MEX 131.

The next day we see countless more, with flowers, Vehicles decorated with altars and images of the Virgin Mary, Motorcyclists with shrines on their backs, sweating cyclists, Torch runners and pilgrims walking – everyone is probably on the way to becoming a virgin. Let's think for a moment, to drive into the mountain village of Juquila – But already at the entrance to the town there is colorful chaos, We'd rather leave it like that. In the afternoon we reach the coast, find a restaurant at the Manialtepec lagoon, where you can stand overnight. Bioluminescence can be observed at this lagoon, Of course we want to look at that. So after a little dog walk in the restaurant we fortify ourselves with camarones, then we wait for our boat. At first we are disappointed – you only see the dark water, nothing lights up ?? But our boatman takes us to the right places, shows us, that we should put our hands in the water – and lots of tiny, glowing droplets bubble up. I can even go swimming – the water is very warm – and with the swimming movements everything around me lights up – it is fascinating. Unfortunately, the cell phone cannot be made to do this, to capture this natural phenomenon – Everything on the screen remains dark black. After a good hour we are back again, the boys are happy, as if we 3 been on the road for years.

Saturday morning, 09.12.2023, Let's take a quick look, what's going on at home !!! Johanna and Franzi have planned a surprise party for Lukas, We had to trick him into doing this with a pretext/white lie, that today he “Handyman” unlocks the door in Erfelden. Apparently everything worked out fine, Lukas had no idea, what is waiting for him at home – I would say: Surprise succeeded !!

Ten kilometers behind the lagoon we come to the Pacific, a lonely spot on the beach near a turtle sanctuary is waiting for us. The peace and quiet is magnificent, we'll make ourselves comfortable, lazy day !! Against 18.00 We walk to the shelter station and see some people standing in front of the large palapa from afar. To our question, what is happening here, a very nice one explains to us, young Mexican woman in perfect English this project. At a length of 27 Kilometers of trying to protect the turtles here, by taking the eggs from the nests and placing them in the locked station. Aid organization employees patrol the beach every night, to prevent the eggs from being stolen. Turtle eggs are considered a delicacy and sexual enhancer by the older generation in Mexico, so that the nests are often plundered. When the little animals go 40 – 70days hatched, they are accompanied on their way into the water.

Anyone who wants, For a small donation, you can carry a baby yourself to the starting point and then let it crawl out of the shell – clear, we want to do that too. So shortly afterwards we have a basket with us 2 Babies in hand and help them start their new life. They're both so cute, immediately run in the right direction, However, they are thrown back a few times by the waves, but continue rowing bravely, until they disappear into the vast Pacific. Such a beautiful experience, it really makes your heart open.

We'll read it later, that it from 1.000 Only one can create baby turtles, to come back to this place. Like many other animals, they come back to the place of their birth, in order to lay eggs there again – already very impressive, how that works ! Shortly before midnight we walk along the beach a few meters from our parking space and can hardly believe our luck: we find a mama turtle, which is currently laying its eggs !!! This is really a very impressive spectacle !! After about half an hour she seems to be finished, She fills the pit with sand, everything rolls off and then disappears again into the high waves.

Sunday, the 10.12.2023 – Today is the second Advent, Unfortunately we cannot light a candle – it would melt away in no time. The sun shines with full force from the sky, We duck into Henriette's shadow, Jump into the water every now and then and order a few Christmas presents on Amazon 🙂

On Monday we pack our things and go into town to shop. In Puerto Escondido there is a nice supermarket with a delicious bakery department – I would love to take everything here with me. We can't find a suitable place in the city itself, everything is very touristy, we can only park directly at the restaurants and bars. The next place, The one we are heading for is too narrow shortly before the destination – the trees come from above and the side, Henriette just doesn't fit in. That's how it works 10 Kilometers further to El Tomatal, Here we discover a perfect beach spot - right on the water, Kilometers of sandy beach - what more could you want. You can also swim quite well here, the water is flat and the waves are not that violent. We are in contact with Bodyduck, we wanted to meet them both here in the corner, because they are traveling on the same route. Also, Location announced – everything is running. Emese and Zsolt arrive with us on Tuesday, the joy is great. It will be told soon, looked at cars, a , respectively. drank several beers and hey presto 1.30 clock at night.

On our beach walk the next morning, we see a young girl, which has a large basket on the beach and lets small baby turtles go free. We find one of the little guys 100 Pedal further in the sand – he was washed back by the waves. We take him to the car, so Emese and Zsolt can admire the little guy. He'll be named right away “Willi” baptized and together we accompany him on his way into the depths of the Pacific. The two Swiss/Hungarians are so nice, that we decide at short notice, to spend another day together. It won't be boring for a second, everyone has so much to say, that time goes by far too quickly.

Unfortunately, the two of them announced themselves at Charly's for Christmas, injury, otherwise we would have liked to spend the days together. But, That's just how it is with travel life, You always meet nice people and then have to part again. Photos are taken quickly on Wednesdays, All numbers are exchanged and everyone continues in a different direction. Our destination for today is Mazunte, a small fishing village, that turned into a hippie – Hotspot has changed. There are an incredible number of restaurants here, small hotels, stores, Saftbars, Yoga courses, Meditating and painting, Work of art – simply everything, what you can think of. There is entry at every corner- and built over it, some buildings have fallen apart again – everyone does, what he wants. There are boats on the beach, who go out for snorkeling and fishing, one restaurant follows the next, there is a lot of hustle and bustle.

In the evening we arranged to meet Steffi and Karsten from Dino-Adventure, The two of them are currently busy building a small hotel here. we “know” the two from Instagram and YouTube, nun, since we are in the area, the opportunity presents itself, to meet in person. The two young people are super friendly and uncomplicated, They also know the best pizzeria in Mazunte. The pizza is by far the best, which we have eaten on the trip so far, simply super delicious !!!

The next morning we look at the place, the turtle station (which is unfortunately completely run down) and the hotel construction by Steffi and Karsten. We have every respect for this task: it's a big one, winding building, everything has to be hauled up with manpower, the heat burns mercilessly on the back ….. really a huge challenge.

Saint Augustine

There's a bit too much hustle and bustle in this pretty town for us, So we make our way to San Agustin. Emese and Zsolt had raved to us about the Chuparosa RV site, We want to spend a few days here. We immediately like it here, the people are all nice and relaxed, Our dogs are allowed to roam around all day without a leash, there is a small pool, a washing machine and a shared kitchen. The place is pretty too, We will work on this in the next few days.

After we get into the first 2 Have looked around here for days, we decide, to stay in this little paradise until Christmas. The place is nice, there are small shops, where you can buy essentials, It's nice to swim in the bay and the dogs can run around on the beach next door. Speaking of dogs: the operators of the place, Hannele and John – Canadian, who have escaped the cold – We have two very friendly dogs ourselves, plus there's Harry, a 17 year old grandpa, who slowly walks across the square and then there is Onyx – the great love of Quappo and Frodo. Our furry animals were from the first second, when the girl hopped out of the car in love !!! So there is something for everyone.

In the evening we go to one of the countless restaurants to eat camarones, They actually only differ in the different tablecloths – otherwise they look completely the same: Plastic stacking chairs, Thatched roofs and the menu has the same offerings everywhere 🙂

Christmas is like Easter here in Mexico: All the locals spend these days on the beach with all their luggage, every centimeter of sand is occupied. More people are coming to our small town every day, The many restaurants are filling up and the excursion boats are also fully booked.

We spend the next few days leisurely walking on the beach, snorkeling, read, Cook……… feels really good !! On Thursdays we drive to the neighboring town in John's small car, to shop. On the way we find a really nice vet, who gives our two boys a fresh rabies injection and draws the liquid out of Frodo's tail. Both behave perfectly as always, no one flinches or cries. Then we go to the supermarket: I feel like I'm at home: the store is packed, Apparently everyone is shopping for the holidays these days.

22.12.2023 – Now I get a Christmas fit and decide, to bake some cookies. Christmas doesn't really work without rum cakes :). It takes me hours to make a few cookies in our mini oven, but we have enough time.

23.12.2023 – Final spurt, the glaze is applied to the cookies, sent the last Christmas greetings, Christmas bonus transferred – we are ready !!!!

24.12.2023 – In fact, there is still some Christmas stress at our nice campsite – at the morning meeting, the group states, that we had too much dessert, but don't have a salad for the community Christmas dinner. So walk into the village again, Get carrots and cucumbers. Hans-Peter is busy chopping, the tables are put together, decorated with flowers and fairy lights – it looks super nice, everyone helps. In between, of course, there are phone calls to the family at home, we are very happy, that everyone is doing well and everyone is having a nice evening.

In the evening everything is perfect: the food tastes wonderful, everyone contributed something delicious. We fill our bellies until midnight, this is accompanied by drinking, told, laughed…… simply a wonderful evening.

Everyone takes the next day slowly, Everything is quickly cleaned up. After morning coffee we hike a long morning walk to the lagoon, Let the sun and warmth lull us later and enjoy another day in paradise. In the evening Maryan has, our fellow camper from Quebec, invited to a singing bowl concert – We don't need to be told that twice. She has an amazingly large amount of equipment in her camper and enchants us with a wide variety of sounds and resonances. Very impressive, how long the sounds resonate !!! Later, Susan gets her ukulele and spreads the mood with well-known sing-along songs – another perfect Christmas Eve.

So, We've been in this little paradise for eleven days now, it's about time, to move a little further. It is with heavy hearts that we say goodbye to Elli, If, Katrina, Adrian, Susan, David, B.J., Andrea, John, Hannele, Kris and Andreas – it was really nice with you !!!!! Until we said goodbye to everyone, it's already midday – but then let's go.

We continue to Chiapas

Around 3,5 Hours later we reach our destination: the little one, abandoned Guiengola archaeological site, a fortress- and cult site of the Zapotecs, which dates from the late fifteenth century. The last few kilometers are adventurous, the way one, On the right it goes steeply downhill, no one is allowed to come towards you. With Hans-Peter's help, Henriette manages to arrive safely at the small parking lot, we are sure, it will be a quiet night !!

Sure enough, the next morning a motorcycle drives past us – as it turns out, is this an employee of the tourism authority. He obediently writes down our names and addresses in his little book and asks, whether he should show us the way. We say no, march off alone and get around 40 Minutes later at the destination. There is actually an impressive temple complex here, a large ball court and many walls of collapsed houses – we are impressed. The nice Mexican Louis caught up with us at the entrance for a few minutes, he really wants to show us more things: so we discover another temple, several graves and a great mirador. On the way back Louis explains to us (in Spanish !) still, which plants are used as medicines and what they are used against – We understand him a little, We'll figure out the rest. Back at the car, Louis gets a tip from us, He thanks you for that with a big grin on his face.

On the way back the slope is still narrow and steep, Only now I'm no longer sitting on the sloping side, so it's not that bad anymore :)! We meet hundreds of refugees on the street today, They are traveling from South America to the USA. It affects you, to see, what these people take on themselves, in search of a more livable life and to escape poverty. You see young and old people, Women with babies, Children of all ages, all equipped with backpacks, Blankets and water bottle. We had heard on the news, that thousands are on their way right now, An incredible number of people are fleeing from Venezuela in particular, but to see it with your own eyes, is just something else.

Later we reach a small one, Nice place on a lake in the village of Rosendo Salazar. Unfortunately the whole facility is (which was certainly beautiful once) totally run down, very sad and simply incomprehensible to us. In the evening we go to the small restaurant next door, the camarones taste great.

Another, very quiet night – Perfect. In the morning, it's Thursday, the 28.12.2023, We are actually woken up by a few workers, who are repairing the palapa next to us – We never expected that in our lives. Hans-Peter quickly cleans our toilet, then we continue. 75 Kilometers later we reach the Agua Cero waterfalls – this should be a highlight here in the state of Chiapas. As always, the access is an absolute challenge – But we're used to that now. Tourist destinations are only on the narrowest ones, worst, most overgrown and steepest gravel roads accessible ??

Because dogs are not allowed, must be ours 2 Heroes stay incognito in the car. We quickly pack our bathing suits, they march 700 (!!!) Down the steps and plunge into the waterfalls – it really is a magical setting. You almost feel like you are in Disneyland or Europa Park – only here everything has grown naturally. The water comes from above, some of it extremely cold, Sometimes the river flows lukewarm – unusual. After half an hour we are refreshed, clean and the back is massaged – so we make our way back – 700 Steps up. Arrived at the top, you could do with a shower again 🙂

We find the place to stay overnight in a children's home in the place with the unpronounceable name “Ocozocoautla de Espinosa”, here there are 4 concrete places for campers on a huge meadow. Our big girl can't make it through the entrance gate without hitting her, but the nice employee simply dismantles the fence in one place, so we can drive in without any injuries.

In the morning we are woken up early by the attentive village roosters, The turkeys also join in the wake-up call. The fence is opened for us again, so that we can get back on the road without any problems. In Tuxtla we head for the first Walmart we see, in the hope, to be able to replace our coffee pot. Unless I miscounted, is that the one 4. French-Press, which broke on the journey 🙂 This time on the bumpy route to Guingola the door of the upper cupboard opened, Unfortunately, the pot did not survive the crash. We won't find anything, However, supplies are being increased and we are prepared for the next few days. In the evening we park ourselves in the parking lot of the boat launch to the Sumidero Canyon and look around a bit.

Saturday, the 30.12.2023, The tour starts first thing in the morning: As always, the organization is a little chaotic, but finally we sit in the boat and the journey can begin. At first I don't find the canyon all that impressive, but we see some gray ones, Crocodiles waiting motionless in the sand, Monkeys, Iguanas and pelicans. To 20 Minutes later the canyon becomes steeper and steeper, The rock faces rise steeply to the right and left – up to 1.000 m – out of the water. The water in the Grijalva River here is up to 250 m deep !!! On the way we see another plant wall, which looks like a Christmas tree from a distance. And, and of course there has to be a snack break: we stop at a kiosk boat, that us with chips and gravy, Drinks and tacos provided – not, that someone else will starve to death along the way. On the return journey our captain gives his all, So we get shaken up pretty violently. Our boys are waiting for us, as always, delighted, They took good care of Henriette.

Just a quick coffee, then we are ready to go. On the beautiful serpentine route MEX 190 let's screw slowly, but steadily uphill. We feel like we have been transported to another era: Almost exclusively indigenous people live here in the mountain villages, who all walk around in their own unique clothing, preserve their old traditions and seem to be secluded from the rest of the world. The women wear black wool skirts, the men wore white cotton shirts, the firewood is collected in the forest, even the smallest children help with the work – it is a cosmos all its own.

A few kilometers further we are back in the “modern times” back – we have reached San Cristobal de las Casas. Henriette is parked in the supermarket parking lot, From here we walk to the center in fifteen minutes. This little town fascinated us at first glance, the small, old colonial houses are well preserved and maintained, The crowds gather in the huge square in front of the church, there is a happy atmosphere, cheerful mood. The people are very friendly, Everyone thinks our furry animals are great, They get countless cuddles again. When darkness falls, the large church square turns into a huge market, countless traders have spread out their goods. You can't get enough of all the beautiful handicrafts, Knitwear, colorful tassels, Cover, Ponchos ……… Since it has now become extremely cold, “must” I definitely buy one of the beautiful cardigans. What a shame, that we have so little space in the car, I could buy half the market empty here. Wrapped up in my warm jacket, we stroll through the pedestrian zones, Incredible crowds crowd through here. A stage is set up in another place, here should point 18.00 a dance performance will take place. Apparently the technicians got stuck in a traffic jam, shortly after 18.00 They arrive frantically and have to set up the speakers first. A good half hour later the spectacle can finally begin, however, the dogs are (and my husband) so bored now, that we just take a quick look at the first dance.

Pretty exhausted by the many experiences and impressions, We look forward to our warm living room. We celebrate with loud music until midnight and the engines are revved up to say goodbye. But the morning is booming 6.30 The loudspeaker from the Pollo seller is already there – Pure city life !!!

On Sunday I insist on another stroll through the city, I still have to buy a few little things. The city is packed again, it is difficult, to even get through here. In the afternoon we escape the hustle and bustle and drive 10 Kilometer außerhalb in den Grutas de Rancho Nuevo Ecotourism Park. This seems to be a well-known destination, Hundreds of vehicles are coming towards us. The sun is slowly going down, the day guests go home. We cook deliciously, play and uncork our bottle of champagne at midnight. We stand all alone in the forest, We hear loud bangs in the distance. So we say goodbye to our first full year of travel 2023 and slide wonderfully into the new year 2024 !!!!