- CENTRAL ZONE: GUERRERO, PUEBLA, HIDALGO, EDO.MEXICO, MICHOACAN, TLAXCALA, VERACRUZ

ESPAÑOL
This zone i call "central" is not exactly in terms of geography the central part of the country nevertheless, i concider the possibilities of acces with bus and car and also because times to get most of places and cities and therefore i will name it like central zone of Mexico, even when it is extended to the southern part.

It is a zone with several attractive geographic ones and cultural and one is relatively close
of the DF (city of Mexico) in such a way that in many of the cases podria, to be necessary to go to the site and to return he himself day, thing little recommendable by the distances, but as I mention at the outset, mainly possible. This meciono like a referring one of distacia. In short, the zone “center” encuantra in a radius of less than 500 kilometers taking itself as center the DF and includes states that both have beaches to seas, Pacific and Atlantic in their form of Gulf of Mexico.

GUERRERO STATE

Probably the three sites but visited by the tourism in Guerrero are: Zihuatanejo, Acapulco and Taxco.

Acapulco and Zihuatanejo

As much in the case of Acapulco like the one of Zihuatanejo treated about beaches that originally were promoted for the rich and average class of Mexico, later Acapulco convirtio in a destiny for which they please of plyas tourist with great hotels of luxury and was during many years perhaps the famous beach but of Mexico. Today he has been displaced somewhat by Cancun. These two beaches do not ofrencen anything interesting for the traveller whom seriously it tries to concer “real” places and those prepared zones not to remove to the tourist until I complete dollar. Zihuatanejo probably less is contaminated of the two and perhaps
can find spaces with relative tranquillity, because in the case of Acapulco the dirt and
the aglomeriamiento makes a place own for that does not have idea which it is to enjoy the nature. On the other hand, the state of Guerrero has been always a state with certain degrees of violence, and in the last months have appeared signs that worry specially in the tourist zones because the violence appeared in these places this related to the drug trafficking
and the wars between the dealers where the Mexican government this inmiscuido. Thus, I personally do not recommend to lose the time and the money in any of these dirty places
and dangerous.

Taxco

Taxco is a mining town that was of first of this type founded on the continent. The silver is the mineral generated in the zone. By the previous thing it even conserves several architectonic elements of last times that can extremely be interesting: its church barroca, the alleys that raise and lower, the ceilings of red roofing tile, etc. Nevertheless the problem with Taxco from my point of view is that in the last few decades it has been promoted like a place where the extanjeros are going to live by some time and many, many, go of weekend a
to know it, thus, as it is logical, a good part of which it is possible to be seen has been prepared already explicitly for the tourist, bad thing. The cost is not of but the economic thing, especialemnte the lodging. I recommend in general and if she does not have by all means, some extra reason, to go a day and to return the following one, to look for an economic place to sleep. thing that is difficult reason why I have said before. There he is one of those sites where the hunters of foreigners walk by all the city, there are schools for foreigners who receive many dollars by any thing (like data, there is a branch of the Training center For Foreigners of the UNAM, CEPE), many neohippies smoking marijuana and trying to lie down with the visitors who can. The price of the bus is of around 100 pesos.


PUEBLA STATE

The state of Puebla is very accecible from the DF, is a very good one and fast freeway that it connects of the capital from the country to the capital of populates (Puebla of Los Angeles) in a pair of hours.
In geral it is a Calm state as far as social movement although it is not a rich state. On the other hand it has certain “closed” fame of, mainly in the ciudadades like the capital where at diverse moments certain related preservative attitude somewhat with the ecclesiastical control has prevailed. Nowadays the greater news is the incredible attitude of its governor who this related to abusadora people of children, the recording that it test has been spread widely in means, but the continuous governor in the power.

The sites but common to visit by the tourists in Puebla are probably the Puebla City of Los Angeles, Cholula and the national park Izta-Popo.

Puebla of Los Angeles

This city is more or less to 130 kilometers of the DF, there the tourists usually visits the Socle, the Museum Shelter, the House of the Dolls, the Temple of the Company and the Cathedral.

I personally pondria this city like one of the first a not to visit in Mexico, but very usually is recommended to the traditional tourists by the travel agencies, in any case a visit of a pair of day podria to be sufficient.

Gastronomically it is important to try to prove the Mass Poblano, the Sweet potato of Puebla (sweet by a root. sweet Pope) and other remendables desserts.

It is possible to be arrived from the DF, by airplane from the interenacional airport Benito Juarez, or by bus or particular car, even by taxi if he is desired to spend much money. By bus in the station I COVER (meter San Lazaro) with numerous lines, and numerous exits all the day.

Particular alarm as far as insecurity does not exist nevertheless the risk of an assault or another problem is similar to the one of the city of Mexico.

Park Nacional Izta- Popo

This park includes as its name shows it, the Iztaccihuatl mountain and Popocatepetl volcano, both are together sharing their skirts and estan in the dividing line between the state of Mexico and the state of Puebla (the state of Mexico is or of the states that composes the Mexican Republic and is contiguous with the DF, in fact a great part of the metropolitan area of the City of Mexico is partly of the state of Mexico).
The attractive principial of this national park is by its beauty for which they please of the mountain climbing nevertheless are some obstacles to conciderar at this moment:

The access to the part of Popocatepetl volcano this almost permanently closed for several years being east volcano in activity, so but the possible thing is that it is little probable to be able to approach the sufficient thing to be able to enjoy a good Vista. In second lugarcomo the access road does not have I journey constant have appeared cases of assaults and violations to motorists who try to raise, mainly very behind schedule during the day
or at night. Thus, he is not nothing recommendable in general terms.

In the case of the Iztaccíhuatl mountain (well-known also like “woman sleepy”) he is but safe the real property rental nevertheless habria that to do it in company of which knew the region well and the sufficient confidence was had to him.

They exist on the other hand, diverse populations in the low parts of the skirts where I could be visited, without emabrgo it is good for doing it with people who then know the routes are not places with good communications.

Cholula

Cholula is comprising of aream metropolitan of the city of Puebla, so
its very easy access and. At the present time she is somewhat well-known between the young people to have relatively ample nocturnal life, compared with other parts of the state this perhaps must that there encuetra camps main of the UDLA (University of the Americas) a private university created for students of rich rich families and means of Mexico, then I could be guessed the type of atmosphere that prevails in the zone…

Nevertheless, Cholula is really important by its archaeology, is the high pyramid but of the world there, a pyramid pacialmente buried and that in its top maintains small inglesia of the colonial time. Cholula was a most important city in Mexico pre-Hispanic, pertaining to the mexica empire (Aztec) are some who assure that it was the city with but constant population of all the American continent. In short, by all means that is worth the trouble to know this site.


SUGGESTIONS IN PUEBLA STATE:

Cuetzalan:

A place very intereasnte for several reasons, first is that when being in the high part but of the mountain range of Puebla, indeed near the imaginary line that separates the states of Puebla and Veracruz, its access is not simple, thus, although some tourists in Easter and summer arrive specially, in general is not contaminated so with this phenomenon. He does some few years was in the zone of Cuetzalan an incident with some English espeleologos that was very publcitado in Mexico and the world, as a result of that was certain height to visit the zone during some months but, but it seems that that no longer affects but. Cuetzalan has special characteristics, its vegetation is very abundant, a great variety of insects, birds, mammals, the mornings usually is very clean although soon it begins to rain, it is an incredibly humid place where the quisco that is to the center of a small and modest seat usually is green of the walls due to muzgo, it is a full place of birds that shouts and sings all the day, is possible to be walked by the environs visiting grottos, rivers, cascades, knowing the people of the place that not always speaks Spanish and that usually is very amiable. It is a community, rich in enormous traditions where they exist platio of coffee, good very cheap food and. There are places to sleep that they do not receive themselves very expensive, hotels also. He is very warm and in the this same rain always he falls well, by ncohes the clouds they take all the town and they exist some incredible scenes, bleats the pain much the place and to eat good 20 pesos of “tlayoyos” in the seat. Ah! something but, is a great amount of fossils in the zone, the litica consistency of those mountains do possible, if this interested, is necessary to take a small metal tool to be able to open some rocks.

Cuetzalan is to about 170 kilometers to the northeast of the capital of Puebla and to about 80 kilomtros to the East of Zacatlan. In order to go the simple form there but it is traveling from the DF, taking a bus in the station I COVER that custa about 170 pesos going, and is possible to make discount with credential of student auque is foreign (at least thus was until a few months ago), the line is called “Priera Extra” and encuetra almost before the line I ACCEPT MYSELF within the mentioned station. There are 3 daily exits, and it completes it arrives at last Cuetzalan the average night. Is possible to be arrived at that hour then it is not a dangerous place, and usually it is possible to find people who provide with accomodations to that hour in the central part that this hill arrives 4 blocks of where it leaves the bus. If lleag by day, is I magnify if the main street can be happened… walking two blocks upwards. .por to a store that there is in a corner alongside straight, there it has an old man and likeable a collection of tiny beasts collected in those earth, is impressive.

A subject but on this place, is a arqueoogica zone very near call “Yohualichan”, can be gone in a light truck with wood house by a few weights, this zone says that it is like a Tajin in scale, that is the Tajin. good, we will see it ahead but, but it is an archaeological zone very visited in Veracruz.

Route Cuetzalan - Tajin:

Good, perhaps habra that to see if is interesting firstly to go to Tajin, because if it route does not lose a little its interest, but, if already must the idea to go to Tajin in Veracruz, this route can extremely be attractive, single that there is to maintain some concideraciones, is a route almost completely alternative until today. As we know, Cuetzalan this in the high part of the mountain range that divides to the state of Puebla with the one of Veracruz, then, exists the possibility of lowering by local ways of earth and stone all the mountain range until arriving practimente at the veracruzana coast, this is made in two or three days, walking or in bicycle but it is necessary that some of the travellers acceptably speaks espeañol because habra that to ask lodging some inhabitant of the zone and is possible that speaking even Spanish one cannot be communicated. Also it is necessary to conciderar to do it in time not of rains because the way becomes impassable. In short, this route is a very interesting posibilidada one to conciderar if it is that the traveller in the DF or Puebla remained during a time to plan it with calm. Recomeinda not to become it of spontaneous way. As always if information is wanted but or to comment on the subject me they can write a: russlann@tutopia.com


VERACRUZ STATE

The state of Veracruz is towards the East of the city of Mexico, is one of the states that form the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. One is to about 450 - 500 kilometers of the DF.

El Puerto ( The Harvour )

The port of Veracruz is one of the entrances from merchandise to the country, largely by this has a very important angular momentum. Attractive the tourist ones which usually they are visited most frequently are the Levee, the seat of Arms, the Fort of San Juan de Ulua, and the coffee the Parish. In this sense San Juan de Ulua it is of great interest because it comes from the colonial time and concerva in a quite good state, is agrdable to take a walk that way and to watch the tropical scene of this city that is famous also by the amount of travestis which they are, specially in time of carnival. When journeying by the city it is necessary to mainly have precaution because it is a somewhat dangerous city, in certain districts.

It is possible to be arrived by bus taking it in I COVER, many lines and many schedules, or also by airplane although normally the price of the flight is crazy.

Much heat all along, mosquitos, noisy city although cheer.

Xalapa

City located in the high part of mountains of Veracruz, to 5 hours by bus of the DF. More and more it has been lived by emograntes of diverse parts of the country, especialemente of the DF, but there is even an increasing population although modest even of foreigners because it has been constructed to certain fame to be cosy site for intellectuals and artists, this is relative although there is certain tendency to develop in this area. Some peculiarities as far as the superior education exist because desarrolo of the musical, graphical areas and some of scientific cut seems to be that they are estan developing of important way. Coverall is an pleasant city in center of the same one. Abundant galleries and recreacionales places, and the climate usually is pleasant most of the year. It is a recommendable place to visit.

Buses of different lines leave every day I COVER towards Xalapa.

One says that has been increased the violence and to the delinquency but even so usually it is a place relatively surely.

SUGGESTIONS IN VERACRUZ STATE:

Catemaco

This place usually is extremely interesting and although the tourism has grown that visits years in the last even maintains certain admosfera to it moved away of the tourist mercantilismo. The place is to the south of the state of Veracruz in the well-known region like the Tuxtlas, where a natural reserve exists quite interesting that also can be visited. Catemaco is a population that is in the creek of the Lake of he himself name, and is possible to reach about bus from the Port of Veracruz or from the City of Mexico, although they are several hours of day because the highway must be advancing by an intrincate road network.

Catemaco is a famous town in Mexico by its wizards. Desede for many years the people who need some type magical work has been directing to this place to look for aid, with this, surely now habra a good amount of people that has been improvised in this practices, without emabargo, is documentary data that make think actually about the existence of an original tradition in the site of the indigenous medicine and some you practice magical rituals.

In the neighborhood of Catemaco there are several sites where I could be acceded in boat or by highway where an important amount of wild life can be observed, birds, lizards, monkeys. that until for years they have been comian in tacos… and a vast tropical flora. The lodging can be obtained by much money if he is not very demanding, but also does not have for that wishes some hotels it with contemporary comforts.