Medellín

Unlike Cartagena, this name is not attractive. I'd rather say “was not”. Indeed the times of Pablo Escobar and the Medellin cartel are far away. End of 1993, the murder of the drug baron brings peace and security in the city. Other cartels, such as the one of Cali, will be dismantled in the 1990s. Also, contrary to prejudices, the city as well as the rest of Colombia have gained a lot in terms of security. And the start of negotiations with the FARC (scheduled for October) even brings a wind of hope.

Between the Western and Central Cordilleras, Medellín (1,600 m) lies along a valley, the one of Rio Medellín. Known as the city of eternal spring, Medellín has a particularly pleasant climate: 25°C throughout the year with fresh air due to altitude. Surrounded by mountains, visible wherever you are in the city or in the suburbs, we forget that we are also surrounded by 3.5 million people. I was lucky enough to be hosted by Manuel, Alejo and Alex who live in the hills: great view of the city!

The city itself does not have much interest, post-aesthetic architecture worthy of the 1960s. But the surrounding areas, all in red brick, give a better picture of this megalopolis, especially when seen from the aerial tramway. I admit that it's funny to take these gondola lift in the midst of building or surrounded by greenery, while I am more used to take it to go skiing. Finally Arvi Park on the other side of the mountain is the perfect place for hiking.

In addition to sharing the lives of Manuel, Alejo and Alex, I had the opportunity to follow Manuel in his work. He is a journalist and director of the Emisora La Esquina, a community radio station. I followed him on the cover of Medellín Book Fair, at a street party organised for the defence of children's rights and I discovered behind the scenes of a radio broadcast. Almost excited to arrive in this city with such an history, I left behind me a city I enjoyed the environment and open-mindedness.

Cartagena de Indias

A name that reminds us of the New World. A name that recalls those of the great navigators of the sixteenth century. But it is also a name closely linked to the slave trade and transit of gold spoiled from pre-Columbian civilisations. A name synonymous with rebellion: bastion of Spain in South America, it was the first Colombian city to declare its independence. More recently in the 1990's it was also the arrival port of the famous transatlantic yachting race, the Transat Jacques Vabre.

Cartagena is a walled city, declared World Heritage by UNESCO, which walls and fort are very well preserved. The old town has kept this highly colourful character of Spanish colonial towns. But today it is also a city of a million inhabitants, with its high modern buildings, tourist beaches and its suburbs that stretch for miles from the centre.

Cartagena was also a place for encounters. I met Anne, the German traveler I had already met several times in Mexico and Guatemala. I talked a lot with Diego and his wife Jamey, both from Cali, who offered me a good first summary of their country and the wonders to discover. And there was also Alex, Rocio, Jesus, Alfo and Cristian, the team of the hostel where I stayed a few days and with whom I had a great time.

Cartagena is the gateway to Colombia. Upon my arrival, I've felt at home. I could install without problems. Intense feeling I had not felt since Fairbanks Alaska. A sense of well-being, as if the safety “stress” prevailing in Central America dissipated. A bit like when you fall in love, it is sometimes difficult to describe that little extra that makes all the difference with others. But I feel that I will love this country, as I loved Cartagena.

Best of Northern and Central America

I landed in Colombia. Landed indeed, as I had to resign myself to fly. Going from Panama to Colombia is not the easiest to manage: no road since the border is basically a 80 kilometre jungle strip, and only expensive small boats make the connection between the two countries.

So, here I am, in South America! I begin the second half of the trip. Indeed I left home 7 and a half months ago and it remains almost as much. Geographically speaking, it is also the half of the trip; I am equidistant from Fairbanks, Alaska and Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego.

To remember the best moments, a little best-of this first part. Here are some awards in the following categories:

• cuisine: El Salvador with its pupusas and yuca fried dumplings
• breakfast: oat-meal with peanut butter, at Casey and Brad's in Anchorage
• winter landscape: Fairbanks and the surrounding area
• spring landscape: the wild Pacific coast of Oregon and Northern California
• summer landscape: the desert State of Arizona, including Grand Canyon
• climate: dry and cold Alaska or hot and dry Arizona. Further south, I like least: much more humid. In the tropics, it is the rainy season from June to November.
• plant: a plant that retracts its leaves at outside contact. Viewed in Tikal, Guatemala.
• tree: the huge redwoods of California
• animal: the squirrel from North America
• ecofriendly house: Mark and Megg's in Bolinas, CA
• beach: in Tulum, Quintana Roo in Mexico (my only step on the Atlantic side) and in Zipolite, Oaxaca, Mexico
• historical site: the ancient city of Monte Alban (State of Oaxaca, Mexico)
• city: San Francisco, CA

Now the highlights:

• best shiver: arrival at the edge of Copper Canyon, State of Chihuahua (Mexico)
• best shivers: in the Chena River hot springs, Alaska (40°C/105°F) with an outside temperature of -48°C/-55°F
• best meetings: those with Andrew and Anna (Fairbanks, USA), Mike and Eve (Fort Bragg, USA), Roger (Great Falls, USA), and so many others...
• best militant moment: afternoon with Chris, the movement “Occupy Fairbanks”
• best hiking time: three day hike in the Grand Canyon and crossing on foot the Golden Gate Bridge
• best community time: in Pinpin in the mountains of western Guatemala, with Elsa and Nico
• best childhood-dream time: the Panama Canal and crossing the Bridge of the Americas
• best hitchhiking: when a Canadian wanted to drop me off on a site emergency stop on the freeway, at -10°C (see also Hitch-hiking, another way to travel)

The best-of in photos is divided in three albums: 1. Alaska and Canada 2. United States 3. Mexico and Central America.

And you now know where to find the portraits!...

Race Info

Day 229. Kilometer 26,080 (Mile 16,205). Latitude 10°24' North.

Last post about Central America.

I crossed Costa Rica quite fast. One step in Liberia, another in San Jose (capital city) and a few days in the mountains of Chirripó National Park (see post and photos: El Chirripó, on top of Costa Rica).

Then another fast crossing of Panama: a step in Boquete, near Volcán Barú, then in Pedasí on the south coast, and finally in Panama City and around the Canal (see post, photos and video: Panama, a country, a city, a canal).

From Panama City, I flew to Cartagena in Colombie. And since I just started the second half of my trip, I will soon post a best of concerning the first half in North and Central America.

Distance Liberia-Panama : 1,665 km (1,035 mi)

Panama, a country, a city, a canal

It was all about surprise and delight. Surprise because I had planned a few days only in this country. But it eventually pleasantly surprised me. I didn't expect to find much very interesting; I left the country with the regret of not having stayed longer. Landscapes, cuisine (I become obsessive!), people, everything delighted me. A little less the climate. It feels like a greenhouse so the heat and humidity are oppressive.

Let's talk a little about the Pan American highway. Given the shape of the country, it is difficult not to drive it in Panama. But to be honest apart from a few dozens of kilometers at the border between Chiapas and Guatemala, I drove it on bus from Mexico City to Panama City. You will see some pictures of the road that connects almost continuously Northern Alaska to Tierra del Fuego in Argentina. Although in some places it is a real highway, sometimes it looks like a simple road crisscrossing the jungle. Whatever its form, there are still large semi-trailers traveling at breakneck speed.

After spending a day in the mountains of the west and two days on the south coast, with Kati (a Hungarian from Romania who lives in Ireland and with whom I traveled in Panama), we took the path the city of Panama. At the southern entrance to the canal of the same name, the city extends horizontally but also vertically. This cityscape is rare enough since San Francisco to be noticed. Far away in the bay, we see freighters waiting patiently for their entry into the canal.

The canal precisely! Well, I admit that I was as excited as a kid in the sandbox playing with a new toy (affectionate thoughts for my nephew!). I was initially excited by the moment. Crossing the canal on the Bridge of the Americas meant going from North to South America. I begin the second part of my trip. A symbolic moment that I did not think too hard at first.

Then, nothing better than to take the train along the canal to better understand how it works. Basically, two sets of locks, one to the south near Panama City, one in the north near Colon, a channel and an artificial lake between the two. And on the sides, from time to time a dam to prevent water from escaping otherwise than by locks, and another one just to refill the lake, which releases tons of water each time a boat is passing by locks.

Finally I arrived at the locks of the north, those of Gatun. There you would have probably seen me dumbfounded by those huge container ships towed by small locomotives along no less enormous communicating basins between locks. Everything is calibrated to the millimeter. Ballet of locomotives and slow parade of boats: it's fascinating! Crossing a set of locks takes a good hour for a ship, crossing the channel as a whole, about ten (excluding congestion at peak hours!). And further, finally, we see the work of pharaonic construction of new locks, larger than existing ones. Within two years, they allow the passage of even larger vessels. For the moment, the site is a huge trench in the clay soil.

For the curious ones, an internet search (starting with the detailed article from Wikipedia) can quench your thirst for knowledge. From my side, this time back to school, I saw myself back in time, at secondary school, studying the Panama Canal, trade across the world, the US-linked history of Panama through this channel etc.. And to see this wonder of engineering and to see what I only saw in pictures in my history and geography books brought me several years back. Fun sensation. And for the sailors I know, I guess crossing the canal by boat must be something!

And now here are the pictures and below, a video.

El Chirripó, on top of Costa Rica

I had big expectations vis-à-vis Costa Rica. The country is a leader in the fields of sustainable development, protection of the environment and the preservation of biodiversity. The Costa Rican society has also chosen a development model as interesting as original in the region. In 1949, Costa Rica took the path of demilitarization. Since then, it has donated the equivalent of its defense budget on education. It is the only Central American country that has not had a civil war, revolution or dictatorship for over half a century. A cause and effect?...

Eventually I only spent a couple of days in the country. Why? First, because I had trouble (even failed) to make contact with local people. My indirect contacts and CouchSurfing didn't work as expected. Secondly, because Costa Rica is THE touristic country in the region, and I try instead to flee that kind of people and places that are dedicated to them. Finally, because the standard of living in Costa Rica is much higher than the country that I recently crossed.

Nevertheless, I managed to take refuge in the mountains for a few days of hiking. More specifically, I was in Chirripó National Park. From its 3,820 m (12,530 ft), it is the highest peak in Central America after Volcán Tajumulco (4,220 m, in Guatemala). I met a group of Costa Rican lads with whom I climbed the summit at dawn. And a small group of five French, including Antoine, also long-term traveler, who I will probably meet further south in a few months.

And now, on my way to Panama!

A journey to the center of the Americas

Can you name the 7 Central American countries? In the order I crossed them, here they are: Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. Except from Belize and the Nicaraguan Caribbean coast (English-speaking), Spanish is the main language.

Distance Guatemala City - San Juan del Sur: 1,040 km (645 mi)

From Guatemala City, I took a bus to San Salvador ... in El Salvador. There, I was supposed to spend only one evening and night at Alba's, a friend of Claire, one of my friends in France. Because of / Thanks to the bus company, I extended my stay 24 hours Salvadoran. I was unable to get on the bus due to the closure of check-in five minutes before my arrival. And when it is 5 am and the bus is in front of you, your mood could be... #@ù%£!!

But it allowed me to spend a day with Alba and her family, discovering San Salvador and falling under the charm of Salvadoran cuisine. I will keep a delicious memory of pupusas, national specialties which look like pancakes made of corn or rice flour (I will not deny that I preferred those with rice flour, I seriously begins to saturate maize) and stuffed with cheese, mashed beans or meat and vegetables. Yummy! And another local delicacy: empanadas, fried balls of mashed plantains stuffed with a cream. I continued discovering new tropical fruits and vegetables. This time was the yuca, cousin of the potato, which can be mashed and fried. Loved it!

I ended up taking my bus to Nicaragua. It crossed southern Honduras before arriving in Managua, capital of Nicaragua. The town itself is nothing special. In his defense it was destroyed by two earthquakes in 1931 and 1972. So there is no much more historical centre to admire. But the city is no less impressive, surrounded by five volcanoes, in the city, and from the top it seems that forest is everywhere over non rebuilt spaces of old Managua and new parts of it. I learned a lot about the country with her parents Denis: politics, religion, environment, etc.

In Managua, I should have met Savant, a Nepalese I met at Tikal (in northern Guatemala) to go together to Granada, on Lake Nicaragua. However Nicaraguan customs did not want to issue him a visa. He is therefore stuck in Honduras. What a pity!...

So I went alone to explore Granada and it sprawling market. Early in the morning, I tasted the joys of eating a bit cooked on fire place, at the time the market slowly comes alive. On my way to San Juan del Sur, I met Patrick (from Canada) in the bus. At the last moment I decided to accompany him on Ometepe Island for a closer look at the volcanoes of the island in the middle of Lake Nicaragua. And I finally finished in San Juan del Sur, where I spent my last Nicaraguan night before crossing the border with Costa Rica today.

Two weeks in Guatemala

End of two weeks in Guatemala. Time to think about what I want to remember and to select some photos.

Firstly Guatemala, in general, is not a dangerous country. I have to admit that I thought about going directly from Mexico to Costa Rica, due to alarmist advice from Mexican people. But eventually, I did the same as before crossing the US-Mexico border: I listened to what they told me but I crossed the border anyway. And I am happy I did it!

The country offered me first the spectacle of the Mayan site of Tikal in the north. Lost in the jungle, the ancient city erects its pyramids above the canopy. The vast site is mostly still covered by virgin forest and only the most important remains have been unearthed. And another UNESCO World Heritage Site that I can check! Nature-wise it is the kingdom of monkeys, insects and animals of all kinds, even one that I am not able to identify. I had the chance to join Tikal: I learned that 24 hours after my departure from Tulum (on the Caribbean coast of Mexico) a hurricane would have prevented me from joining the Northern Guatemala through Belize.

After Tikal, I went to live five days at the heart of a local community, Pinpin, in Western Guatemala. There, Nico and Elsa welcomed me and allowed to live this unique experience. If you missed an episode, you can see all the photos and read the last post on Pinpin.

Then still remained three steps. Despite an undercast weather, Lake Atitlán unveiled volcanoes that surround it. I could climb Volcán San Pedro and had the chance to have a small window in the clouds once arrived up there, just to reward a more than early wake-up and an ascent of 1,500 meters. I left the lake under showers and ended up completely packed for the worst chicken-bus ride in contemporary history!

Antigua. Another beautiful colonial city. Another World Heritage site. I am almost ashamed to say that I tend to get used to those place. I still was impressed by the volcanoes that surround it (some in activity!). I will mostly remember my host, Cesar, and my reunion with Anne, the German traveler with whom I already spent time in Merida and Tulum, in Mexico.

Finally, the last step was the city of Guatemala (Ciudad de Guatemala in Spanish). Let's be honest: it's very ugly, polluted, and soulless. The city dethrones the ones of Chihuahua and Acapulco at the top of my list of places I didn't like. And the beautiful interior of the cathedral cannot make you forget the rest of the city. Safety seems pretty low also. Downtown, most buildings have barbed wire between the ground floor and first floor. In the suburb, the houses are entrenched behind high walls themselves surmounted by barbed wire or an electric fence (if not both). You'd think the city is under siege, ready to battle hordes of looters, rapists, and thugs. Not very attractive. Fortunately, I was very well received by Axel who made me forget the gloomy side of this ghost town after sunset.

Those fifteen days were pretty busy. And so was my stomach. I tasted the Guatemalan cuisine with the same pleasure as his Mexican counterpart. Plantain appeared, rice and beans are still there, but chile gradually disappears. We always eat as much corn tortillas. To my delight, the coffee is much better than in Mexico. I tasted caldos, the broths of vegetable stock with chicken or beef. I also tasted (and enjoyed, I admit) the revolcado, this soup with lots of small pieces of pig's head: tongue, cheeks, snout, eyes, etc.. But the best of the best is atole, a hot drink made from sweet rice flour. A treat!

As a reminder, you will find portraits of people encountered in the portrait gallery in the Photos page.

Life in Pinpin and the surrounding communities

So much to tell about those five days in Pinpin that I don't know where to start. Perhaps simply by thanking Elsa and Nico who hosted me and without whom I would not have lived in the heart of a local Guatemalan community. It's been a complete immersion in their daily live. Quickly, to present them to you, Elsa and Nico are a French couple. They left in March to volunteer a year in Guatemala. They are networking in partner associations of the CCFD-Terre Solidaire (French development NGO) in the fields of agroecology and women's rights.

I can now describe the environment. Pinpin is a small community in Los Altos (the Highlands), the mountainous region of western Guatemala. In the region of the Highlands, the Guatemalan Indian customs and traditions remain fairly present, even if they are diluted over time. We are still under the tropics, and it's still the rainy season (June-September). At an elevation of 2,400 m / 7,900 ft, depending on time of day, it is above the clouds ... or just below!

Pinpin and other communities are among the most remote of the country (10-hour bus ride to reach the capital). On the border with Chiapas (Mexico) there is a small road that serves the main villages, from which then routes to smaller communities in the valleys, or higher in the mountains. Few have a vehicle, then public transportation is the only alternative. To travel on the main road, you take the “chicken bus”, these old North America school buses repainted in bright colors. Inside it is crowding up (much like chickens in a coop to the market – hence the name, I think!). But that all goes well, we are surrounded by religious images or slogans such as "Jesus te acompañe" or "Dios te bendiga" ("Let Jesus be with you" or "God bless you"). I tested for you: these buses are a ruggedness! Then to join communities, we boarded on a colectivo that takes the form of a taxi or mini-van.

A few quick words on the habitat. The houses are of brick and mud, with roofs of palm leaves or dried zinc. One level, one room for living, others to sleep. Cooking is done on a wood stove that can also heat the house, because it's a bit chilly and very wet during the rainy season. The interior is minimalist but functional.

In communities, almost everything revolves around agriculture, for private use or for selling, door-to-door or on the markets of the region. The topography forces to cultivate lands in terrace, gained on the rainforest. Primarily, these are small crops of corn, the staple diet. But there are also all kinds of vegetables: beans, potatoes, carrots, cabbage, tomatoes, onions, etc.. Fruit trees also provide apricots, peaches, apples, etc.. Lower, approaching the coast, you will find coffee, bananas and cocoa. Each parcela also has few animals. Generally they are hens and chickens, pigs, cows, rabbits or goats.

Elevation (2,400 m / 7,900 ft in Pinpin), hilly environment, tropical vegetation and difficult access makes the work difficult. They often get up early to go and sell in markets. The return may be delayed until the production is sold. Some even walk cross the passes that lead to Chiapas, on the other side of Volcán Tacaná (4,093 m / 13,430 ft) to sell their products. And yet, this is not always enough to live, especially when families have up to ten children. They sometimes have to have odd jobs to supplement. And I got the impression that communities, where everyone is more or less cousin, also operate on the principle of solidarity and mutual assistance.

Generally local producers gather into associations, themselves gathered into red (network, in Spanish) at a regional level. Several advantages to this: exchanges of expertise, pooling resources, technical training, political representation, financing of infrastructure or equipment, etc.. Here agriculture is organic: organic matter is recovered, natural fertilizer is produced (made from ground, chicken droppings, compost), weeding by hand, avoiding hybrid seeds or GMOs. Nico brings his expertise to the Kuchub'al network, a fair trade association.

Society is traditionally patriarchal. Women have little say and yet, in addition to the daily work they perform alongside their husbands, they also charge of running the house (cooking, dishes, laundry, children to raise, animals to feed, etc.). When questioning women, often comes out a lake of self-esteem for most of them. They are unaware of their role and especially their importance within society or their families.

Here women's networks operate, educate, organize meetings and training. These are all areas where women can share, feel valued, learn to make new products for sale (jams, herbal ointments, etc..), or even hear for the first time about family planning. That's just the ground work of Elsa.

Everyday life seem a little hard-drive. But they also know how to party! I had the opportunity to attend a feria agricola -a fair- to celebrate two years of a small market in a remote community. We celebrated the success of this initiative, because it avoids the local producers traveling for hours to sell their products. Next to the market, on the small village square, a small band was installed. Among others, they were playing marimba, the Guatemala's traditional instrument that looks like a giant xylophone where at least four people play at once. Program of the fair: music, speeches, national anthem sang with hand over the heart before the flag (all children of school had the right to join us just for that), speeches again, music again, speeches again, everyone had its chance, including Nico. And as we are in Latin America, we ended up with a small mass, before sharing a meal: caldo de res, broth flavored with vegetables and beef, along with tamales, corn-based dough steamed in a leaf wrapper.

In addition, to celebrate Nico and Elsa's birthdays (both born in early August), the community of Pinpin had prepared a little surprise. They were had the speech of the president of the local association that ultimately left up to two musicians for a few songs accompanied by their guitars. It all ended with a good shared meal: caldo de pollo and tamales (same as the fair but this time with chicken) and of course birthday cakes. It is a tradition to eat a bit with your mouth directly, to allow fellows to crash your nose in the cream. A simple celebration in a unique atmosphere.

Well this was a small description, incomplete and fragmentary. But the important thing is that I could live it!

Race Info

Day 201. Kilometre 22,750 (Mile 14,135).

Distance Oaxaca-Pinpin: 3,200 km (1,990 mi)

Back to Oaxaca (from my detour by the Pacific coast), I traveled to San Cristobal de Las Casas, in the Chiapas mountains, where I was hosted by Uriel, a friend of my scout friends in Oaxaca. From there I visited the Mayan site of Palenque. Then I went to Mérida, colonial city in the North of the Yucatán peninsula. From there, I visited Chichén Itza, where I met Arnaud and Sophie, a French couple who brought me to Tulum, with a stop in Valladolid. If you haven't seen them yet, you can have a look at my pictures of the Mayan sites of Palenque, Chichén Itzá and Tulum in the previous post.

Located on the Caribbean Sea, Tulum was my first step on the “Atlantic side”. It was also my last one in Mexico. I left Anne, a German girl who I knew from Mérida. We will probably meet again in Peru in a couple of months. For the moment, I leave Mexico. I really enjoyed the country. Little by little, I learnt a lot about the culture, the history, the language and the diversity of the country. I met great people on the road. And I enjoyed the Mexican cuisine very much. The country is very far from the cliché, it is very safe to move around and a lot of wonderful sites to visit.

From Tulum, I took a bus to Chetumal, on the border with Belize, and another one to Flores in Guatemala, via Belize City. That day, after three in six months, I was in three countries in six hours. Also that day, I lost an hour. Most of you will think it isn't information. But some of you will be surprised as I was. Indeed, going East would imply to gain an hour. But both Central and South Americas do not have daylight saving time.

From Flores, I could visit Tikal, a Mayan city lost in the jungle. I also met Savant, from Nepal, who travels in the same direction; I'll probably meet him again in Honduras in few days. Then I crossed the whole country, via Guatemala City, to reach Pinpin, near Tacaná and the volcano of the same name. Almost on the border with Chiapas, Mexico, I spend a few days with Nico and Elsa, a French couple, who work there. From Pinpin, I am going to Lake Atitlán to climb Volcán San Pedro. And I will visit the wonderful city of Antigua and Guatemala City.

Mayan sites of Yucatan

For once (or even forever!), let's forget our European perspective on History. The history of the Americas does not begin in 1492 with Christopher Columbus' "discovery". For several dozen of millennia, the continent has continuously known cultures and civilizations, be they Native American, Andean, Amazonian, or even Caribbean.

Mexico is no exception to the rule. It has a rich and complex history of ancient civilizations which followed one another in time and in territories which sometimes went South to Colombia and North to the United States. These civilizations are known to have left a significant legacy in the fields of science and art.

Few points in time and geography (source: Wikipedia). In recent weeks, I posted photos of Teotihuacán, the civilization of the same name, which has experienced significant development from the 2nd century BC to the 8th century AD. Its influence extended geographical mainly in the region of modern Mexico City.

Still in the area of Mexico City, the Aztec civilization developed later, from the 14th century AD. It "fell" with the arrival of the Conquistadors in the early 16th century. The Aztecs are also known as Mexicas, hence the current name of the country.

Further south, in the State of Oaxaca, the city of Monte Alban was founded by the Olmecs, present on the Gulf of Mexico coast and along the Pacific coast (States of Guerrero, Oaxaca and Chiapas) and down south to the current Costa Rica, from the 13th century to the 6th century BC. But the city of Monte Alban reached its peak during the Zapotec period, from the 6th century BC to the 8th century AD.

Finally, the Maya civilization extended from the 11th century BC to the 16th century AD. It occupied a territory that included the current State of Chiapas, Yucatan Peninsula, Guatemala and western regions of El Salvador and Honduras.

So now here are pictures of the Mayan sites of Palenque (Chiapas), Chichen Itza (State of Yucatan) and Tulum (State of Quintana Roo). Most of the remaining buildings emerging from the surrounding jungle are religious. Unfortunately, the houses that stretched around the temples have disappeared today. It is somewhat difficult to imagine life back then. But what remains worth seeing.

In addition to the pyramidal temples, there are still fields of juego de pelota (ballgame). This sport ritual was aiming at getting a latex ball in a vertical stone ring. It looked like basketball, except that the basket is rotated in the opposite direction (see photo at Chichen Itza), the players were passing the rubber ball only by bouncing them on hip and the captain of the winning team was beheaded, which was the highest honor.

Cliché or not cliché? That is the question

"Mexico is dangerous" – Cliché!

     Obviously I don't want to minimize the over 12,000 annual deaths related to drug trafficking. Since 2006 and the election of Felipe Calderon as President of the Republic, the army and drug traffickers are in a state of war. The cartels among themselves also use increasingly violent methods in order to extend their influence and territorial control.

     But every day, all this violence that appears regularly in our newspapers and in the news cannot not be felt as such in cities or countryside. Man has to be cautious, but it is far from the stereotype of a Mexican to fire and sword, which has a tough life in Europe and especially in the United States. No, there is no risk of being beheaded or cut into small pieces at each street corner. Instead, people are very friendly and come rather naturally to you to offer assistance or help direct you.

"The Mexican wears a plaid shirt, jeans, cowboy boots, a straw hat, and a mustache" – Not a cliché!

     You like it or not, it is more in the northern half of the country that men are mustached. As for the reminiscent of Westerns dress code, my explanation is the following: in the nineteenth century, Mexico and the great southwest quarter of the current United States were one. While it is almost uniform for Norteños (people from Northern States), it is not rare to find some also further south. Another elegant masculine dress code: the t-shirt pulled up high over the abdomen. This practice reveals rarely perfect pecs, but seems effective against heat.

"Mexican cuisine? Ah yes, tacos and Tex-Mex!" – Cliché!

     For French people, gastronomy is part of our national identity. It is even now listed in Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. We have our regional culinary specialties. We are proud, we love to talk about it and show. Well in Mexico, that's all the same.

     Mexican cuisine is also part of the World Heritage. It is very diverse and with many influences. It is about much more than Tex-Mex restaurants, offering specialties from a specific region, between the north-eastern Mexico and Texas. It would be annoying to list everything that I tasted, but here are some benchmarks anyway.

     Corn is the basis for many things, starting with the famous tortillas. These flat breads of maize flour are the staple food of Mexican cuisine, the equivalent of baguettes in France. Not to be confused with the Spanish tortilla, which is a delicious omelette with potatoes. Tortillas also serve to make the equally famous tacos, rolled and stuffed with meat, vegetables, cheese, etc.

     The chile is served with everything. There are actually about sixty different sorts of chiles. Typical of Mexico, it is very rare to find them in other cuisines, including Latin America. They are more or less long, more or less large, more or less red, green or orange, and above all more or less spicy! Very good for health, they abound particularly vitamins C and A. They are widely used for making sauces (which they use like Ketchup or mayonnaise) but they are also marinated and added in tacos garnishing for example, or just to be eaten as a pickle for the bravest. Never forget that it's spicy at the entrance ... but also at the end of the digesting process!

     Other ingredients such as tomatoes, onions, beans and of course avocado, are also widely used. After that, there is a whole arsenal of yummy regional dishes. The list is long, but the most motivated of you can do a little research on the internet. You can easily find examples and pictures.

"The Mexican is never on time" – Not a cliché!

     The Mexican (because we can generalize this point, with few exceptions) does not have a sense of punctuality. But changing of perspective help see more generally where it comes from. The time dimension is just another dimension in Mexico. Everything takes longer, and not necessarily because we do things more slowly (although...). It's just that in the meantime, things always happens, sometimes very improbable. And then we start something before finishing previous one(s). Everyone takes its time. There is much discussion before making a decision or start to move. And consequently, when planning a schedule, you can be almost certain it will not be respected. The question remains, according to the people, how long will be the delay. Personal record: 7 hours, equivalent to the jet lag between France and Mexico! A notable exception, so unexpected, almost inexplicable, only buses leave on time. But the arrival time is already more flexible. Positive thing, we end up with an approach to life much more relaxed.

"Mexico is only about fine sand beaches and coconut trees" – Cliché!

     First Mexico is a very large country (nearly four times larger than France), bordered by the Pacific Ocean on one side, the Gulf of Mexico on the other. So it is not wrong in itself to consider its vast coastline, and some of its beautiful beaches. But this is overshadowing much of the country inland. And the interior is very varied. Desert in north, tropical in the south. Without forgetting the great plain of the Yucatán peninsula in southeastern, Mexico is very mountainous. It is traversed lengthwise by two major mountain ranges: the Sierra Madre Oriental and the Sierra Madre Occidental, which is extended by the Sierra Madre del Sur. Even a few dozen kilometers from the coast, we are already high in altitude. An quite significant example: Mexico City, the metropolis, is at the same altitude as Val Thorens, the highest ski resort in Europe (2,300 m).

"In Mexico, music is everywhere" – Not a cliché!

     Any kind, anywhere, all the time. It's a concept! In bars, in buses, in shops, on the street, at any time of day and night, you can hear music. It is more or less loud, and more or less good music. There is a very strong influence of US music. But of course there is also street orchestras or small groups of Mariachis in traditional costume who come and perform at your restaurant table if you ask for it. This traditional music is part of the World Heritage, as well as gastronomy.

     All this is to be added to background noise. Children seem to submit more their vocal chords to regular exercise, including late at night. Men on the first steps of the bus shout destinations to round up clients. Taxis keep horning to show availability. And it seems that people speak loudly in general. Finally only in churches can be found the notion of silence.

The State of Oaxaca

It is a small concentrate of Mexico. Both coastal and mountainous. A long history. The remains of past civilizations. A significant indigenous culture. Colonial cities. And rich cuisine.

This time, the scouts played the main organizers. A chain was established. Thank you to Catherine and Cecile who played the central links, by email. On site Carlos, Gerardo, Guillermo, Erick, Edgar and Sandra took up the task. They hosted us, my friend Karine and I, and let us discover the city and the region.

We obviously visited the historic center of Oaxaca. Typical colonial architecture, colorful houses, churches on every street corner, and a small Alliance Française that we found randomly on July 14 (French National Day – a.k.a Bastille Day). Then we went to Monte Albán, ancient Zapotec city very well preserved, on a promontory overlooking the city of Oaxaca and surrounded by other mountains. More information on Wikipedia.

We tasted the joys of regional cuisine and toured in covered markets. They are selling bulk roasted insects (we tested for you, it's good!), meat which will then be baked in the center aisle, small breads, chocolate in all its forms (regional specialty), fresh fruit juices, mezcal (close cousin of tequila), cloth, utensils, small super-kitsch souvenirs, and finally all that can be found in a bazaar worthy of the name. I could also attend the celebration of Guelaguetza which happen every year the last week of July. It is a feast that brings together everything that the State has good in terms of local folklore: cuisine, mezcal, dance, music, handicrafts, etc.

Finally, the coast really reminded me of the backdrop for the Pirates of the Caribbean. The rocky coast is covered with dense tropical vegetation. The houses are huts covered with palm trees and hammock at the beach is particularly popular. The blue ocean is Pacific on paper and in appearance but so dangerous. Currents extremely powerful and contradictory competing the last few meters before the beach. Result, waves of more than five meters and us, poor little humans, unable to soak more than over the hips to avoid being away forever. Too bad because the water (and air!) temperature was calling for so much more!