Veracruz

Nancy and I spent two nights in Veracruz on the southwestern rim of the Gulf of Mexico. We found the city, the main shipping port of Mexico, busy and a bit worn. It is not a tourist town and we were the only gringas we spotted on the streets, in restaurants, and at our hotel.

There’s a wonderful boardwalk running along the sea that affords a lovely view of the open water, the huge ships in the harbor loaded with cargo, fishermen pulling their catch from the sea, and families milling about on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.

Nancy bought a ripe, juicy mango on a stick along the boardwalk beautifully peeled, scored, sprinkled with salt and chili powder, and doused with fresh lime juice. Vendors were also selling sliced pineapple, ham & cheese empanadas, and cooked corn.

We woke Monday to a howling sound. A cold north wind had come barreling down the gulf overnight with gusts up to 40 miles an hour. Not a day for outside activity. So we spent the morning reading and looking out the windows on three sides of our unusual garret and the afternoon at the Veracruz Aquarium, one of the largest and most visited aquariums in the world. It has a huge donut-shaped waterway where large fish and sharks swam while onlookers stand in the middle.

We also spend a chunk of the chilly day in the Gran Café, where patrons clink spoons against their glasses (no coffee cups) to signal the waiter for free refills of the rich local coffee, poured from a small silver pitcher, and hot foaming milk, poured from a big pitcher. A large glass of this Veracruz lechera costs all of 27 pesos or about $2.25.

After a full day of rest, we were ready to be on the road again exploring more of Mexico on our return to the States.

Becky