We arrived in Veracruz around 5pm on Thursday, which gave us just enough time to see the best of downtown Veracruz before nightfall. It is a pleasant city with a vibrant central square and a beautiful boardwalk, but it possesses little in the way of physical history. I guess I was expecting a lot from the first Spanish city in what is now Mexico - seriously, Hernan Cortes founded it as he first landed in the country - but the cities numerous invaders seem to have taken even its history. [One assumes my disapointment is a bit inconsequential where compared to the then-residents of the city, but still.] All this having been said, the ocean air was lovely and the seafood was fantastic! It's just so hard to describe how my Floridian pulse races as soon as I see the water. Say what you will, after so much yellow a little green and blue was just what the doctor ordered.
Despite the mariscos, though, Erwin and I thought it best to hit the road Friday morning. A short trip north brought us to the small Jose Cardel way-station for buses to tiny town of Zempoala. In fact, I think Zempoala has the rare distinction of being smaller now than it was when the Spanished arrived. For us, though, the specifics of its written history were second to its physical history: the city ruins of a distinct prehispanic civilization known as the Totonacs. As the pictures can attest, it was something almost unwordly. We were at the site for a few hours, and most of the time had the whole place to ourselves. In fact, when Erwin wanted to go to the onsite museum they had to open it just for us! Sometimes it pays to be off the "gringo trail."
PS Did I mention everything was green, oh so green? After so long in the desert that alone is simply spectacular.
As always, more pictures at: http://www.picasaweb.google.com/littlefrankel
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