Conifer-Hunting in Mexico

Day 1: Friday, February 4

Get up 0415. Bob spent the night at our place. Limo to airport. United 977 to MEX via SFO. Only a 4-hr flight to MEX. Hills of coastal California emerald green below. Over the mouth of the sluggish Colorado, saw a sea of sand punctuated by giant star dunes in the Altar Desert. Crossed over Puerto Penasco and soon after clouds closed in and we saw no more. Movie, "Shall we dance," American remake. So-so.

Landed at 1730 (Central time); my eyes were burning from the air pollution before I even got off the plane. We walked in to Thrifty Rentacar and right then were on Mexico time. In about half an hour, a man came to shuttle us to the car and in another half hour the paperwork was done. The car had no radio so they found one that did. Then it had no gas so they went and filled it. We finally ended up with a Nissan Platina (Corolla clone) for about $85/day. At 1900 we were off, into Mexico City after dark rush hour traffic.

I will not try here to recount the terrors of my 2.5 hour, 60-kilometer drive to Amecameca. If I ever wish to recall the details, I am sure to find them burned into memory. We made it to Amecameca in one piece, though, and there we found our lodgings, the plain but comfortable Hotel San Carlos, and nearby, a home for the car at the sister Bonampak Hotel.

Continue to Day 2

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