We are on our way to Vera Cruz or as close as we can get. We hear there is some flooding we may have to go around, plus we have to go around the city itself. We heard from Jacob (from back at the Brokers) that if you go through Vera Cruz instead of around, you will be stopped and fined $200.
This fining business seems to be very prevalent and popular. We have been stopped twice two times today. The first time was about ½ hour out from our hotel. They stopped us for speeding, even though we we not going any faster than the cars ahead and behind. It seemed to be all trucks and us. They wanted one amount, and started to write a ticket, and then they had us pull ahead and give them about $20. We never really got a ticket. Clint said if you refuse, they will take you to the station and write it up and it will end up being hours and $200. We were not happy, but relieved with the results.
We have been driving south and Clint took us on one small side-trip to the Playa or beach of Miramar. We so much wanted to set foot in the Gulf of Mexico. We stopped there for a local breakfast of scrambled eggs with bacon, black beans and cheese, and yeah coffee. Not great coffee, or even good coffee, but coffee.
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| Ticket Number 1 |
Next we went to the beach this place Is set up for many thousands of people, but it was almost a ghost town today. There were hundreds of umbrellas and beach chairs set up. Great white sand beach. The water was warm and glorious. It was nice to smell sea air again after being an inlander in Colorado. There is something untamed about even a resort beach.
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| The Gulf of Mexico |
As we tried to get back to the main highway we tried to find it in Tapico. We got into town with very old buildings, parking on both sides and increasingly narrow streets. It was getting barely passible to us and we were afraid that we would get stuck and attract more policia. We did find a way thanks be to God and also gasoline just as soon as we prayed, and are long gone from there.
Before we actually got to the beach, we got stopped by the policia again. It was a small town, and it was evident that they just stood out there and picked off likely subjects. This was for following too close, and not having wide enough mirrors. We can see around our trailer fine, and we were close because we were pulling up to a stop sign. The officers looked pretty serious about our crime spree. We got out after Clint and he haggled a bit for about $50. Expensive beach trip. Sorry Clint
Most of the countryside is lushly green with lots of trees. This is a very beautiful country. At least this part.
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| Everywhere beautiful vistas |
Now parked for the night, fed and just swam in a pool under palm trees. It is 11 pm. We have been trying since 5:30 to get a hotel. Every town was the same no hotels, or hotels with no parking for the van and trailer. We went through Tuxpan and Posa Rica and several small towns I didn’t write down. Each had amazing central areas with some great big hotels but no parking lots. We even got stopped twice more at check points with police, but not for tickets. Everyone we asked about hotels pointed up the road, but didn’t really give us any leads. It was like trying to find a garage sale by the signs. You can’t get there from here. We drove through some of the prettiest country I have ever seen There were terraced hillsides, orchards, sugar canes, banana and orange trees and possibly a tea plantation. Finally finally at the last police stop we asked and officer and he told us yes there was a hotel ahead. We didn’t spot his, but a guy ran out into the road and flagged us in to his. Pretty basic rooms, but clean sheets and we are not in the van. Also they had a restaurant, so we were able to get dinner right here on the grounds. We are in a beach town, and may wake up to ocean views nearby. It is weird to think of the ocean to the east of us.
Nick wanted me to name this blog, “guys hanging out with their bellies out”, because they like to stand around in groups with their shirts pulled up over the top of their bellies to keep cooler.
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