We had thought of our Mexico trip as the "Butterfly Trip", but it turned out to be so much more. The butterfly part didn't work out for us--the photo at left is from the internet; it was a cool 50 degrees with heavy overcast and the butterflies stayed up in the trees trying to keep warm.
We were at an elevation of 10,782 feet
and it was cool! We were told that the butterflies come down from the trees (They clump high in the 70' pine trees) when the sun shines and it is warm in the middle of the day.
There were, seemingly, thousands of these "clumps" of butterflies.
It was a little over a mile and a quarter from the area where we got tickets to get in to this Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve
and it was very steep, rocky, then sandy, then deep ditches (at 11,000+ feet elevation) and we could each rent a horse for 100 pesos (about $5.80) each, each way so we did that. The other 6 in our group walked, then complained the next couple days about their leg cramps, etc.
Phyllis is on her horse here.
I spent a lot of time on a horse as a kid, growing up on the eastern edge of the Sandhills in Nebraska, though had been many years since I was on a horse.
Hadn't realized it, but Patty had never sat on a horse before. Other than being terrified and hanging on for dear life, she made it fine. They led the girl's horses while they let me take the reins, though the guy followed right behind (letting the horse pull him up the hill with his tail) most of the time.
Thomas, from Viva Tours, picked us up at our house. This is Patty & Phyllis with
suitcases ready to go.
Phyllis and I, ready to go at 1:30 pm -- which Thomas (pronounced Toe-mass) arrived right on time.
He drove to San Juan, TX where he picked up another couple who live there and then we drove across the border at the Pharr bridge and directly to the Reynosa Airport in Mexico.
We each had to buy a Visa, for 390 Pesos ( about $23) since we were entering country by land and traveling farther than 20 kilometers into Mexico and staying longer than 72 hours this was necessary. We carried it all the time, but were never asked for it again after we showed it with our boarding pass.
This is Juan giving us instructions at the Reynosa Airport. The plane coming in from Monteray was late by over an hour so we spent some time at the airport. To the right of Juan is Robert and Diane Demeyer from Hartwick, IA and Manuel and Lydia Martenez from San Juan, TX.
This is the Visa
Heading out to board the plane in Reynosa
at 5:58 pm - we had been scheduled to fly out at 4:40 pm.
Waiting for our luggage
in Mexico City at 7:51 pm - we had been
on the ground for a while. This is one
big airport. It serves the metropolitan area
of 22.2 million people--reportedly the
largest metropolitan area in
the western hemisphere.
First group picture, at the El Rincón Tapatío
Taqueria Y Jugueria (Tacos & Juice)
Robert and Diane Demeyer from Hartwick, IA; Joan Becker from Waterloo, IA; Phyllis & Lynn Miles from Clarinda, IA; Patty Steckelberg from Shenandoah, IA; Lydia and Manuel Martenez from San Juan, TX behind Juan Angel Garcia Gonzolez from Juárez, Mexico
We had buffet breakfast
on Saturday morning at
the Hotel Metropol
where we were staying.
Lots of fruit and
juices available.
On Saturday morning we headed out
on a tour of the square, or "Zócala in
Mexico City.
Juan explained more
than we could absorb
about all the buildings
and history of the area.
This is Palacio De Bellas Artes on the square. We attended the Ballet Folklorico here on the next Wednesday evening when we returned to Mexico City.
 |
| This photo was taken by a professional photographer on the Zócola. Left to right, Lydia and Manuel Martenez, Patty Steckelberg, Phyllis & Lynn Miles, Joan Becker, Diane and Robert Demeyer, with Juan Angel in front holding the flag. |
Enough for today. I will pick this up some time in the near future.
Later, Lynn
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