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I've always had a connection to Mexico. When I was still in primary school I won second prize ($10) in a fancy dress contest at the St Carthage's Christmas Carnival dressed as a Mexican. I had a sombrero, a poncho made from a sheet, a stripy towel draped over my shoulder, fake mustache and fake five o'clock shadow (mum's mascara I actually didn't have facial stubble in primary school!). $10 was a big deal at that stage of my life so I think think this gave me an affinity to all things Mexican. Today this connection reached a new level with me flying across the Gulf of Mexico and landing in Mexico City.
I didn't get to see much of Mexico City today as I left straight away for the hill Town of Tepoztlan in Morelos state, what I did see was pretty typical of any large modern city, however what I wasn't prepared for was what I was going to be confronted with in Tepoztlan. There is a toll gate where you leave the four lane duel carriage way that also serves as an entry for the town, you then descend between the lush green hills with occasional rocky outcrops peeking through what can only be described as a sea of green jungle. Almost immediately you turn into a narrow little cobbled street that is only just wide enough for two cars to pass unless someone steps out of their front door. At this point I was thinking that there was only going to be one or two streets in a all-too-quiet little village, then the car turned into another, then another, passed a old colonial style church, then turned into another alley. The driver then pointed out an Aztec pyramid in the distance, perched on top of an impossible forested cliff towering above the other side of town. A few more turn then we were in the 'richer' part of town where the road was hemmed in not by houses but by walls surrounding the villas and grounds, at every turn the place was oozing with atmosphere and lost world charm, my eyes were feasting on what I was seeing and my brain struggled to process it all.....wow......wow.......wow. My description doesn't do it justice (my photos probably won't either) but I have to say that Tepoztlan has my wanderlust fired up and my liking for all things Mexican at an all time high.
I'm going to be in Tepoztlan until the 20th of September taking some Spanish lessons and generally chilling before striking out further into Mexico and Central America.
Hasta Luego Amigo.
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