That was a wild ride!
Trip Start
Jul 04, 2010
1
98
163
Trip End
May 10, 2011
Where I stayed
Hotel Tierra Sagrada
Santa Catarina Juquila, Oaxaca, Mexico
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
After a great night's rest between crispy clean sheets, we stood on the main road waiting for a bus that would take us to Puerto Escondido or Juquila. We would let fate decide our destination today. We saw a group of bicycling pilgrims waiting around while the local bike shop worked on one of the teen's bicycle. Pedro, of Pedro Tours told us to expect many cyclists on this route who would be making a pilgrimage to Juquila to honor the "Virgen de Juquila". It turned out that we saw just two cyclists along the way
Several drivers agreed to take us until they noticed our big pile of panniers (10 bags total). After an hour of waiting, a driver of an express van going to Juquila agreed to take us. He jumped onto his van's roof and Dave handed up the bikes. We kept our fingers crossed that they would still be up there when we arrived at our destination.
We were so glad to be in the van when we saw not only the steep twisty mountain grade but also a narrow pot holed road. There was not a lot of traffic, but the traffic that was there drove like maniacs, cutting corners and swerving to avoid potholes. At one point, we heard something fall off the van and we whipped our heads around hoping it was not a bike or bike parts. The driver brought the van to a halt and ran off to retrieve one of the van's hubcaps. The mountain views were spectacular. Forested high peaks were all around us in the distance with no end in sight. Here and there, we passed isolated small villages, just a few houses really, and several spots with little restaurants. All the while, the guy in the seat in front of us was puking his guts out the whole way. Michelle felt fine the whole way. But toward the end, Dave was feeling pretty rocky and ready to hurl. At the fork where highway 178 cuts off to Juquila, an army checkpoint was searching the van ahead of us. We were waved on without being searched.
We passed another group of relay runners, mostly teenagers, spaced every four hundred meters, waiting for the torch to be passed as they made their demonstration run for a virgin.
Juquila clings to the high mounting ridge and is the first sizable (pop 134,000) town we have seen since leaving Oaxaca. Michelle checked out three hotels and picked the simple and clean Hotel Tierra Sagrada. After Dave's stomach settled down, we went in search of lunch. Michelle tried another tlayuda and Dave a pork stew with another Oaxacan mole.
We explored the town and bit. They were setting up bandstands, chairs and tables under large awnings for a celebration. Little kids dressed as peasants, reindeer, angels, and Joseph and Maria came streaming into the courtyard of the main church. A bit later the children performed a Christmas play.
We looked into the main church and noticed there were few pews. Worshipers would enter the main door, fall to their knees, and begin inching their way to the alter several hundred feet ahead.
We returned to our chilly hotel room and updated the journal. Juquila, at 1485 meters, is cool this time of year.
