As we entered the undercover, but open air, port terminal we were greeted to cheerful Mexican music, unfortunately via a CD player, but nevertheless it did put some smiles on guests’ faces. Unfortunately a few faces fell when the bus (that I was assigned to) was delayed for 10 minutes or so because someone didn’t hear their tour being called.
Eventually we were on the road for a 1½ hour journey to our first destination, Nogueras, to visit the Museo Universitario Aljandro Rangel Hidalgo. This was created in honour of Mr Hidalgo; the museum being his former home which was probably the home of a former chaplain. The area next to the chapel was where he set up a workshop studio and where we saw a collection of ceramic sculptures and paintings.
Our next part of the tour included a visit to an old coffee house however on the way there we passed through the ‘Magic Zone’ or magnetic zone. The driver stopped the bus so that we could see a strange phenomenon. Cars going uphill were braking – a magnetic force was pulling them up the hill. We were able to see the Fire Volcano in the distance but only just – it was surrounded by cloud. Some people get to see it ‘blowing off’, throwing out a bit of lava, but today wasn’t one of those days for us.
We eventually arrived at the coffeehouse where guests could sample coffee and buy some; whilst there we could see the roasting process.
On the way back from the coffeehouse our driver demonstrated the power of the magnetic force; stopping the bus and putting it in neutral. Slowly but surely the bus was pulled along up the slope, getting faster until we reached 60km/hr after which the driver applied the brakes and put the bus back into gear. I believe BBC Earth filmed that area.
Next up was a stop in Comala for a traditional meal at a restaurant (tortillas with various fillings) and then we had a bit of free time to wander around or, as part of the tour, visiting a local bakery. I joined our guide to see the bakery and on the way we stopped to see ladies making tortillas and had a taste. At the bakery we could see people making dough and various types of bread and cakes. These would go onto big trays and then be rolled into a walk in oven. Customers would come in and choose what they wanted from the cooling trays. A few guests bought some freshly made cakes and the bus on the way back smelt heavenly along with a hint of coffee from guests who had bought coffee beans.
The drive back to the ship was uneventful and our guide left us to take a nap or view the scenic drive in silence until we reached the port gates.
You can see my pictures on facebook via this link: Excursion: Magical Pueblos
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| MS Maasdam's route to our next destination: Puerto Vallarta (via sea though!) |
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