Saturday 12th November

 

After another huge breakfast we headed to the car, only to find that all the cars that had been parked near to us the night before had gone and a street market had been assembled around the jeep.  Oops.  Still, in typically relaxed Mexican fashion, no-one seemed to care and we moved on.

Out of Zacapoaxtla and towards Tetela de Ocampo.  Our route found us carefully picking our way through devastated scenery, with major landslides around each bend and many of the roads washed away.  The aftermath of a brush with the edge of Hurricane Wilma, this was the effect of rain rather than wind.  

Some way into the day’s travel we stopped to admire a particularly huge agave sitting on the edge of the road, obviously cultivated by the man owning the land.  Members of the family came along, curious to see what we were up to and, surprisingly, the oldest son spoke English, having worked in L.A for some months.  Their reaction was typical of the friendliness and curiosity we encountered throughout the whole of central Mexico.  We think we have eliminated this plant down to being Agave americana ssp oaxacensis – totally superb.  

 

Stopped to take in a view and look at some Bocconia frutescens, one of our constant companions in the more tropical, lower regions.  

 

Further along we stopped for a while at a rather spectacular waterfall.   

 

Nick examined some weeds for an hour or so whilst I just inhaled the beauty of the place.  Then onwards to a place Nick knew from his previous visit – a whole hillside of Brahea dulcis.   

 

Magnificent spectacle, with the added bonus of a seriously sexy agave colony too – most likely Agave americana ssp protamericana with a dash of scabra, but with great form – compact, china blue, scabrous leaves with widely spaced, prominent dark teeth.  Lovely.  

 

Drove on to the industrial town of Tulancingo (Too-lan-SIN-go) as night fell.  Hotel a little rough but nearby restaurant was good.  An extremely friendly English speaking man helped us order whilst he waited for his takeaway.

 

Intro  8th/9th   10th   11th   12th   13th   14th    15th a  15th b   16th   17th   18th   19th   20th/21st   22nd/23rd