Xilitla, El Tajin and the Veracruz Coast

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September 9, 2000 – Leaving fascinating Xilitla, we tour El Tajïn Archeological Site and overnight on the Veracruz Coast (continued from the Cd. Valles to Xilitla entry)

Having slept soundly in our bed at El Castillo guest house, we arose early to the sound of roosters crowing below us in the town of Xilitla. It had been a long time since I’d heard that sound, I realized–around our on La Ropa Beach in Zihuatanejo, roosters have been supplanted by the early-morning arrival of the garbage truck, and their crows have been replaced by the steady, electronic beep-beep-beep of its back-up signal. I know there still are many places in town where roosters still rule the early morning, but Playa la Ropa isn’t one of them.

Going out onto the El Castillo guesthouse roof patio, we looked upon the houses scattered down the hillside, and across the valley to the draw where Edward James built his dream (see Sept. 8 entry) and watched the sun’s rays strengthen on the thumb-like protuberance of La Silleta mountain.

The house began stirring around us (particularly right downstairs in the kitchen) and at 8 a.m. we went into the dining room and were served an exceptionally fine breakfast of juice and fresh fruit, sweet rolls and toast, THE best huevos rancheros (eggs in hot sauce) I have ever had, black beans and our individual sources of caffeine. Breakfast was followed by a short but steep climb up the cobblestone road (for pedestrians only) leading to the center of town just a block away. We walked the small square that, not surprisingly, displays a fountain that seems to have been transplanted directly from Edward James’s jungle retreat. We admired the old church and ex-convent, reputed to be the oldest in the area, and for a short while before leaving enjoyed the sights and sounds of a small mountain village awakening.

Packing up and bidding farewell to our host, Avery Danzinger at El Castillo, we wound our way back along Highway 120 to its junction with Highway 85. We turned toward Tamazunchale, the next large town down the line, headed toward the coast of Veracruz. The road, lined with bananas, citrus and coffee, wound through the valley and over a number of streams and small rivers.

Tamazunchale itself is a fairly large and bustling center on the valley bottom, lining and spanning one of the largest rivers. There we turned off onto Highway 120 once again – a secondary route lead us along a curvy road through low hills and more citrus orchards, past the town of San Felipe Orizatlan and into the State of Hidalgo.

Here the terrain changed. In the distance were imposing and solitary flattop mountains, and the vegetation was less cultivated and consisted more of bananas and corn. Livestock was again in evidence. Near Oxtomal we saw that people busied themselves putting together wooden rockers with woven seats, which they had displayed for sale along the roadside. We passed a wedding procession at Chililico, just outside of Huetutla, the bride and groom in full regalia walking at the head of a long line of guests along the side of the highway, away from the church and presumably toward the quarters where the reception was to be held.

We stopped in Huehutla, a bustling town even in the extremely hot and humid weather we were experiencing. On the approach to this town were also numerous small, family-like furniture makers offering more than just rockers. The streets in downtown Huehutla crawled with small, scurrying people dressed predominantly in bright oranges, yellows and reds. We tried to visit the massive church on a rise beside the large town square, but its gates were locked.

We left the town via highway 105 north and entered the State of Veracruz shortly thereafter. The countryside became much flatter and drier, but unusually-shaped hills still appeared rising suddenly in the distance. The roads were in much worse condition, with lots of potholes, dips, topes and things better avoided.

Twenty km north we turned onto the road to Tantoyuca (Highway 127), having been told that this was the quickest route to the highway that would take us back south toward Tuxpan, Poza Rica and the El Tajín ruins. This stretch was one long series of potholes. Fortunately it lasted for only about 20 km, and once we reached Tantoyuca, we turned onto Highway 180. Nearing Tuxpan we were again in citrus and banana country, and coconut palms began to make their appearance. Crossing the long bridge at Tuxpan, we could see the port area and large freighters stationed along the river. From Tuxpan to Poza Rica we found ourselves, for the first time in many days, on a super highway speeding past oil refineries.

Much before we reached Poza Rica the route to El Tajin ruins was clearly marked. Taking a secondary road out of town, we arrived at El Tajin at about 5:00 p.m. We toured the impressive find of stepped and intricately decorated pyramids and structures surrounded by well-kept grounds. There weren’t many other tourists in evidence – it was late in the day and low-season. The vendors of curios, flavored ices, vanilla beans and regional clothing had few others to attack as we exited the pyramid grounds.

I was disappointed to see that the traditional Papantla shirts (we were in the district of Papantla, a nearby town famous for its production of natural vanilla) were being restyled, perhaps at the request of the visiting tourists who, over time, may have been suggesting that they should do this or that with their design), and nowhere could I see the original, simple and softly-tucked white shirts originally worn by the men in the area.

This region is also the home of the Voladores de Papantla, who climb a tall pole and, to the sound of a flautist perched on the tip of the mast, spin down upside-down on ropes that gently lower them toward the ground. We had arrived too late in the day to see the Papantla fliers, though, but were told that there is a show every afternoon at the ruins, near the small museum at the entrance to the complex.

Leaving El Tajin at around 6:30 p.m., we drove through the village of Papantla and carried on past the town of Tecolutla toward the Emerald Coast of Veracruz, catching a beautiful sunset along the way. We chose one of the many, many beach hotels just past Riachuelos to spend the night in (almost all virtually empty at this time of year), dining once again beside the ocean on a seafood cocktail and fish prepared in the Veracruz style, smothered in a spicy tomato/onion sauce with olives.

Tomorrow we carry on to the Cempoala ruins, the town of Veracruz, past spectacular Orizaba, Mexico’s tallest volcano, and over the mountains along the recently-completed hiway to Oaxaca.

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