State of Veracruz

[DonJuane]

Veracruz seems to be most famous for good coffee everywhere. Xalapa and Cordoba I really enjoyed where there is both historical buildings and many coffee shops. There aren't many Gringos in that area. I have been to Xalapa twice, the archeological museum is very interesting, enough so that I returned later for a second after my first visit. There is only one callejon in Xalapa and it has a few restaurants on it, worth stopping in. There is sometimes live music in this area during the evenings on the weekends. There is also a nice jogging and walking park in Xalapa with a little tower you can climb and take photos out of it, capturing the city and countryside below. The park is across from the museum. Cordoba doesn't have much in the form of tourist attractions but has some good restaurants and lots of historical architecture.

In the city center of Veracruz, at night they have many salsa street dances that are very interesting to watch and participate if you have the skills. Most of the souvenir shops are along the pier and just off the pier there are three seafood restaurants in a row (I can look it up if you are interested but I have forgotten the name) and these are very good and much less than the ones on the Zocalo. In fact I had Veracruz's namesake, Red Snapper Veracruz on the Zocalo and it was disappointing. There is also a tramvia that can be ridden during the day or night; both are fun.

I also ventured down to the fishing port of Puerto Alvarado. That was five years ago and then they had only 2 hotels, one a very dirty one and then one that is a bit more expensive than normal Mexican hotels, I think around $40 or $50 a night, more than the going rate for similar accommodations in other small cities but nice and clean otherwise. I had a very nice week long stay there but this wouldn't be for everyone. You'd have to like the smell of fish of all ages and have a healthy stomach for some of it. Don't be tempted like me to eat the 5 peso raw oysters all day on the first day, however, or this will be a temptation that the pharmacia will have to clear up ;-) Cooked, the seafood is a delight. Otherwise, it's not going to be your cleanest and brightest town but still a good insight to an old fishing community.

Then there is Tlacotalpan, a Pueblo Magico which I didn't quite see the magic. I was a very slow village with not much at all going on. Appeared kind of like everyone was out on holiday somewhere else. Still it was a unique place, as all villages of Mexico seem to be and worth a stop-in, particularly if you have an auto and aren't trying to hop commuter buses all the way down from Veracruz city.

And that's only a small part of the state. Over all I would say "thumbs up" for touring the area.