From Xalapa to the City of Veracruz

Yesterday we left Xalapa for the city of Veracruz for the second stint of our five week trip (check the map at the bottom to see locations). We stopped at a few places along the route, including El Lencero, which was a hacienda, or large estate, of General Antonio López de Santa Anna. Santa Anna was the general who won the Battle of the Alamo in 1836, and was also President of Mexico on and off over the span of 15 years from 1833-1847. El Lencero definitely was a nice place, including all the amenities of the 19th century. If they had MTV cribs back 150 years ago this place would definitely have been showcased. I mean, how many people do you know who build their own church next to their mansion?

The port city of Veracruz is definitely a bit more lively than Xalapa (even though the public square in the picture at left was almost empty during midday, it was jumping with people Saturday at midnight). The food and atmosphere are somewhat touristy, and the city has a strong Caribbean vibe to it. The music, architecture, and people remind me more of Havana, Cuba than other places I’ve been in Mexico. This just goes to show that Mexico is a diverse place, with many different cultural influences.