Matehuala to Queretaro

Allan and I woke up at 8am today and let the mutts sleep in while we went for a delicious breakfast in the lobby. After 10 minutes of deciphering the menu, we asked the waiter for a few translations, including the word "tocino", which I thought mean bacon. I was assured it was meat from a cow and not bacon. In the end Allan and I settled on eggs ranchero with tocino.

When the meal arrived we were greeted with bacon along with eggs sunny side up and salsa. It's reassuring that the US doesn't have a monopoly on dumb waiters. Apparently I need to learn the definition of "ranchero" because I was expecting some sort of spicy scrambled egg dish. We ate every delicious morsel regardless and had a Spanish lesson in the process.

After breakfast I walked the little brats down a neighboring bike path while Allan packed. The scenic walk through the brush was calming - that is until a pit bull charged at us from out of nowhere. The only thing separating us from the jaws of the agitated beast were three strands of barbed wire 6 inches apart. Needless to say I was scared beyond belief and ran as fast as I could back to the room dragging the little angels behind me. My heart was pounding, sweat forming on my forehead. Every 5 seconds I glanced back nervously hoping we weren't being pursued.

Unfortunately in Mexico there is really no recourse should an attack have happened. People don't sue here like they do in the States. Mexicans generally expect when someone walks out their door they should be prepared for whatever obstacles life presents. Even if there was some sort of due process in Mexico to sue the owner, what would I get out of a poor farmer from an isolated hill town in the Mexican outback? A goat? Although the US has gone too far in terms of the quantity and ridiculous nature of lawsuits filed, it is reassuring to know there is recourse against an irresponsible dog owner.

After I recovered from the walk, it was time to get out of dodge and hit the road. The drive out of Matehuala went fine, though I think both Allan and I are getting tired of seeing cacti and mountains. Luckily a few pit stops made the long drive worth every minute.

In many parts of Mexico when you use a public toilet you'll be lucky to have a toilet seat or even toilet paper. The first rest stop had toilet seats but the toilet paper was located outside the stall and around the corner by the sinks just as you walk in. I don't recall when this was first noticed, but at some point it was necessary to exit the stall to obtain the paper. At the second rest stop there was no toilet paper. Luckily I'm a pre-planner and thought to grab a roll from the hotel for such a similar occasion, just so we wouldn't be sh-t out of luck.

As we drove down the road further we noticed what looked like snake skins suspended from a tree. After multiple sightings Allan decided to stop for a better look. The minute our tire pulled off the pavement a whole family came running out of a tin shack towards our car. The children, wide eyed with looks of complete innocence and inexperience with things of the modern world stepped up on the running board of our car, hands in our window and peered in like we were astronauts from outer space. They spotted our Pringles potato chips and wanted some. Not only did I hand over all the chips, I lavished them with most of our supply of packets of peanut butter and crackers and Allan's diet iced green tea. They then spotted Allan's handheld back massager and wanted to know what it was. I explained it's function and then played floor model and tried it out on them as waves of joy crossed over their faces, their eyes filled with elation.

In Spanish I asked the older woman what exactly were those things hanging from the tree. My poor translation was that they were some sort of coyote grass for sale and did we want to buy some. Allan exited the SUV for a closer look and concluded they were rattlesnake skins. I think that makes more sense. Needless to say I need to work on my Spanish.

Instead of offering to purchase something we clearly did not want and had no desire to transport, I offered her 10 pesos (approx. 1 US dollar) for a photo of her family. Surprisingly she demanded 30 pesos (approx. 3 US dollars). That's probably more than she earns in an entire day! It was highway robbery, and I was determined to negotiate her price down. She wouldn't budge, and it was only 30 pesos after all, and they clearly needed the cash.

Before I could get out my camera the woman approached the SUV and asked me to "gift" her the back massager. When I refused, she then asked for my sandals. Boy is she persistent. No way Jose! Another woman approached holding a baby and offered it up for a mere 20 pesos. I didn't know if she was joking, but I scolded her regardless. When Rickey and Mitzi were spotted an adorable golden retriever mix puppy was brought over and offered for sale. Forget it! We're renting in Playa del Carmen and 2 dogs is enough. Plus what are we going to do with an adorable non-house trained flea bag for the next 1,000 miles?

I somehow managed to transition the subject over to the pictures and was able to start directing the family where to stand. It took some sorting out as they were standing in front of each other. Hadn't they ever had their picture taken before? Finally they were settled, and I started clicking away. By the time I was done one of the women was demanding 90 pesos (9 US dollars) for the "3 photos" I took. According to her I had only paid for one. Not wanting to be swindled again I stood firm, got in the car and left. After all I had just given the children free food and beverages. Luckily she knows nothing about shutter speed; I took well over 15 photos, as my camera was set to rapid photo, which takes multiple shots with the press of a button. It looks like she's not the only one who can play tricks.

Once on the road again Allan mentioned he wanted to continue 2 hours south of San Louis Potosi to Queretaro. Not wanting to rush our journey I asked that we play it by ear. A shorter drive meant a swim in the pool, a nap and time to relax. More driving would make me antsy and irritable. Well, just about anything makes me cranky, but especially being trapped in a car for over 5 hours.

When we arrived at San Louis Potosi we weren't impressed. We drove through traffic congestion to the center of town and back out again to the highway. Parts of the town seemed charming: there was some neat historic architecture, good shopping, nice parks and a fiesta was in full bloom. However, we both opted to keep driving onto Queretaro. So off we were for another 2+ hours in the car.

Upon arriving in Queretaro we were both physically and mentally exhausted. We stopped at the first motel we saw, a "love motel" where secret lovers flock to share a quick romance. We drove through a covered archway, and around a corner to a drive up receptionist's window. Clearly we could see each unit had its own private garage with pull down door to hide your vehicle and stairs leading up to the king sized bed. This would be the perfect location to sneak the dogs up to our room. Unfortunately they were spotted by a woman hiding behind a one way mirror, and we were quickly sent on our way. Darn!

The next hotel, a Holiday Inn, turned out to be a gem situated in an unimpressive residential part of town. The bathroom in the lobby was covered in marble, urinals were individually tucked away behind freshly painted wood doors and odor control sensors were spritzing what smelled like cologne. The front entrance looked straight out of a Conde Nast Travler magazine. And the lobby was immaculate.

Allan and I dropped the equivalent of a night's stay in a nice US hotel for a room with double beds in the less-expensive section of the hotel. Unfortunately we arrived too late (9pm) to enjoy the pool lined with white umbrellas and matching chairs or take in a stroll along the manicured gardens. Perhaps tomorrow. We did however have a great dinner in the lobby. And, yes, we did sneak in the mutts into the room - one at a time - and not a peep, though Rickey shook with fear the entire way.

It's now 1am, and everyone's asleep except me. I can't sleep. But that's ok - I'll just sleep in tomorrow. It's Monday, and I'm on vacation. We've got nowhere to be, no deadlines and no one is expecting us.

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The drive out of Matehuala was lined with gorgeous mountain ranges.

The boys eat our Pringles.

A photo of the 2 women with Allan and Rickey in front of the snake skins.

The puppy for sale. Sorry, Tiger, I'm sure you'd have a better home with us, but we just can't keep you!

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