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| Okay, I'm a little pissed off. |
Hola. I'm in Guadalajara safe and sound. Very tired, possibly due to the altitude change as much as anything. But, it did seem to be a long day.
Okay, the reason I'm pissed off. I dunno if it's this site, my computer, or the WiFi connections I'm using, but for the second time I typed for half an hour only to have everything disappear! I tend to think it's the laptop as I'm still not comfy with the keyboard.
No pics today. I took a few from my balconey at La Siesta with the small camera because it just such a beautiful morning. Then into a Pulmonia and off to the bus terminal. Mexico's inter city bus system is fantastic, but a little confusing to me. (I don't know what it's like in the States, but in Canada we pretty much just have Greyhound. You walk into a Greyhound terminal and buy a ticket to pretty well anywhere in Canada and you will be traveling "The Dog" all the way through, even if you do have to change buses at different cities. Here, the modern terminals are home to multiple bus companies servicing different destinations and offering several levels of service. In the recent past I guess there were multiple terminals in every city. Mexico still have four terminals. Dunno how you figure that out, but there's little danger of me ever going there unless it's just to make a conection.
Anyway, I had wanted to try an executive class bus, but the only company I could find at the terminal offering that service only had departures late at night. I guess this is common on longer hauls. So I had to settle for first class. And there was bus leaving in ten minutes. This my friends was a mistake. I should have waited the hour or so until the next bus when I could have chosen my seat better. (All seats on first and executive class buses are assigned. GOTTA REMEMBER TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE BOOK WHERE I LEARNED ALL THIS STUFF, AND MORE.)
Conventional wisdom is to chose a seat number in the teens so you are close enough to the front to be able to get in and out quickly if there's a brief stop, but far enough away from the restroom so you aren't bothered by the traffic and the odour. I can still smell that bathroom! Oh, and you want to chose a seat that's going to be mostly on the shady side of the bus. The bus is air conditioned, but the sun can be brutal. And you don't want to be right at the front because you don't want to be watching the driving, especially in the mountains.
So, aside from the restroom, the seating was very comfortable. Lots of leg room and the seat reclined almost into a bed. The bus was less than half full, so no one on seat next to me. About five hours to Guad, with a 15 minute stop in Tepic. Otherwise none stop except for when the bus driver saw a lady he knew at a rest area selling food. I don't know what to call them but they were great. A package of four tortillas wrapped around beef, chicken, pork and refied beans (one of each) for $2. Hot (as in temperature) and fresh. The first of two surprising meals I had today.
The bus terminal at Guad is quite a bit larger than the one at Maz, and I may use a travel agent or someone at the front desk to help me with reserving my next bus. Too many bus companies!
I really lucked out with my taxi to the hotel. Ramone claims he might have been the only one of about 200 taxi driver there that speaks English, and very well at that. He taught me several things on the way to the hotel, and I now have his cell number. I think I will be hiring him for a tour or two. (About $17CDN an hour. Oh, and the bus was $35CDN for a five hour, 450 km ride.)
Okay, THE BOOK.
If you are at all interested in a Mexican vacation away from the all incusives, pick up The People's Guide to Mexico, 13ed. I'm sure I read the whole book three times, some parts many more than that, before starting this trip. And for that reason I didn't put it in my suitcase. Oh boy, do I miss it. Especially some of the really good advice on practical Spanish. The whole book is just practical, and it's aimed at people who want a real Mexican experience. I don't think there's any hotels or restaurents named, but lots of great advice on picking hotels, restaurents, markets and tons of other stuff. One of the best books I own, and if I see a copy in Guad I will buy it again.
"nough for now. I'm going to call it a day, even though I have things to say about my first few hours in Guad, and my first impressions of the Hotel San Francisco Plaza.
Buenas nochas.
Al
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Posted by alparker on 2008-11-24 23:53:53 | Rating: | Views: 33
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