More than a year later…

Such a long silence! And not really because there was not much to write about, but very little time to write… We have covered some more ground and visited very interesting places, including a new visit to the hospital by me!

We visited Actopan in early 2010. Extraordinary place! We did go at an off season time, it was chilly for the region (wonderful 75 degrees F) but perfect for us. Actopan is, per se, a very sleepy and non charming town, but the road is filled with the most interesting plantings! It seems Actopan, famous for the great mangos they grow and export, also has extensive Chayote (Mexican prickly squash) plantations. What is fun about Chayote plants is that they are creeping vines. The mango growers have managed to plant the Chayotes between the Huge Mango trees in elevated trellises which remind me of grape country. The difference is that the trellises are lower – about 40 inches off the ground- and the fruits that hang are big pear like squashes covered with spines… would not like to have to harvest that crop.

But the real charm is in Nace el Río, the birth place of the river Actopan. It is not really the birthplace, since it starts high up in the mountains and runs subterranean, but it is in this little reserve that the rivers comes out into the open. It is here that the white water rafters come to catch the first currents that will take them through cannons and valleys. But the reserve also has its charm for the not so adventurous; it boasts an endemic species micro zoo and botanical garden, and a few streams and water holes to wade (or swim in). The best is the secret island –hard to get to but very cool- that sits between two currents of the river where you can bask in the sun while your family swims or boards a raft!

The trip was short, and the water was a bit chilly because of the air temp, but we will hopefully go back in warmer weather to take advantage of the swimming holes and, why not, the white water rafting.