Puebla

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24th July 2018

I was coming from the city of Oaxaca by an ADO bus and arrived as late as 9pm at the ADO bus terminal in the city of Puebla, which is a part of the state of Puebla. Even this a state with beautiful nature and lots of hills and mountains. Already when we were close to the city, I could see the well-known Popocatépetl.

My host, who lives in the outskirts of Puebla city, in a town called Cuautlancingo, met me at the ADO terminal with nearly the whole family (husband, daughter and father). They took me to an expensive restaurant for dinner. I chose a burrito with vegetables and meat. It was so big, that I only could eat half of it. The father paid for the whole family and me. He is a manager of a company renting out cranes. His son in law is working as a buyer for the same company. Ashley herself (my host) had worked as an international seller, but is now taking care of her 9-months-old daughter. The house, she lives with her family, they bought recently. Well there I was asked to choose between a mattress on a floor in a private room at their house or in the room with a comfortable bed of her younger sister at her father’s home. I choose the second option. I had the whole upper floor for myself, because the father is living on the lower floor. The mother unfortunately did die some years ago by a virus, which used her autoimmunity. Their youngest child, a son, was at that time only 16 years old. It was already late, when we came home, though we did go to bed soon.

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25th July 2018

I left the house without breakfast to get a ride with the father downtown. He was driving to his work, but made a detour for me. He also drove a street, where I could get a very good view on the mountains Popocatépetl and Iztaccihuatl (both names of the Nahuatl language). He told me, that the Popocatépetl is the husband (el …) and the Iztaccihuatl his wife (la). The clouds over the mountains this day were very nice to see, though he stopped the car and gave me the opportunity to take pictures. Later Ashley told me, that there is a park around the Popocatépetl, which is open year round. I will try to go there.

He left me close to the Zocalo (central place), where I had to find a bathroom and a place for breakfast. I maybe walked away to the wrong street, but eventually I found a place for both. I asked for using the bathroom first of all and ordered the breakfast later. The café actually was a part of the Hotel Andante (which had a music theme with pictures of the great musicians like Haydn and Mozart), but not highly frequented. I ordered fruits and something to drink and it was for 50 MXN. I had to go to the bathroom after the breakfast as well. I do not know, what happens, but this morning I was peeing much more than usual. Maybe it was because the new medicine. It has the same ingredients as my usual, but maybe my Swedish medicine did not work so good anymore, because I have had it with me in the heat for six month. I have a Thermos bag to transport it in, but no ice block. Maybe it got too warm. The Mexican medicine is good for up to +30°C, which I am happy about, of course.

Afterwards I was looking for the Museo Amparo. It was easy to find by the signs from the Zocalo and further. The museum is about pre-Columbian and actual art. In the entrance hall, they have an exhibition on the walls about migration. It is very interesting and has many facts. Unfortunately they only have leaflets of permanent exhibitions. My photos could catch some of the facts.

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More facts you can find by following the link “Migration“.

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The entrance fee for the museum was as low as 35 MXN. I stayed there for hours and was looking for a dinner, when I left. I was so hungry, that I did enter a restaurant close by, not asking for the price. I had a meal for 105 MXN including a drink and left a tip as well. Surprisingly for me, I now was in the historical part of the city. I was still not satisfied and was looking for a dessert. Close to another church and another market place I found the Café Catalina, where I had a piece of cake and a hot chocolate. These were for 80 MXN. I had to order at the desk and therefore, I did not give any tip, but I can recommend the café. It is clean and the waiters are very friendly. There is also a possibility to charge your phone, what I did, because me phone is running out of charge very soon just now – it may belong by all the photos I take. I do not leave a place without my extra battery now, when I know, that I will be outside for the whole day.

It was time to try to find a bus stop. I first was looking on maps.me and it showed a lot of bus stops. I walked in the right direction and unexpected I saw a shop for clocks and watches. I gave it a try and asked for the batteries for my hearing aids. They did have them! 🙂 Unfortunately I had not taken enough with money with me, that I could by some of them right away. I tried to take a photo of the name of the place, when they offered me a business card. Then I continued to the bus stops and was asking, where the bus no 65 or RS19 is going (Ashley had told me, that I had to ask for them). I have got an explanation for the bus stop and also asked as well, when I arrived at the bus stop, where the bus RS19 should pass. Unfortunately there was no bus RS19 for over an hour, though I messaged Ashley by WhatsApp, asking if her father could pick me up, because he had offered me that in the morning. He was at the church and I was asked, if I could go there. I should have to take a bus in the other direction – closer to the city center again and gave up. Though I was staying at that bus stop until her father picked me up later.

Finally back at his home, we had a light snack and I also had a chat with Ashley. When I was to bed, I was checking on the Internet, which activities I would like to do the upcoming day. There are lots of museums in Puebla and I think one could spend two weeks in the city without getting bored.

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26th July 2018

Erick, Ashley’s father, tog my to the bus station on his way to work, because I decided to spend this day in Tehuacán. I had read, that there is a Zapotec site there, which often is referred to. The bus trip was for 166 MXN each way. I bought my breakfast by a “flying seller” at the bus. The ride was around 90 minutes and it was a direct route. I had nearly forgotten my hat, but Erick had told me, that it will be hot in Tehuacán.

Well in this city I found the way to the center easily by using the GPS. I looked for a tourist information at the main square, but had to ask a policeman for it, because I did not find it first. With his description it was easy. It was a little stall, which from a little more far away was not easy to see and especially not to recognize, that it is a tourist information. I asked for the ruins and got a paper about it. There were stated and the assistant at the tourist information also explained to me, that I had to go by a route number XX to San Isidro. I walked further and saw collectivos, though I asked for that bus, but they gave me the wrong answer. The told me, it is a bigger bus for San Isidro. Though I was waiting for it and entered it. I did not see any route number, which is usual in Mexico. I told the driver, that I will go to the zona archaeologica as well as I asked him to call when we are there. He took paid of me. Finally in the village of San Isidro I asked him, if that was the last stop and how to go further to the archaeological zone. First now he told me, that I am on the wrong bus and that there are two villages with the name San Isidro close to Tehuacán. He also told me, that I had to return with him to the city center. I did, but I did not pay one more time, it was not my mistake and he did not ask for money either.

Finally I was on the right bus – after asking around two more times, but I had to change the bus. That was easily done and the bus was going all the way to the archaeological zone, where it was free entrance. The site is very beautiful situated in the mountains, even the climate is here more dry. I enjoyed the nature as much as the site. I was surprised about the yellow fillings of the ruins and later, when I already where leaving I saw a female worker, maybe an archaeologist, who I asked about it. She told me, that it is for the preparation of the site – that the weather won’t damage it.

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The site also has a nice museum, which has free entrance as well. I do not know if it is the policy of the state of Puebla or it is because this is a site, which is not so well-known and has not a lot of visitors yet. They actually try to find out, how to attract more visitors.

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I did not have to wait for more than some minutes, before a collectivo arrived. We were a lot of visitors in need for it, but not more, that all got a seat. This bus, the number 33, actually was going all the way back to the city of Tehuacán. There were no need for a change. The bus became really full before it arrived in town. I only had to pay the reduced fee (for elderly and disabled people), even I had not ask for it.

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For more photos of this day click here, please.

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I had still time to see the city and also to eat something. I took photos of the cathedral and the town hall, which has murals in the patio. By the way, there were a lot of old-timer cars around the town hall. I ordered a chicken meal at a place, but they only had Coke to drink, though I told them, that I will not eat there either and was going further. I had an ice cream instead and a big mug “Agua de Horchata” on the way back to the bus terminal. Unfortunately my GPS did not show me the right way. When I came to a point, I was not sure how to continue, I asked in a café. There the right way was explained for me. I was too far already and had to go back for around 15 minutes. I had to use the bathroom before entering the bus and was happy, that I made it in time. The bus left the city at 6:15pm and was in Puebla around 8pm.

Erick picked me up with a little car, the car of his younger daughter, because I did not have luggage and the little one is more economical. Back in Cuautlancingo I had a short chat with Ashley. She also showed me, how to use the washing machine at Erick’s home. We planned for the upcoming day, because we want to see the Baroque museum together. My late meal were two slices of toast with peanut butter and lime/lemon grass tea. In the bed I wrote down my memories of the day.

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27th July 2018

I had my daily routines including breakfast, when Ashley came over with her little daughter. Together we were going to the Museum of Baroque by her father’s car. I sat on the site of her daughter, though she did not feel lonely – otherwise she would start crying. The building is quite new, special and looks big (see the photo on the top of this site). The exhibition does not fill it. I actually was expecting more.

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I think, you remember, that I do not like the Baroque style, but this does not mean, that I am not interested in to learn more about it. In the city of Puebla you find that style in different buildings, but mostly clerical. Even the main library is built in this style.

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When I finished to look at the exhibition I had to wait for Ashley and her daughter by her daughter’s needs. Though I was looking around in the shop, which mainly offered ceramic items. There were also an explanation, that told the visitors, that the ceramic with white bottom is typical for Puebla. Most of this items are too big for me, but unfortunately, they also had small items, which were not so very expensive either. Though I bought a souvenir again, even I try not to do so.

Now we were going to an aunt of Ashley, who has a restaurant and sells pozole. I had told Ashley that I do not like pozole, but here I understood, that I never had tried it before. What I have had before, has been pozol (a drink), pozole is a soup. For the reason I did not know that, I did order an advocado salad, which was good. We shared a liter of melon water, because I told them, that I will not have tuna water. I told them, that I was allergic against tuna ;-). While we were eating, Ashley explained for me, that tuna is a fruit and the fish I was thinking about is atún. When she told me that, I remembered that name. Though one day I also will try tuna water. We did not have to pay for the meal.

From the restaurant we were going to the “Estrella” (star) of Puebla. It is a ferry wheel and 80 meters high. Ashley’s daughter was sleeping, though I was going close to it by myself. I was looking up to it and even the gondolas are closed, I was afraid, that I up there will feel my fear of high again. Though I stayed on the ground and enjoyed the spring water instead. I was soon going back to Ashley and the car and she was driving back home.

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Even this evening we had a chat and planned for the upcoming day. I had told Ashley, that I would like to cook a Swedish meal for them and was wondering about, if I could do it the upcoming day or if I had to made it on Sunday, the day I will leave. That was an option as well, because the next place I will stay is close to the city of Puebla and I booked a hostel bed, though my arrival time would be in the afternoon anyway. She told me, that it would be best, if I could have the meal on Sunday. Even this evening I was to bed around 10pm, too tired to update my blog.

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28th July 2018

After breakfast Ashley and I were going to the butchers. I bought a half kilo of mixed ground beef and pork. She bought a chicken at another butcher. Afterwards I was going downtown by bus, which was easy, of course, because I could go off everywhere in the center. The bus in Puebla is for 6 MXN only – as it was in Oaxaca as well. The first thing I was looking for were the batteries. I found the horologist easily and bought a 10-pack of the battery-cards (there are 6 batteries on a card), because it saves time for me on other places. I paid 1000 MXN for all the batteries and that is slightly less than in Sweden. Though batteries are quite expensive here in Mexico, compared with the other costs. The owner told me, that they are made in Switzerland. She also gave me another business card (with the same text on it). I later gave this to Erick, if he will need it one day, because he had told me, that his younger daughter has problems with her hearing.

Still in town, I continued to the Museo San Pedro del Arte. The admission fee was 20 MXN, but as I understood, this was a reduced fee. If I have got that fee because it was not possible to see all exhibitions or for my age, I am not sure. Anyway the female assistant offered me the INAM-fee, but I told her, that I was not Mexican. She thought, that this does not matter. There were different exhibitions from craft to Sacra Art. Actually I liked the first one most. There were amazing things shown.

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I was hungry now and needed something to eat. Though I was going in that direction, where I saw stalls. There was also a church, but on the way I took a look in another museum, the Museo de Technologico Monterrey”. The security guard welcomed me in and told me, that it was for free. Though I followed him and he registered me. By the way he was good in getting people into the museum. In this museum the works of Javier Marínenel was shown. He impresses himself in metal and is really controversial.

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I was very hungry now and took one of the next restaurants I passed. I had a “comida” (lunch) and it was announced, that it will cost 65 MXN including water with taste like “Agua de Horchata” and dessert. It was also a soup served, which I could choose. Unfortunately I had a long, black hair in my soup, though I let it go back. The waiter apologized three times and served me another kind of soup, but he was asking me before, which kind of soup I have had – he could see that, when he was carrying it out to the kitchen. The main meal was chicken steak, but what I have got was boiled and stiff. It took a long time for me to eat. The chicken came with spinach and that was watering like a soup. At the end I have got a gelatin dessert. It seems, there were only one kind of dessert. When I asked for the bill, the “Agua de papaya” I had chosen were added with 15 MXN. This time I did not leave any tip.

I was walking the town, looking for a supermarket, where I could find macaroni and carrots. I used my GPS to find one. On the way there I saw some damaged houses. It seemed that they were damaged by the earthquake last year. It was just one street with this problem, what I could see.

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Finally I took the bus back. I walked to the area where I left the bus. Because of the one-way-streets I anyway had to ask, where the bus is going, but I found it. I was really proud of me, that I made it. A man on the seat on the side of me, asked me, where I will go to, because I used my GPS to see, that I was on the right bus anyway – even the number was right. By the way, we also passed the Volkswagen plant. Later on I remembered the streets.

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The whole family including Ashley’s husbands mother and his sister were together in Ashley’s and her husband’s house for a while. I left together with her father, though they could watch TV, what they already had started to do, when Erick and I came over, but paused for us. Before I left I told Ashley, that the bus number 65 is going from the Mercado 5 de Mayo – if she need to tell another couch surfer, how to find the right bus stop.

Find more photos of the different museums and the city of Puebla by following the link, please.

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29th July 2018

I started my day with twitter around 8am and my routines around 9am. I made the dishes afterwards, because I will prepare the meatballs for lunch. Erick and his extended family were to church downtown. The younger sister, who arrived the afternoon before from Tlaxcala, where she has been for a week, was back first from church. We had a little talk. I just finished the preparation and also have grated the carrots. I put the raw meatballs and the carrots in the fridge and made the new dishes as well.

When the whole family was back from church I cooked macaronies and fried the meatballs. The family is happy about the meal, even Erick call the meatballs albondiguitas, because their albondigas (boiled meatballs) are much bigger. Ashley’s husband did make watermelon water for the whole extended family. He ate after all we others had eaten. They told me, that this are a routine, they have. I did not check if all had eaten, when Ashley did take care about the dishes. Her younger sister scooped ice cream in ice cream cups. I was asked how many scoops I want. By the way, one of the daughters did put the food on the plates for the whole family. I told her, I will take my food, when all the others had got theirs. I did it, because I did not know, how much the others will eat and was prepared to eat very little. While I only had a tiny amount of carrots – the others had no big amounts either, but the father a little more (I really should have bought more carrots), I could take as much as I want of the meatballs and  the macaronies. I had cooked a lot of the last-named. Ashley had added a package as well. The macaroni packs has 200 grams only, I had some more as well, what I had not used at Jays, because he did cook rice for himself. All together I had around 300 grams macaroni and I was not sure, that it would be enough, though was Ashley. The 500 grams were too much, but not all the 200 grams extra. I am used to measure macaroni, not to weight. Though it was a little complicated for me to know, how much I should boil.

After the meal Erick told me, that he had to be at church again at 5pm, they will have a meeting. He also told me, that he had time to drive me to Cholula, when I asked him, what would be best to take: The bus or the train. From Puebla to Cholula one can go by train, that is one of the few, even short, routes in Mexico. When I told him, that it was not necessary, he answered, that it only is a short ride. We were going soon. Before we left, he asked Ashley for a book, which she came with quickly. I was told, that there is a promise. Everyone, who read one of these books – in which language ever – will learn that language. The book was in Spanish and called “El libro del Mormón”. I am not happy to carry a book around with me, because paper is heavy, but I just could not tell them, I won’t have it. He took care about my big backpack to the car as well as from the car to the hostel in Cholula. Erick had explained for me, that all streets are starting with 101, though the hostel has to be at a street corner.

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CHOLULA

Erick found the street without any problems and had to park at an extra parking space. No parking was allowed on the street. Though he asked the security man at this space for the hostel. It was very close. We could see it from that place. Anyway Erick intended to bring me all the way. I took good-bye for another time of him. I already had done that with a hug at his home. The check in process was smooth and it was possible to pay with card without an extra fee, though I did, because I only had around 1,000 MXN in cash left and the price for four nights was 1,120 MXN including the taxes. The receptionist did carry my backpack up the stairs to the dorm. I had no chance to try it myself ;-), I could choose my bed – only one of ten was occupied so far. Each bed has a coffer as a locker. It looks nice and is really good, because I can lay down my backpack in it and therefore it is easier to take my clothes, when I need them.

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I started immediately, after I had put my belongings in the coffer, with my blog and also managed my photos on Google. Meanwhile another female traveler arrived. I updated my blog until 20th July and was on my way to go out to have a meal, but it was raining, though I continued a little while with the writing. It was already dark, when I left the hostel. I was very hungry and was trying to find a place to have a not very expensive meal. At the Zocalo were a lot of stalls and I decided to eat a “tamale”. It was for 30 MXN and the size was customized for the price. Though I only bought one filled with chicken. I also had a fried plátano banana as a desert, just because I like fried platanos. It came with strawberry jam, cream and sugar mixed with cinnamon. This one, unfortunately, had not been fried long enough and was not as tasty as usual. It also was a big one. Against my usual behavior I did throw away a third of it. The price for the banana had been 27 MXN. I never had paid such an amount before for anything at a stall. Prices are usually 15, 20, 30 etc.

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On my way back to the hostel I bought something to drink for the evening and the upcoming day including yoghurt for breakfast. The hostel has no kitchen. It is combined with a hotel, which is the reason for it, but there were no beds left in the real hostel in town, when I booked by booking.com as usual. The other one had been cheaper as well and much more closer to the city center. I just decided one day too late to book a hostel. Anyway back again at this hostel I am now, I did continue with the update of my blog for around one hour – until 11pm. I just was too tired to write more.

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30th July 2018

I awoke around 8:30am and decided to take a “day off”. I stayed in bed and updated my blog until around 3pm. I also was on twitter. By the way, I love my new netbook, because it is a combination of a simple laptop and a tablet. It has a touch screen as well. In the morning I have had my breakfast – a bottle of cold Cappuccino drink and the drink yogurt. Though I was very hungry, when I finally was to town after I had showered and dressed.

I decided to try my luck in the opposite direction this day. There were lots of restaurants and kiosks. Already at the corner I found a kiosk selling chicken meals and I ordered a BaguePollo, what means a slice of fried chicken in a baguette. It comes with salad in the baguette as well. It was for 64 MXN. I took it to the hostel to eat it there. I did not like all of the salad, though I did not eat it. It was easily to avoid. I was out again in the same direction, looking for, what there is more in that street and also bought a bottle of juice in a mini supermarket. Additionally I made a few photos.

When I had walked that street in both directions I continued to the city center. I stopped, where I could see the church on the hill, built on a Zapotec site. Here was a park and I was surprised, that there not only was a sign for Cholula, for the part called San Andres Cholula – there is another part, called San Pedro Cholula (both together are the city of Cholula), but also for Puebla. It seems the cities are only a step away from each other, when on the right places of them.

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Close to the city center I found postcards with views for 10 MXN each. It was not easy to find a good one, but at the end I decided to take five of the motive with the Popocatepetl in the background. The shop also sold stamps. I was walking further and looking at the nice clothes. I was not coming further than to the Zocalo again, when it started raining. I took shelter in the patio of the town hall, so did many people. This time it was a thunderstorm and it rained heavily. It was for a longer time as expected, though I was entering an Italian Coffee house and ordered an iced Mocha and a pastel chocolate. Both were delicious, but for a price of 109 MXN together. I also left a tip. It was still raining, even not very much, when I returned to the hostel. I was walking fast.

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At the hostel I had a chat with an Australian guy from Melbourne. After that I continued updating my blog for a while. The female traveler, who has the bed next to mine, arrived. She had a lot to do with her clothes and I continued with my blog until I saw, that it was close to midnight. Now I was going to sleep.

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31st July 2018

When I used the bathroom at 4am, the flush of the WC broke and the water was running all the time. The bathrooms are en-suite and the noise was to hear in the dorm, but I could anyway fall asleep again. I awoke as usual between 7am and 8am and tog my medicine. At 8:15am the bells of a church was ringing, even it was Tuesday. I just had started to work with my blog again, though I was aware of the hour. Actually I did not leave the bed before 10am and had a breakfast in a nearby restaurant half an hour later. It came with three hot cakes, fruit, coffee and marble syrup, strawberry jam and butter for only 50 MXN. Fortunately one of the two fruits served were papaya, though I did not need to look for some in the city.

I walked up the hill to the church, but my main goal was the archaeological site. This day it was a wedding hold in that church. The church inside was already decorated for it, when I arrived and took a photo of the inside (from the door, because it was not allowed to take photos from inside). Someone was still working with the decoration on the outside. It seemed to be very difficult and took long time, but was done when the groom arrived. It took not a very long time, before the bride arrived, either. The groom gave her a big bouquet of roses, but she also had another bouquet, matching the decoration. This pair was waiting outside the church for a long time and the bells were ringed again and again. When I finally walked down from the hill I became aware of the reason. A lot of relatives were now walking up the hill to the church.

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The church, which was built on the great pyramid of the indigenous people

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There are several entrances to the archaeological zone. I used the tunnel to come to the ruins. The admission fee was 70 MXN for foreigners. The ticket is valid for six month. This tunnel seems to be a part of the old indigenous buildings. This site has an interesting history, because there were different peoples living there.

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When I was at the great pyramid, some rain drops were falling. I decided, to go further soon and try to find a shelter for the upcoming rain and was happy, that I found one just in time after I had bought a mug of indigenous cacao drink. They whirl it by hand and it looks like foam only in the low and wide bowl. It was delicious, even it was a little too sweet. It was for 25 MXN.

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It was raining cats and dogs again for almost half an hour. Lots of people made company with me in my shelter, but I had the best place, because I was the earliest one under there, but a couple. I continued, when it nearly had stopped raining. It was only drizzling now. I had a meal at a nearby restaurant, a “comida” (dagens lunch) again, which comes with soup etc (I have explained that before). I ordered a fried pork shop (they look different here, all they serve is very thin) and instead of the Jamaica water (flavored water) I asked for natural water and I also told them, that I am not interested in the soup. I became, what I had ordered! The price for the meal including the water and an ice cream as desert was for 100 MXN. That is not the lowest price, but Cholula is, because of its history, very touristic and therefore a little more expensive. I also gave a tip.

I walked back to the hostel. It hat become too late for the museum, which also was included in the admission fee. I made my files and managed my blog – there were still links missing on the sites North America and Mexico as well as I did change the photos for the states I have been so far in Mexico – on the site for Mexico. Now there are the same photos, which you can see first, if you open the sites. Important is, that you can find all the sites by links from the site of North America respectively the site of Mexico. I also started to make an xls-file about my expenses. I downloaded LibreOffice for that. This notebook comes not with a version of MS Office. There is only a trial period for a month offered, which will not help me.

At 10pm I went out and bought two brioche at a cafe in the neighborhood, because I was hungry. I ate them at the hostel and drank bottled water as well. Then I was going to bed – both the guys, I share the dorm with (there arrived another one – from Germany) were already sleeping.

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1st August 2018

I awoke already at 7am, but started at 8am updating my blog and finished until the day before (31st July). At 10am I followed my usual routines. Afterwards I was to a nearby restaurant, which offered a breakfast for 50 MXN only. I was asked what I want and how I want it. I really got it the way I ordered it: Fruit (without) honey, coffee Americano and hotcakes. I was happy, because the fruits were Guadelupe melon and papaya and the hot cakes were very fluffy. I have got three of them and strawberry jam as well as Marple syrup – and even butter with it. I was really full, when I left the restaurant. For the great service, I left a tip, of course.

My next destination was the INAH museum, where the artifacts of the archaeological zone were exhibited. My ticket from the day before was still valid. There were amazing things to see:

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The museum was not very big, though I had enough time to also see the Regional museum of Cholula. For that one I had to pay an admission fee, but it was only 40 MXN (for strangers, citizens had to pay half of it). There were different rooms and each room had a different theme. One room had fantasy animals, another Carnival (showing lots of masks) as the theme etc.

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For more photos of Cholula click here.

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I enjoyed that museum really much, but there was a room for silence. When I was going in there, I did not see the deep stair and was close to fall, but my Guardian Angel did take care about me.

I was very hungry, when I finally left the museum, after I had been in the cafe, but they did not even have a sandwich. I was going to a restaurant nearby and ordered a Cemita, to find out, what that is for a meal (it is a kind of sandwich). I also ordered French fries, because that was one option. As usual I ate the fries first. I ony could eat half of the Cemita. For the other half I asked for a bag. They did put it in a doggy bag and a bag around! I also ordered a bottle of still water. The price for the meal was 90 MXN and they were happy to get a tip. By the way during the meal it was raining cats and dogs again. When I left the restaurant, it had stopped raining.

I continued to a branch of my bank and took out cash. Afterwards I was looking for a supermarket, which I fast found. I bought tooth paste, a big bottle of water and some more personal things and returned than to the hostel, were I listened to music by YouTube and was on twitter. This evening I actually listened to the music until midnight, but I had already earlier stopped on twitter.

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2nd August 2018

I awoke around 8am, but was first up a quarter past nine, when the German guy was leaving the bathroom. After my usual routines I packed my backpacks and had the half sandwich from the day before as breakfast. I was drinking water as well, but had no coffee. I was ready for the check out at 10:30am and gave my trash to the cleaning lady, because there are no big bins, but one for organic trash. I also got my margarine and mayonnaise back from their fridge.

The bus for Puebla was from the next corner, but I did not know, which buses were driving in Cholula only and which were going to Puebla. I first ask a bus driver, but he told me, the buses for Puebla are red and white. His bus had these colors as well ;-). A Mexican woman at the bus stop did explain to me, that there are the bigger buses going to Puebla and that the word “CAPU” is written on them as well as she explained, that CAPU is the bus terminal. It was hard as usual to climb the stairs into the bus with my big backpack, because I only can have one on my back and I chose to have the smaller one there, which was heavy enough. I managed to put in all the things in that backpack, which did not have space in the big one. That means also the little food I am traveling with nowadays and the book I have got of my host in Puebla. Even the notebook is an extra weight. The bus to Puebla was for 7.50 MXN only. Anyway an unusual amount, because it is much more usual with whole MXN like 6, 7 or 8 MXN.

I was lucky, that I, at the bus terminal in Puebla, could catch a bus, which were leaving at 12pm. Though I only had 20 minutes waiting time, after I had bought the ticket. By the way I first tried to buy an ADO ticket, but was told there, that only the bus company ORO is going to my next destination. Though I was looking for the counter of that bus company, which I easily found, but I had to go to the counter on the site of it, because were the ORO sign was, they did not sell any tickets. This time I found my way easier to the departing buses. I read carefully and an older Mexican man also helped me, to just find the doors for the departing ORO buses. I had to walk much longer than for the ADO buses.

When they called, that the bus arrived, it was just coming, but we were allowed to enter directly and had not to wait for the driver getting ready. Furthermore I was allowed to have both my backpacks in the luggage department under the bus, without paying anything extra even it was a first class bus. I only took my water bottle with me into the passengers department. I had my hat on the hatrack – and did not forget it later :-). I had chosen a seat at the aisle in the hope, that I could look through the windscreen, but unfortunately the passenger’s seats were higher placed as the driver’s seat and I did not see well. I saw more, while looking out of the neighboring window. I still could see the Popocatepetl and afterwards flat landscape did alternate with hills and mountains. We arrived at my destination Cuernavaca, Morelos, in time.

If you will follow me to Morelos as well, please click on the name.