On the road in Mexico

Driving through Mexico is quite an experience. So, I thought I might post some pictures from the 8 hour drive from Oaxaca to Cuernavaca (and back), to give you a little taste of the journey.

________________________________________________________

• In the photo below, you can see the volcano, Pico de Orizaba, in the distance. Only on a very clear day, such as this one, can you see Orizaba clearly.
• Also pictured is Pemex - the only gas company in Mexico. No need to drive around looking for the best price, they're all owned by the same guy ;-).
• You can also see The Italian Coffee Company. I think I am correct in describing it as the Starbucks of Mexico, there's one almost everywhere you go in a large city. Great bathroom stop on the road ;-).

• I call the picture below "A Traffic Jam with a View." This windy road through the mountains often has double-load semi's on it - thus making it a very slow and dangerous ride (people trying to pass on blind curves).
• I really love the mountains in this area because they remind me of mountains you might find on an island.
• That's Cindy Hoover's car in front of us, by the way. :-)

• Been on a pilgrimage lately? This truck was one of many who were traveling together to get to the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Juquila. I recognize the name of this virgin, because many bus drivers and taxi drivers have her hanging in their window.
• There are many different versions of the Virgin Mary in the Catholic faith here in Mexico. A very simple explanation is that they are all essentially the Virgin Mary, but based on the different locations she has miraculously 'appeared' and the different people she watches over. The different Virgins tend to be a mixture of Catholic and indigenous beliefs. You can follow this link, if you would like to learn about the Virgin of Juquila.

• Below are two more mountains, Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl. Popo is one of the most active volcanoes in Mexico, having had it's last major eruption in 2000.
• One of the legends of these two mountains is that Popo was a warrior who greatly loved the king's daughter Iztac, but he had to go to war. Iztac was falsely told that Popo had died at war and she then passed away in grief. When Popo returned, he found Iztac dead, and knelt beside her and remains there to this day.

• Perhaps the close up of Iztaccíhuatl, below, will help you be able to imagine the mountain as the woman lying down - head on the right, feet on the left (at least, that's how I see it).

• And, we'll finish off with this picture of the bumper sticker on the truck pictured above. Yay for Rodriguez! :-)
• By the way, we were close enough to take this picture because we were stopped at one of the several construction zones between Oaxaca and Cuernvaca. The wait to be allowed to pass can last as long as 30 minutes. People from local towns walk up and down the row of cars and sell snacks.