Deighan had some car trouble yesterday, so we took yesterday to just explore the area around Xilitla. The group went up to Las Pozas, a tourist attraction full of strange architecture built by Edward James sometime around the 1970s. The site is full of spiral staircases, some not leading anywhere, and buildings with open walls, columns, and arches. Apparently some of the buildings were designed for human habitation, while others were built to house zoo animals. A stream runs through the site with several waterfalls, and the outdoor footpaths between the buildings are closely surrounded by the Mexican jungle. Some of the stairs and pathways are narrow and high off the ground, and of course there are no handrails. Something like Los Pozas would never be legal in the United States. After visiting Las Pozas, Alex and I split off from the group for a bit to get some food. We visited a restaurant we went to last year that has some really fantastic pina coladas and tostadas con pollo. Next time you make a pina colada, try putting some cinnamon in it.
Around dinner time, we met Zulema in Xilitla and drove up to her house in the mountains. She prepared a wonderful meal of chicken salad and guacamole, and she made homemade fruit punch which contained a mixture of sugar cane, grapes, pineapple, and other fruits that I could not identify. It started raining soon after we got there, and the power went on and off several times. We had a good time swapping caving stories with Frank, Bob, and Jared, who we met in Huichihuayan, around a fire while Zulema’s son roasted us marshmellows. Zulema was kind enough to offer us a room in her house so we wouldn’t have to camp in the rain. When we woke up, she made a breakfast of huevos, jambon, chorizo, avocado, cueso fresca, tortillas, freshly squeezed orange juice, and coffee. Needless to say, we were well taken care of.
Today it’s still raining and Deighan’s car is still in the shop. We’re still a bit unsure of what we’re going to do today. Adios!
