This is a post I started before Typepad failed on my browser which is Chrome. I love Chrome. I sincerely hope Typepad, for whose services I pay, fixes theproblems soon. I am only going to use Explorer for the blog.
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A few weeks ago, Jim, my b-in-law John, and I drove along winding roads up to Tembladeras at about 10,000 feet, partly in an effort to find some sunshine for John who really, really does not like foggy, rainy weather, of which we've had a lot this year. While it gets colder the higher you go, it often also gets clearer. It did this day, too, but not for long.
There's a new road up now so that we have a shortcut from just before Matlalapa, which is past Xico Viejo. Tembladeras is actually part of the Municipio de Xico, as are we, but it feels like another world.
Along the road, at maybe 9000', the clouds parted for a startling view of the Cofre on Cofre de Perote. (The nahuatl name is Naucampatepetl, or a variation of that.)
Here is a mountain path
and a mountain stream.
We also came upon this shrine leaning against the a rock face:
The flowers obscure the intimate picture behind it. I wonder what Pope Benedict would say about it.
Tembladeras is a small town, around 500 people. It is chilly because it is so high. As usual, though, people were quite friendly and interested in chatting. We'd gone in two cars because three people and five dogs are a bit squishy in one, and some women were particularly interested in John's license plate, so I told them a bit about Alaska, which is where he comes from. As usual, kids loved the dogs.
Tembladeres is a potato-growing and sheep-raising area. I'll write a bit about that soon. It's also a place where local people are involved in research on the water supply, part of a project to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the water supply for our entire region. I'll write about that, too, soon.
Anyway, below are some pictures of the town.
If I were more disciplined, I wouldn't include this photo, but I'm not so I am. The fog was marching across the mountain in bands, which you can SORT of see here.
Here are some clouds rising up behind a hillside.
The center of town is a pleasant paved area with an overlook and a church above it. Here you see some kids looking at John's dog in his car.
More kids
There were lots of signs about preventing the flu and good hygiene. But the sign I liked best was this one which just gave the name of a kindergarden.
On another building was a sign talking about the importance of early education, It says "Early education: The first four years determine you life."
By the time we drove away, the clouds had settled everywhere.