Project Description
Mexico April 2019
Mexico appeared to us by its dramatic contrasts. Here is a vast and varied, rugged and beautiful land so sparkling yet so spoiled by contradictions that it seems to be less a country and more a word for bewilderment, a place where reality is undone by the unreal. Found almost everywhere throughout the country, from Sonora in the north to inland Oaxaca in the south, the cactus has become an enduring symbol of the country’s reputation abroad and an ingredient of the staple diet of its people at home. The cactus comes in many hundreds of varieties, but common to all are their resilience to melting sun and torrential rain, their gorgeous orange, red, fuchsia and yellow blooms, their mildly savoury nopal flesh and sweet tuna fruit, all of this manifested in daunting columns and paddles shielded by razor-sharp thorns that warn away would-be predators.We could say that Mexico is marked by cactus magic.t is more than volcanoes, blue skies, vivid colours and breathtaking landscapes dotted with green cactus of many shapes and sizes.
Mexico Route
We arrived in Mexico city, where we just had 2days to start filling the country before we head to the 14 days rugged Cactus trip, We have been dreaming on for years
DAY 1| 11th of April 2019: We arrived late afternoon in Mexico city, and were driven to our Beautiful hotel in Polanco, Grand Fiesta Americana, we had our first delicious Mexican dinner , including the common Nopal.
DAY 2| 12th of April 2019: after an amazing breakfast at the hotel, we went walking to the Antroplogy Museum in Chapultepce park, which was very close to our hotel, we spent there 4 amazing hours. we visited the same day: Zocaloo, Templo Mayor, and ended at Pallacio de bellas Artes.
DAY 3| 13th of April 2019: we took and driver for the day, visited Xochimilco ( do not go there!!!), than we drove to Coyoacan neigberhood and strolled at the nice place ( we could not enter Frida Chalo Museum – house, tickets should be ordered in advance), we visited an art bazar, ate Mexican lunch and enjoyed the day a lot.In the evening we met our two companions for the Next 14 Days: Benjamin and Daniel who will be our guides for finding all Cacti in Nature.
DAY 4| 14th of April 2019: We left Mexico City early morning North heading to Real Del Monte, where we met Raul (Padrino) and his wife at Old Cactus Nursery. we spent alittle while exploring the nice collection at the nursery and all together with our new friends including Raul who runs the nursery. We went to Rancho Abgre, where we started a trail in to the mountain exploring: A “forest” off Caphalocreus Senilis, including a crested one.as well we saw Mammilaria Smpervivi that grows on trees, Ferocactus Glauseens, Mam. Gmmimspina, Mam. Maanimmama and Huge Echinocactus Platyacanthus.
we Continued driving To a “Botanical Garden”in nature where we saw: Turbinicarpus Horripilus, Pachyphitum Spp. , Mam. Humboldtii, Mam. Schediana, Fouqueria fasciculata, Pseudo Bombax Elyphticumi
Over Night at Metzitlan, Hotel Granaditas – the Best in town- very basic rooms 🙁
DAY 5| 15th of April 2019: Today we will head from Hidalgo to Queretaro- the morning was very cold, but we walked for a while in the rural town Pechuca. we went to visit the new nursery of Francisco Diaz Salim who discovered Turbinicarpus Heliae, and we drove to Fxmiauilpan the locality to see the plants. than after we drove 5 hours to Vista Bella Queretaro, we found : Ariocarpus Kotschoubeyanus ssp. Elephantedis, Coryphanta Octacanta, Turbinycarpus pseudomacrochele, Ferrocactus Latispinus, Mam. Goldii, Coryphanta Compacta, Neolloydia, Coryphanta Elongata… we continued to the magic town Pena De Bernal to a lovley new boutique hotel San Jorge.
DAY 6| 16th of April 2019: We started the morning strolling at the beautiful town Pena De Bernal , after quick coffe and brekfast off Gorditas on a road kiosk we are crossing the Sierra Gorda de Queretaro, passing Arroyo Seco,Santa Marria Rio Verde, untill San Luis Potosi.on that day we saw: Lophophara Diffusa, Strobocactus Discoformis, Astrophytum Ornatum, Mam. Parkinsonii, Mam. goldii, Coryphanta Elongata, Coryphanta Cornifera, Bursera, we continued to San Maria Acapulco, a very long tiering drive where we saw Turbinicarpus Nicolae. After Dinner with a friend of Benjamin in Rio Verde we returned back to the hotel Cabanas el Fugo Del Sol in Rio Verde , A huge room with Kitchen , looks like a resort.
DAY 7| 17th of April 2019: Early morning we drove to see in the area of rio verde the Ariocarpus retusus Vs scaphirrostrides, than we continue driving towards Las San Guiela to search for more plants, we drove later on direction Matehuala, and stopped in a mine whee we saw the Palisifora Aselliformis, out standing beautiful plants on that day we were lucky to see the plants as follow: Coryphanta Cornifeia, Neolloydia, Mam. Compresa,Mam. Magnimama, Thlelocactus Hexaedrophelus, Echinocereus, Stnocactus multicostatum, Mam. Abilanata. on the at way we stopped at Guadalcazar a friends farm to search for huge clumps of Lophophora Williamsi and astrophytum Myryostgima. we walked for hours in 43 degrees C hit and did not find any plants. it became late and we drove directly to the very old majestic town Real de Catorca, at the entrance of the town we needed to drive through a tunnel to enter the town. it was majestic and we stroled between the beautiful houses and streets watching the sun set . the hotel Mina Real was amazing
DAY 8| 18th of April 2019:This morning we start driving in the direction of Matehuala, in the area of El Herrero we spotted: Ariocarpus Bravanus v Hintonii, ( two localities), many large and beautiful red spined Ferocactus Pilosus, Thelocactus Bicolor, Corypharta Echinoidea, Mam. Compresa, Mam. uncinata, Neolloydia Coroidea, Turbinicarpus Polaskii, we drove towards the state of Coahuila and stopped in a vavinnted area of industrial area At Arteaga Coahuila, there we saw : Coryphanta, Echinocereus Pectinatus, Thelocactus phymatothelos, Ancistrocactus scheri,Lophophora Williamsi, Rapicactus Begvins, in Bella union we saw Echinocactus Horizontalonius
Day 9| 19th of April 2019:
DAY 10| 20th of April 2019:
Day 11| 21st of April 2019:
DAY 12| 22nd of April 2019:
DAY 13| 23rd of April 2019:
DAY 14| 24th of April 2019:
DAY 15| 25th of April 2019:
DAY 16| 26th of April 2019:
DAY 17| 27th of April 2019:
DAY 18| 28th of April 2019:
DAY 19| 29th of April 2019:
Day 20| 30th of April 2019:
Remarks:
