Zacatecas or bust

We're off again on another Mexican adventure. Leaving a rain soaked Puerto Vallarta at 7:00 this morning, our destination ... Zacatecas.

After a four hour drive to Guadalajara, we headed northeast on Mexican Highway 54. The scenery changed immediately. Crossing several mountain ranges (on a two lane road, not unlike CA Highway 29 that goes from St. Helena to Middletown), there were canyons (not quite like The Grand Canyon but pretty impressive), waterfalls, and some decidedly not touristy Mexican towns ... clean, and with no Americanos for a change.

The highway was a bit worse for the wear ... some pretty major pot holes. And, in every small town, there were lots of "topes," the Mexican version of speed bumps. The main difference is that here, unlike the U.S., they don't warn you that they are coming up and they often don't paint them a different color. Murder on the shocks. So, it is best to get behind a fast driving Mexican who knows the road and who will go 65 to 70 mph along the stretches where there are no topes, and from experience, knows when to slow down where the topes suddenly and unexpectedly rise from the roadway.

Pelted by a few pretty substantial rainstorms, the highway slowly began climbing and the temperature began dropping. And, by 4:30, we had made it to Zacatecas, elevation 8020 feet and temperature 40 when we arrived.

If you were suddenly dropped into this city of about 100,000 and were asked "What country do you think you are in," you'd probably reply Italy or Spain. An old silver mining town, the Spanish influences are dominant. We're staying in the Hotel Emporio, a classic old style hotel in the heart of the city, where you park your car and walk everywhere. We've already scoped out tonight's restaurant ... more on that tomorrow.

We will be here at least two nights, perhaps three. That's the cool thing ... we've got no schedule. Tomorrow, after picking up pastries as a nearby bakery, and grabbing a coffee at Starbucks (yes, they're everywhere, even here), we plan on exploring. More pictures and stories to follow. Stay cool. Tonight, we are.