(click to enlarge photos)
We were invited to go on a tour of the area with some of Jane's students....(can you find the Gueros?)
Its an area of immense beauty. Mountains for-ever....
After the spectacular hour and a half drive from Orizaba, our first visit was to this huge cave....
In this huge corridor were thousands of parlour palms, Chamaedorea elegans and Chamaedorea tepejilote......
It can get cold here but never freezes. These mountains are home to many varieties of native avocados, bananas, mangoes, citrus, sapotes, coffee and of course squash and beans. Besides these common foods, there are countless native medicinal flora, edible insects, trees, bamboo and palms.....
Here, along the "main" road, this guy was drying out his coffee.....
The next attraction.....a hike down to the Rio Tonto......
At this point the whole river disappears here into an underground cave....
Our next stop is where the river reappears about a mile downstream....
The beautiful Rio Tonto....
We are now lower in elevation, about 350 FT, and on this nice warm day we find the perfect spot for a swim......and we're the only ones here! Click to see video.....
For us, the Sierra de Zongolica was a truly unforgettable experience. Its one of those places that has a distinct flavor. The abundance of nature and culture and lack of touristy crowds rank this area high on our list of Mexico's great places.
KnJ
