The long and winding road to Cuetzalan: well worth the trip

Some of the mountain roads aren't great, but they're a real experience to drive. You have to pay attention, but they are exhilarating. We couldn't capture the many layers of the mountains as we drove around hairpin turns - no place to pull over to take photos, and no safe place to simply stop. These remote roads turn up some remarkable sights and elicit many questions - most of them unanswerable, such as: " Who lives up here?" "Are there schools? " (We see women and children walking on the road.)

After we had driven for an hour or so, and passed through a number of small settlements with ragged dogs, tin shacks and roadside chickens, we came upon this remarkable sight. To whom did this handsome car belong? A lovingly customized VW in the middle of nowhere - it seems as unlikely as a spaceship.

Steep, twisting streets are paved in broad, shiny stone.

Most of the population is indigenous, with 70% speaking Nahuatl. While many women dress in traditional garb - white blouses and
skirts with colourful sashes, most residents are in more modern dress - and cellphones have found their way to this remote town. As we arrived, the market in the zocalo was wrapping up, but a few vendors still remained.

Two staples of every plaza - young lovers and old men

The other staples of every zocalo - the cathedral and the municipal office. Cuetzalan's town centre is picture - postcard perfect - stone steps leading to the square in the middle and two sides ringed with shops, cafes and flower stalls. Every Sunday this area is filled with market vendors from neighbouring villages, which unfortunately we will miss.

In such a traditional town, we were surprised to discover Cafe Epocha D'oro - a combination restaurant/museum with a young clientele. The food was great and the beer was cold, and we started to settle in to the feel of the place.

Dozens of birds chirped away outside, flitting from tree to tree in the zocalo and this was the view from our table-side window.

We arrived and began our descent - down hundreds of steps to the bottom.

As waterfalls go, this one was underwhelming, but we waded in the cold water and admired the view. Those large hanging things that look like long cactus are actually petrified water formations.

On the way back, before we hit the stairs, we stopped for a break by the creek.

Another gorgeous shot from Cuetzalan's rooftops. Apparently this region gets one of the biggest rainfall amounts on Earth and tons of fog, so we were very lucky to get the weather we did. As you can see from the folds of mountain ranges, Cuetzalan is quite isolated.

Because of that isolation, many of the prehispanic traditions remain unchanged, including language, clothing and dance. The two most famous dances are practiced here on special holidays. These paintings by local artist Gregorio Mendoz Nava capture their costumes. The Dance of Quetzales is related to the stars and the moon, and dancers wear the penoche - the magnificent headdresses made of bamboo, metallic papers and feathers.

The Dance of the Voladores originated in this region, but it is performed in many areas of Mexico - many of you may have seen it. Dancers climb a very tall pole, attach rope to themselves, and begin their descent upside down, spinning in complicated patterns. There are so many rituals and beliefs attached to this dance, it has been deemed to have "intangible cultural heritage" by UNESCO.

Cuetzalan is a major coffee-growing region, and there is a local cooperative that supplies most of the town's beans. We tried to go to a nearby coffee plantation, but it was not clear if visits were permitted, so we contented ourselves with chatting with this gentleman, who was grinding beans the old-fashioned way.

Ginny and Stephen on the trail, with Cuetzalan in the background.

Raoul in front of a stand of bamboo - they typically grow about 100 feet a year.

A bromeliad and some unusual plants - I've forgotten the names, but I've never seen them in Canadian nurseries.

Coffee beans and flower - the scent of the flower is intoxicating. The next plant is vanilla - the pods will mature in spring.

Raoul demonstrating how cinnamon is carved off its stalk, and then dried to the pieces of whole cinnamon we are familiar with back home.

The all-important Mexican meliposa bees - we walked through a swarm of them without incident - they do not sting.

Whew! Such a vibrant mountain life in Cuetzalan - a compelling example of an area and culture in Mexico that has managed to preserve its way of life from the past to present. We leave tomorrow for Tepotzlan, a town just south of Mexico City. After such a whirlwind visit, it's time for a siesta.