Tuesday 30 April 2013

Palenque to Catenaco

Just before we left Palenque I noticed the dreaded topes had broken my pannier rack again in the same place it was welded before so I was quite glad when we hit the main road to Villahermosa, smooth (er) tarmac and no more speed bumps. We made great progress doing the first 230 miles in superquick time thanks to the deserted toll road but of course its never easy all the time so we turned off towards Catenaco on the smaller roads, painfully slow progress with multiple road works and slow trucks to make sure we felt some pain and of course more topes!
We were both glad when we rolled into this pretty town on the shore of Lake Catenaco, a bit like St Fillans except for the people and the architecture and the temperature (35Deg C) so really nothing like St Fillans except its next to the water! We found a good hotel for £25 a night and had a great meal of beef fajitas, tortillas, a couple of Pina Coladas and some cold coronas for about £10 so all is well  here. This morning I got my pannier frame welded for £2.50 and that included the tip to the guy who collected and delivered it back to the Hotel.
The plan next is to head nearer Mexico City and hopefully get into the City on Thursday to sample the delights of riding in a place with 9 million people! (half the population of Chile.....take me back to the empty roads...)
 Our next door neighbour last night was the google street view car so our bikes will maybe end up on Google street view in Mexico!
 Gone fishing!
 Town Hall
 As always nice church
I don't like Pina Colados1

 Punk birds
 Ready for the tourists but I get the feeling we're the only ones in town 
 Token Tourist
 BIG statue of fisherman
 We think this queue was for the finance office
A very common sight around Mexico, not as friendly as the Colombian Army in general

4 comments:

  1. Hello Gino
    I can fix your pannier rack for good I have done it before. Don't now if you are heading this way or not.
    http://www.overlanderoasis.com/
    Warn regards from Oaxaca.

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    1. Hi Calvin
      Thanks, we are heading for Mex City so will not make Oaxaca, as always time is against us!
      Regards
      Gino

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  2. Hi Gino & Fi
    Love the pic of the town hall with matching Vee Dub. probably the Mayors official wheels!
    Keep on keepin' on.
    Jim F

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    Replies
    1. Hi Jim
      I never even noticed that, so much for my artistic side ha ha
      Gino & Fiona

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