Through Me e x x i ico by MacKlNLEY HELM DECORATIONS BY WILLIAM C. ESTLER An Atlantic Monthly Press Book Little, Brown and Company Boston 1948 COPYRIGHT 1948., BY MACKINLEY HELM L RIGHTS RESERVED, INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO REPRODUCE THIS BOOK OR PORTIONS THEREOF IN ANY FORM FIRST EDITION Published March 1948 ATLANTIC-LITTLE, BROWN BOOKS ARE PUBLISHED BY LITTLE, BROWN AND COMPANY IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY PRESS Ptiblished simultaneously in Canada by McClelland and Stewart Limited PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA For IONE AND KENNETH v fc iCI Preface I LIKE MEXICO. When I come down here, always stay longer than I had meant to, sometimes a year or two longer. There is always so much to see and so much to do. It is also pleasant just to relax here and not see and do much of anything. In fact, perhaps the keynote of a Mexican visit should be relaxation. Taking it easy, sitting around in the sun, postponing serious things till manana. Too many people work too hard at their traveling, worry too much about their bowels and their baggage, fuss too much at waiters, bellboys, and chambermaids. We nervous Americans ought to let down a little in Mexico, taking things as they come, indulging in idleness, tasting strange food, and, like good neighbors, taking pleasure in Mexican company. You could, if you liked, take a look at the country in about fifteen days of hitting the high spots. But you would not savor Mexico. If you only have fifteen days, spend some of them idly, have a good time, and come back again to drive through such of my chapters as you missed the first time. I do not work you up to a lather. I allow time for picnics and drinks and late suppers, be sides pokingabout in all sorts of places that most tourists miss. While my guidebook describes driving over Mexican PREFACE highways on the ground that you can have the most fun with a car you can follow my course by bus from the border to Mexico City and into the provinces. And if you come into the country by train or by airplane, you can visit most of the towns and the beaches by first-or second-class busses, in rented cars, or by plane. I hope you will like it down here as much as I do. If, when you have made the trip, you have any amusing suggestions to make, please drop me a postal in care of the publishers. MACKINLEY HELM Cueraavaca, Morelos Contents Preface ix I Reading Up for the Trip 3 II Getting Ready to Go 19 III Off to Monterrey, Thomas-and-Charlie, and Zimapan 35 IV On to Mexico City 53 V Mexico City 63 VI Cuernavaca 107 VII Taxco and Acapulco 126 VIII Veracruz by Way of Puebla and Cordoba 141 IX Ancient Mexico Oaxaca 170 X Ancient Mexico Yucatan 188 XI The Colonial Cities of the Meridian 209 XII Patzcuaro, the Volcano, Guadalajara, and Home 244 Appendix I Table of Sounds 275 Appendix II Calendar of Fiestas and National Holidays 277 Index 283 Journeying TJirougfi Mexico