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Hound Dog

Apr 10, 2009, 4:50 PM

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The Isthmus of Tehuantepec

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When you come down from the Chiapas Depression at about 5,000 feet to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec on the border of Chiapas and Oaxaca States the descent is dramatic and startling. The isthmus is noted for its nearly constant wind
generated by the fact that it is between two seas, the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico and there is a gap here in the high sierra so the winds blow through that gap to the extent they can actually upend truck carraiges. This is a land of almost constant heat and humidity and is not particularly dramatic since in is an ordinary looking coastal plain. But, man, is it a fine place with colorful human beings especially the imposing women who kick butt and are of imposing demeanor.

This was an important shipping point between the Gulf and the Pacific before the opening of the Panama Canal and that is why there is an important railway between the two coasts that, today, is of only marginal importance.

More later. I have to answer the door.

Hound Dog

Apr 10, 2009, 8:49 PM

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Re: [Hound Dog] The Isthmus of Tehuantepec

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So, anyway, as we drove down from the Chiapas Depression to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec at the Oaxaca State line we were once again impressed by the magnificence of this descent to the isthmus fron the Chiapas highlands as the road curved down to this marvelous place and. since this is the main drug route up the Pacific Coast fom Guatemala to the U.S. mind bending sand box we expected lots of intercessions by Mexican authorities and we sure got that right.

Once one hits the isthmus plain it starts. First, a thorough car search by the Mexican army and then an agricultural inspection and then a stop by the Mexican Federal Police and by that time we were getting hungry and thirsty and had two dogs with us so about 30 kilometers from the Chiapas/Oaxaca border we saw these cafes all along the side of the highway to Juchitan and Tehuantepec and spotted a place with outside tables so we stopped there at the "I Love You" (in Zapoteco)Cafe for lunch abd as we sat there waiting for lunch which turned out to be mighty fine tacos indeed, we noticed that across the carretera dozens of army guys and Federales were entering the "no tell motel" situated there in a state of unpleasant demeanor and exiting that same cafe/eatery shortly thereafter in states of blissful contentment and we decided then and there that the food in that cafe was not only edible but safe to ingest because there was no way the ladies running that place were going to serve tainted food to the army and federal police stationed thereabouts and By God we were right and those were some fine tacos that in no way rendered us even the least bit ill so I tell you folks this. Stop at that row of "no-tell hotels" north of the army checkpoint leaving Chiapas for Oaxaca and you will have fine food and can absolutely trust the ladies there to have washed their hands after having conducted their business.

(This post was edited by DavidMcL on Apr 10, 2009, 8:59 PM)