Return To Cuernavaca

After driving the whole distance to Oaxaca with the GPS lady yelling at us to turn on every road leading away from Oaxaca and towards Puebla, we decided to let her set the route for the return trip. It was 110 KPH Cuota (Toll) road 95% of the way and therefore much more comfortable to drive, not having to be on the constant lookout for topes. On the downside, it was about 60 KM further and offered little in the way of local life to see.

It went well until we had to change highways at Puebla and the route took us through the middle of the city. It was not bad in the car but would have been difficult in the motorhome. I really wish the GPS had a “Really Large Truck” option that would route us around city streets.

Shortly after we past Puebla we started getting glimpses of Popocatépetl, the active volcano near Puebla. When we first saw it, it was shrouded in smog and not easily seen. Soon however we came out from behind some hills and there it was! I stopped and snapped a few photos and the photo enhancement software in Picasa took away the remaining smog. Here it is:

Here is the legend of Popocatepetl and it’s neighbor, Iztaccihuatl, from a Blog I did back in 2008:

Popo & Izta

I am only going to spell these out once, so pay attention. Popocatepetl (5462 m) and Iztaccihuatl (5220 m) are the second and third highest peaks in Mexico and we passed them on the way to Puebla. Only one of them, Popo, is an active volcano but I swear I see steam coming from both today. I pulled over to get a shot of both of them in the same frame. Popo is in the foreground and the one in the background, through the haze, is Izta.

Legend has it that Popo was a warrior who fell in love with Izta, the emperor’s daughter. The story goes on to say that Izta died of grief when Popo went off to war and she received a false report of his death. Upon his safe return, Popo created the two mountains, laid her body on the peak of one where from a certain angle, the form of a reclining woman is clearly visible. Popo then stood on the other peak holding her funeral torch for eternity. His torch smokes to this day.

Photo from 2008 Croft's Mexico