the world through the windsheild of ron and kat: Valladolid Street Scenes

We have left the beaches of Cancun and the Riviera Myan behind us and have started our journey north toward the Texas border. It was a really long day. We drove a grueling 80 miles. The route we chose by way of Coba was so smooth it was as if we were gliding down the highway. We had driven this cut off road in a VW Golf in the eighties when it was so narrow even a VW swiped brush on both sides of the road. AH progress sometimes is a good thing.

Valladolid, a Colonial City somewhere near 70,000 population was our destination. The LONG 80 mile drive got us into camp in time for a quick lunch and a afternoon of exploring this charming and often overlooked small city. Valladolid, like most cities in Mexico has a town square or Zocalo. Zocalo's consist of a green square with the Church on one side and the Government Building on the over. Zocalo's really are the lively heart of the community. In the evenings and on weekends they are crowded with food carts, families and music.

We enjoyed our afternoon of strolling around town. We hope you enjoy the montage of street photos.

We found Valladolid to be a clean city. Even though the day was grey and overcast the multi colored buildings sparkled

This couple are obviously enjoying a good laugh over some story in the local paper while sitting on their front stoup

Just down the street two Police Officers just hanging out in front of the neighborhood police station.

We are now in the interior heart of the Myan Population. This hand embroidered dress is the tradition dress for the Myan women of any age. These dresses are always white and always so bright and clean. Now, I'm no slob, but keeping a white blouse clean for more than a couple hours is a daunting task for me. Yet even in the countryside where some Myan families still live with very little modern conveniences they manage to keep these dresses bright and crisp looking.

Two very different points of interest in this photo. Notice the tricycle. These tricycles are the work horse of everyday life in most of Mexico. They serve as the family car, or a taxi if you find you need a few extra peso's. But they also are used to transport just about anything you can ever imagine. Notice his is empty, this must be the sign of a young man with no imagination.

Now turn you attention to the building. Mexico definitely has it's supermarkets and its superstores. In fact the stores are often so familiar you could forget you were not in any town USA. But the small mom and pop specialty store is hanging on. Every town has its Carniceria (butcher shop}, its Panaderia ( baker), its Pescaderia (sea food market) and its Plasticosas or Plastic Store where anything plastic can be found. This is where I am stopping tomorrow for a plastic step, because the one at the door on the motor home is broken.