Big City of Villahermosa

Garmin Info: Macuspana to Villahermosa

Trike ride in Villahermosa

After a very enjoyable 2 nights in Macuspana, I got packed up early for a hot ride on the highway to Villahermosa. I was hoping to take a smaller road today but there was a big storm overnight and some of the roads I wanted to take are unpaved. The people at the hotel advised me it would probably be a muddy mess. The highway is more direct and there is plenty of room for the trike but noisier.

The ride was very hot but straightforward. I think temps got up to the low 90's. There were plenty of roadside cafes to take a break and get a snack in. There is always food in Mexico. Even on the most desolate roads, someone will be out selling something to eat. Today, I stopped in a rather strange taqueria. There was no salsa to go with the tacos. They had pico de gallo which is a mix of chopped tomatoes, jalapaños and onions with a bit of cilantro. I really like pico de gallo but I can't eat raw tomatoes so it took some time for me to separate the ingredients. It really is almost unthinkable that there wouldn't be salsa with the tacos. Sometimes I think the salsa is the most important part. Maybe they ran out?

Finding Natural Beauty in the Big City

Another view of the pedestrian bridge over the Grijalva River

Pedestrian Bridge

I arrived in Villahermosa after crossing a bridge over the Grijalva River. There were lots of cars but not room. Luckily, as usual, traffic was very patient. This was the biggest city I've been in since leaving Cancun with a population of around 800,000. I pulled into a large and fancy tourist hotel that had a good rating and checked-in. They had a special going and rooms were $45. I was hoping the wifi would be better at a tourist hotel. On this trip, so far, the wifi has mostly sucked and I have lots of photos and video I want to upload. After getting settled I walked to a large park to see the Lago Ilusiones. The museum La Venta was closed but I really enjoyed walking the path around the lake. There were many animals and birds. Crocodiles, turtles, cuotis and very colorful birds I don't know the name of. 

Making my way to the historic area of Villahermosa

The wifi sucked, as usual, and I decided to move to the old historic area that has a lot more charm. In the morning I rode to the Plaza Independencia which was far more aesthetically appealing with a pool and much cheaper at $28 night. The wifi was marginally better but still very slow. Mexico is a rich country with lots of resources and Villahermosa is a big city. How can businesses operate with such terrible internet? I could understand slow wifi 5 years ago but now, really? Seriously, the wifi is so slow it's taking all night to upload 4 minute videos!

Hotel Plaza Independencia

Not only was nice hotel in a good location, cheaper and comfortable but the food was also fantastic. I stayed for 3 nights and every morning I got the start the day with a delicious meal. There was a mango, papaya, pineapple and banana plate. Fried plantains which I love. Eggs to order, chimichangas, beans with cream, pan dulces and good coffee. I really enjoyed exploring Villahermosa and it was also incredibly hot. Friday was 103F and Saturday was 104F. Saturday was so hot that it was actually harder to breath. I'm not sure I've ever experienced such a high temperature with 80% humidity. The air was thick. I went out early, hunkered down in my air conditioned room during the heat of the day and then went out again after sunset. Saturday night there was a huge storm and it rained all night. On Sunday morning, the temperatures were significantly lower. Sunday morning is a also a really good time to leave big cities but, at the last moment, I decided to stay in Villahermosa for another day.

Local franchise of KFC?

Exploring Villahermosa

I'm really glad I did too. I visited the anthropology museum which was much more interesting than expected and stumbled on a grand parade as it was setting up. This parade is one of the biggest of the year. All 17 municipalities in the state of Tabasco are represented with elaborate floats and beauty queens. For everyone involved, it had to be a relief that the temperatures were lower. I ended up having a very fun day.

Shopping for shoes?

From here, I'm heading to Cárdenas and then the coast to see more Mayan ruins. Let's hope I don't have to deal with outrageously high temperatures along the way.