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Writer's pictureRhonda Tell Me Your Story

WARNING: Road-trip to Huasteca San Luis Potosí and beyond. ***way too many photos***


The beginning of 13 days of exploring the Huasteca area. First stop was to visit our friends Amelia and Trini in Calvillo, Aguascalientes, Mexico.🇲🇽

Photo credit: Deb English


Deb, Delia and me, climbed these stairs. Delia made it look easy. I met Delia in November 2021 at a vegetable market. We promised to meet again and we finally did. She's Mexican and works the fishing season in Alaska. She makes enough money in 2 1/2 months to live comfortably in Calvillo the remainder of the year. She just had a new house built. Delia loves to travel and is a fantastic photographer as well.



We also met up with Amelia and Trini. Trini found us in the square and we went to Amelia's parents home. It was Jessie's birthday (their daughter). There was a handful of ladies cooking mole. We stood around the kitchen talking and making plans to meet at their house in the morning. Trini wanted to take us up the hill to his property.

We stayed in Aguascalientes. Our hotel was close to the huge fair, San Marcos Féria. We were able to easily walk to it in 20 minutes or so.


We spent the evening walking around. We even stayed out after dark.

They had concerts nearly every night.

We peeked in the church.


Unfortunately I didn't go on any rides. There was no talking Deb into them.

This was beautiful. These folks were doing some fancy dancing.


Looks like fun! We had a drink at the rooftop bar and watched the crowd of people walking while the many bands played music every 10 feet. All the bars and restaurants competing by blasting their own music.

We all packed into Trini's gently used Nissan truck. I was lucky to get a front seat. Deb sat on a short stool and Amelia on some jackets. In the truck bed was Trini's helper, Juvenal Lara. He had a small job to do near the top of the mountain. He also popped out to open the many locked gates we traveled through.


At one point, we needed more traction in the back of the truck to get up a steep rocky hill. Amelia got in the back to help.



The view was spectacular!

Cactus were blooming everywhere.

Trini and Amelia rescue abandoned dogs. Currently they are caring for 24 dogs of all ages. A few are pets but they are very successful in finding them homes. Some even finds homes in the States and Canada.

Deb was getting her puppy fix here.

I have to admit, I liked this puppy too.

Deb my Angel 😇

Back walking around Aquascalientes.

We walked into the centro to find dinner.

Photo credit: Deb English


We found a place that had sushi and hamburgers. We were both happy. I had a marginal mojito.

Driving day! I got to snap a few photos along the way.

Our navigation was throwing us some curves this afternoon but we finally accidentally stumbled into what we were looking for: Puente de dios.

We were happy to find it and enjoyed our time here.



We were not disappointed. It was just like the pictures we saw but better in person.

I was pleased my new functional one piece suit.


I believe we descended 422 stairs to get to the swimming hole and falls. Not a lot of pictures going up as I was out of breath.


The area was lush green contrasted with the many pink blossomed trees in Tamasopo.


Very pretty.

Deb is a seasoned driver when it comes to Mexican roads.

We avoided this mess.

We stayed three nights in Ciudad Valles, San Luis Potosí. It was centrally located to many of the activities we wanted to do.

We headed out early the next day to find (El Naranja. )The directions sent us down a wrong road. It wasn't too long of a detour and I caught (lol) a turtle.


Photo credit: Deb English

This guy found us right after we parked and helped us with our boat. Life jackets were required here the same as Puente de dios.

The water was so pretty. We got a private boat and he did all the rowing.


We got out of the boat and climbed around on rocks.

Photo credit: Deb English


Then I made the big leap! So exciting and almost scary. It probably was less than 10 feet drop but it looked high.

Do you love this photo?



This place had easy access right in town. Seemed like a local swimming spot.

I swam around in the shallow cool waters.




Photo credit: Deb English


Photo credit: Deb English


The next morning was the extreme activities. Deb stayed back at the Pago Pago river below me.

Photo credit: Deb English

Zip lining was fun, easy and not scary.


The narrow shaky bridge= Scary

Don't look down.



The Sky Bike! This is why I came 😊


My helpers Brandon, Jesus and Jessie.

Isn't this pretty?

Photo credit: Deb English

I liked swimming here.

Photo credit: Deb English

Photo credit: Deb English





Back to town: Ciudad Valles. Our home base for 3 days.


We weren't done with adventures and we headed to the river in town.

They saw art replicas in the garden while we waited for a boat ride of the Rio Valles.






Our private boat.






It was such a pretty and relaxing ride.


Morning coffee before we hit the road.

I loved these trees with their drippy yellow flowers.

We took this crazy drive up and down hills, through small villages and was lost for a brief period of time. We eventually found our destination.



It was hard to catch the swifts flying in with the fog.


We climbed up 656 stairs!

On the drive back down the mountain.

We stopped in this Pueblo Magico for lunch.


Photo credit: Deb English


We made it to Xilitla. The gal that checked us in at the hotel, had a river runners shirt on from Colorado.... just like me!

We walked about in the square before dinner.


I wasn't impressed by their sign. Can you see it?

I have Wings!

The next morning we walked down the hill to the famous Edward James gardens.

Cool rocks all layered up on the side of the hill.

I loved this tour and would highly recommend a visit here. Below are too many pictures. You have been warned!






Our tour guide was a native whose father was Edward James' driver. He grew up running around the gardens as a kid.















Photo bombed🥲








I could have stayed here all day but the tour was only 2 hours.









Isn't this an amazing door?













I think these are snakes.



The two doors in and out of this section the the garden.





I believe this is the Stairway to Heaven.

Snakesssssssssssss!

Tall door

This was one of my favorite places we visited during the trip.

They had a few restaurants and lots of vendors. We ate at Cerveceria James. They had IPAs.


I loved this picture.

Los Comales Waterfalls were just a few meters from the main garden. It cost extra pesos, I think, 300. I had to go look.


They had a Temazcal that you could reserve.




I took a selfie, turned around and walked into the tree.





It was pretty!



We found more angle wings in town but Deb wasn't into showing her wings here.

In the main plaza of Xilitla.

This is the oldest building in the village, the old convent of San Agustin.


A sculpture from Leonora Carrington.


They had a lot of decorated doors.

IMGINE



Deb got a burger at this rooftop bar. I don't know the name but Deb wouldn't recommend it.

One the last day in Xilitla, we went to the Leonora Carrington museum. She was a surrealistic sculpture artist and writer among many other things. It was very interesting. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonora_Carrington



I give it a thumbs up!









I love the faces on these.














I hope you enjoyed the tour of the art gallery.

Rooftop cafe that has delicious green juice and good art.

Photo credit: Deb English



Heading back down the hill from Xilitla. On our way to Ixmiquilpan.


The main plaza in Ixmiquilpan.



Diana the Huntress

I hope you liked that picture because you will see it again soon.

We were in room 51, right by this little beauty. I never saw any children in the daylight but at 10pm when we were going to bed....they came out to enjoy the merry go round.

This was one of my favorite days. We went to Grutas Tolantongo. It was even better than I imagined. https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grutas_de_Tolantongo