Valle de Bravo, Mexico: visit the Mariposas/Monarcas

25 kms east of Valle de Bravo is the Monarcas' sanctuary. These orange butterflies are coming from Canada every year, to flee the nordic cold weather and enjoy the Mexican sun. Every year, though they've never been in Mexico (it was the generation before) they land next to Valle de Bravo, always at the same place, and always at the same time of year.


To get to see them, take a cab from Valle de Bravo. It should cost you between 50 and 70 pesos ($MX) (less if you are very good at negotiating). From Valle, you will see 4x4 and horses with people on the side of the road in a couple of switchbacks on the side of the highway. These guys are guides from the black market.

If you want to get to the legal guides, keep going with your cab, you will see big log houses on th left side of the road. At that place, it should be 110$MX or a guide, and if you are lazy you can pay for a horse, which is another 110$MX.

The black market guides are asking for more, most of the time 150$MX for each, so don't forget to negotiate!!

The trip is worth it !! You will see butterflies everywhere. The trunks are full of butterflies, and the branches are bending down with their weight. This is amazing! At noon, 1pm, when the sun is high and the air is hot, they will all be flying around. It's the best time to see them. The noise is unbelievable!

Mexico, mexiiiiicooooo !!

I didn't have the Internet that much in Mexico, so I couldn't keep you up to date with what was doing over there.

I spent 10 days altogether in Mexico, 4 days in Valle de Bravo, 3 days in Ixtapan de la Sal, then 3 more days in Valle again. I did a lot of paragliding (in tandem), some mountain biking and some shopping (a bit).

I must say, I liked the trip, but Mexico is a bit dirty, they still throw their cans through their car window when they are done. Of course, don't expect any recycling! And some of the cars are in so bad shape I'm wondering how it could still be working. Yes, it's a lot like New-Caledonia, I almost felt like home.

Except that they speak spanish. And a bit (ok, a lot) of English, which they learn at school. They know that the States is near and rich, so they really work their English.

Very religious, everytime they are driving or walking by a church, they are making the cross sign (not sure how to translate that one in English...). Everybody is at church on Sunday (except the sellers at the market), and when we were in Ixtapan it was the "Ashes Day", so people were actually lining up (for hours !!) to repent and get the ash cross on the forehead.

I was also lucky, the week-end we left was the 183th anniversary of Valle de Bravo. Festivities, dances, concerts were going on on the saturday night.

This picture is the main place of Valle de Bravo, with a nice kiosk like we have in Noumea. The (huge!) flag is up every Sunday.

I added the pictures on flickr, so you can see how fun it was !!

My questa para Coco, en Mexico !

Eh oui, j'en ai eu marre de la neige canadienne, je suis done au Mexique pour dix jours. Today was Coco's Quest.

I arrived in Mexico city yesterday at 20h30, took the bus to go to Toluca. There a friend of a friend (ouh yah!!) of Coco was waiting for me at the bus stop, to drive me in the mountains where this girl is hiding (and paragliding). Umberto, my taxi driver, was there (ouf!) and the other 1h30 of driving went smooth, we talked all the way about sports and mountains.

A reservation was done by Coco for me at the hotel, so no worries at 1 in the morning to find a place to sleep, pfiouh ! I woke up at 11, a message was waiting for me at the reception. Another clue in my Coco's Quest!! The clue was giving me a phone number (if the network is working) and a place to meet, the landing zone, behind the Santa Maria Church, at 1pm.

Yeah right, and how am I supposed to find the church, that's my problem, but I had 2 hours to solve it out.
I started walking the wrong way, asked a guy before I got too lost, and understood only three words of his explanation in spanish. The plaza central, izquierda, caldera Santa Maria. Got to do with it, I don't like asking my way, so I'm not going to ask him twice to help me!

But, I made it all the way without asking twice. Ok, the fact that the church is actually a church, with two towers, helped me a lot. And the name of the streets on the walls. Went there, stayed there, for 3 hours, then decided to try to find a farmacia para comprar toothpaste, deodorant et du shampooing, so I left the LZ (Landing Zone) durante more or less 40 minutes. Come back, wait for another 4 hours, still no Coco. I tried to call her after 2 hours, left a voicemail, but still no Coco. The phone card was another quest by itself now that I am thinking of it...

The sun was setting down and the snack shop shutting down, et toujours pas de trace de Coco. Qui a dit que la Coco's Quest serait une partie de plaisir?? Je retourne au telephone public, and this time she answers the phone !! Yehaaaa we are almost there !!

Meeting is for 5 minutes later in the internet cafe and the paragliding HQ. I see Jim at the bar, pfiouuuuuuuh the Quest is almost over! Two miutes after Coco is walking on the street but doesn't see us. I run to catch her and end up my treasure quest!! I'm not homeless tonight and I've got my friends now !!

I also have a nice sunburn (already yeah), because of sitting in the sun for 6 hours. I'll put some pictures on flickr soon, but everything is ok, I'm alive in Valle De Bravo, Mexico !!