Just 40 or so kilometros from Puerto Angel are the Bays of Huatulco. It's a nice resort area developed by the government a la Cancun. Unfortunately it doesn't have the Caribean beaches like Cancun but it's nice because it doesn't have the crowds either.

The road all the way from Pueto Angel to Salinas Cruz was great, cruvy and scenic with a few small towns and a couple of gas stations.

Salinas Cruz is a port city of about 250,000 people and a big petroleum shipping terminal for Pemex. I didn't stop in because I'd heard that it's not much for tourism and I'd seen it in 2000 when I was there on a work assignment doing a Y2K audit for Pemex.

I think that the Isthmus of Tehuantepec is one of the most historically interesting areas of Mexico. There have been plans to build a shipping canal from the Gulf of Mexico to Juchitan and other major economic developments. Lately, it's been President Fox's "Plan Puebla - Panama" that would have the greatest potential impact on the area. One of the factors putting the breaks on such ideas is the strength of the local cultures.

If I have my history right, the indigeous of Tehuantepec, the Zapotec, originated in Tabasco/Varacruz (Olmeca) and imgrated first to the central mountians of Oaxaca. They were the original founders of Monte Alban and Mitla. Later, they were pushed out, to some degree, by the encroaching Mixtec and finally settled around the Pacific side of the Isthmus.

Most of what I've read about the area showed the people as always being ready to defend their independence. They would rush off at the drop of a hat to fight the Spanish, the French in Puebla, the Federal Government, the State Government or even neighboring towns! But always, it seems, on the side of personal freedom. To date, they have been quite effective in retaining their culture.

In the town of Tehuantepec, they realy didn't seem to want their photo taken that's why the only photo from there is a plate of soup. It is obvious that it's a matriarcal society. The most popular form of transport around town is a cross bewteen a motorcycle and a pickup, a motorcycle front with a 2m square flatbed mounted behind. The men are often physically smaller than the women and traditionally wear loose, white, cotton shirt and pants, sandals and straw hat. The women, who can be quite "robust" wear beautiful embroidered blouses and billowing skirts. They will stand up in the back of the vehicles like charioteers off to do battle in the market.

I felt more at ease in Juchitan de Zaragoza. With about 150,000 people, it seems quite content to pass its time without much concern for the rest of the world. There's a large, well tended central plaza lined by the Municipal building, market, upscale hotel/restaurant, school and small businesses.

There was a mini-Guelaguetza in town that night. The Guelaguetza is the big festival in Oaxaca that showcases the regional dress and dance of Oaxaca.

After one night in Juchitan, I was ready to move on to the next leg of the trip, away from the coast and into the mountians of Chiapas. One caution, that mornig, getting gas, I was almost short changed $100 pesos at the gas station. Always count your change but if there has been a "mistake", don't make a big deal out of it, the typical wage might be $1 US per hour.

Next, Tuxtla Gutierrez