DISCOVERING THE LECHERO IN VERACRUZ

The next part of our Mexico plan was to spend the remainder of our time in the state of Veracruz.  After leaving Palenque we had a long drive ahead of us to reach the state.  We broke it up by staying in the city of Villahermosa.  We had intended on spending a few days here seeing the city but after not being able to find any parking that the truck could fit in (always having height issues) we ended up on the outskirts of the city in a very clean yet uninspired business hotel.  We could of been in any major city.  It was a well laid out concrete jungle, not a taco stand in sight - blah.  To be fair, we didn't look around at all.  We decided to move on the next day.

the submerged state of Tabasco

We tried to get an early start the next day but things didn't go as planned.  While trying to back out of our parking stall we ended up rolling back into a mirror of a Pemex truck that had parked behind us.  (Pemex is the monopoly gas company in Mexico.)  Whoops.  After locating the owner of the truck we took a look at the damage and it was decided that we would figure out the cost to replace it on the internet and we would pay him in cash said amount.  At this point, the guys boss came out and asked what happened.  After hearing the story, he took a look at Justin and asked him if the land rover was his.  He then asked him how he was enjoying the country.  He then turned to his employee and Justin and said, "Don't worry about it," and patted Justin on his shoulder.  What a nice guy.  We would of paid for the damage, we did it but he insisted.  Justin then shook everyones hand, said thank-you a few dozen more times and we were out of there, before they changed their minds!

it doesn't look like much in the rain but it was going to cost us over $200

Thus started our marathon day of driving.  We drove through the state of Tabasco that seemed to be flooding all around us - cows were grazing in fields with water half way up their bellies with white egrets perched on their backs.  In many places the highway itself was under water, making driving very difficult.  Negotiating the never ending potholes/craters in the road was impossible - is this one going to be two inches deep or six? It made for a bouncy, wet ride.  (It rains inside the truck when it rains outside the truck.)  We drove 470 kilometers, our longest distance we've ever driven in a day - it felt more like two thousand.

We arrived in the city of Veracruz late that afternoon and found a hotel easily and without fighting.  We were quite proud of ourselves for this small feat - ha ha.  Hunger, being overtired, driving in an unknown busy city in crazy traffic is usually the perfect combination to bring on our tempers.  We ended up staying at the Hotel Hawaii, an unusually shaped building and in a very unique room.  We got a great discount and a room on the seventh floor overlooking the city and the shipyard.

our marble palace with a view

even a view from the bathroom

our room was the third down from the top

The night we arrived we discovered a gigantic coffee shop close to our hotel - the Gran Cafe de la Parroquia. The place was packed with mainly older gentlemen, sipping hot drinks and chatting. We found a table outside and we were going to order just a coffee when the waiter suggested a lechero.  Out came two glasses with about a shot each of very strong coffee.  He then took our spoons and started to aggressively tap our glasses.  Next walks out a young kid with two kettles, who then proceeds to pour piping hot milk from about about two feet away into our glasses.  They were delicious!  We left happy, discovering a new coffee drink and at the same time we were both a little curious about the place.

the lechero is strong coffee, with piping hot milk that is poured from a height to produce the froth

The next morning we came back for another fix of the lechero.  This time we sat inside and all we could hear was the continuous tapping of glasses.  We asked the waiter for the storey behind it.  He told us that in the eighteen hundreds there was a trolley driver who would ring his bell on his trolley cart when he was a block away to let them know he was coming.  (This was actually at the Gran Cafe de Portal, another coffee shop in the city)  When the driver died, his casket was carried by the trolley and when it passed by, the customers and waiters would clink their glasses in his honor.  The clinking tradition continues on but with a slight twist - now it signals the waiters helpers to come by and fill your cup with steaming hot milk.

in business since 1808

the higher the pour, the bigger the froth

the Parroquia, an institution in Veracruz

For two coffee lovers like us, this place was a find.  The lechero itself is delicious but more than that its the atmosphere that makes this place special.  In the couple of days we spent in the city we were here numerous times.  We've tried lecheros since, in other cities but none compare to the Parroquia in Veracruz.

We didn't spend our entire time in a coffee shop, we did get out and see some of the sights.  We took a cheesy bus tour to the ritzy Boca del Rio, took a boat to the old prison and our favourite activity always - we wandered on foot around the city.

San Juan de Ulua - it used to be the main entry point for the Spanish coming to Mexico

it later turned into a prison

it now costs 41 pesos for tourists to wander around

creepy prison cell

Another great part of the city was the zocolo.  Music, dancing, peddlers, clowns, circus acts - this was a fun place to spend the night eating sea food and drinking cerveza.  It was also the first time that we had ever seen women in a mariachi band.  At times there were so many mariachis going at once, you couldn't hear one over the other.

still pretty quiet, it really gets going later at night

Veracruz was never on our radar.  We had never really heard very much about the city or the state.  But we instantly loved it here.  Wish we would of had more time......