Flaco FINALLY arrived!  After 2 days of driving we are in Papantla, a cute town close to the Gulf.  Our cheap hotel overlooks the central square where kids run around, dancers entertain, teenagers flirt, and bungee-jumpers soar.  Seriously.  Right off the main square, a tall red beam with a tiny platform on top is supposedly where people jump every weekend.  ”They swing around and around that pole,” a waiter told us.  But the buildings look so close!  ”Oh, they don’t swing out that far.”  A flute-playing statue on top of one of the many churches is supposed to look out for these jumpers and keep them safe.  Good luck to them. 

We predict about 1.5-2 days left before the Guatemala border.  The drive has been sort of rough, with lots of construction and way too many speed bumps in every tiny town, but the scenery has been beautiful.  And today we’ll be cruising along the coast.  Photos to come!

Wednesday we had our first run-in with the cops.  Driving like a maniac trying to get out of the maze of Monterrey after picking Flaco up, I didn’t notice a motorcycle cop following me until he pulled up on the passenger side and waved us to the side of the road.  I supplied all the papers (the photocopies and research came in handy!!) and he knew that everything was in order.  But, after shaking our hands congenially, he announced that he was going to give us a ticket or take the car.  He was a shy young cop with chubby cheeks and I just couldn’t take him seriously.  When he walked behind the car to talk with another officer, Flaco joined them to discuss the options.  ”Ticket or car,” he insisted.  Walking back to the car, Flaco told them that it was my car, not his, so they would have to talk to me.  The cop didn’t seem to understand and insisted on talking to me through Flaco.  I kept saying that I know Spanish and he can talk directly to me.  ”This is my car and I have all the papers in order and you can talk to me because I UNDERSTAND.”  This made him even shyer and, after a few failed attempts to look me in the eye, he shook our hands again and let us go.  

Back to the road.  I will post photos soon!!