Right after the last trip to Africa (and mostly to Mana Pools) we left for Mexico. A bit funny to meet each other again after two months on the airport of Amsterdam. And like in the movies we were both walking on these fast ‘treadmills’ in opposite directions when we suddenly saw each other.
Our flight to Mexico went pretty smooth, but passing customs was a nightmare. About three hours we waited in a line that seemed to have no ending. And when we finally got through it looked like our driver gave up waiting. Luckily it only seemed that way… So long after midnight (while we landed at 19:00) we finally arrived in Valle de Bravo, what would be our home for the next 7 weeks.
It ‘s always good to be back. There’s the fruit breakfast, the strange butcher with the greased meat piled up, the amazing cars (some miss half, but they still drive!), the good food in the typical places with lots of… Germans! And of course there is flying!
Most days Jens would fly solo, while I worked (somebody has to right?) and every once in a while I flew along. Of course! I wasn’t going to miss all the fun! One day we went to another flying area about two hours driving. It was really pretty and we actually had two very good flights. The first one we made it much higher than expected. And the second one Jens actually let me fly. Just a little, but still…
For lunch a Mexican dentist and really nice guy, Pedro, invited all of us. It was really nice food, but so much our dinner was a simple ice-cream. Well, simple… I had baileys ice-cream and something with pinenuts. In ice. Really. It was delicious though!
That is one thing which you can’t deny about Mexico, their food is pretty good! And what I also love are the markets and the colours. Don’t you think it’s truly pretty? Even all the stuffed animals on top of the car. And not bad marketing, since you can’t really miss it…
Besides for good food, colours and nice markets, Valle de Bravo is of course most known as a paragliders paradise. In about 40 minutes you get to the launch called Peñón, because of the big mountain you see in front (right of the launch). Sometimes it gets quite busy, so Jens is mostly an early launcher and so when we fly together I have to hurry to be able to still go to the toilet before a possible three hour flight…
On Christmas and New Year’s we flew together and both times we made it to the lake, which is not always that easy in the afternoon with the tandem. I do have a good pilot with me of course…
When you land, there’s often people coming towards you. One time a bunch of children came and where giggling all around us. They asked a lot of questions but only a few we could answer with Google helping a bit. They also wanted to be on the picture with us. This one little girl was very intrigued by Jens being a pilot and also asked away but even google didn’t help too much on her, but she was so cute!
On the last day of 2017 we flew into the European new year and afterwards we enjoyed a drink watching other gliders coming in. Feliz Año!
We already look forward to our next visit…