Veracruz

Introducing Veracruz

Travel Alert: Hurricane Karl hit Veracruz, Mexico on September 17 and has flooded much of the city as well as devastating much of the state. In Veracruz the homes of 500,000 residents were damaged and at least 20,000 houses have been destroyed completely. Huge areas have been left without electricity and drinking water due to the overflowing rivers. At least 12 people are confirmed dead. Flooding has also affected the states of Tabasco, Chiapas, Oaxaca and Guerrero. It is advisable to check local conditions before traveling to these areas of Mexico.

Be careful: Veracruz is intoxicating. Scantily clad, she adorns herself in sea shells, permeates car exhaust and casually testifies her sordid colonial past. She’ll gladly share her last taco with you and just as gladly take your last peso. Usually you’ll find her swiveling to salsa, boozing, or laughing at her own joke. She gives her inhabitants, the ever-proud and doggedly faithful jarochos, a place to fall in love on her sweltering shores saturated with mariachis, seaside cafés, trova, and explosive sunsets. And for the broken-hearted, she offers miles of coastline boulevard for solitary rambling – save during her raucous Carnaval, which rocks Mexico. Whatever the case may be, Veracruz, both regal and trashy, could make even the most stoic bloke wax poetic.

Last updated: Sep 21, 2010