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We planned to begin our drive to the city of Valle Bravo around 9 a.m., but it was 10:30 before we got on the road. It was Saturday after all and it was going to be a day of relaxation as well as travel. Rodolfo works away from home during the week, so I think it’s remarkable that he offered to do this at all. We were soon winding around remote and picturesque mountain roads with much excitement and anticipation. The two lane roads were in great condition and Rodolfo drove fast (but skillfully). I was really thankful that I don’t have problems with carsickness, because it certainly would have been a problem on that stretch of the trip! We talked and Roldolfo and Martha played a good mix of Spanish and English music as we traveled. After a couple of hours on winding roads, we exited onto a toll highway for the rest of the drive. It wasn’t as remote as the mountain section but it was interesting to drive past little pueblos with market booths and tiny restaurants lining the streets. In one town there were several booths displaying fresh meat and long links sausages (chorizo) in both a red/orange color as well as some that were a bright, grass green. (Martha explained that the green was from herbs used for flavoring). We also passed rolling hills of field after field that contained the remnants of last years’ harvest. I bet this area is really lush during their summer when the crops are all shades of bright green.

After what was probably at least 4 hours of driving, we neared the city of Valle Bravo. Our approach was from the mountains above so our first glimpse was of a large lake surrounded by mountains and a colorful city creeping up the sides of them from the waters edge. There were boats here and there in and around the lake and even a little cluster of small sailboats gliding along the water. It was beautiful. It seemed to take forever to actually reach the city. When we did, Rodolfo stopped while Martha asked someone for directions to see the “mariposas”. We were told that they are best seen early in the day (too late for that), but we headed back out of town to see if we could find them anyway. I was surprised that there weren’t signs and billboards all along the way as there would have been in the U.S. We saw only one tiny blue and white sign, but even that one didn’t clearly indicate where we should go from there. Then, as we traveled along we noticed that traffic ahead had slowed to a crawl. As we approached, we were suddenly surrounded by a swarm (is that the right word?) of monarch butterflies. They were flying all around us and were all headed in the same direction. It was beautiful and amazing. The air was filled with them. Finally, we saw a little gravel parking lot beside the road and Rodolfo pulled in and parked. There was a wide, dirt road leading from the parking lot and down a hill. The road had a rope stretched across it. When we reached it we were told that each group had to be accompanied by a guide and the cost was 15 pesos, very reasonable at a little less than a U.S. dollar. We could either make the short walk down the hill (not steep) or, for a very reasonable fee (we didn’t ask) we could rent a horse. We opted to walk. Our guide explained that they were required to guide people to the butterflies to help protect their habitat and she enthusiastically told us a little about their yearly migration as we walked along for about 10 minutes. As we approached a low, wet place in the road, suddenly we saw dozens of monarchs perched in the damp mud. To the side of the road, a little grassy area with lots of tall flowers and trees was covered with black and orange butterflies. It was a spectacular site. Our guide explained that it was late in the day and that most of the butterflies had already taken flight and wouldn‘t return until evening. She told us it was necessary to arrive early to see the whole group covering the trees and plants all around. Oh well, it was still worth the drive.

After watching the butterflies for a while, we headed back up the road to the car. By then we were all pretty hungry and our hosts knew of some good restaurants back in Valle Bravo.

Valle Bravo is a small but bustling city. There were a lot of people walking along the narrow sidewalks and stopping in the little shops and restaurants. Martha said it usually isn’t quite so crowded, but it was Valentine’s Day, so a lot of people were out celebrating with their sweethearts and there was a holiday feeling. We found a restaurant (Michoacán) that had a large terrace and umbrella shaded tables on the roof. There was a great view of the lake. and they had a reputation for wonderful food, so we went inside. As we sat down at our table, we saw a colorful group of Para gliders circling in the sky above one of the mountains like a group hawks gliding on the air currents. Our hosts explained that Valle Bravo is favorite meeting spot for the sport and people come from all over the world just for that purpose. It looked like fun. Rodolfo and Martha seemed amused and explained that the gliders had to just run and jump off of a giant rock on the side of the mountain. Both agreed that in their opinions it seemed like a crazy thing to do. (This by two motorcycle enthusiasts that have taken bike trips all over Mexico and the U.S. and into Canada!)

The food was great and there was lots of it. Martha and Trudy both had steak. Rudolfo had beef tongue in a red mole sauce and I had fresh cream of mushroom soup (delicious) and a salad of perfectly steamed and seasoned vegetables (carrots, jicama, green beans, broccoli, mixed greens, avocado — to name a few) with a creamy dressing. We enjoyed the view, ate and chatted for about an hour and then took a stroll through the town, to the zocálo (traditional city center in every Mexican town) and then along the water. Finally, as the sun was just starting to set, we returned to the car for the long drive back to Cuernavaca.

We were all getting tired, so Rodolfo opted to follow the highway back to the house. Besides, the curving roads in the mountains are dangerous to drive on at night. We were all happy with his choice. The drive home seemed much longer than the one in the morning, but there was a bonus at the end. We drove through Mexico City at night with the lights of over 19 million inhabitants spreading for miles all around us. We drove on the 2nd level of a new loop (periferico) around the inner part of the city. We went through a new central business section called Santa Fe — Martha said she thought it was only about 10 years old. We passed row after row of billboards advertising all kinds of products, tall glass buildings, exclusive apartments as well as a large mall with many expensive stores. It was actually very attractive to see at night.

Finally, we reached the Cuernavaca exit on the highway and not long afterwards the guard opened the gate and we were home. It was over 12 hours since our adventure started and we were all ready for some sleep.

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