Episode 4: Veracruz, Ancient Trade Route
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The Malecón, a broad walking boulevard
stretching about a km along the waterfront is the best place to get the
flavour of the commercial port city of Veracruz. We had arrived by plane
from Cancun. A two hour plane ride had seemed the better option than a
20 hour bus ride, besides the rate we got with Volaris airline was
cheaper than the first class bus.
Veracruz was the first town established by the Spanish in Mexico in 1519
and became the start of a major trading route across the isthmus to the
Pacific Ocean. Now, container ships wait in the port to be loaded with
cars, especially VWs, manufactured in Mexico and transported to Veracruz
on one of the few rail lines still functioning in the country.
As you stroll along the length of the Malecón you pass statues and
fountains depicting the city’s history and the port’s significance. A
large fortress, Castillo de San Juan de Ulúa, looks impregnable across
the harbour. It was built to protect the city from regular attacks from
pirates and English, French and Dutch buccaneers. It was almost never
successful as the invaders would land along the coast and attack by
land. The fort remains, open to tourists, every day but Monday, the day
we wandered the city.
Baluarte de Santiago, built in 1635, is the sole survivor of nine forts
built along a 2650 km sea wall as part of the defense of the city. It
now stands across the street from our Hotel Baluarte, three blocks from
the ocean with cannons facing the traffic.
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