Last week, I 'tried' to take a bus ride to Tapalpa...
Here is a photo of the bus loading AT my hotel.
My plan was to catch the bus 'directly in front of my hotel,' at the casita Montana. Ride the bus up into the mountains to the little town of Tapalpa. So, I walked across the street, to the city bus station to buy a ticket. [this is where the plot thickens] That's a different bus line that goes to Tapalpa, and "you will have to go to Jocotepec to that other bus company."
The north search for the bus station and Tapalpa, never found.
The Thursday trip that made it, to Mazamitla.
[this is where the plot thickens more]
Allen, the hotel manager volunteered to drive me to Jocotepec so that I would not have to walk a mile through town from where the local bus terminal is, to the Crossroads where the bus to Tapalpa stops. [Except the bus to Tapalpa does NOT stop.] The bus to Tapalpa originates in Guadalajara and takes an entirely different route around the mountains to get there. Allen drove me to the Crossroad and we asked several people, getting several different answers. But they all agreed, the bus to Tapalpa does not stop here. The general consensus was that "5 minutes north you can board at the bus station." So we drove North looking for the bus station. (never found it, cause it aint there) Allen and I spent 2 hours out looking before we gave up and drove back to the hotel. That was Tuesday.
Fast Forward to Thursday and my second try. I took the local bus in Ajijic (right in front of my hotel) It cost 12pesos (.70c US) After waiting almost an hour, the bus ride takes about 30min and lets me out in downtown Jocotepec. Then I catch a taxi to the crossroads bus stop to catch 'the other bus line.' But, instead of Tapalpa, I go to Mazamitla. The second bus line does go to Mazamitla costing 130pesos. ($7.62 US) When i show up in my taxi the 3 other people already waiting at the bus stop inform me, "I just missed the bus to Mazamitla." But, another will be along in an hour. It was really about an hour and a half. That's OK, it's an adventure. If it was easy everyone would be doing it! The bus proceeds about ten minutes and then proceeds to breaks down. We have to wait another 30 minutes for the next hours bus from Guadalajara to Mazamitla to catch up with us.
To make a short story long, the projected 90 minute drive took us 4 1/2 hours and 3 different busses. Fortunately the little town was quaint and cute as advertised. I got to walk around and take some photos, grab a quick lunch and then hurry back to the bus station for the return trip. One thing of note is the elevation in Mazamitla at 8,000ft. The high temperature for the day was 68F. I loved that.
LUNCH
The return trip was uneventful. When i got off the bus in Jocotepec, I was still a mile away from the other bus line, but it was a lovely sunny day and the walk was brisk and safe. Everything went like clockwork till the bus got to San Juan Cosala, a little town west of Ajijic. There was some kind of Catholic parade with hundreds of marching people and a band walking down the highway blocking it for 30 minutes. All in all it was a great day for taking 5 busses, a taxi and walking a mile.
That's all in a days travel adventure. At least I had some pretty cute riders on the bus with me.
Viva Mexico! -Skip
