Chihuahua, not just for tiny dogs!

My wanderings have brought me to far north Mexico, Chihuahua to be precise. It has the small town feel without the smallness. Everyone knows everyone else and they are probably related. If I was walking into this town as a tourist and not knowing anyone then I would probably be dismayed by the small town atmosphere. Nothing is more boring that a club that you aren't in.

Thankfully though I am here to visit friends from Vancouver. I am staying at David's house and his family have been extremely friendly and made me feel right at home. Chihuahua doesn't have a huge amount of tourist style things to see but thanks to my local guides I have investigated a couple of nice sites like the Hidalgo Museum and the Caves outside the city.

Mostly though my time has been spent going out...and recovering from going out. Chihuahua's nightlife reminds me a lot of Brisbane except maybe on a slightly smaller scale: if you know where to go (local knowledge) you can have a great time. So on Thursday and Friday nights we hit up two very different style clubs for two very enjoyable nights.

On Saturday we went up to David's family ranch for a family weekend. Getting in touch with nature was on the cards after a couple of nights of drinking and I really needed a break so that I could recover from my nasty gastrointestinal issues. So we rode horsies, looked at newborn calves and sat around the fire drinking beer. I suggested toasting marshmallows because to not do so would be to waste a good fire. The ranch is up in nearby Cauhtemoc which has a mennonite population. Nothing quite turns your head like a (natural) blond talking a very strange germanic dialect in the middle of outback Mexico.

So Chihuahua is very comfortable, it is a very properous and fairly quiet city and it reminds me a lot of Toowoomba. I am hoping to have a few more days here before I head down south. My ultimate destination is Chiapas state in the very south of Mexico where the ancient mayan ruins are bountiful and unspoiled. On the way though I hope to see Guadalajara and Guanajato in the centre of Mexico and maybe even find a few days to lay on the beach in Puerta Vallarta.

Enjoy Winter!