Considering mosquitoes lose their appetite about 90 minutes after sunrise, I had a bit of a lie on this morning. Mosquito bites are mildly irritating. Crocodile bites raise more concern. But I pedalled out of that swamp with all limbs intact. I had not gone 20 KMs up the road before I passed the archaeoligical site at La Venta. While Olmeca is more infamously known as a world wide brand of tequila that apparently affects the hearing rather than the liver (...Hello Frank Booth...), they are originally renowned as an ancient civilization that sculptured heads out of giant rocks. I had the entire 10 acre site to myself. Although I begun the tour with Sigur Ros's {} on the ipod, I just had to change back to Pink Floyd's Pompeii. It truly is the album for wandering about a ruin.
My map clearly showed a secondary road that followed the coastline on south. I imagined a gorgeous cycle with the Caribbean on my left and a massive lagoon to my right. But local taxi drivers seemed adamant that I should not travel this way. They recommended the longer tolled motorway instead. I couldn't figure out why they were against the coastal route but its generally when I'm told a direction is impossible, that the journey becomes most interesting.
As it turns out the taxi drivers were talking about erosion. The reason I had this road to myself became more apparent 20KMs up the road. ie The end of the road. The locals seemed to suggest that as long as I follow the coast, the road will eventually return. Its lovely meeting these locals. They are very friendly throughout this region. Every family seems to have a dozen kids or so. But its hard work. Pushing a fully laden bike through sand in tropical heat is not easy going. The road comes and goes. When its there, I pedal along it. When it disappears, I can choose between the beach and the sandy trails through peoples' gardens. But the campspot opportunities are just magic. This evening I have a massive beach all to myself.
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