Mexico Field Trip

Day 11 – February 24^th, 2005

 

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. It was a bit of late start today, as there seemed to be some payment problems at the hotel, and a general need (apart from Philippe and I) to visit a Cash Issuing Terminal. So we left about 9 and arrived at the Penon de Amayuca in Morelos at about 10am to start the search for Mammillaria magnifica on the triple peaks on the right hand side of the main road. We took a side road just before the autopista turning, which wound through fields and small villages. We then took a left turn at the T-junction and through the town of Chalcutzingo, past the ruins of the old church and then right following the signs to the ruins.

 

The area that gives access to the peaks is now a historical site, and has been heavily grazed by cattle and goats. We climbed through barbed wire fences and then came to the pay station, which because we didn’t want to see the historic site as such, were let pass without paying, and then up towards the ridge between the two main peaks. Initially we climbed up the left one, looked everywhere and could just see, up high in a grassy cleft, a multiheaded Mammillaria magnifica, but it was far to difficult a climb to reach safely. We turned our attention to the other peak, and took a path that lead round to the south. Again we were disappointed, but then, as we returned, higher up on a relatively sheer rock face, growing in cracks and clefts were saw several clumps of Mammillaria magnifica glowing in the sunlight. One had 6 heads at least, but was unreachable, so the photography was done with the long zoom lens. So we can say we found Mammillaria magnifica, but not exactly to shake by the hand. It was very hot, so on the way back we stopped in the village for Coke and Ice Cream.

 

PICT1554-61    -           Mammillaria magnifica growing on the rock faces of the Penon de Amajucar

 

Retracing our steps back through Cuautla on the “fast” road and then on to the “Mexico Cuoto” – not exactly up to our motorway standards, but no “topes” and it got us to Mexico City quickly, and just in time for a thunder and hail storm as we drove from the south to the north of the City on Insurgentes. The traffic was absolutely mad, with road-works every block or two. It was an experience much like driving down Park Lane in London, only one that lasts for 10 miles! Eventually we arrived at Teotihuacan at about 16:30 and the rain was still coming down, so we drove the circuit around “Los Pyramides” and decided to come back first thing in the morning to see the spectacle of Teotihuacan properly.