May 30, 2008, Midnight run for the border, By Kennedy Poyser, Adventure in Patagonia: dinosaur hunting in Neuquén, Part 2, Travel News You Can Use, By Judy Newell

Midnight run for the border
By Kennedy Poyser May 30, 2008 San Miguel de Allende

Buses to the US border leave San Miguel in the early evening and arrive about 12 hours later, a bit after sunrise. The trip is too long to be pleasant, but some foresight will make it almost tolerable.

Class comes first—not your behavior, but whether you’re on a luxury or executive class bus. They are smooth on the freeways, rarely crowded, have reclining seats, toilets and movies (Pirates of the Caribbean 2 on my return trip).

Direct service—costs a little more but stops only at major terminals. A non-direct bus might acquaint you with more small-town bus stations than you have patience to endure.

You’ll want a new drug—one key is to sleep at least six of those dozen hours. One San Miguel pharmacist recommended melatonina, a hormone regulating sleep cycles that some use to fight jet lag. Others favor Ambien, Xanax or Valium, while the lucky ones sleep like babes without so much as a cup of warm milk.

Pack a travel kit—water, snacks, sandwiches, pillow, light blanket, aspirin, paperback.

Disorientation is a philosophical side-effect—routes change with each bus line or class, and it’s night so you never know quite where you are. Passing through Dolores Hidalgo thinking it was San Miguel left me looking in vain for familiar landmarks. I’ve surely passed Saltillo several times, just lights spread to the horizon, so it could have been San Luis Potosi, which up close looks like León, Monterrey or Nuevo Laredo. SLP might be more prosperous, with Mercedes, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Freightliner and other up-scale dealerships bracketing their shopping malls. Many Mexican cities look alike from a bus, just as most American cities look alike from freeways. People value San Miguel and the historic centers of Guanajuato, Morelia and Zacatecas because they’re not like every other place.

Walk across the border—take a taxi to Puente 1 in Nuevo Laredo or the Gateway Bridge at Matamoros. You avoid waiting 2–4 hours in a line of buses to clear customs. The taxi costs 100 pesos, though.

Bus lines from San Miguel

Central de Autobuses is near the western edge of town on Calzada de la Estación. I usually take a taxi there and a city bus back, since so many stop there.

Mexican buses are better than Greyhound or US regional buses, which would be considered Second Class or a stingy First Class here. Those lovely Volvo and Mercedes coaches, which look like fat, satisfied beetles with insectile mirrors, offer three classes of luxury beyond what you’ll find in the States.

First Class buses (Primera Clase) are nicer than Greyhound, with reserved seats and baggage check, usually toilets and sometimes movies.

Plus Class buses (Plus Clase) offer the First Class amenities and often provide water, soda and snacks when you board. The seats recline enough that you can sleep on long night trips.

Luxury or deluxe buses (Clase Ejecutivo o De Lujo) are the fanciest and some (e.g., ETN) have only three seats across, so they are spacious. Drinks, snacks and sandwiches when you board and the seats recline almost flat. They carry 24 passengers, rather than the 40–50 you’d find on a lesser coach.

Primera Plus, Primera and Flecha Amarilla occupy the largest service counter at the San Miguel station and serve the region with buses to Guadalajara, León, Morelia, San Luis Potosi and Mexico City. Buses for Celaya and Dolores Hidalgo depart every 20 minutes during the day and runs to Guanajuato and Querétaro are just about hourly. Primera Plus is the direct service—the once-daily trip to Celaya in the morning takes about half as long as a commute on Primera or Flecha Amarilla (Yellow Arrow).

Herradura de Plata is another regional line, with buses to Dolores Hidalgo, San Felipe, Querétaro and Mexico City. The “Silver Horseshoe” may be the junior line at the San Miguel station.

ETN (Enlaces Terrestres Nacionales or National Land-transportation Connection) is a big company but has a small counter in San Miguel. A lot of their buses seem headed for Mexico City, their hub. La Línea más Comoda also goes to Guanajuato, León, Guadalajara and Querétaro from here. Many travellers love their Clase Ejecutivo.

Estrella Blanca, Futura and Autobuses Americanos are part of a cozy trinity, though tainted by their association with Greyhound, surely the most malicious busline since its buy-out in February 2007, by First Group, a Scottish train and bus operator. You’re OK as long as you stay in Mexico. From San Miguel, they have a convenient 7:05pm direct departure for Nuevo Laredo and a 3:30pm non-direct. From Querétaro, whose vast bus station resembles an airline terminal, you can ride the “White Star” almost anywhere in Mexico.

Omnibus de México departs daily at 6:50pm for Nuevo Laredo, for 526 pesos. The 8:30pm bus to Reynosa is 525 pesos. Their long routes include Durango and Tampico. An 11:31am jaunt to Guanajuato is 78 pesos.
A friend reported several pleasant direct Querétaro–Austin trips on Grupo Senda, leaving at 7 and 7:15pm, for 750 pesos. Delay at the border was 1–2 hours.

Tickets are for a numbered seat on a particular bus, leaving at a certain time, and they depart mostly on schedule. You can buy tickets a day or two ahead and request seats near the front. First row on the right-hand side is best for sightseeing. Advance tickets might be wise during holidays, but mostly you can wing it and get tickets just before you board.

Adventure in Patagonia: dinosaur hunting in Neuquén, Part 2
By James Nikas

In Part 1 of this story in the last issue, James Nikas and his goddaughter Mandela traveled 15 hours by bus through Argentina to visit Museo Carmen Funes, home of el dinosaurio más grande del mundo, a dinosaur so big it was like a giant living suspension bridge.

Anticipating making our own dinosaur discovery, we were assigned two guides for a walk into a small canyon within the park that contains the museum and lab.

Surrounded by red and brown sandstones, we saw sedimentary features that hinted at what the environment would have been like 96 million years ago: ancient mud cracks, ripple marks, casts of little animal burrows and tracks of the theropods and sauropods that once roamed the area.

Then Mandela asked me the question I knew was coming: “Tio, what do you think killed off the dinosaurs?” I paused before answering. “Climate,” I answered. “There is compelling evidence that about 65 million years ago greenhouse gas levels caused by extremely high volcanic activity lasting 100,000 to 200,000 years may have helped make it so hot that the chain of life was severely disrupted. There are data now that show us that the Earth is heating up, species are dying, regions of the oceans are going anoxic and life is dying off. I don’t think we needed a giant asteroid to kill off the dinosaurs. Maybe it’s a part of the story, but I’m not so sure it was the main event. I think it simply got too hot and a portion of Earth’s life died off.”

Our time was short at El Chocón, and we were sad to leave without finding the next big discovery. But we had a three-hour drive to the Centro Paleontologico Lago Barreales northwest of Neuquén. It is the site where a team of paleontologists, led by Dr. Jorge Calvo, director of the paleontology center of the National University of Comahue, Argentina, recently announced the discovery of Futalognkosaurus dukei, named with Mapuche Indian words for “giant!” and “chief” and for Duke Energy Argentina, which generously helped sponsor the dinosaur’s excavation.

According to Dr. Calvo, it is one of the biggest sauropod dinosaurs in the world and one of the most complete skeletons found thus far. Dr. Calvo informed me that there are three active sites where students or enthusiasts can help with the actual excavation. At the Lago Barreales site, posted with a sort of tongue-in-cheek “Creta-ceous Park” sign, there is an active laboratory, museum, dining room and sleeping quarters. One can also visit and just enjoy a guided tour of the excavation.

We would not be among the excavators this time as we were headed to San Martin de los Andes for backpacking in the mountains of Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi. But before we set out, we would stop one more time at the shrine of Guachito Gil for a thank you and maybe a little offering, just in case, for the rest of our journey.

Getting there

Numerous airlines fly nonstop from Miami, Washington, DC, Dallas and Mexico City. Reasonable airline mileage programs can vary greatly depending on the time of year. American Airlines has a program this year for travel starting March 1 that ran 40,000 Advantage miles from San Francisco to Ezeiza International Airport in Buenos Aires. Regular economy round-trip prices range from US$1,037 to $1,400. Remember that seasons are reversed when going from one side of the equator to the other. Winter in Canada or the US is a wonderful summer with long days in Patagonia.

Getting around

Buses are the way to go if you are on a budget and if you have time. Andesmar and Cruceros del Norte are the finer bus lines. Travel by car is advised if you need flexibility to see specific things or to take photos (www.hertz.com and www.avis.com are well represented in Argentina). Gasoline is expensive; plan ahead for gas stops. Maps may be bought at the Automóvil Club Argentino or through their website (www.aca.org.ar). Argentina is the eighth largest country in the world and distances may present a problem for those people on shorter vacations. Air travel within the country is served best by Aerolineas (www.aerolineas.com.ar). Taxis are reasonable, but it is wise to call the taxi company directly from your hotel.

Where to stay

Neuquén: Hotel El Prado, Perito Moreno 484, (www.hotel-elprado.com.ar/ or hoteldelprado@hotmail.com) is about US$100 for a double and includes an excellent breakfast. Central location, reasonably clean and with WiFi.

Hotel del Comahue, Avenida Argentina 377 (reservas@hoteldelcomahue.com or

www.hoteldelcomahue.com ) is a bit pricey for adventuring, but it is very nice. The US$150 per double gets you a good breakfast and all the things one expects from a hotel with a four-star rating.

Camping sites are available on the banks of the Rio Limay for about two dollars per tent and a dollar per person per night. However, it is cold and closed in winter.

Villa El Chocón: La Posada del Dinosaurio ( www.posadadinosaurio.com.ar ) is a comfortable hotel that overlooks the lake with views of the dam and reservoir. The food is good and service is excellent. The manager Carina Pocraiaz is first rate! It is about US$79 for a single with breakfast.

El Alamo along Ruta Nacional 237, Km. 1299, is a bit more basic but only costs US$45 for a double. It’s a bit far from the lake and museo.

Camping is available too at Club Chocón Lauquen Barrio I (cel: 156-31-8719).

Where to eat

Neuquén: Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (Avenida San Martin and Brown) combines art and food with the best lattes and cappuccinos in town. Lunch and early dinner only.

Villa El Chocón: La Posada del Dinosaurio offers the best meal in town and El Alamo is the next choice.

What to do

Dig fossils! Centro Paleontológico Lago Barreales has three sites where active excavation work is ongoing: Lago Barreales, Plaza Huincul and Villa El Chocón. At Lago Barreales, for example, visitors may stay a minimum of two days and one night for US$230. They receive introductory information about the paleo-history of the area and instruction on the work that is in progress; includes short geological trips and practice in preparation and excavation. (Call cel: +54 15-4048614 or inquire via email proyectodino@yahoo.com.ar.)

Museo Ernesto Bachman is worth a visit at Villa El Chocón and Museo Carmen Funes at Plaza Huincul.

Neuquén: Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes is new building and, although the parking lot is a dust bowl and a little difficult to figure out how to get in and out of, it is a great venue.

Go fish! At Villa El Chocón Embalse Ezequiel Ramos Mexia, boats can be rented but shore fishing is very easy. Rainbow trout and brown trout are among several lake fish that may be found there.

For more information

Two online sources of information are: www.argentinanaturistica.com or www.sectur.gov.ar/eng/menu.htm.

Jim Nikas divides his time between his native San Francisco and San Miguel. He is a paleontologist and geologist and works as a business consultant.

The number of spas in Mexico is increasing at an annual rate of 300 percent, according to Arturo Gonzalez Jeronimo, spa manager at the Melia Reforma in Mexico City. The reason: spas are profitable.

At the Melia Reforma, the spa accounts for 10 to 15 percent of the hotel’s total earnings. Today it is rare to find a luxury hotel without some kind of spa. Original investment is high, US$20–25 million depending on the size of the installation. Cancún, Cozumel and the Maya Riviera have 162 spa installations and the number is increasing.

Curiously, the original spas in Mexico—true spas where thermal waters were the big attraction—no longer attract many visitors. This is especially true at Tehuacan, still famous for its bottled mineral water. Spas today offer a variety of massages and therapies, but water from local springs is not a major attraction.

Fonatur woes increase

After five years of work and an expenditure of roughly US$30 million, the “Nautical Stairway” projected along both coasts of the Baja California peninsula amounts to little more than a string of gas stations for yachts, admitted Miguel Gomez Mont, who assumed command of Fonatur 18 months ago.

Fonatur is the National Fund for Tourism Development and the Nautical Stairway was to have been the big project for the past administration. A leading senator has demanded an investigation.

“We are evaluating the situation,” Gomez Mont said.

Gomez Mont also conceded that his predecessors sold properties developed by Fonatur for much less than they were worth. This may have been because the agency needed cash, he commented. Others wonder whether some political favoritism was involved.

Costa Maya to reopen

By July, the Port of Costa Maya will reopen its harbors to cruise passengers after an unexpected closure due to Category 5 Hurricane Dean in August 2007. With most of the industry’s cruise lines already committed, new and returning passengers will be pleased to find an enhanced experience in the region, offering rich history and culture, tropical jungles, unspoiled beaches and adventure excursions from zip-lining to diving.

About US$1 million (11 million pesos) is being invested to enhance the appeal of the Xochicalco archaeological site near Cuernavaca. A light-and-sound show has been operating there for the past two years.

Xochicalco might be described as the first convention center in Mexico. Apparently delegates from as far away as Maya Yucatán gathered there with their colleagues to confer on matters related to calendars. Xochicalco seems to have begun as a colony of Teotihuacan, site of the famous pyramids north of Mexico City. When invaders destroyed Teotihuacan, many of the survivors found refuge in Xochicalco.

Airlines

Two bags too many

By next month, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United and US Airways will be charging passengers US$25 to check in a second bag. Due to a falling economy and rising fuel prices, this move by five of the six major airlines in the US is an attempt to level out costs.

The US Transportation Department issued a new rule on May 16 immediately requiring airlines and travel agents to disclose airline fees for checking a second bag in their web and print ads. The new rule also prohibits airlines from imposing increased fees or new baggage restrictions after a passenger has bought a ticket.

Delta tries another hike with extra US$20 fuel charge

Delta Air Lines initiated the 15th attempted domestic airfare increase of 2008 by upping fuel charges an additional US$20 roundtrip across the bulk of its route system on May 9. The new total fuel surcharge on numerous Delta city pairs (trips in both directions) is now up to a record US$130 roundtrip ($65 one-way). The total of this fuel surcharge increase combined with taxes and fees is now larger than the actual base airfare on several short-haul domestic flights.

At least two more fare increases are expected in May and the number of airfare increases so far this year has put the industry on track for a total of 40 for the year, as opposed to 23 price hikes in 2007.

United Airlines has increased airline ticket prices between the US and Canada by US$86 to $129 roundtrip. American Airlines also raised its fares US$20.