The Tropical City of Tuxpan, Mexico.

  When you think of a tropical vacation destination, what places come to mind? The Pacific Islands? The tropical giant Brazil? Costa Rica? Places in Africa? How about closer to home? Mexico. That's right, Mexico. The tropical stuff is closer to the United States than most Americans realize. Just a 12 hour drive (or bus ride) south of the border is the state of Veracruz. Many Americans have the image of Mexico stuck in their heads of Mexico being a desert, and that's the way it is in many parts, but there is another side, the green tropical side. Unlike the rest of Mexico, the state of Veracruz stays for most part green during the dry season. It is full of sugarcane, mangoes, papayas, bananas and other tropical fruits.

   A steamy, industrial oil port, the city of Tuxpan is off the radar for many American travelers and even many Mexicans are not aware of what Tuxpan has to offer. I found that the beaches for most part were clean and the lively city center offered an off the tourist trail experience. The greatest treasure, however is the people, I encountered some interesting characters there. I've been many places in Mexico and I can say that people from Veracruz state are some of the most lively and friendly in Mexico.

 

   When thinking about Mexico it is easy to think about problems with drugs and illegal immigration, but Mexico is so much more than that, it is truly an amazing place, if one sees nothing but problems, they miss out on the things that make it a wonderful country.