We flew from Merida in the Yucatan to Mexico City, and had a much better stay this time. On one morning the streets were completely empty of the street sellers, and the city felt completely different. We visited the key temple outside the City - Teotihuacan - and I´m pleased to say this was a much better experience than Chichen Izta. The temple is famous for its pyrimads - they are second in size only to the Cheops in Egypt (I believe) AND tourists were able to climb to the top of both. The interpretation was good, we had access to murals...and the scale...About 2 km has been excavated so far also the Avenue of the Dead, and this is only a fraction of the size of the sight.

New Year Eve in Mexico City. Not the worrying and dangerous occasion you might imagine from our other entry on Mexico City. We went out in to the main square in front of the Cathedral and Judicial Palace (carrying nothing). There were some clusters of people out, a band on the stage, but nothing really going on. We wondered around a little, had dinner, and then noticed a surge of people going into the Cathedral.

When in Mexico.... do as the Mexicans do. So we followed, and were treated to a full Catholic service in Spainish led by the Cardinal of Mexico. The rest of the congregation all had boxes of candles, and at the end the clergy sprayed the candles, and the congregation with Holy Water - we wondered if these candles would be burned in peoples homes form the nest 12 months.

We were out in time for a short count-down, the strike of midnight and a little cheering from a rather sombre crowd. Not what we were expecting, but I guess a bit of a relief for me - I must be getting old!) Back to the hostel, to find the real party was going on outside our dormitary.

After the joys of the city we flew to Denver via Dallas for the clear mountain air, as much skiing as we could manage and a reuniting with A and V. As you can imagine it was brilliant seeing them - not possible to describe, we´d not seen them for 4 months. Unfortunately they´ve not managed to sort a year out yet, so their time was far too short, and I kinda felt guilty that they had to go so soon.

We skiied in Breckonridge, Vail and Bevercreek during an incredible 10 days. We had a couple of days with some powder, some very very cold days (remember we had just come from the tropics) lots of cards games and lots of catching up. We have now become used to a new standard of accomodation as we stayed in 2 lovely condos (real home from home) - and no insects, giving my bites from Merida time to recover. It was nice to have use of a car for a little while (actually, it was more of a mini bus) and of course to have the company of A and V who´d already done the reasearch and planning for the places - so there wasn´t the uncertainty that we usually have when we turn up some where new.

We were dropped off in Frisco on the day A and V had to leave. :( but we were pleased to find a hire shop around the corner and a bus terminal to take us to the local resorts.

We had 4 days in resort still to go...A Basin, Copper Mountain, Key Stone and Breckenridge again... And someones birthday to celebrate. Keystone, what a place to turn ** ! The best powder was in Copper Mountain which was only 15 minutes from Frisco by bus - but we found in several of the resorts the lifts a bit slow, and not as well planned as in some resorts in Europe.

We then took a Grey Hound to Denver, (all the unpleasent feeling about Grey Hounds were reinforced again ) a day ´sorting things out´- posting ski gear home most importantly. Denver has a very ´big city´ feel to it, with drug addicts and homeless folk wandering the streets in great numbers. A well known American restaurant with the golden arches now has the award for the grimmist toilet so far. The naked occupant in the open cubical had redecorated the walls and floor, giving a nausiating anti drugs message. and then on to Quito.

I guess I just don´t like big cities very much. From Denver it was an early morning start on to Quito.