Veracruz, Mexico’s Surprising Port City

Photos by Eric Mohl

PORT AUTHORITY

Puerto Veracruz in southern Mexico has survived Spanish conquistadors, a little-known US invasion and plays host to what many consider to be the second largest Carnaval celebration in the world, hot on the heels of the epic festivities in Rio de Janeiro. Spend a few days here and this port city reveals even more surprises.

Street Seen

Right off the bat, Puerto Veracruz (simply called Veracruz) looks, feels, sounds and tastes more Caribbean than almost anywhere else in Mexico. The music makes you want to swing your hips, not just stomp your feet. The clothes are a little tighter. Refried beans are suddenly replaced with stewed black beans and a fiery new selection of salsas. Locals, not just the occasional backpacker, sport dreadlocks. You’re as likely to see a gaggle of women sipping tequila on a sunny afternoon as you are men and everyone is lightening fast with a smile.

A smile (sonrisa in Spanish) is actually the official symbol of the state of Veracruz which calls itself “the smiling state.” To drive that point home, Veracruz State has co-opted the ancient Totonac symbol of an almost triangular androgynous face wearing a perpetual (and infectious) grin. It’s one of the few ancient Mexican icons depicted with a smile on its face.

An artist who signs his work as “F. Gali” is clearly inspired by the sonrisa. His vibrant spray paint murals on walls and buildings throughout Veracruz are cheerful celebrations of the Veracruzano smile and you’ll smile too as you stroll past them.

Veracruz is full of old buildings, many of them in various stages of repair or awaiting their lucky day. The structures which have been rehabilitated feature festive colors and wrought iron porch details that bring to mind New Orleans.

Hernán Cortés Slept Here

This is, of course, not what infamous conquistador Hernán Cortés found when he landed in Veracruz (which means true cross in Spanish) in the early 1500’s. He used the swampy, mosquito-infested spot as a base from which he went about his ruthless conquistador business, primarily looking for gold and “saving” souls. Cortés established settlements in two other nearby locations (Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz and La Antigua) before the Spanish eventually returned to settle Veracruz in the late 1500’s.

Despite his notorious brutality, you can still find Cortés’ name and image around modern day Veracruz, including on the sign for a store that sells uniforms to members of Mexico’s navy.

Cortés wasn’t the only invader to land in the port of Veracruz. It’s a moment in history that’s not part of most history classes, however, the United States invaded the city of Veracruz in 1914 on the orders of President Woodrow Wilson. Wilson felt slighted because the Mexican government, still dealing with the upheaval of the Mexican Revolution, failed to apologize for the Tampico Affair so he occupied Veracruz. Fighting went on for six months and 100 Mexicans were killed. Then WWI broke out and other battles demanded the U.S. President’s attention and troops.

Water Ways

The defining geographic element of Veracruz remains its busy port which serves as a major shipping hub and a base for Mexico’s Navy. Veracruz’s water-front location doesn’t come with pristine beaches but city planners have made the most of the waterfront they’ve got.

A lovely waterfront promenade (malecón in Spanish) goes for miles and features an enormous vibrantly painted statue of a dog. This is Xico, called the mascot of Mexico by its creator, artist Cristina Pineda, and produced in hundreds of sizes and designs. Xico references both an ancient breed of hairless dog indigenous to Mexico and the origins of the word Mexico. Xico statues have also been installed in the towns of San Luis Potosí, Mexico; La Habana, Cuba; and Santiago de Chile, Chile, as well as in  New York City, Brussels and Shanghai.

Veracruz’s tidy aquarium (the Acuario de Veracruz) is also located on the malecón. The aquarium offers the usual suspects: turtles, reef fish, dolphins, jellyfish. But it also offers something unique in all of Mexico: the chance to get into an aquarium tank with a bunch of brown sharks (friendly) and tiger sharks (known to be aggressive) during feeding time.

Sign up for the aquarium’s Tiburonario (300 pesos for adults, about $23 US, including the price of general admission) and you get to borrow a wet suit, mask and snorkel, and then climb into a clear acrylic cage with holes in it along with an aquarium employee. The cage is then lowered into a tank exhibit full of sharks until you’re up to your waist in water–and in sharks.

Being submerged in a closed box under the water without full Scuba gear on is even more disconcerting than being circled by hungry sharks. It’s also a little weird to be watched by the rest of the aquarium patrons who can clearly see you from their side of the glass tank wall as you feed the sharks hunks of fish on the ends of sharpened acrylic feeding poles.

Not surprisingly, the port city of Veracruz has a lot of shipwrecks off its shores and Scuba divers can explore many of them. Researchers, archaeologists and regular divers are still finding treasures down there.

After Dark

In Veracruz, streets that seemed tranquil, even deserted, during the day come to life after the sun goes down. Vendors sell snacks and play their radios, free concerts in the main plaza (zócalo in Spanish) get under way and a slew of restaurants and bars set up shop on the broad sidewalks along the perimeter of the zócalo itself.

At night the zócalo becomes a hub of eating, drinking and dancing as roving salsa and mariachi bands wander between tables and gather crowds under the trees. Stand too close for too long and you just might get pulled into the fray as someone’s new dance partner!

Consider it a warm-up for your return visit during the city’s famed Carnaval celebration every February.