Evening star., 1935-01-13

will want to take this astonishing new
2o-foot road, which opens up new
country, as foreign as any place on
earth. Once south of the Rio Grande.
the American motorist will feel like
Alice in Wonderland.
This road is Mexico's surprise gift
to North America. It's even more than
that. It's her gift to all South America
as well, for the highway that MeMcans
have been hewing through the noun
tains and across the great central
plateau is, with the extension south
from Mexico City, the first 1,000-mile
link in the great an-American park
way which will one day reach across
the soil of IL nations, from Canada
down to the lower tip of South
America"
The trip to Mexico City will be an
easy one. You cross into Mexico at
Laredo. No passport is necessary, only
a tourists card of identity. given by
a Mexican consulate. And, according
to the Golfers correspondent, it Is far
safer. from bandits than some Of the
finest highways of our own country.
THE road is now finished from
Laredo Is far as Monterrey. about 140
miles" says Mr.. Shepherd. Leaving
Laredo, 1t starts out on one Of the
longest stretches of straight road in
the world, IS miles without q curve.
Beyond Monterey the road climbs to
an elevation of $500 feet above sea
level before reaching Mexico City. It
is not cement all the way. but it is
q good wide road, with no grades
greater than 6 per cent, well marked
and safe.
With the completion of this road,
Americans will at last be able to 60
abroad on their own rubber. OF course
we 90 to Canada now. but Canada is
most positively not foreign, pleasant
as it, may be; you're only visiting rela-
tives in Canada. But Mexico is one
Of the foreignest countries In the world.
Not even China could be more strange
to Americans, nor its customs. tradi-
tions and people more interesting.
Deep Into Tropics.
1.-THE road takes us so deeply into
the tropics that Florida seems only a
part of the great North. Our tires
actually cross the Tropic of Cancer
and take us into the equatorial zone,
and from Mexico City we can roll
straight south for another 600 miles
until we run bang into the Pacific
Ocean at a wide beach where the
great ocean no longer lies west of
North America. but dips underneath
it and holds our vast continent in its
lap. Down there, at Acapulco, Mexi-
cos Atlantic City, the Equator lies
only 1000 miles southwark"
All sorts of climates lie before the
motorist in the three-day drive from
the Texas border to Mexico City. But
at the end of the drive lies the finest
climate Of all. Here in the Mexican
capital are the violets of early Spring,
the roses of mid-June and the asters
and go1denrod of Autumn, all bloom
ing side by side the year around. Here
are cornfields growing all year, with
corn on the cob on the table any day
it is wanted. Here are fresh straw
berries at Christmas, Fourth of July,
or any other old time. Here is climate
la carte. Every morning is brisk
Spring dawn. Every noon is like a
hot July. The lazy, warm afternoon
Is Indian Summers and every night
Of the year at least two blankets are
required for comfort.
Mexico City, according to Mr.. Shep-
herd, "is the eatingest place on earth,
for its vegetables and fruits are fresh
the year around and wild game is more
plentiful than beefsteak."
All along the route of the new high
way good food is to be had for the
asking. Venison, wild duck, wild
goose. wild turkey. black bass and
trout are all on the daily menu, at
low prices.
Monterey, which will probably be
the travellers first-night stop, is a
city Of 100000 people, factory town
with the touch of the United States
all over it. The hotels are as good as
those In any middle sized American
town.
You sleep here" says Mr.. Shep-
herd, "at an altitude of $500 feet;
during the previous day you have
climbed as high as 1900 feet through
Mamulique Pass. But you'll think of |
that pass as part of the lowlands before |
you've finished the amazing 626.5 miles
10 Mexico City which lie before YOU.
You'll dip into the deep tropics and
then climb to the great Mexican pla-
teau, over a mile and half high,
within the next two days.
People Are Indians.
1.-TWO hundred iniles beyond Mon |
terey you come across the real Mexico,
untouched by the United States and
only slightly touched. indeed, even by |
Spanish influence. These people are
Indians! They are the Mexicans who
have not changed from the time long
before Cortez captured the Mexican
capital.
Here Is one Of the hundreds of
corners Of Mexico where a Spanish |
speaking Mexican from one of the |
cities will feel himself as much a
stranger among the Indian people as |
you will. He will not understand their
speech. nor they his.
"A little farther on you get into the |
real tropics. Here's jungle, with great
trees laced into almost impenetrable
tangles by huge vines. You suddenly
realize that things which you find only
In luxury shops back home are here
growing wild. Some one in the car
will probably shout, 'Orchids!' And !
she'll be right; tree smothered with
them.
Parrots and noisy cockatoos, bril-
liantly colored, like those the sailors
bring home in their ships from trop-
Lcal ports, perch in the trees or flash
through the branches. You see birds,
unknown to you, of dazzling hues and
strange cries; you don't recognize any
II the trees.
! "And now real mountains! You're
beginning to ascend the great central
Mexican plateau, where lies the Mexi-
tan capital.
! THE views of peaks and valleys are
thrillingly beautiful. Wild game is