Uruguay

The main reason I like Uruguay as as long term visit destination is for the hot watter spas in the southwest, and for the purity of the air.

You may get a better idea of why others like the country click on www.internationalliving.com
and get their free 'Special Report on Uruguay.

Oyamel, Springs, and Electricity

If you want a nice new and probably quiet place to stay near Erendira the Posada Los Azufres might be the ticket. It is just a bit up the road from Erendida, and though it has no thermal waters of its own, right next door is an older spa with waters nicer than those of Erendida. Erendira waters contain enough algae to put some off and even discolor a white bathing costume a bit. If you have a vehicle all the spas in the area are in easy striking distance. In fact the butterfly sanctuaries aren't that far away.
All of these places are at about the 10,000 ft level with beautiful skies and pure, pure air. The hills and mountainsides are cover with pine and Oyamel, Mexican sacred fir.
Above Laguna Larga you can check out an extensive modern hydrothermal electric complex.

Cielito Lindo

I'm in Jimenez, Chihuahua in the Hotel Pampas across the street from the statue of Jimenez on a proud horse.

I've been thinking thoughts of change and adapting to my present abilities.

Let´s see if my abilities extend to providing you some details of how I got from Ciudad Hidalgo to to Jimenez. It could easily be a tail of compulsion, neurosis, and slow learning. 'Know thyself.' may be one of the easiest things to say and one of the most difficult to do.

From Hidalgo I passed through the village of Azufres where I once attended a mole contest and on to the beautifully located and comfortable hot water spa of Erendida. There at Erendida, looking passed the tops of the pine trees to the deep blue very clear sky populated by sculpted clouds one feels the urge to sing 'Cielito Lindo.' Erendida is at well over 10,000 feet, but has a clarity and purity of air beyond that. I only stayed there about 30 hours. I had arrived on a Friday and had now reservations for the weekend. They offered me another room and recommended a nearby hotel. I checked and the nearby hotel and found the rooms or rather bungalows to be new and beautiful. One could still smell a bit of the fresh wood and plaster.
The replacement place I was offered at Erendida had no shower, but there were plenty of other places for me to shower. Still, they had spoiled me with a two bedroom sweet with fireplace, fireplace attendant DVD, fridge, microwave. The architecture and decoration was interesting and attractive. The cost was P300. The peso is at about 14 to the dollar. The price at the new hotel, which I later checked out, was P400.
P350 is perhaps been the average I have been paying, but I am paying P460 here.
I am running on to avoid telling you of the 'disaster' which followed.
I'll try to continue later.