Cordoba, a little farther down the highway, is a tropical town dominated by pinks and blues. It is a railroad center for the crops you see beside the road coffee growing in the shade, tobacco drying on racks or in smoke barns, and vast emerald sugar cane fields surrounding sugar mills.
Its tropical personality is emphasized by the presence of peacocks, mangoes, papayas, and an assortment of other vibrantly plumed creatures and sweet, colorful fruit.
Founded by the Spaniards in 1618, Cordoba has a historically vital heritage. Originally, the Totonacs inhabited this area. The Aztecs, led by Montezuma, conquered them in 1456. The penultimate scene in the War of Independence in the early
1800s took place in Cordoba. The last Spanish viceroy, arriving in Veracruz after the war was over, met Iturbide in Cordoba in July, 1821, and formally acknowledged Mexico's independence.
Down toward the coast are the fields and groves that make eating here a delight. You will see ragged banana patches, papayas, spreading mango trees, trees that bear enormous avocados, and fields of pineapple. Beyond, agriculture gives way to rank jungle growth; only a thatched hut in a clearing relieves the monotonous greenery.
You reach the coast at Boca del Rio, a ramshackle, tropical looking village with coconut palms, pink or buff thatched huts, a weedy plaza, and a tiny church. Stop to watch the fishermen fishing from their boats.
