The last leg of my minimalist summer travels included the cities of Veracruz and Orizaba. Veracruz was hot and it was definitely welcome after being in rainy, chilly Puebla. I can't even believe I'm saying this, but it was almost too hot! I stayed in a little Airbnb studio apartment that was about 2 blocks away from the beach. I could see the sea from window and the sea breeze at night was refreshing. I thought Veracruz would be the city where I moved abroad, at least initially, but the vibe just wasn't there at the time.

While in Veracruz, I was able to make a day trip to Orizaba to meet the black women living there. Taking the bus to Orizaba, I definitely loved the scenery. My impressions of Orizaba was that is was nice size small city, it was clean, and there were a lot of things to see. While there we took a drive around the city, visited the Poliforum and had lunch, and took a stroll along the art walk that flanks the Orizaba River. I also loved the fact you could see the mountains from anywhere in the city. I had a great time meeting Rakia and Roxana, and ultimately, connecting with them sealed the deal for me choosing to live abroad in Orizaba. 

Enjoy the slideshow!