Hello Readers!

     The Parkers found themselves in Veracruz, Mexico recently to do some research for the next book (and have some fun!) What a great city. Not a tourist destination for Americans, but one of the best cities in Mexico that I've ever visited.
 
     It's the oldest European city founded in the new world, by Cortez, in 1519! Now that's old. The zona centro historico is filled with magnificent buildings, dating back for centuries. Our Holiday Inn hotel was originally a convent built in 1640. You could practically hear the nuns shuffling across those worn tile floors on their way to prayer.

     The people are friendly, bright and high energy. There's a sense of ancient intrigue in the air, a lingering memory of conquistadores, pirates and slaves. Our tour of the fortress and prison at San Juan de Ulua sent ripples of dread up and down our backbones.

     There's also music, music and more music. Many styles. And dancing to go with it. This town parties.

     We were looking for a bar in Veracruz called the Taberna Roja (The Red Tavern) that has a sign out front with a little red-headed guy on it. We were told that this centuries-old bar is a hangout for a mysterious gringo named Mike Finnegan. And we'd come to suspect that our hero, Charlie Hood, would soon be heading down there into the subtropical heat to find Finnegan and get to the bottom of what he's all about.

     We found the Taberna del Rojo and more. That's why we went there: looking for stories.


Best and Soon,
T Jefferson Parker
 

Readers! Don't forget to check out the Veracruz pictures on the T Jefferson Parker Facebook page!