La Huasteca

La Huasteca is a region in the northeastern part of Mexico, comprising mountains, hill country and lowlands, centered on the watershed of the Pánuco River, inland from the city of Tampico. It includes parts of the states of Veracruz, Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí, and Hidalgo. It is home to some 80,000 speakers of the Huastec (or Wastek) language (the Huastec people) and around a million speakers of Huasteca Nahuatl dialects.

The name is often spelled "Huaxteca", and presumably derives from the Nahuatl word "huaxi" [ˈwaʃi] (guaje tree, "Leucaena leucocephala"), though Bernardino de Sahagún relates that the name was derived from the name of "Cuextécatl", a Nahuatl-speaker who served as guide to the Spanish explorers.Fact|date=February 2007

The Huasteca's distinctive cultural features include Huapango music and dance.

Unlike most of the rest of Mexico, this area does not have a rainy and dry season because it rains all year round in the mountain areas. Therefore, this region is covered in rainforest and has the highest concentration of rivers and floodplains in the country.cite journal |last= Podestá |first=Florencia |year=2008 |month= February |title=La cueva del agua y la cascada de Tamul|journal= México Desconocido |volume= 372 |pages=18–23 |url= www.mexicodesconocido.com.mx ]

Cities in San Luis Potosí that are within the Huasteca area include: Ciudad Valles, Xilitla, El Pozo de las Golondrinas, Tamúl, Tamasopo, Consuelo and Taninul.cite web |url=http://www.planeta.com/planeta/99/0799slp.html|title=planetadotcom: journal of practical ecotourism|accessdate= 2008-02-29]

Touristically, the area is not well-known or visited by either Mexican or international tourists. For this reason, many areas are still “virgin” for any number of activities, including rafting, kayaking, rappelling and spelunking in its caverns such as the Sótano de las Golondrinas, in San Luis Potosí.

Associated with the Río Gallinas area, located southwest of Ciudad Valles,near the border of Querétaro state, are a number of attractions. The Gallinas river is a wide, fast-flowing river. Its waters run green within narrow, deep canyon walls of a reddish color, and at its height can run 300 meters wide. The river merges with the Río Santa María to give rise to a third called the Río Tampaón. Here the waters run turquoise and is suitable for rafting. The two most interesting attractions associated with these rivers are the Cascada de Tamul (Tamul Waterfall) and the Cueva del Agua (Cave of Water). The Cascada is a wide waterfall with so much water running over it that it should not be approached too closely. Jaguars, wild boars, panthers and toucans still roam freely in this area as well. It is the largest fall in San Luis Potosí at 70 meters high. cite web |url=http://www.jornada.unam.mx/viajera/?destino=san+luis+potosi&seccion=04|title=La Journal Viajera San Luis Potosí Cascada de Tamul|accessdate= 2008-02-29] The Cueva del Agua is an enormous cavern with a cupola-shaped roof and gray walls. It is filled with sapphire-blue water deep enough for swimming.

Another water-based attraction is called the Puente de Dios (Bridge of God) which is located in the same area southwest of Ciudad Valles, near the town of Tamasopo. It is a natural rock formation that looks like a bridge that spans a natural well surrounded by lush vegetation. There are small waterfalls here as well as a cave with stalagmite and stalactite formations.

References

Trio Huasteca - Musical group singing in Huastec language.http://www.youtube.com/v/TFj7FAhZemM