La cucaracha (the cockroach) is a Mexican revolutionary song, the chorus of which probably alludes to General Victoriano Huerta, who was called la cucaracha because of his consumption of alcohol and drugs and who allegedly could not get going without marihuana. The historical background of this popular song, which is now known throughout the world, prompted the author to give this title to her travelogue about Central Mexico and the Yucatán. All the major colonial cities of the Central Highlands did indeed play a decisive role during the Mexican revolutionary wars of the 19th century.

Monika von Borthwick belongs to the older generation and lives in culturally rich Upper Bavaria. In addition to her professional activities, she was a tour guide for bus travelers in Europe. Even then she wrote down her experiences with the country and its people in detail.
After the death of her husband, she decided to travel alone and explored numerous areas in Europe and North America on her own with her newly acquired motorhome and her two dogs. On these trips she discovered her love for story-telling and sent detailed reports home by email.