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San Cristobal and its surroundings (Monday 03/09/07)

Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) — 2019-01-19T16:07:07+0000

San Cristobal and its surroundings (Monday 03/09/07)

San Cristobal de Las Casas

This was the town that the more we liked.
Fully carpeted colors of the flag of Mexico (green, white and red … very familiar). Full of life and of wonderful shops and amber jewelry made with the Jada, which is mined here in Chiapas.

San Cristobal

Everything revolves around at the Plaza de 31 March, in which there are the Cathedral, built in 1528, demolished in the seventeenth century and rebuilt in 1696 and the Neoclassical Palacio Municipal.

San Cristobal - Cathedral

Palacio Municipal

Unbelievable but true, we were finally able to drink a cappuccino worthy of the name, but only because we have found the “Coffee, Coffee Museum”.

⇐ Day 9: Tuxtla - San Cristobal De Las Casas

⇒ Day 11: San Cristobal - Palenque

Travels, Mexico, San Cristobal

San Cristobal - Palenque (Tuesday 04/09/07)

Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) — 2019-01-19T16:07:07+0000

San Cristobal - Palenque (Tuesday 04/09/07)

Be careful on this road which is full of curves, slippery and practically paved with “Topes” (bumps).
In this stage we did most unpleasant encounters, nothing to worry about, but we met groups of kids who tend ropes along the road, near the Topes (but not only) in order to stop the car and try to sell fruit or whatever. Not worrying, but very sad, we have often been afraid to let them hurt as they surround the car.

Agua Azul

Agua Azul

The waterfalls of Agua Azul make a spectacle of beauty for all their blue color. You bathe with a little of caution, however, since the stream is fast. Many restaurants serving grilled fish caught locally. In April and May, waterfalls dress their most intesive blue. However we arrived during the rainy season (between a cyclone and another), then the water was not too blue, but the game of waterfalls and pools is really impresionante.
Instead the air was very stifling, we are close to the tropical jungle.

Agua Azul

⇐ Day 10: San Cristobal and its surroundings

⇒ Day 12: Palenque - Yaxchilan - Bonampak

Travels, Mexico, Agua Azul

Faces of Mexico

Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) — 2019-01-19T16:07:07+0000

Faces of Mexico

Ecco il nostro viaggio in Messico …

You need to know

In winter the archaeological sites are open every day from 08:00 to 17:00 and until 18:00 in summer.
The museums are generally closed on Mondays.
The lunch time is from 14:00 to 15:00 or so.
Be prudent in indigenous regions with photographs, it is often forbidden to photograph the people for religious beliefs reasons. Respect the customs and manners!
The word Zocalo, is the term used to indicate the main square of the city.

Recommendations for driving

In Mexico, the road signs are generally the same as in Italy, but the indications are rather flimsy. The essential thing: to fill up with gasoline in the morning before leaving for anywhere.

Differences

Traffic lights are located just after the intersection, which is not very obvious.
In Mexico City, it is permissible to turn right also with a red light (or left, according to the direction of traffic), with all the necessary precautions.
In Mexico right of way does not exist. The vehicle that is on the main road takes precedence. A vehicle that must pass a slowdown after the junction had to give way to others, who go straight will take precedence over who turns, with regard to roundabouts go there in “Mexican” way.
In town the speed is 60km/hour and 80km/hour on road with high flow of traffic.
On the highways, the speed is 110km/hour.
Mexicans drivers, especially of the truck, use the courtesy to indicate with arrows the possibility of surpassing or potential hazards (four arrows). his is very useful on mountain roads with poor visibility!

Special precautions

On federal roads (those not subject to payment of tolls) you must pay particular attention:

to eople on foot or bicycles (without position lights)
to animals (cows, dogs, …) crossing or parked safely on the roads
to slowdowns (tope in Spanish) that are numerous and generally bad or just highlighted. Welcome to the roller coaster!
to never leave anything on vehicles parked in the street. If you visit a site, with the luggage full, it is recommended first to leave your car locked and in a secure park.

Roadside assistance

Highways, and touristy federal roads have a (ree service of mechanical assistance: the “green angels”, are easily recognizable by their green trucks bearing the logo of the Ministry of Tourism.

Our itinerary

Mexico City (Saturday 25/08/07)

Welcome to Mexico City, capital of the country, considered as the largest city in the world with its approximately 23 million inhabitants, all is well positioned at a high altitude, 2240m above sea level, this means that even in warmer periods in Mexico City the temperatures are very mild.

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Mexico City (Sunday 26/08/07)

You can not see all of this huge city in a single day!
Mexico City often suffer from bad publicity even by tour operators. The tourist areas of the city and the districts themselves are not so dangerous as they say. However, it is better not to walk around the city wearing valuables and be careful.
The city traffic is very intense. When you do not know the city the best means of transport is by taxi. Taxis in front the hotels are recommended because the drivers are bilingual and can wait during your visits. Simply agree on a price before departure according to your itinerary.
To get an idea of how is the everyday live in Mexico City is absolutely necessary to use one of the many buses that “fly” in the city traffic. They are numerous and all crowded, the peculiarity is that there are not “stops”, wherever you find one, just make a sign and you can literally “jump” on board. To use the bus requires a fair amount of balance in order to remain standing, and a greater amount of agility and coordination for both go down and, above all, to go up (the brakes are used very little).

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Teotihuacan (Monday 27/08/07)

For reasons of traffic you should visit Teotihuacan in the morning. For convenience, we endorsed one of the many taxi drivers affiliated with the hotel, and it was good.
As a first step took us to the place of a cooperative living by making Obsidian objects and multicolored fabrics made of cotton and agave. They shown us the working of obsidian, how to build cord from the agave and how to extract the Pulche, agave lymph, which can be drunk as it is slightly alcoholic (not bad after all).
Subsequently, the driver took us to the Pyramid of the Moon and he waited us at the end of the Way of the Dead, but only after making a long introduction to the site and having us hear the cry of an ancient extinct bird, a strange acoustic effect produced clapping in the middle of the squares of some archaeological sites (also at Chichen Itza).

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Mexico City (Tuesday 28/08/07)

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Mexico City - Puebla (Wednesday 29/08/07)

After the largest urban area in the world, we wnet to the magnificent colonial cities, several pre-Hispanic sites (Aztec, Zapotec, Mixtec Maya), the stunning scenery and indigenous regions still preserving their traditions.

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Puebla - Oaxaca (Thursday 30/08/07)

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Oaxaca - Monte Alban - (Friday Mitla 31/08/07)

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Oaxaca - Tuxtla Gutierrez (Saturday 01/09/07)

So far our journey has proceeded in mountain areas (Mexico City is located at 2240m above sea level), but this 550km shift has led us to the capital of Chiapas only 542m above sea level, the thermal shock was considerable and the humidity stifling when we crossed a vast wetland.

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Tuxtla - San Cristobal De Las Casas (Sunday 02/09/07)

We entered into Chiapas.

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San Cristobal and its surroundings (Monday 03/09/07)

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San Cristobal - Palenque (Tuesday 04/09/07)

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Palenque - Yaxchilan - Bonampak (Wednesday 05/09/07)

For this hike it is imperative to have a chaffeur… get to Yaxchilan and Bonampak is a task for local people … you will be safer, but not without emotions.
Bring water down the road because there are not great places where to stop to drink.
This trip has occupied the entire day, but it was worth it. We started early, the sun had not risen, we made the breakfast under a thatched hut in the faint light of dawn (we were the first).

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Palenque - Campeche (Thursday 06/09/07)

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Campeche - Uxmal - Merida (Friday 07/09/07)

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Merida - Chichen Itza - Cancun (Saturday 08/09/07)

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Travels, Mexico

Puebla - Oaxaca (Thursday 30/08/07)

Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) — 2019-01-19T16:07:07+0000

Puebla - Oaxaca (Thursday 30/08/07)

Oaxaca

Capital of the state, Oaxaca retains an air of provincial despite having about 600,000 inhabitants. The natives of this region are descendants of pre-Hispanic groups Zapolechi and Mixtec, who were the source of one of the most important pre-Columbian civilizations. The craftsmanship of this region, which is a true cultural mosaic, is exceptional: the black porcelain, carpets in wools and jewelry to name a few, have given many villages an international reputation. The zocalo is its glittering mirrors: spectular square, with flower beds and flowering trees, busy until late at night, beneath its porches (portales), cafes and restaurants.

Oaxaca

In the sides there are the most important palaces. To the south, the Palcio del Gobierno, dating to the early twentieth century, with a mural by Arturo Garcia Bustos on the steps that illustrate the history of the city. To the north, the Cathedral, built from 1553 and ended in the seventeenth century, with elegant baroque decorations on the main facade which fronts the Alameda. Northbound run the most characteristic Oaxaca streets, all perpendicular to each other, with the most significant churches and palaces, fully restored.

Cathedral of Oaxaca

Oaxaca

By day the whole city gravitates around the large Central de Abastos, the market for supplies. Mysterious herbs, love potions, sarapes, colorful ponchos, embroidered costumes and chapulines, crickets fried and crunchy.

Central de Abastos

⇐ Day 5: Mexico City - Puebla

⇒ Day 7: Oaxaca - Monte Alban - Mitla

Travels, Mexico, Oaxaca, Central de Abastos

Tuxtla - San Cristobal De Las Casas (Sunday 02/09/07)

Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) — 2019-01-19T16:07:07+0000

Tuxtla - San Cristobal De Las Casas (Sunday 02/09/07)

We entered into Chiapas.

Chiapas

State of exceptional beauty and great ecological diversity. After the plateau of the valley of Oaxaca, you'll discover a mountainous region rich in wild rivers, deep canyons and virgins forests. It's also one of the poorest states of Mexico which has undergone significant changes in the next fifteen years.
Diverging interests of the indigenous people of Chiapas, refugees from Guatemala, the companies of exploitation of forests and the government, have put a strain on the fragile culture and economy of this state… Although the timing of the rebellion (pacifist and media based) supported by “sub commander Marcos” now is just a remeber, is recommended during this journey to stay on the main crowded and road.

The distance between Tuxtla and San Cristobal is not great, but to do this path it took a day because it was necessary to make a stop along the way to make a boat trip on the Rio Grijalva (Rio Grande de Chiapa) to cross the imposing Canyon of Sumidero.

Chiapa de Corzo

This small colonial city located on the banks of the Rio Grijulva has a beautiful place to walk. You can visit his beautiful Spanish fountain on zocalo (central square), the Temple of Santo Domingo, the small museum of “lacquer” and the frescoes in the town hall (Palacio Municipal).

For hiking in the Canyon of Sumidero, the launches expect that the number of people required to fill the boat, fortunately it did not last long, although ours was the first boat to leave that morning.

Chiapa De Corzo

Boats

Canyon of Sumidero

Canion of Sumidero

Gigantic natural canyon crossed by the Rio Grijalva. Chicoasen dam has transformed in 1981 into a large reserve. The canyon walls in some places reaches a height of 1km.

If it's a sunny day be sure to sprinkle them carefully the sunscreen, the breeze caused by the boat ride you will not feel the sun shining and you can hold nasty surprises.
Along the river you come across an area that locals call “El Tapon”.
In this area of the river, a strange game of currents collect all debris that sail along the river and during raining days fall from the canyon walls.
To cross “El Tapon” the boat had to make several maneuvers to not be entangled with the numerous floating logs.
It was amazing to see how the layer of waste allowed birds to walk on water of the river and also see that families are kept picking up the larger debris and then resell them as firewood.
If we were to pick you warm, be quiet, the boatmen have a habit of making a joke to all the tourists, a quick refreshing shower under a beautiful waterfall, where time has created several terraces covered with moss where the water falls.

Canion of Sumidero - El Tapon

Canion del Sumidero - cascata

San Cristobal de Las Casas

Toward San Cristobal

We go back into the car and starts to climb.
Founded in 1528 by Captain Diego de Mazariegos is located at 2120 meters altitude.
San Cristobal is a charming little colonial town surrounded by pine forests on the shores of a valley in the heart of the mountainous of the central region of Chiapas.
Following events of 1994, the military presence has been reinforced in recent years, this does not prevent you a peaceful and enjoyable stay in this city, where lives the largest indigenous community in Mexico.

⇐ Day 8: Oaxaca - Tuxtla Gutierrez

⇒ Day 10: San Cristobal and its surroundings

Travels, Mexico, Chiapas, Chiapa de Corzo, Canyon del Sumidero, San Cristobal

Palenque - Campeche (Thursday 06/09/07)

Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) — 2019-01-19T16:07:07+0000

Palenque - Campeche (Thursday 06/09/07)

Palenque

Buried in the jungle of Chiapas, Palenque is considered one of the most important Mayan ceremonial centers. Knows its apogee during the classical era (600 - 800).
The excavations carried out along a perimeter of 1.3km² have unearthed the remains of what many consider the pinnacle of architecture and west Maya civilization.

The day for this hike was not the most propitious, but considering that we arrived shortly after a hurricane and another was coming was not so bad.

You visit the Temple of Inscriptions, which contains one of the rare crypts discovered in a pyramid in Mexico in 1952 by the archaeologist Alberto Ruz L'Huiller.
The tomb of Pakal, Mayan leader of the sixth century, were found baby walkers, masks, jade ornaments and other important objects.

Unfortunately the temple was one of the few buildings not accessible.
Despite the bad day, the site has been wonderful, and maybe the rain has intensified the colors.

Temple of Inscriptions

Palenque

The Palacio, where works for the preservation of artefacts are on going.

The Palacio

The Templo del Sol also here there are some frescoes still preserved and the Templo de la Cruz Foliada.

Templo del Sol

Templo de la Cruz Foliada

Campeche

Founded in 1540 by Francisco Montejo known as “the ship's boy ” Campeche is the oldest Spanish city in the Yucatan Peninsula.
Capital of the state, this city seems to live peacefully along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. In the center of city there are beautiful colonial buildings with pastel colors and it is surrounded by “strongholds” bunkers used to protect the city from pirates.
Campeche was a strategically important to the Spanish due to its geographical position and for the export of precious wood from dyeing, the famous “Wood of Campeche”.
Campeche is currently undergoing a major restoration effort. In the evening a small train enables you to make the tour of the enlightened walls. The local population lives from fishing for prawns and extraction of oil.

Campeche

⇐ Day 12: Palenque - Yaxchilan - Bonampak

⇒ Day 14: Campeche - Uxmal - Merida

Travels, Mexico, Palenque, Campeche