eIrOcA

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

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

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).

Yaxchilan

Usumacinta River

The region of Usumacinta and its tributaries acquires a great importance to the development of Yaxchilan, the main center in the early sixth century. This site is nestled in a strip of the river and knows its peak during the “Late Classic” with the JAGUAR dynasty whose reign and achievements are mentioned on the many carved monuments of the city, stems, altars, lintels. The last entry is dated early ninth century. Moreover, the lush vegetation that surrounded it makes Yaxchilan a magnificent panorama.

After two hours of travel we arrived at the border between Mexico and Guatemala the Usumacinta River, from there our driver become a boatman who, by river, took us to the site, after about an hour of navigation. The river is the source of livelihood for local people.
The boatman left us two hours to visit the site and we realized that there are few, it is really huge.
Shame not to have brought with us a stack, as this is the only site where it would be possible to do a few laps in the tunnels, in the company of bats, though!
From the main square an immense and slippery staircase that leads to the Great Acropolis.
Unlike other sites, here is all original, none of the buildings have been reconstructed to make revive the grandeur, but it's all very well preserved and very beautiful, surrounded by tropical jungle.
This time we are truly isolated, we are the first group to arrive at the site, and the only crowd that we are the howler monkeys that we hear all around in really lush jungle.

Yaxchilan

Residents of Yaxchilan

Yaxchilan

Main Square

Staircase

Great Acropolis

Yaxchilan

Bonampak

Cauchou tree

Bonampak, has preserved the most complete of all the monumental paintings Maya, is a site of medium importance discovered in 1946. It's very likely that in all the Maya sites were covered with painted walls that complete the decoration carved or modeled outwardly.

Bonampak you leave the car at about 8km before the site and take a car driven by the natives after to agree with them on price and time to tour the archaeological site, and this is where the chaffeur become useful again, he makes all the arragment with natives.
The last stretch of road is bumpy, it's a kind of Indian reservation, and only few people speak Spanish, main language is a local Mayan dialect, which obviously differs from those of neighboring areas.
On this site we had the chance to have a local guide (who speaks Spanish only), he has explained the history of the place, wars and local customs. He described us the various well-preserved frescoes in time.
He showed a cauchoutree where there was still evident where the incisions made to collect the liquid with which to make objects, including the ball for the game of pelota.

Bonampak

Paintings

⇐ Day 11: San Cristobal - Palenque

⇒ Day 13: Palenque - Campeche

Travels, Mexico, Yaxchilan, Bonampak

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

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

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.

Cholula

Located 10km west of Puebla, this small farming village is mainly specialized in the cultivation of flowers.
Cholula is one of the largest pre-Columbian ceremonial centers and enjoys of a terrible reputation: it seems that when the Spaniards arrived there, its walls were covered with the blood of sacrificial victims. The conquistadors, terrified, completely razed to the ground, killing all its inhabitants, and built in its place a new city with 365 churches, one for every saint in the calendar.
Remains the Great Pyramid of Tepanapa, taller than 120m, the highest in the Americas, in which the tunnels have been restored (8km) and the summit of which there is the basilica of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios, which is accessed by strenuous steps.
From his yard the view is incredible and in clear day you can see the snow-capped Popocatepetl volcano.

Basilica of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios

Cholula

Popocatepetl volcano

Puebla

Capital of the state, it was founded in 1531 under the name “Ciudad de los angeles” in a very fertile valley. At 216 meters above sea level, it is surrounded by high mountains of which the best known and the “Cerro de la Malinche”. Towards the middle of the nineteenth century, Puebla was the scene of fighting between the Mexican armed forces and the United States agents who seized the city in 1847. On 5 May 1862, the General Laurence commander of French troops failed in his attempt to seize the city, having been defeated by General Ignacio Zaragoza (thanks to this victory 5 May has become the day of national holiday in Mexico).
Today this city has developed significantly, with its 3 million inhabitants, is square to the 4th place of the national ranks. Puebla is famous for its colorful colonial architecture through the use of multicolored glazed tiles, which are used in the majority of the domes of churches, as well as in wall coverings, roofs, bell towers. The decorations are inspired by the pagan myths as the artists was the direct descendants of the builders of temples and pyramids.
We must not forget the renowned gastronomy with the famous “Plobano mole” (sauce composed of many ingredients, among them the cocoa).
In Puebla there is the largest German community living in Mexico and it organize, in August, the festival of beer, which has nothing to envy to 'Oktober Fest' in Monaco of Bavaria.

Puebla

⇐ Day 4: Mexico City

⇒ Day 6: Puebla - Oaxaca

Travels, Mexico, Cholula, Puebla

Mexico City (Tuesday 28/08/07)

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

Mexico City (Tuesday 28/08/07)

Museum of Anthropology

Museum of Anthropology

Built in 1964 by Pedro Ramirez Vasquez, the structure revolves around a giant pylon that supports, by means of steel rods, the roof from which descends a scenic waterfall.
At the entrance stands a giant statue of the god Tlaloc. The rooms follow chronologically the evolution of pre-Columbian civilization, the museum has very clear approach that allows to understand the intricate interweaving of the various civilizations that have lived in these regions through time.
Archaeological and ethnographic collections relating to the various current Indian population are unparalleled. The museum has also a restaurant and a well-stocked bookshop.
Immediately after the taquilla, there is room on the right of temporary exhibitions, on which follows that of Mesoamerica, with the map of the location of the various centers and a comparison between the different pre-Hispanic cultures. in the Hall of Teotihuacan, thre is the copy of the Mural Tlalocan on which you look at the conception of the world beyond, there are some elements of the Temple of Quetzalcoatl, with the heads of the Plumed Serpent. The monolithic sculpture of 57 tonnes of water goddess Chalchiuhtlicue and, in a display case, encrusted with turquoise and coral, funeral masks.

Head of the plumed serpent

Statue of the goddess Chalchiuhtlicue

Funerary mask

The Sala Mexica is the most important room of the entire museum dedicated to the Aztec culture, in the opening it has a sculpture of an ocelot, which were placed the hearts of human sacrifices intended to fuel the Sun.
In the room there is the city of Tenochtitlan reconstructed model, the Aztec calendar, an 24 tons circular (a diameter of 3.60m) stone filled with reliefs and the statue of Coatlicue, of the goddess of Earth.

Aztec Calendar

Sculpture of an Ocelot

Statue of Coatlicue

Zoo

At the zoo we went a bit as a joke to do a short tour before heading towards the city center… the joke lasted several hours. The zoo is huge, an uncountable number of races from all continents including aviary and reptile house that we could not see since the zoo closes at 17:00 (as virtually all museums in Mexico) and all visitors must be out.
It was exhausting.

⇐ Day 3: Teotihuacan

⇒ Day 5: Mexico City - Puebla

Travels, Mexico, Mexico City, Museum of Anthropology

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

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

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.

Tuxla Gutierrez

Toward Tuxla Gutierrez

State capital of Chiapas since 1892, busy and modern town that is 85km from San Cristobal de Las Casas. The name of Tuxtla, in the language of the Indians, means “where rabbits abound”.

For us this was only one stage of shift that has allowed us to better deal with the stage of the next day and quickly reach San Cristobal de Las Casas.

⇐ Day 7: Oaxaca - Monte Alban - Mitla

⇒ Day 9: Tuxtla - San Cristobal De Las Casas

Travels, Mexico, Tuxla Gutierrez

Teotihuacan (Monday 27/08/07)

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

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).

Teotihuacan where "men become gods"

Lying forty kilometers northeast of Mexico City, the city is located in a huge valley in the middle of the arid mountains, it was the largest city and capital of Mexico's largest pre-Columbian empire.
It is one of the most important archaeological sites. In its period of maximum splendor, the place where “men became gods”, was inhabited by 250,000 people. It was founded in 150 BC in a strategic position, by the excellent climate, capable of controlling the traffic to the Gulf of Mexico. From farming town soon became a manufacturer of obsidian and trade center.
Today is one of the most visited sites of Mexico and the local population continues to live on the production of obsidian, manufacturing beautiful pieces based upon models collected in different sites of the country.
In the seventh century began its decline. I Its inhabitants abandoned it in 750.
Entering you see the Great Sacred Way, Avenida de los Muertos, the main axis, is flanked by wide platform for the celebration of religious rites.
The Great Sacred Way leads to Ciudadela, built in the classical period, reaches a considerable length of 400m. It consists of four platforms and preserves the Temple of Quetzalcoatl, whose facade has fine examples of Teotihuacan tablero. The steps of the temple is flanked by numerous alfarda with huge heads of plumed serpent.

Avenida de los Muertos

Head of plumed serpent

On the left rises the gigantic the Pyramid of the Sun: a square base with 225m and 63m high, 365 steps.
Get ready for a long, steep climb (in the whole site there are also steps on the road in plain …), but from the top the view is remarkable.

Pyramid of the Sun

At the north stands, in the Plaza de la Luna, the Pyramid of the Moon: 46m high, formed by four superimposed levels, with 112 steps. This ascent was certainly easier to accomplish than the climb to the Pyramid of the Sun, also because it was limited the first steps, as you can not climb to the top.

Plaza de la Luna

Pyramid of the Moon

The Plaza de la Luna includes other buildings such as the Palace of the Butterfly or Placio del Quetzalpapalotl, with a patio that has several columns with depictions of the Quetzal Butterfly, the Patio of the Jaguars with traces of paintings and the Temple of the fledged shells dating back to second century.

Patio of the Jaguars - traces of paintings

Guadalupe, Our Lady India

Apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe

In December 9, 1533 the Virgin appeared close in a cloak embroidered with gold, to the Indian Juan Diego in the woods, on the Cerro El Tepeyac, where once stood the Aztec temple of the goddess Tonantzin, mother of the gods. Our Lady asked him to build a chapel in her honor, but the bishop, Fray Juan de Zumarraga, gave no regard to the words of Juan Diego. The Mother of Christ, then clear again, imprinting his image on the white mantle of indium and telling him to gather the roses that grew in that place and to bring them along to the mantle, to the prelate.
The coat is hung above the marble altar of the new Basilica.
Since then, Our Lady of Guadalupe was the saint patron of Mexico. Thus the work of conversion of indigenous peoples was also facilitated by this prodigy, used instrumentally by Spanish clergy.

Our Lady of Guadalupe

The new basilica

⇐ Day 2: Mexico City

⇒ Day 4: Mexico City

Travels, Mexico, Mexico City, Teotihuacan, Our Lady of Guadalupe

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

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

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

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

Chichen Itza

Chichen Itza

Chichen Itza - “The enter of sorcerers wells” in the Mayan language.
Born in the classical epoch, Chichen Itza shows, however, due to different architectural styles, two distinct periods of Mayan history. The monumental pyramid “El Castillo” (also called the Pyramid of Kukulcan) of Toltec and Mayan influence, testify the rich cosmological symbolism: the four sides to a total 365 steps (the days of the calendar), 52 panels (the years of the century Maya ) and 18 terraces (the months of the religious calendar).
Thousands of visitors are interested to the Castillo in spring and autumn equinoxes, in these days, the sun lights up the pyramid creating a shadow shaped like a snake, which goes down the stairs to meet the head of a snake engraved at the base.
Close to Castillo sits the Tzompantli, a platform marked by stone carvings of human skulls. Close to the Tzompantli is the Templo de lo Jaguares. Nearby is the wonderful game of pelota.
From here a path leads to the cenote where human sacrifices took place. This holy well, represents for the Maya the most important place of worship throughout the territory. The name of Mayan origin was undoubtedly: “Uuc-jab-nal”.
Returning to the Castillo, we arrive at the Templo de los Gurreros (Temple of the Warriors). The figure, on top of the temple, holding a plate on which the human hearts were offered to the gods and to Mila Columns (the Thousand Columns).
Following the thousand columns we reach the market and continuing we arrive to steam baths.
Returning to Castillo and going south we reach the Caracol (Observatory), which dominates the area. From its dome priests observed the motion of the stars and made their rituals.
Not far away, the monastery with many rooms, built in the ancient Maya royal palace adjacent to the Iglesia.

Chichen Itza - The Pyramid

Tzompantli

Templo de lo Jaguares

Game of pelota

cenote

Templo de los Gurreros

Mila Columnas

Market

Steam bath

Caracol (Observatory)

Convent

Iglesia

Cenotes

The Yucatan Peninsula is one of the last parts of the continent to be emerged from the ocean. It's a great platform limestone where water seeps into the cracks to form underground streams, caves and wells (cenotes). In this way on the surface there is no water, no rivers, due also to to lack of hills.
During the pre-Hispanic times, these wells have been crucial for the installation of the populations (for example at Chichen Itza, the sacred cenote was used also for rituals).
The IK-KIL Cenote is very similar to those of Chichen ltza. It was fixed so we can go to the water for bathing. The depth is 46 meters and is certainly the most profound in Yucatan.

Valladolid

Valladolid

This small city is the second most important Yucatan. Founded in 1543 by Francisco de Montejo “el Mozo” (to distinguish him from his father “el Adelantado”) takes its name from its namesake in Spain. In Valladolid, you will see two buildings of the colonial era: the church of San Gervasio (seventeenth of the century) and the convent of San Bernardino (sixteenth century).
We recommend just two steps walk to the zocalo and to climb the first floor of City Hall to see the murals.

Valladolid - Murales

The adventure is coming to an end, this was the night before we expect the plane to Cancun for the fraudu home. So take a break under the trees that cool the Zocalo of Valladolid.

eIrOcA

Cancun

Great resort developed in 1967, when the Mexican government chose this narrow strip of sand between the sea and the lagoon as a favorite place to develop the tourist potential.
Cancun and the Riviera Maya has everything to seduce. It's hard to imagine a site with more rich in natural, historical and tourist attractions. For lovers of sun drenched beaches 20km of turquoise water of the Caribbean Sea and for lovers of history a vast region steeped in Mayan influence.
There are two great roads in Cancun: Tulum road, the main north-south km long gravity around which the city center and the boulevard Kukulkan that runs through the lagoon where is the hotel zone.

Greetings to all!

⇐ Day 14: Campeche - Uxmal - Merida

⇒ Faces of Mexico

Travels, Mexico, Chichen Itza, Cenotes, Valladolid, Cancun

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

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

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

Uxmal ("Three times built" in Mayan language)

Uxmal is a site notable for the delicacy of its architecture and the end working of stone (do not forget that this civilization did not use metal to build) its peak is dated around the year 600 of our era.

Inside you can admire:

The Temple of fortune-teller, on which stands the Temple of Chenes whose entrance is the mouth of a huge animal.
The Quadrangle of the Nuns richly decorate.
The game of pelota.
The House of Turtles.
And the Government Palace.
The Great Pyramid where the view is superb. The name Maya is “Och Mal” (three buildings).

Temple of the fortune-teller

Temple of Chenes

Quadrangle of the Nuns

The game of pelota

The House of Turtles

Government House

Great Pyramid

Uxmal

Along the way we have always been accompanied by iguanas, Uxmal seems their reign.

Iguana

Merida

Founded in 1542 the area of the Mayan city of Tiho, by Francisco de Montejo, called the “ship's boy” is often also called the Ciudad Bianca, the white city.
After the glorious era at the beginning of the century with the production of “Sisal” agave, Merida knows the difficult times during the revolution of 1910. Today, Merida is back to being the main center of the region. It's a university town, agricultural, industrial and with the birth of Cancun 30 years ago, has found a new momentum to position itself among the most urbanized city in the country.
Do not forget to visit the zocalo, the murals on the first floor of the palace of the governor, the Hall of marriages (beautiful style Porfiriato “inspired by the French at the beginning of the century), the market (on the corner of routes 56 and 57), the Paseo Montejo and the Archaeological Museum (closed on Mondays). Check with your hotel on the cultural activities taking place on different squares of the city according to the day of the week. You can do after the Zocalo of carriage walks (beautiful at night).

⇐ Day 13: Palenque - Campeche

⇒ Day 15: Merida – Chichen Itza - Cancun

Travels, Mexico, Uxmal, Merida

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

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

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

Monte Alban (white mountain)

Monte Alban museum

Monte Alban is located 10km from Oaxaca, in the middle of the valley at 2000 meters altitude, was the capital of the Zapotec civilization for over 1000 years.
Urban and Zapotec ceremonial center, founded 800 BC, erected by a people originally from La Venta (Olmec), had the peak between 100 and 800 AD. It had close relationship with the Olmec centers during the Preclassic period, when the city was adorned with pillars, and sculptures.
After the abandonment of the Zapotec (950 AD), the site was transformed by the Mixtec in a necropolis (1350) to accommodate the remains of nobles and priests. It houses the rich tombs, with votive and funerary urns, often painted, of which there were found over 170. At Monte Alban entrance there is the museum with the finds of the site.

The trail climbs to the Grand Plaza. The ceremonial center consists of a vast open space of 300m in length on the north-south and 250m wide on an east-west, bounded north and south by two major platforms. To the east, the playground of the pelota game, with a “I” shape, and the Palace, with a grand staircase.

Gran Plaza

Playground of pelota

Palace

To the south is the Southern Platform, a huge pile of stones covered by a wide staircase.
On the west lies a series of buildings: the Building J, arrowhead-shaped, with internal gallery; Building M, with the remains of four columns on the top; Building L, with bas-reliefs of danzantes where are portrayed slain enemies dripping blood and genitals cut; Building IV, built with large stone blocks stacked and the huge Stele No 18.

Southern Platform

Building J

Building L

Building M

To the north, lies the majestic North Platform with rooms that housed the tombs.
In the middle of the esplanade rises the mysterious Building G, which archaeologists are still studying to understand the ancient usage; was probably an astronomical observatory.

Northern Platform

Building G

In the north-west, more secluded, there are the tombs. The most significant are the n.104, with murals on the sidewalls and two gods who hold up a stick and a bag (representing the god of corn), No 7, dating from 400 AD, whose burial chamber was discovered the fabled treasure, the Jade mask of the god bat, which is located in the Museum of Oaxaca, and No. 105, sul Cerro del Plumaje, has wall paintings representing figures walking.

Mitla

Mitla is the other archaeological pole of the region, Mixtec site of the VIII century in which remain five magnificent palaces. It is a true architectural masterpieces decorated with panels of mosaic with 14 unique variations of geometric designs, consisting of thousands of small cut stones, each representing a different element. There are 5 Grupi and most significant, the Grupo de las Columnas, consists of real buildings. Among these are the Sala de las Columns with 6 columns and 34m long, the Patio de Mosaicos, where the walls and inner walls of these rooms are covered with intricate mosaics; the Patio Sur with two underground tombs, one of which contains the Columna de la Vida.

Sala de las Columnas

Patio Sur

Underground tomb

Columna de la Vida

Dominates the site, the Church of St. Paul, from dark red domes, flanked by the Grupo de la Iglesia, with a series of columns. Not far away is the Grupo del Arroyo, in large part still to be excavated.

Church of St. Paul

Grupo de la Iglesia

Mitla was inhabited by the Zapotec until the conquest of the Aztecs in 1494, followed by the Spanish one occurred in 1521. Its people spoke Zapotec language, although the source is Mixreca. Its current residents, just over 8000 people, are the direct heirs. Many people continue to pursue, as in the past, the art of weaving, and their women, minute and voice as thin as those of girls, pressed the tourists to buy their embroidered blouses.

El Tule

10km east of Oaxaca, here El Tule, with the immense tree ahuehete (Montezuma cypress), a species of cypress, which stands outside the church. The tree is included in World Guinness Records Book because it seems to be the largest in the world with its 42m high, 58m in circumference and more than 2000 years.

El Tule

⇐ Day 6: Puebla - Oaxaca

⇒ Day 8: Oaxaca - Tuxtla Gutierrez

Travels, Mexico, Monte Alban, Mitla, El Tule