eIrOcA

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

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

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