Travelblog LA#36: Palenque, Campeche & Edzna – Mexico

4th – 7th October, 2023

 

Yes, more ruins.

And I am not going to apologise. If you don’t like ruins, why are you even here? I have a feeling that those who don’t have either unsubscribed by now or have started skimming whenever my blogs feature pictures such as these.

So, for those of you still here, this place is Palenque, which is located in the Chiapas region and was historically another big player in the Mayan Classical period.

It is mostly known for its Temple of Inscriptions, a site which has been studied extensively due to the hieroglyphic texts found on the tablets on the upper tiers. It is one of the primary sources for Mayan history.

Unfortunately, people are no longer allowed to ascend the pyramid so I was not able to see them myself. I did, however, use my digital camera to zoom in on some of the carvings upon the façade.

The Temple of Inscriptions is also known for being the burial place of K’inich Janaab’ Pakal, who has quite an interesting story. He came to rule as a child king during a time when Palenque was still recovering from being sacked by the rival city of Calakmul. With some initial aid from his esteemed mother – Queen Sak Kʼuk, who served as regent and was a very effective ruler in her own right – he then went on to rein for over seventy years, restoring Palenque to a golden age. The construction of this pyramid began towards the end of his life and was later finished by his son, K’inich Kan B’alam II.

It is also the home to Pakal’s tomb, which was discovered in 1952. Those of you who follow me regularly might remember that I saw a recreation of this when I visited the Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City.

I did not get to see the famous mask that was found within it. I am not quite sure where it is kept. There is an on-site museum at Campeche but it was closed for renovation so perhaps it is there. I can imagine that wherever it is they are taking very particular care of it as it is quite a special archaeological find. Here is a picture of it that I found online.

Jade was a sacred stone to the Mayans. It is bluish-green colour means that it can be associated with many natural things – such as water and trees – and those who wore it were believed to be connecting to all three levels of the Mayan cosmos; the sky, earth and underworld. It is quite common for rulers to be buried wearing such a mask to help them transcend.

When I reached my next destination – Campeche – a couple of days later, I was lucky enough to see a jade mask within its Museum of Mayan Architecture. This is one for a king whose name we do not know but he was from Calakmul, the rival city that sacked Palenque shortly before Palak was born.

Along with the mask, this person was buried with an entire ensemble of necklaces, bracelets, and other jewellery, mostly made from jade.

I enjoyed Campeche and ended up staying there for a few days (despite its horrendous population of mosquitos that had no sense of boundaries). It is a colonial city which has been awarded UNESCO heritage status, surrounded by walls and several forts across its breadth that helped to protect it from pirates.

These days Campeche is a laid-back place which receives just enough visitors to have a selection of hostels, museums, cafes and gift shops, but not inundated enough to feel overwrought. Tourism is a sideline here, not the main source of economy, so this place still has all the feel of an authentic and ‘real’ Mexican city.

Another good thing about Campeche is that it is close enough to Edzna – another archaeological site – for it to be an easy day trip away. This was the first thing that I did when I arrived (are any of you surprised?).

Edzna is not very well known but I think it deserves more attention. I didn’t mind having it mostly to myself, though.

Edzna was not the biggest player in the Mayan world – it spent most of the Classical age as a vassal to Calakmul. What makes it interesting, however, is that it managed to outlast many of the titans of the Mayan world, enduring way beyond the Classical age – when many Mayan cities were abandoned – and into the fourteenth century.

What makes this place stick out for me – as a visitor – is how open it all is. The people who dwelt here must have been a very close-knit community because almost all parts of it are visible to each other. The Nohoch – a 135-meter-long structure stretched across the main plaza – had four rooms within its upper tiers that are believed to have functioned as administrative centres and storage, while its nine meters of steps across its entire breadth likely served as seating during events.

From the Nohoch, one can see a clear view of the Acropolis, which served as the religious centre.

Its main temple is among the most impressive buildings I have seen from the Mayan world. Some inscriptions at its base indicate its construction began in the seventh century, but archaeologists have dated some of the upper layers to the fourteenth century. The fact that this city was still adding to their monuments way after many of the other Mayan cities had dwindled is very impressive.

Unfortunately, people are no longer allowed to climb this pyramid, but within all of those openings you can see exist twenty-seven different chambers that have been excavated.

One last thing I want to mention about this site is that in one of the plazas on the outskirts are the foundations of a temple with two stucco carvings still preserved in their original colours. They represent the sun god – Kinich Ahau – in both his rising and setting stages of the day. I love it when you find things such as these as they give you a glimpse of what a place might have looked like during its zenith.

For my final day in Campeche, I went for a wander around the historic centre. Most of the fortresses have been converted into museums that are free to enter. I also enjoyed the Palace Museum which had displays not only concerning the city’s history but also about boats and piracy.

 

Click on the following links to see more photos from my time in Palenque and Campeche.

 

Travelblog LA#35: San Cristobal de Las Casas – Mexico

30th September – 1st October, 2023

 

I arrived in San Cristobal De Las Casas on a wet and cloudy morning, after a night bus from Oaxaca. As soon as I stepped onto the street the architecture and ambiance felt oddly familiar; single-storey buildings and cobbled streets. It reminded me of Guatemala. This is perhaps not all that surprising considering that I was back in Mayan territory and this part of Mexico is close to the border. There was a time when the Chiapas region almost was a part of Guatemala back in the days before Latin America’s borders were finalised.

I didn’t do much that first day as I was tired from my journey. Once I had checked into my hostel I went for a little walk around the plaza to get my bearings and then to the market to buy some ingredients. Life seems to pass slowly here, and the other backpackers I met were mostly of two varieties; people staying just a night or two whilst passing between the Mexico-Guatemala border, and those who were staying much longer because they had come here as a place to lay low for a while.

This place also has somewhat of an expat population; something that I discovered my first day when I found myself wandering into places such as organic markets filled with artisan stalls, and a splattering of international restaurants. Most of them seemed to be of the more down-to-earth kind, and they have assimilated well; the city still has an air of authenticity about it. I think there are several reasons people end up moving here. The cool mountain air is certainly one of them; at over two thousand meters altitude, the climate is very agreeable. It also happens to be somewhat cheaper than the other parts of Mexico that I have visited so far.

The following day I did what many consider to be the most rewarding activity in this area and went on a tour to some of the nearby villages. I decided to go with a guide on this occasion; both because the price was quite reasonable and visiting the communities around here is more of a cultural than scenic experience and it seemed like a wise idea to have someone from the area to explain the nuances to me.

The minibus picked me up from my hostel and I shared the experience with around ten other people. Most of them were Mexican but the guide also spoke English and translated his speeches for me and a pair of other English speakers. The first village that we went to was called Zinacantán, and it was mostly a sprawl of homes and greenhouses spread across a valley. Our guide explained to us that most of the men here cultivate flowers whilst the women work in textiles.

After passing through a checkpoint where we had to – like all visitors – pay a small fee, we went to a cooperative where we got to witness a young woman working a loom and the guide told us more about the people of this village. They speak a language called Tzotzil, which is a Mayan dialect, but most of the schools are bilingual now so the younger generation also speak Spanish. Here, it is normal for people to get married sometime between the ages of fourteen to eighteen, and these pairings were traditionally arranged by their parents but there is currently a cultural shift going on where people are now getting to choose their partners.

We got to try a local of kind of distilled alcohol they produce here called pox which is made from corn and sugar cane, and then we were taken to a room where we saw different kinds of attire the people in the area wear. Each village has its own kind of style of clothing so people can tell where someone is from by how they are clad. I got to try on the everyday attire of a man from Zinacantán.

Next we were taken to see an authentic kitchen where a pair of women were making homemade tortillas using a dough presser and cooking them over an open fire. They had a selection of ingredients out so that we could try then, including beans, crushed pumpkin seeds and locally-made goat’s cheese.

One last thing that I would like to add is that just as we were leaving we passed by a little procession of men making their way through the village whilst playing instruments. Our guide told us that it was to honour the saints (video here).

The second village that we visited was Chamula, and despite being quite close to Zinacantán, the energy felt very different here. As we entered the wealth gap within the population was obvious from the differences between some of the homes; varying from little huts to grand mansions. This is because some of them were farmers whilst others either worked in commerce or were part of the local cartel. Our guide also warned us that we needed to be a bit more careful here when it came to etiquette, particularly with the use of our cameras; taking photos of the town’s features was fine, but we were not to take pictures of the locals without their permission.

We parked up by a derelict old church that was built by the Spanish during the colonial times but the locals abandoned it in favour of a newer one on the other side of the town. The cemetery around it, however, was very much still in use and we could see people tending to it when we arrived. Apparently, with Día de Muertos coming up, they were clearing up the graves as it is believed that the spirits return during the festival.

It was a market day and we got to wander through it all. I have seen plenty of indigenous markets by now and this one felt more authentic than most. The main event for visiting this village, however, was when we reached the Iglesia de San Juan Chamula.

Our guide reminded us that it was strictly against the rules to take any photos here, and when I entered, I could completely understand why. It was not like any church that I had ever seen before. There were no chairs, so most of the chamber was space where families and individuals sat on the floor burning candles and making offerings whilst chanting. The walls were lined with cabinets containing effigies of various saints, and covered in bouquets of flowers. And, in front of those, were tables filled with thousands upon thousands of candles, softly glowing and so numerous that standing too close would cause you to sweat. There was also fresh grass covering much of the floor – between all the spots where people were making their offerings – which gave the room a floral and musky smell.

I have rarely, in all my travels, seen such religiosity as did in this place. The fixated fashion that some of the people prayed was very moving. You could tell that, for them, at this moment, nothing else existed but them and the god or saint that they were praying to as they swayed back and forth, murmured, pressed their foreheads to the floor, or made other supplications.

Although this is technically a Catholic church, conventional mass is never held here and there are no priests. Only shamans, who practice similar techniques to what these people used to perform in places such as caves before the Spanish came. People come to them with their problems, and the nature of the problem will dictate which particular saint they appeal to (and this is just me guessing, but I think that the ‘saints’ have likely all been assimilated with pre-Colombian gods). Most of the time it is to ask for healing or boons but they do also sometimes offer darker wishes such as curses.

Besides this day trip, most of my short time in San Cristobal De Las Casas was spent enjoying the slow pace of life and relaxing before I continued to the next stage of my journey. I am back in Mayan territory now, but on the Mexican side, and I am heading towards the Yucatan peninsular. My next stop will be a place called Palenque.

One last thing I would like to mention before I sign off on this blog is I want to give a shout-out to Loving Hut; a tasty Asian-inspired vegan place close to the market. The food there is delicious and cheap, and Heaven – the young woman who runs it – is a lovely person. Make sure to visit if you are in the area.

 

Travelblog LA#34: Oaxaca – Mexico

26th – 28th September, 2023

 

Another week, another series of ruins to explore.

And let’s just face it, lately this blog – besides from a few intervals – has turned into Tej’s History of Mexico Tour, so for those of you who are regular readers; welcome back. And those of you who are new; hello, this next instalment is going to cover my time in the Oaxaca region of Mexico, which was historically the home of the Zapotec people.

It is both predictable and fitting that I began my time here by visiting Monte Albán. This is one of the oldest known cities in Mesoamerica, and its timeline exists within a unique position; its founding shared an overlap that lasted for several hundreds of years with the decline of the mysterious Olmec civilisation and it then went on to enter a golden alongside likes of Cholula and Teotihuacan.

Its position at the meeting point of three valleys not only makes for some gorgeous views when one visits this place, but perhaps made its rise inevitable. At its height, this city had a population of almost twenty thousand people and it dominated most of the other settlements around it.

This place has many of the usual fixtures of Mesoamerican cities of the Classical era. Ones that you regular readers will perhaps be familiar with by now, such as pyramids, temples, plazas and palaces. So, on this occasion, I will simply tell you about some things that for me made this place stand out from the others I have seen.

Its carvings. The broad noses and thick lips of the figures depicted in these steles have made archaeologists believe that the artists were influenced by the Olmecs. Many of these steles also feature depictions of genital mutilation, a practice that the Mayans were also believed to have occasionally engaged in.

Like most Mesoamerican cities this place has a court for the famous ball game, but interestingly this civilisation is believed to have not included human sacrifice as an element.

Within the main plaza, two buildings are believed to have been astronomical observations. One of them also features carvings on its façade which tells the story of their conquests over the other cities in the area.

There is also this inner chamber which has more Olmec-inspired carvings on its walls. It has been dated to the temple’s earlier years (500-200 BCE), making it one of the earliest parts of this complex. Originally it was called the Chamber of the Dancers as it was believed to depict indigenous ceremonies, but now it is thought more likely that these are representations of rulers from nearby cities who were captured and sacrificed during the years of Monte Albán’s expansion.

My second day in this area was spent exploring Oaxaca De Juarez, the charming colonial city that was my base during my time here. My hostel was within the historic centre so I was surrounded by lots of colonial architecture and close to many attractions. This place is home to not just one but two cathedrals. Firstly, the Catedral Metropolitana de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción.

And the Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán, which also happens to be adjacent to the former Convent of Santo Domingo.

This is not only an amazing building in itself – with a columnated courtyard and original murals– but also home to an extensive museum concerning the history of this area.

There is the usual collection of pre and post-colonial displays here, but perhaps its most notable exhibition is its collection from ‘Tomb 7’; a famous discovery made in 1932, when a pair of archaeologists unearthed a tomb filled with over six hundred treasures.

The tomb itself was Zapotec and dated from the Classical period but most of its contents were dated from hundreds of years later; meaning that the later Mixtec people who populated this area appropriated it.

There are some truly amazing things in this collection, including this human skull decorated with turquoise. It is believed to have been a ritual object and representation of Mictlantecuhtli; the Aztec god of the underworld.

Also jaw-droppingly impressive is the collection of animal bones covered in intricate engravings. Most of them contain the foundational history of the Mixtec dynasties and folklore.

And this piece of metalwork that depicts someone who was part of the ruling class and very likely a shaman.

My final day of historical exploration in the Oaxaca area started with catching a bus to Mitla.

This was originally a satellite settlement contemporary with Monte Albán but it rose into prominence after Monte Albán fell into decline, and became the new religious centre of the Zapotecs. Its name means ‘the place of rest’, and it was believed that people who were buried here would become ‘cloud people’ who acted as intermediaries between humans and the gods.

People still live here to this day, and there is a new town surrounding what remains of the ruins. Its nucleus is the Church of San Pablo which is built on top of one of the original plazas.

The architectural style here is somewhat of an anomaly and a mixture of both Zapotec and Mixtec styles. The most notable stylistic feature of this place is the friezes with geometric patterns.

I had read online that one of the highlights of this place is that you can enter a couple of the tombs which have original murals, but unfortunately they were closed on the day that I visited without any explanation. I am not sure if this is a permanent change or not.

After Mitla, I then went to visit another place called Yagul. This was not part of my original plan that day but I was inspired when I noticed that the bus drove past it that morning. I had heard of this place in the travel guides as a day trip one can make from Oaxaca de Juarez but none of them mentioned just how close to Mitla it was and how easy it is to see both on the same day.

I guess one of the reasons this place isn’t as visited as Mitla is that the public buses do not take you all the way there but rather drop you off at a junction from which you have to walk a couple of kilometres under the hot sun. I didn’t mind as it was relatively flat – until the last few hundred meters at least – and there were some lovely views of the local mountains and farmlands.

I was the only visitor that day; something that somewhat bemused me when I saw how impressive this place was.

Yagul is yet another city-state that fell under the influence of Monte Albán, but they have found evidence that is likely much older, and even – like Milta – had a brief golden age after Monte Albán’s decline.

But I guess one of the reasons that it isn’t as visited is that this golden age only lasted for a couple of hundred years and it eventually fell into ruin. Mitla is more important historically, and it is also more unique in its style. Still, found it very strange that I shared Mitla with dozens of other visitors that day yet had this place entirely to myself. If you are like me and prefer older places Yagul is a much more rewarding site. It has it all. Plazas, pyramids, temples, and palaces. Even ball courts.

And it even – unlike Mitla – has a tomb that visitors are allowed to enter.

As well as a nearby hill that you can climb for even more amazing views.

So, if there is one thing I can take away from my visit to the Oaxaca region – apart from the little summary of some of its history I just gave you it is this; Yagul is underappreciated. More people should visit it.

 

For more photos from my time in the Oaxaca region, click here.