A Moment Off the Beaten Track


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North America » Mexico » Campeche » Campeche
February 8th 2011
Published: February 11th 2011
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Jade MaskJade MaskJade Mask

Ancient Mayan
We decided that we would get up early and travel down to Campeche, a walled, colonial city to the south, before driving back to Merida. There are two choices to get there: the "short" road and the "long road". While the long road looked interesting and not much longer, it was explained that there are hundreds of "topes" or speed bumps on the long road. We took the short road.

However, as we found in Ticul earlier, road signs are not always there to help you...we ended up turning too soon and found ourselves passing the ruins of a great hacienda, followed by a small village. We got directions (I don't think that the older man I spoke to had ever conversed with a tall gringra before...), took a few photos, and found the right road. But the glimpse of life off of the main routes was worth the detour!

Campeche is a beautiful grid of pastel homes, with a sea front boardwalk for strolling, walls and forts left from pirate days (yes, there really were pirates of the Caribbean!), and an amazing small Mayan artifact museum. (Where I managed to trip in a drainage channel and fall...luckily not even getting a bruise...)

The drive back was uneventful....we checked back into the Luz and sipped our complementary beers on the patio...


Additional photos below
Photos: 16, Displayed: 16


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Ruins of haciendaRuins of hacienda
Ruins of hacienda

Sisal was a huge product here and few hundred years. The plantation owners enslaved the Mayans to work in the factories. The whole pennisula was "owned" by a very few...this was probably a smaller planatation.
The village we came across on the wrong turnThe village we came across on the wrong turn
The village we came across on the wrong turn

The arch lead to the former grounds of the hacienda.
Typical street in CampecheTypical street in Campeche
Typical street in Campeche

When the town applied for UNESCO World Heritage Site status, they really prettied up the town. They got it...
Mennonite farmers in CampecheMennonite farmers in Campeche
Mennonite farmers in Campeche

They were all wearing the newest, tightest overalls I've ever seen on a farmer! There is a large Mennonite community south of Campeche, where the farmers have tripled corn productiion in just a few years.
Multi-use!Multi-use!
Multi-use!

Church to lighthouse to warehouse to museum!
Dog pack at the fortDog pack at the fort
Dog pack at the fort

They were all related..all ages.. seemed feral...there were at least 15..
Exhibit in the museumExhibit in the museum
Exhibit in the museum

The jewelry is jade.


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