MEXICO

VIVA MEXICO!!!

                             VINCENT COMES TO TOWN 

                           
October 1st seemed like a good day to begin our Latin American adventures and Wil and Hilary obviously felt that a penitent climb past the stations of the cross to the shrine on the hill behind Ajicic would set the tone for our visit.

  A wonderful view over Lake Chapala was the reward for the stiff hike.

                                ABOVE LAKE CHAPALA

 A tour of the village was followed by a visit to the bull ring where a display of horsemanship was taking place.  A waiter appeared bearing a tray with glasses, tequila and coca cola - a gift from one of the Charros riders in the ring below. 

                                             CHARROS  

 The family sitting beside us poured the drinks and Francisco, in his splendid outfit, quickly became Vincent's new best friend! 

 The house at Ajijic is lovely - bright, spacious and opening on to an azure pool surrounded by shrubs, trees and creepers.  Wil has worked hard in the garden and he and Hilary seem to have discovered their perfect home in the sun.  They have a very comfortable, busy and creative life here in Mexico and have made friends among the large expat population.

                                                 AJIJIC 

Wil continues to put on a barbeque with just as much flair as he did back in Fremantle with added Mexican touches of lime and chili and we  have been treated to some delicious meals served on colourful local pottery.

                        WIL & HILARY'S GARDEN, AJIJIC

                  
Humming birds skim over the pool, kiskadees and vermillion flycatchers keep us company over an outdoor breakfast. 

                                            KISKADEE

                            VERMILLION FLY CATCHER

In the evening Chapala is full of holiday crowds with people flocking into the town to celebrate the fiesta of St Francisco.  We enjoyed dinner at a restaurant overlooking the lake and ordered a traditional dish of  prawns and fish called molcojate after the bowl it is served in. This was  followed by folkloric dancing outside the church and, later, fireworks by which time we had retired home to sleep.  Each morning around 5am, fireworks wake the village but no one seems to know why.

                         FOLK DANCES FROM JALISCO

AND FROM OAXACA

Shopping for household goods can be fascinating - our first visit was to a veritable Aladdin's cave where we found a Catrina figure for Cara. The Calavera de Catrina was the creation of Jose Guadaloupe Posada and various representations have become an important symbol of the Day of the Dead celebrations on November 2nd.  She is modelled on the fashionable ladies of Mexican society but is in fact a reincarnation of  Mictcacihualt the Aztec goddess of the underworld.

CATRINA

TV AQUARIUM

Just one of the many amazing shops selling hand painted pottery

Home fittings and furnishings , Mexican style.  The Frida Kahlo was just one of many designs for dining room sets - for more see www.magiaymueble.com 

  

On the far side of Lake Chapala and high in the mountains lies the small scenic village of Mazamitla.  In the market, after a walk around the colourful streets, we enjoyed our first but probably not our last taco - delicious with a cold Mexican beer

                         THE CHURCH IN MAZAMITLA

CHILLI STALL

A day out in Guadalajara allowed us to visit several museums, convents and churches.  The cathedral was built in 1542 and the many plazas are surrounded by imposing buildings with permanent and temporary exhibitions of sculpture including painted barrels

SCULPTURE OUTSIDE HOSPICIO CABANAS

BY ALEJANDRO COLUNGA

BIRTHDAY DINNER

Our visit to Ajijic  ended the day after my birthday, celebrated with another wonderful barbeque followed by my old favourite flan with local berries which grow well in the mild climate around the lake

YUCATAN

                           THE CALLES OF CAMPECHE

On October 8th we arrived at the town of Campeche in Yucatan.  The small historic centre is a Unesco listed site and it is delightful to walk along the streets lined by brightly coloured buildings of mostly one or two stories.  It is surrounded by a massive 16th century wall punctuated by nine baluartes or bastions and the sea originally came up to the Puerto del Mar (sea gate).

CHURCH OF ST FRANCISQUITO

INTERIOR

A FOLKLORIC PERFORMANCE

The next day we set off to catch a local bus to the Mayan ruins at Edzne but our efforts were frustrated and so we joined a tour which was a good thing since we would have been quite unable to return from the isolated spot.  Edzne is less know than some of the Mayan historic sites which run from western Yucatan down through Chiapas and into Belize and Guatemala.

EDZNE

JAGUAR THRONE

The surrounding jungle is full of birds and further south jaguars, the most venerated and represented animal in Mayan myth and sculpture, is found.  The Mayan name was Balam and this was often incorporated in the name of rulers who associated jaguars with night vision and hunting ability.

SOCIAL FLYCATCHER

AMERICAN BLACK VULTURE AT EDZNE

The vultures of the Americas are not related to European vultures and have evolved seperately to fill the same niche.  They are the only bird to hunt prey by smell.  Both the Black American and the Turkey Vulture are found in Mexico and Central America

ITZANNAAJ, THE CREATOR

An overnight stay at the very comfortable Hacienda Uxmal gave us the chance to attend the sound and light performance.  Our first view of the immense pyramid was therefore by night.  Regretably, the production was rather akin to a gothic horror movie with flashing lights, loud and dramatic music and much recorded wailing and chanting which was apparently a cry to the god of water, Chac to send rain.

CHAC MOOL

UXMAL

The buildings were plastered and painted at the height of their prosperity. An adequate supply of waterwas the basis for the success of Mayan civilization and much effort went into ensuring this.  The Yucatan peninsula is a flat limestone plateau of varying thickness and there are no rivers or lakes above ground.  Underground rivers sometimes breach the surface as caves or cenotes and it was believed that the rain god Chac resided in such places. Sacrifices of valuable items and sometimes young girls were made in the hope that the person would return to deliver a message about the success of the harvest.  

THE BALL COURT

The ball court was used for ceremonial games between two teams.  A rubber ball was used and passed by knees, shoulders and elbows.  The aim was to propel it through a stone hoop which still remains in position.  It is said that either the winners or losers were sacrificed following the game.

A BALL GAME PLAYER

IGUANA AT UXMAL

The Maya were able to develop a complex urban society by around 1000AD due to the cultivation and develpment of improved strains of maize.  They domesticated turkeys and small dogs which were eaten during certain rituals.  Crops included cotton, cacao, the beans of which were often used as money and tobacco which was used in rituals and as a medicine.

CHAC SCUPTURE AT CORNERS OF THE PALACE

Significant trading routes existed over a wide area between the city states.  Many commodities were traded including alabaster from Honduras, turquoise from the SW of the USA and vessels from Teotihuacan

INTRICATELY CARVED FRIEZE UXMAL

PLUMED SERPENT, UXMAL

THE VICTOR

AND THE VANQUISHED

Only a fraction of the total ruins have been fully excavated and many sites remain covered by vegetation outside the main temple precincts and deep in the jungle.  Enigmatic carvings can often be seen through the foliage if you wander away from the central area

All the birds and animals known to the Maya can be found in the beautiful friezes and carvings as well as depictions of war, captives and the sacrifice of victims

BAT FALCON

BIRD REPRESENTATION

POTTERY SHOWING TRACES OF COLOUR

WARRIORS

Our small hotel in Merida, Marionetas provided a tranquil haven in what proved to be a hot, noisy city with little to recommend it except proximity to a number  of important historical sites.  It proved to be much better to stay overnight at the sites in order to visit in the early morning before the heat and crowds.

  On our last afternoon, a little jewellry shopping seemed in order!

MEXICAN SILVER

The final Mayan site, Chichen Itza, is also one of the most famous and most visited.  Again, we stayed at a hotel near the entrance and were able to spend a few hours wandering through the impressive ruins before the tour buses arrived.  Although extensive in area, the site seemed less impressive than Uxmal however the carving and detail on the many friezes was outstanding.  One of the main group of building, a huge ball court was closed for preservation work but among the other buildings were the Observatory and the platform of the skulls where trophies from war and sacrifice were displayed vertically and an extensive frieze depicted rows of skulls.

 

CENOTE SAGRADO

 

The cenote at Chichen Itza was the main source of water and was regarded as sacred.  Sacrifices were made to Chac, the water god, to ensure that rain would fall to water the maize and other crops.  These took the form of valuable belongings and sometimes young men and women

A long bus ride, during which we watched the film Amazing Grace about the life of William Wilberforce who fought in Parliament for the abolition of the slave trade, finally brought us to Cancun which had been described to us as the Las Vegas of Mexico.  The hotel strip stretches for 22km and each hotel is bigger than the one before.  Ours was a mind boggling collection of concrete and glass pyramids.  During the night, a violent storm came in from the Caribbean and when we awoke in the morning we found that the force of the wind had driven the rain under the sliding doors and the floor was awash.  Despite the weather, flights weres still taking off and, after a very bumpy flight and with enromous relief, we landed in Costa Rica. 

October 17 - World Poverty Day

We read about microloans backed by the Co-operative Bank and CARE UK in the Guardian before leaving and were very impressed with the scheme.  You can lend a minimum of 15 pounds to someone of your choice from the list which then allows CARE to direct the money