Deep inside the Yucatán peninsula is one of the best known Mayan Ruins, Chichén Itzá. It was declared a World Heritage by UNESCO in 1988 and is a goal in many people’s bucket lists.

I don’t really know what to write about the Mayans ruins of Chichén Itzá that hasn’t written in more detail that I can provide so I’ll just share a few of the things that stood out most for me when I travelled this area.

The Pyramid at Chichén Itzá

While travellers are no longer allowed to climb this massive monument it’s still an amazing sight to see. The pyramid is named the Temple of Kukulcan (Kukulcan is the feathered serpent god known as Quetzalcoatl to the Aztecs), and is also nicknamed El Castillo (The Castle). It is believed to be built between 300 and 450 CE and astounds astrologers and architects to this day with it’s precision.

This pyramid has 7 tiers, a staircase with 91 steps one each side making a total of 364 steps, with the chamber platform that equals 365, one for each day of the year. If that wasn’t impressive enough on the Spring and Autumn equinoxes the shadows of the snakes on each side staircases appear to slither down the Pyramid and for the Summer and Winter equinoxes precisely half the pyramid is totally in shadow!

The thing that really made this pyramid (and many Mayan pyramids) special to me is it’s sound! Yup, you read that right, if you clap your hands at it’s base it echoes back an almost mechanical chirping sound that is very similar to the nearly extinct Quetzl bird that is sacred to the Mayans. Even more amazing is that in Chichén Itzá that same clap also seems to echo back the sound of a rattle snake off the Temple of the Warriors a split second after the bird sound. It takes a bit to find the right spot to clap to get the effect of both sounds, but it’s worth it to hear that at least once in a lifetime. It feels as if perhaps the spirit of Kukulcan (Quetzalcoatl), is there still listening and answering the people who visit. Definitely an amazing experience to perhaps hear what a God sounds like!

The Great Ball Court

This was a brutal game even without the sacrifices that often happened after the game was finished! The Great Ball Court of Chichén Itzá is 166 metres (545 feet) long and 68.5 metres (225 feet) wide.

Archaeologists aren’t 100% positive about the size of the balls used by the ancient Mayans but some believe they may have been around 20 cm (8 inches) in around (about the size of a volleyball) and weighed between 3 and 4 kg (6½-9 lbs) and couldn’t be hit with hands or feet. The goal was to get the ball though the hoop that’s 7 meters (23 feet) high and really didn’t look much bigger than the ball was supposed to be.

This seemingly impossible game was sometimes played with full teams, at other times it was a game with only 2 players. It also was sometimes played to the death and often the winning team was sacrificed. (The Mayans believed this to be a big honour that allowed them instant access to heaven, so many believe it was the winners that were killed. Others say that it was the losers.) On the walls surrounding the court are many detailed carvings showing the sacrifices.

As with many Mayan sites the acoustics in this area are amazing, whispers from one of the raised temple areas at each end can be clearly heard at the other… yes, 166 metres away!

Some Photos I Took When I Travelled This Area

Temple of Kukulcan

One of the most famous pyramids in the world. With patience and a quick finger it’s still possible to get a good photo without tourists in it. :)

This photo is now available as a printable calender for 2011.

Mayan Ball Court

The Mayan ball courts were huge!

Ball Court Goal Hoop

It’s hard to see the scale of the ball hoops, but they were a lot smaller than I’d thought. It looks much harder than the basketball we play today and the players had to get the ball though that hoop without using their hands!

Sacrificial Details on the Wall in Relief

This photo shows a very detailed scene of one of the sacrifices being made.

Jaguar in Chichen Itza

This is pretty amazing, the original paint is still visible in some spots!

Cenote Segrado

This photo shows the murky green water that fills this sink hole that was used for (you guessed it) sacrifices.

Group of a Thousand Columns

Originally this would have had a roof on it, even without that though seeing so many perfectly placed columns is pretty spectacular.

Another Cenote

Not too far away from the ruins of Chichen Itza is another cenote. This beautiful water filled sinkhole is used as a spot to swim in. If you look closely you can see a rainbow in the waterfall.

This photo is now available as a printable calender for 2011.

Inside the Cenote

I can’t swim (although I am working on overcoming my fear of water) so I did go into the Cenote to explore a bit from the ledge. Here’s a photo looking up to ground level.

Interesting Sites with More Info:

World Mysteries – Chichén Itzá Shows pictures of the ruins before restoration and tells more about it’s history.

Acoustical Society of America – The Mayan Pyramid of Kukulkan at Chichen Itza Has more info about the echoes in the area including an mp3 of both the quetzal chirps and the echo of a clap.

Set deep in the extremely hot and humid tropical rainforest of Chiapas, Mexico lies one of the most famous Mesoamerican ruins called Palenque (or Bàak’ in modern Maya). This amazing place was a thriving city in the seventh century CE (and perhaps even far earlier!) and abandoned long before the Spanish rediscovered it in the 16th century.

While many of the massive buildings, temples and monuments still remain hidden in the dense jungle waiting to be restored and have their stories told, the sections that have been excavated and reconstructed are among the most impressive of the Mesoamerican ruins I’d seen so far. It may not be the largest in the area, but it is one of the most famous Mayan ruins in the area for it’s unique architecture and amazing amount of murals and bas relief carvings that have survived.

If you visit the ruins, the best place to stay is in one of the places right near the ruins themselves, the nearby modern town of Palenque is also a convenient (but not terribly inspiring) town that does offer many rooms and restaurants for tourists. When visiting the ruins be sure to wear shoes that aren’t slippery (trust me, you’ll want to climb!) and take lots of water. Wearing strong sunscreen and bug repellent is a good idea as well. The sun gets very hot by late morning and almost unbearable in the height of the day so you may want to try to get there very early to avoid the heat and throngs of other tourists.

The museum just outside the gates is also well worth a look and the entry fee was included in the ticket price to enter the ruins. There’s some amazingly well preserved artifacts in there including some beautiful ancient Mayan jewelry, jade death masks, obsidian knives and stucco murals. The plaques describing the items are written in both Spanish and English and do give quite a lot of information.

I was getting over a fairly bad case of food poisoning while I was visiting Palenque (that I oddly got at a ‘nice’ vegetarian restaurant aimed at tourists.. back to market food for me!), and the temperatures went over 40° Celsius with super high humidity so sadly I didn’t have the energy to explore as much as I would have liked but here’s some photos I snapped while I was there.

Photos From Palenque, Mexico

Cute Little Lizard!

I woke up to find this little guy sleeping on my toothbrush, my squeal and rush to grab the camera woke him (or her) but I got this shot as it scurried up the wall.

Bas Relief in the Palace

One of the many surviving stucco images in the Palace courtyard. The guide told me that this was an image of a prisoner based on the body language.

Artwork From Palenque’s Palace

This was miraculously found intact and placed back on the wall of the palace.

Looking Over the Ruins of Palenque

There’s a few spots in Palenque where visitors are allowed to climb the ruins, if you travel there, trust me, the view from the top is gorgeous! Here’s a semi-arial photo showing the landscape and some of the structures in Palenque.

View of Palenque From Above

And another photo from the same spot as the last one.

Temple of the Cross

Here’s one of my favourite photos from my time exploring Palenque!

Nature Taking Over Palenque

Outside the restored section of Palenque I found this tree growing out of more ruins, seeing nature taking back the earth always fascinates me.

Stucco Tablet

One of the amazingly intact stucco tablets found among the ruins from the 8th century CE, it shows U Pakal K’inich during a ceremony while in his teens. This tablet can be found in the museum near the entrance to the ruins, it’s well worth visiting to see the many pieces being carefully preserved as well as finding details about the areas history.

“Yum Cash”

Hmm, this summed up how touristy the area is. ;) I saw this on the wall of one of the nearby restaurants.

I’ve completely fallen in love with Mexico! I’m currently in Oaxaca, another of this countries charming cities. As soon as I arrived I knew it would be the perfect spot to take a vacation from travelling for a short while.

Oaxaca’s a rather touristy city, but in a good way. It has the conveniences that I was craving including an English language bookstore, lots of entertainment and the Zócalo is packed with locals as well as tourists and is surrounded by wonderful (vegetarian friendly!) restaurants with menus in both Spanish and English along with some of the best coffee and chocolate I’ve ever tasted. It’s fairly high elevation (5085 ft. or 1550 m.) also makes the weather moderate but nicely warm.

For the adventurous there’s plenty of unique local dishes that may either make your mouth water (Mole is everywhere here) or cringe a bit (chapulines, or roasted grasshoppers are a local delicacy). For the vegetarians it’s heaven! Not only do many restaurants have lots of veg*n dishes to choose from, the local fruits are amazing and super cheap in the main market!

Nearby Oaxaca there are many interesting things to do as well. I watched weavers in a small town nearby create beautiful rugs the same way their ancestors have for hundreds of years, visited the ruins of Mitla, seen the world’s largest tree, Arbol del Tule in Santa Maria del Tule, which may also be the oldest living thing on the planet and took in the view of the mineral falls (Hierve el Agua). There are also a bunch of great museums and art galleries, a wonderful way to spend a few afternoons.

I’ve very much enjoyed my time here, I finally feel rested, relaxed and ready to take on a new adventure!

Photos From Oaxaca, Mexico

A Vagabond Bus

=D I couldn’t resist putting a shot of this in this gallery!

Arbol del Tule in Santa Maria del Tule

Here’s a photo of the trunk of this massive tree that the locals claim may be the world’s largest and perhaps even the world’s oldest living thing. It’s guessed at 2000 years old, weighing in at almost 550 tons, and a diameter of 42 meters!

Chapulines – Fried Grasshoppers

Roasted grasshoppers are a delicacy here. A travelling friend tried one and said they tasted salty but pretty good. The local legend is that if you eat some you’ll travel to Oaxaca again, if you skip this, you’ll never be back.

Colourful Crafts Found in Oaxaca City Market

A selection of colourful crafts found in the square.

Brightly Coloured Wool Ready for Weaving

I got to watch and learn about how the wool is tinted with all natural colours and spun the way their ancestors have for centuries.

Spinning Wheel

This photo shows the spinning wheel used to create the yarn and baskets and bowls filled with the natural dyes.

Hand Woven Rugs

Some examples of the beautiful craftspersonship in the area, these rugs are made by hand from start to finish!

Mineral Falls

That isn’t a waterfall, in fact it’s quite dry. It’s named Hierve el Agua which means ‘the waterboils’. The area is so packed with minerals that water pushing up creates this amazing natural wonder.

Landscape shot of Hierve el Agua

Here’s a wide angle photo of the mineral falls showing the surrounding mountains.

Mitla Details

I couldn’t get over the carvings in Mitla, each block was different but extremely precise with it’s geometric paterns.

The Zapotec Ruins of Mitla

The name Mitla comes from the Nahuatl word Mictlán, which means Place of the Dead, it’s Zapotec name is Lyobaa, which means Place of Rest.

Teotihuacan, pronounced teh-oh-tee-wa-KHAN (it took me days to learn how to pronounce it!) and meaning “The Place Where Men Become Gods” or “Birthplace of the Gods”, is a name given to it by the Nahuatl speaking Aztecs when they discovered the ruins centuries after the city fell. (Yup, it’s older than the Aztecs, it’s believed the city was abandoned around 600 CE.) The original name is unknown, but is mentioned in Mayan hieroglyphs as “The Place of Reeds”.

Some of the buildings in Teotihucán may date as far back as 450 BCE, and not much is known about how it was built, or even who lived there. Some possibilities are the Nahua, Otomi or Totonac groups, although some have suggested that Teotihuacan was a multi-ethnic state and home to farmers, potters, craftspeople and jewellers.

This might explain why the murals there don’t show violence, war and ritual sacrifice (although there’s evidence that happened here as well), but instead show a society interested in astronomy and Quetzalcoatl, a benevolent God. In fact, it has a notable lack of military structures and fortifications.

What is mostly agreed on is that it grew in power around the same time as the Roman Empire and had around 200,000 people living within the city making it one of the largest in the world at the time. It’s located about 30 miles / 48 km northeast of Mexico City and has one of the largest pyramids in the world, the Pyramid of the Sun (Piramide del Sol), completed around 100 CE.

Teotihuacan – The Creation Place of our Era

The legend goes that the Gods gathered at Teotihuacan at the end of the last age to recreate the universe as they had done before. With each cycle a God was to serve as the sun, eventually though each God had become dissatisfied with the humans that were created, throwing the world into darkness.

This fifth time, as before, the Gods gathered at Teotihuacan to decide who would sacrifice themselves in the fire to become the sun and moon. Two Gods were chosen, Tecciztecatl, a very wealthy and powerful God would become the sun and Nanauatl a poor, frail God who would serve as the moon.

As the time grew closer for the ceremony the Gods went through purification rituals. Tecciztecatl offered expensive gifts, Nanauatl having nothing of value to offer gave his blood and acts of penance.

As the massive bonfire grew and became ready for the final offering Tecciztecatl strode up to throw himself in. As he got closer he felt the intense heat and became afraid. After 4 attempts his courage failed him. The rest of the Gods, disgusted at Tecciztecatl’s cowardice called Nanauatl. He quietly stood up, walked to the platform and without hesitation threw himself in. Tecciztecatl, embarrassed that this lowly weak God could show such courage ran up and threw himself in as well.

At first the world remained in darkness, eventually 2 small points of light showed up in the sky, growing in intensity faster and faster. The remaining Gods became worried, what would happen to the world with 2 suns burning brightly?

Eventually one of the Gods became angry with Tecciztecatl for showing such lack of thought and courage, so he grabbed a rabbit and threw it directly in Tecciztecatl’s face, dimming his light forever and turning him into the moon… doomed to forever follow the sun, but never burn as bright. That is why, if you look really closely, you can see a rabbit in the moon.

The guide didn’t mention the rest of the story, but later I heard a further ending to the myth… The sun still stood stood still in the sky, lacking the power to move by itself, the wind God realized what was needed and sacrificed the rest of the Gods along with himself to forever create enough wind to blow them around the world. Perhaps this is why the Aztecs (who often considered themselves God-like) gave Teotihuacan the name that we still use today, with the old Gods dead, they themselves became Gods.

Photos From the Ancient Ruins of Teotihuacan, Mexico

Pyramid of the Sun

One of the world’s most famous and largest pyramids. The base is only 10 feet shorter than the Great Pyramid of Cheops.

Pyramid of the Sun – Front View

Even though the Sun Pyramid was (literally) crawling with tourists, I knew I had to climb to the top! Here’s a photo I took before I began the (much easier than I though) ascent.

View from the Sun Pyramid

Here’s the view down from about half way up the Pyramid of the Sun. Sadly once I got to the top I forgot to take another picture from this angle because I was so in awe of the view. I did however remember to get a photo of the Moon Pyramid…

Pyramid of the Moon

While we didn’t get the chance to climb the Moon Pyramid, I did get this nice shot of it!

Jaguar Mural

I can’t remember if this is a jaguar, cougar or puma, but I was amazed that the paint was relatively unharmed in this section of the mural, despite being hundreds (thousands?) of years old!

Teotihuacan Mural

Another of the fabulously intact murals of Teotihuacan, if you look closely you can see that there’s still some of the original wax covering the fresco bringing out the brightness of the colors.

Teotihuacan vs. The Modern World

Unfortunately the modern world is pressing in on this ancient wonder. In 2004, Wal-Mart was given permission to build a large store in the third archaeological zone. Quoted from CounterPunch, “Priceless artifacts uncovered during store construction were reportedly trucked off to a local dump and workers fired when they revealed the carnage to the press.”

Which leads me to thinking about whether tourism is hurting or could help save ancient sites… Would Wal-Mart have felt the need to build a crap pedalling store if there were fewer tourists? Could tourism income help protect national treasures since we wouldn’t have gone to those places without them? …. So many questions, but that will have to become the topic for another blog post.

Quietly nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Madre Mountains, Las Pozas (The Pools) was built by the British eccentric, poet, artist and supporter of the arts, Edward James. This strange fantasy world is filled with huge sculptural buildings that took 40 workers 25 years to build and is rumoured to have cost $5 million to create.

Originally Edward James wanted to build a “Noah’s Ark”, a space for animals to live safely to help preserve wildlife, what he created however is far more amazing! While he lived here there were exotic animals and birds from all around the world in pens throughout the area. One of the most recognizable buildings with towering spiral staircases was originally intended to hold a cage with monkeys and one of the buildings was to reach 7 stories high with pillars massive enough to have full sized trees growing from their tops and an aviary whose gates would be opened once the birds had bred enough to repopulate the jungle.

The first time I entered the surreal magical world dreamt up by Edward James I immediately felt like Alice after sipping the bottle labelled “Drink Me”. The massive leaves on the plants, the enormous strange building scattered though the sub-tropical jungle was intoxicating and made me feel very tiny. Without a doubt I knew I was no longer in a place anything like the land I’d called ‘home’ for so long yet somehow it was familiar and disorienting in a very delicious way! Winding though the labyrinth of paths there was always something new to sit and wonder at, so many secluded spots I could sit and think for hours.

In the warm, humid and dense sub-tropical jungle tower concrete spiral staircases leading to nowhere, buildings that are almost like mazes, unfinished towers and thick columns reaching to the sky. Some of these are up to 90 feet high, and most are heavily inspired by the local flowers and trees. Everywhere you look there’s some detail that will amaze and are almost missed if you don’t keep a very open eye for them… flower reliefs carved in the stones, eyes watching over people as they pass through one of the many metal gates, columns appearing to hold up massive stones by the waterfall and paths that are almost totally obscured by the abundant plant life in the area.

Amazingly, a local told me that James was careful not to disturb the local landscape, cutting down no trees or clearing the forest, and being sure not to disturb the natural flow of streams other than to “borrow” water to fill pools on the way downstream.

Nature is taking back Las Pozas, as Edward James said he knew it would. The combination of so many unfinished works along with the moss, humidity, vines and plants fighting to take it all back to the earth only adds to the surreal brilliance of this place.

Knowing that it was never expected to last forever and would be swallowed up by time made it even more special that I was lucky enough to visit. I spent a lot of time thinking about the temporary nature of life and how so much can change (including me) in such a short time. I have however heard that it is going to be restored soon, and did see some people working on some of the massive sculptures. Part of me is happy for that and hopes that Edward James’ wishes to have a unique animal sanctuary will be fulfilled, and oddly part of me wants to see nature win and reclaim the area as Edward James expected.

There are guides available to take you though Las Pozas, but I decided to head in alone so that I could sit, take it all in and think whenever I felt like it. The area is quite massive and many areas are very slippery, crumbling and covered with damp moss, it’s also extremely steep at spots and there are no guardrails except in very few areas… but if you watch your step and have a decent sense of direction, going without a guide can be a lot of fun.

Seeing everything for the first time and without knowing what the stories of each of the buildings and sculptures were, I enjoyed letting my mind wander and fill in the details on it’s own. Later I read about the history of the place, watched the documentary “Edward James; Builder of Dreams” by Avery Danziger and went back in, both experiences were very different but magical!

The nearest town to Las Pozas is called Xilitla and is only a few minutes by vehicle and around 30 minutes or so to walk. There are quite a few decent hotels in town including Posada El Castillo, the house Edward James stayed at when he wasn’t off in his surreal fantasy gardens. It is more expensive than most hotels in the area (prices vary with the type of room), but does offer a pool, terraces high above the town with amazing views and comfortable rooms complete with a bathtub. Another unique option is an area right in the jungle with brightly painted teepee’s (150 pesos / night) that also gives you access to a kitchen, washrooms, showers and some very friendly people.

There’s really a lot to do in this area including zip-lines so you can fly though the treetops and get an amazing view of the landscape (they aren’t terribly high, but it is a lot of fun and it definitely made me want to go try higher, longer zip-lines in the future!), many waterfalls and streams to play in and mineral caves to explore. My advice is to plan to stay at least a few days to take it all in.

Photos From Las Pozas

Double Rainbow

On my way to Xilitla I was lucky enough to catch sight of this gorgeous double rainbow arching over the Sierra Madre Mountains. Nature perhaps giving a hint of the beauty I was about to see.

Donkey on the Side of the Road

Yes, they really do have quite a few donkeys in some areas of Mexico, this one waited patiently for us to pass by in the bus.

Landscape Near Xilitla

This was one of the most scenic rides I’ve taken so far in Mexico, here’s another shot of the view as we climbed the winding road to Xilitla.

Spiralling Staircases Towering over the Jungle

I tried very hard to get a good photo of this, but the lighting, weather and my camera just wouldn’t get along. If I understood right, this was to be a cage to preserve local monkeys to ensure species survival.

Sculpture at Las Pozas

One of the many sculptures lining the main path by the entrance to Las Pozas.

Inside Las Pozas

Here’s a photo to give you an idea what it’s like inside the unique buildings of Las Pozas, this one reminded me a bit of Escher with it’s odd staircases leading to nowhere.

A Waterfall Feeding Some of The many Pools

Here’s one of the main waterfalls inside Las Pozas, the water flows into a cascade of small pools and back into a river. Notice the unexpected columns appearing to strain to hold up the mountain side, just one of the many little touches that makes this are so unique.

Inukshuk – Rock Stacks

An unexpected sight at one of the small brooks in the area, there were many stacks of rocks in the middle of the water. When I saw them I thought there must have been other Canadians here, later I found out that’s exactly how the miniature Inukshuk got there. :)

Egyptian Inspired Relief

In the lower part of one of the buildings I found a small, dark room with this amazing Egyptian inspired relief on the wall!

Plantains

One of the many ‘firsts’ for me this trip, seeing wild plantains growing!

Waterfall Outside Las Pozas

This waterfall I would have missed had a nice local not told me to follow the (almost invisible) path for a few hundred metres. Seeing this gorgeous waterfall was well worth the hike!

While I’ve seen very few pictures that can possible do justice to this place, the ones above are a few I took during my days wandering the area.

About an hour walk from the main area in Xilitla is some of the most amazing caves I’ve ever seen (OK, to be fair I haven’t seen a lot of caves yet, but that doesn’t detract from the beauty of this place).

It’s called La Cueva del Salitre, the Cave of the Mineral Salts and is home to thousands of wild parakeets that swirl around the cave entrance at dusk to enter their homes. In the morning they come spiralling out of the cave filling the sky with with their aerobatics. Even during the day there were many birds playfully soaring in and out of the cave and hiding in tiny holes in the sparkling stone walls where they nest.

Upon entering the cave in the warm afternoon I once again I had the sensation of being very, very small. I came face to face with massive boulders the size of cars that were dwarfed by the enormous mouth of the cave entrance, even the plants were larger than it looked from the outside. After a semi-steep climb down I was shown a large hole that went about 500m straight down… it took a rock about 5-8 seconds to hit the bottom, maybe longer as it bounced along the sides in what seemed like an eternal decent. I was very grateful at that point that I had a local friend to show me the way safely around this cave!

Many times we stopped to catch our breath from the strenuous effort and to simply listen to the sound of water drops falling, birds chirping playfully and to look at the stalactites and plants living inside and wonder at this amazing hideaway nature had created.

It costs 20 pesos to go through the gate leading towards to cave entrance and the view even from the gate is well worth stopping for a moment to take a look. I would advise going to the caves with a guide or a local that knows the area well, the climb in and out is very steep and the rocks and often sandy / muddy paths down are not always as solid as they look. There were more than a few times I was grateful to have someone reaching down to steady me and to help navigate the safest way through.

After we left the darkness and back out into the humid heat we sat for a while looking at the entrance and talking, he in Spanish spattered with occasional Nahuatl and English words, me with Spenchlish. Somehow we were able to communicate fairly well for the most part and we even taught each other a few of our own words.

Photos From the Mineral Caves of Xilitla, Mexico

Looking in at ‘La Cueva del Salitre’

From the outside it looks quite unassuming, and doesn’t look like it’s hiding an enormous cave.

Inside the Cave

*Gulp* When I took this shot I realized that the rope the guide brought was in case I fell in the deeper parts and needed help out.

In the mouth of the cave looking out

I took this photo partially because the scenery here was beautiful, and partially because I started to realize how far down the cave went and was buying time to get my brave face on. ;) Past this my camera couldn’t get a decent shot most of the time since it was very dark, but I can tell you it was amazing!

Wild Parakeet

Here’s a zoomed in shot of one of the thousands of wold parakeets that make their home inside this massive cave. Sadly it’s very grainy because my camera had some troubles with the extremely low lighting.

Stone formation

One of the very tall mineral formations in the lower part of the cave caused by water flowing over it for thousands of years during the rainy season. The photo’s a bit grainy since I had to use a low light setting.

I’ve been struggling to write this post for well over a week, partially because I haven’t found a way to explain what exactly it was about Guanajuato I liked so much, and partially because I was spending most of my time away from the computer simply enjoying it. This post is admittedly rather scattered but I’ve decided to toss what I’ve written online anyway so that I can move on to the next area without having to worry about trying to edit an old post. :)

I arrived in Guanajuato knowing nothing about it other than being told that ‘it was a pretty city’ that I ‘should like’. Wow, was that an understatement! It is perhaps one of the most charming cities I’ve ever visited. The historic centre looks like something from a movie set with it’s perfectly tree lined square, impressive Spanish architecture with the colourful vibrancy that I’ve fallen in love with here in Mexico. The narrow winding streets open into breathtaking views at the top on the mountainsides.

Strolling through the city was almost overwhelming for the senses, the scent of fresh air and various foods, the sound of Spanish voices talking, singing and laughter, as well as the intense colours of the buildings, trees and flowers contrasting against the bluest sky.

Walking around Guanajuato is a pedestrians dream since much of the traffic is in the underground tunnels and many roads are blocked off to vehicles. It’s also surprisingly hard to get lost here, since to get to the city centre from wherever you are you just need to head downhill, and signs are posted all over pointing the direction to the major theatres, museums and other landmarks.

What made it most memorable to me however was the life there. People were almost always hanging out in the public squares enjoying the weather with the company of friends and family, and there was an almost visible sense of contentment in many people’s faces.

While I know this post really doesn’t tell you much of anything about Guanajuato. I really can’t describe why it felt that some day I could return and call it home for a while, other than to say it did. I will always remember the friends I made there, of waking in the morning and feeling content, and the view of the sun setting over the mountains turning the landscape and town amazing shades of orange.

Some day I’d very much like to go back and explore it even more, for now though it’s time to move on.

(I kept forgetting to pull out my camera most of the time I was in Guanajuato, but here’s a few shots I took during my stay.)

Photos From Guanajuato, Mexico

Basílica de Nuestra Señora

One of the impressive churches in Guanajuato, the bright yellow of the church against the bluest sky I’d ever seen made this a visual memory I’ll never forget.

Teatro Juárez

Absolutely amazingly beautiful, this theatre’s construction began in 1872 and finished in 1903

Snake

I wish I knew what this area is, a friend and I stumbled into it and never found out more about it….

Crocodile of Guanajuato?

In the same area was this massive sculpture of a crocodile (or alligator, I’m not sure which).

Crocodile Sculpture

Here’s a shot from the top looking down into this mysterious (to me) place.

Dulceria Catrina

Mmmm, candy! My sweet-tooth and La Catrina quickly became close friends, since they sold one of my favourite snacks… cinnamon and sugar coated pecans.

Me and a Friend :p

This guy had waited a very long time to enter this museum!

Tortas el Vagabundo

=D Vagabond sandwiches.

I arrived in Guanajuato feeling a bit under the weather from a bad cold that hit while I was in Morelia. I’m now starting to feel stronger and healthier than I perhaps have ever been! Partially that’s thanks to this beautifully walkable city that I’m happy to wander around for hours taking in the beautiful sights and sounds (I plan to write all about Guanajuato soon), partially it’s thanks to the amazing breakfasts served here at my current hostel.

I’m staying at La Casa de Dante. This little hostel nestled on the mountain side is one of the most home-like places I’ve ever been in. The rooms are comfortable and the breakfasts here are more like feasts! Don’t believe me? This morning I woke up and went downstairs and there was the now familiar fruit plate waiting for me. Each morning it’s different but there’s always fresh fruit. This morning’s creation was a swan with mango wings, a pineapple tail with a fruit (that I’m not sure of it’s name) as extra decorative tail feathers, a banana neck and pecan eyes and beak. Surrounding it was little islands of strawberries!

As I began digging into that dish she brought the second course, a plate of rice and vegetables, then a third course of a special vegan taco filled with steamed spinach and avocado. By this point I thought I was in heaven! Then she brings even more! A bowl of freshly made guacamole (the best I’ve ever tasted and I’m a huge guacamole fan!) with some baked tortillas and then a desert… very tasty vegan sweet bread. All this was with a pitcher of freshly squeezed juice and a cup of amazing spiced coffee.

If you are ever in Guanajuato and want to feel pampered, this is the place! Laundry is done for guests (it’s included in the price), bottles of fresh water are left in the room, free wifi, and they even have fresh cut flowers in a vase in the room. There are also 3 kitchens in this place, so making your own dinners is easy. On the roof is a beautiful outdoor common area with an amazing panoramic view of this city.

The drawbacks? Well it is a bit more expensive than most hostels (around $27 / night for a private room with a full washroom including shower with plenty of hot water. Some rooms even have a private balcony!) and there are over 150 steps up to get to the place.

Oddly I’ve come to like those stairs. I’m happy to say that after a week here I can now make it to the top without stopping or gasping (much) for breath. Trust me, when I arrived I had to stop 3 times on the way up gasping like a fish out of water and my legs feeling like they would give out on me.

I’m off to wander this city again and work of some of that breakfast. I plan to describe the town of Guanajuato in my next post, it is one of the places I’ve found that feel like it could be ‘home’ at some point.

(Full disclosure: I am in no way being paid to write this, I just wanted to let other travellers know about this hidden gem.)

Photos From Guanajuato, Mexico

Mango & Strawberry Bird

One of the fruit plates served as a first course for breakfast at this hostel.

Breakfast, the Second Course

This came after the fruit, each breakfast was different, custom made for each guest and delicious!

Guanajuato Cityscape

Part of the view from the rooftop overlooking the city.

Guanajuato Rooftop View

Another view overlooking the city and mountains.

Beautiful view!

Another shot of the skyline seen from the hostels rooftop patio.

Lots of steps!

The daunting stairs leading up to La Casa de Dante.

Yesterday I wandered the winding streets of Guanajuato and eventually made my way all the way up to the mummy museum (Museo de las Momias) located very high on one of the many surrounding hills of Guanajuato overlooking the town.

While I’d been warned that it wasn’t for the faint of heart, I think the locals were concerned the “skinny, pale gringo” was more delicate than I really am, or perhaps they were using reverse psychology to make me want to visit even more… either way, I knew it was something I couldn’t leave this city without visiting.

The mummies here are very modern and were begun to be dug up in 1865 all the way until 1958. It seems that the dry climate and soil conditions preserved the mummies naturally. They were removed from their tombs when the families had either moved away and couldn’t be contacted to pay the grave tax, or the remaining family couldn’t afford the tax. There is quite a bit of controversy whether they should be displayed or given a proper burial. The law has now been changed so no new mummified bodies will be exhumed, but those that where removed before are remaining on display.

I’ve been told that the museum entrance fee helps considerably to fill the city coffers. Trying to keep that in mind to alleviate any guilt, I entered the museum and was astonished by the well preserved mummies. Some were in their original clothing, others not… but each and every one of them pulled at my heart strings a bit. Since they are from recent times, many of their names and stories are known and were posted beside the display in Spanish and (some) English. I was surprised that there were a few who’s story had a bit of humour thrown in, others made me want to cry a bit.

As I left the cool, dark museum back into the heat of the sun, I couldn’t help thinking about their lives and their stories. I was also left wondering if any of the people outside selling knick-knacks and souvenirs were their living relatives, and what they were really feeling behind their smiles at the pale gringo.

Museums almost always have a very strong effect on me, this one made me feel both happy to have been able to see something so unique and more than a bit sad and introspective… perhaps that’s what was behind the warnings that it wasn’t for the faint of heart. I am however, very glad I went.

Here’s some photo’s from my visit, some of them are a bit dark because photo’s were allowed as long as flash wasn’t used.

Photos From Guanajuato Mummy Museum

Some of the Many Mummies

Along one of the walls of the museum stand quite a few mummies.

Don Justo Hernandez’s Story

Here’s the story of who Don Justo Hernandez was.

Don Justo Hernandez

Dressed in fine clothes, Don Justo Hernandez now rests in Museo de las Momias.

Mummified Mother

This unfortunate woman and her child died during a Cesarean section. They now rest together.

and Child

This tiny baby is claimed to be the world’s smallest mummy.

Mummy of a Man

I don’t recall who this man is, but I was surprised by how his clothing remained almost perfectly intact.

Female Mummy in Coffin

Again, I don’t remember seeing a sign saying who she was.

Nino con Vestimenta de San Martin’s Story

I’ve tried to translate this below. *

Nino con Vestimenta de San Martin

Here’s the child mentioned in the last story.

* My Spanish is very basic, but here’s the best translation I could do about El Niño con vestimenta de San Martin.
“The religious fervour of the town Guanajuato opens at moments of great pain. Nothing offers consolation over the death of a child but their faith in God. The scrupulous care of the details in the clothing cause us to reflects on the power of faith. The parents have entrusted the soul of their son to Saint Martin of Porres, finding tranquillity and consolation that to them the mystery of the resurrection provides. One notices the scrupulous details in the robe, broom and sandals.”