July 16-17
Hello everyone!
Having spent the last three weeks high above sea level, it was time to come down to Earth. Where better to do that than in the land of the Maya…
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| Palenque Ruins |
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| A winking mask at the Mayan World Museum |
The eastern part of México is known as the Yucatán Peninsula. There are three states that are amalgamated under this umbrella, with the most famous being Quintana Roo: home of Cancun and the other Caribbean Sea hotspots. Before getting there, however, we were stopping in the actual state of Yucatán’s main city: Mérida.
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| Iguanas are commonly seen in the Yucatan |
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| It's also an altitude drop of about 2000 metres |
Mérida is a strange one for me. It’s got beautiful buildings, a vibrant food and drink culture, lovely parks and squares (at least the ones not under construction). Yet I’d never heard of it, would never have considered visiting, and can’t see myself going back.
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The city was founded in 1542, after almost twenty
years of battles with the indigenus population |
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| Chicharron (pork and crackling) made for a delicious mid-morning snack |
I’m not quite sure why. Aside from the fantastic Spanish-era buildings, it felt quite gritty and a little bit unloved. Aside from the long, wide expanse of Paseo de Montejo, it felt very crowded - even with it being significantly smaller than CDMX, Puebla and Oaxaca de Juarez. Aside from the occasional park, it felt very urban.
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| This building seemed abandoned |
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The boulevard is named after the 'founder' of Merida,
Francisco de Montejo the Younger |
There is one other explanation. It. Was. Hot. Not that dry heat which is more manageable, either. A high temperature, often mid-30s, combined with strong sun and high humidity. Just walking around the town quickly became unpleasant.
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| The Monument to the Fatherland, built in 1956 |
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Best way to cool off: with jumbo luridly-coloured
cocktails and free snacks |
As with all places I’ve visited in México, what you see around the town is lovely and interesting. The old governor’s palace, for example, contains many artistic murals.
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| The other side of these walls is the main square |
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A mural about maize - according to the Mayan holy
book 'Popol Vuh', man came from...corn. |
The cathedral is very bare when compared to other religious monuments in México. It’s also the second oldest completed cathedral in the Americas, behind the one in the Dominican Republic. The main square in front of it has apparently been under ‘reconstruction’ for seven months. I’m sure it will be lovely once it’s finished and the dust settles, rather than flying in people’s faces. For now, you can use a mask, or walk into a fridge nearby...
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| It was completed in 1598 |
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| What lies behind the fridge door...see below... |
This is all sounding harsh. I actually quite liked Mérida. Its main attraction is a bit of a slog to get to (particularly when trying to strike out and use the bus system independently - a nice young man had to swipe me in to avoid me taking a 12 km walk) but showcases the region as a land with rich history, culture and thought.
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| A Maya almanac, containing predictions for what to do on each day |
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| This large sculpture has sharp facial features...and a beard! |
This area of México is Mayan country. It spread south from the Yucatán through modern-day Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and even parts of El Salvador. The temples - and there are many - on the peninsula are almost exclusively belonging to this civilisation which was doing things we couldn't imagine almost 1500 years ago.
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| Rope string was a useful commodity which is still made here today |
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| The Maya venerated almost fifty deities - this isn't one of the more attractive ones... |
The Mayan World Museum focuses a bit on highlighting what Mayan life was like. It also, more surprisingly for me, shares a lot of detail about what Mayan life is like. Now. In the 21st century. It claims that 30% of the population of Yucatán speaks Yucatec Maya, an indigenous language. I wonder if that’s like saying 30% of Wales speaks Welsh because they’re force-fed it for a couple of years at school…
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| This picture tries to show the cooperation the Spanish needed from the Maya |
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Many used to think the Maya were peaceful - sculptures
such as this, showing hands bound, debunk that idea |
It talks about discriminatory challenges facing Mayans in Mexican and international society. It also showcases the wonderful styles and ideas which have been the epicentre of Mayan culture since the days of its great settlements.
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| This picture shows the different jobs Mayans presently do around the world |
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| Corn God Man! |
We stopped at one such old city to break up our two-day journey between San Cristobal de las Casas and Mérida. A UNESCO Heritage Site, the archaeological zone of Palenque evokes vibes of Indiana Jones. Trekking (or driving) through jungle before suddenly appearing in front of this…
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| The Temple of Inscriptions |
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| The Palace and Tower |
Palenque was a powerful Maya kingdom which was at its height between 500 and 700 CE. It was one of the most important cities in the region and possessed a lot of creative sculptures and architecture. It was also quite a large urban area, with a palace and ball court.
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| It's unknown what the tower was used for |
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| A ball game court usually has stone rings but they weren't found here |
There are many temples which, if not in perfect condition, have withstood the tests of time and the Spanish. The complex contains many temples, such as the delightfully named Temple of the Skull. It actually has a skull relief carved within the upper section.
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They apparently found a grave with lots of treasures underneath
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| The skull with a bit of zoom |
It was also home to one of the most famous Mayan rulers: Palak. The man with the moniker ‘Lord of the Solar Shield’ ruled Palenque for 68 years. To put that into context, I don’t think many people of the time would have lived past 50, let alone ruled for longer than that. He was interred in the Temple of Inscriptions, a towering structure with detailed reliefs (no skulls) on the top.
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| It is also known, more scientifically, as Temple XIII |
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| The objects in the tomb were found covered with cinnabar, a red stone |
What I loved about Palenque was the idea of exploration. The jungle seems to have reestablished itself over much of the site, particularly away from the main section. Walking around the lower area in particular evoked thoughts of a lost world and a town which still leaves more to be discovered. I did overhear a guide say that a lack of willingness to put extra funds into Palenque means that some things may remain undiscovered.
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| Temple of the Cross |
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| Zone B and C are wilder |
Admittedly, that peace would have been found in the main area as well…if they weren’t cutting the grass, and if there weren’t quite a few vendors hawking tat.
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| They do need to cut the grass, I appreciate that! |
Nonetheless, visiting the old jungle metropolis of Palenque was a marvellous, fascinating experience. It’s not easy to compare each pre-Hispanic site I’ve visited so far as they’ve all seemed to have a unique element about them. Seeing one with a jungle backdrop, however, might just give Palenque the edge.
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| Spiders setting up camp |
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| Powerful Palenque |
Love you all,
Matt
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