Black Pottery in Oaxaca: A True Travel Experience in Mexico

Posted by & filed under Culture, Journey Mexico TV, Media, News.

Doña Sophia of San Bartolo Coyotepec

Journey Mexico has always prided itself on offering travelers true travel experiences, meaning you’re not going to visit Oaxaca and just see examples of its famous black pottery; you’re going to visit a local home where a family of potters have been hand-making black pottery for centuries. You’re going to actually see the pottery being made. You’re going to meet and converse with the family and when you leave, you’re going to be sad to say goodbye to new friends.

The most recent Our Mexico web-ad features Doña Sophia, someone I feel privileged to have met on a recent trip to Oaxaca. So old she can no longer remember her own age, Doña Sophia still happily crouches down on her knees to give guests a live demonstration of how she has been making black pottery for almost a hundred years.

Unlike modern potters, Doña Sophia still spins her clay by hand on plates as opposed to using a mechanized wheel. As the craft was taught to her by predecessors, she has passed her knowledge down to her family and many of her daughters and granddaughters now decorate the crafts she molds before they are fired in an underground oven. In the video below, you can watch Doña Sophia in action as she crafts a jar for one of our recent groups.

Mexico Getting a Bad Rap

Posted by & filed under Health and Safety, News.

MSNBC has recently published an article called Time to Say Adios to Mexico? containing wildly misleading statements about safety in Mexico and insinuating that Americans have collectively decided to stop visiting Mexico altogether.

The article begins by stating that 34,000 people have died because of the drug war, yet it does not point out that that virtually all of the drug related violence has taken place in only a few specific boarder towns or that tourists and innocent bystanders have not and are not being targeted. The article makes no effort to contextualize these numbers with US murder figures as they would have had to acknowledge that Mexico has a murder rate of about 9.8 per every 100,000 people, which is actually less than that of US cities like Phoenix (12.6), Houston (12.5), and Los Angeles (17.1) (source).

The article then insinuates that tourism to Mexico is declining, when US investments in Mexico, US flights to Mexico, and the numbers themselves show otherwise. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, the number of foreign tourist arrivals to Mexico in 2010 was 22.4 million – a 7% increase from 2009 and 2% more than in 2008, which was one of Mexico’s best years in history.

The US has been catching heat from international critics since they increased the State Departments Mexico travel warning with broad, misleading statements that don’t accurately specify the specific regions of danger. There’s been much speculation as to why the US media has been so relentless about publishing negative press related to Mexico, but one thing is certain – they’re not playing fair and it’s influencing a whole lot of Americans. In this recent post from MSNBC, they’ve included a poll asking “Would you visit Mexico given the worsening violence in some areas?” As of the time I am writing this post, 76% of the 20233 who have voted answered No.

If you’ve been to Mexico and can attest to its safety (like these recent travel experts) or if your just a fan of responsible reporting in general, please click here and vote “Yes” (the poll is below the picture to the right of the text) to show Americans that not everything is as your TV would lead you to believe.

Central & Southern Mexico Trip Photos

Posted by & filed under Adventure, Culture, Luxury, Media, Nature, News, On the Road.

It took a while to get through all the photos, but here are the highlights from a recent trip through Central & Southern Mexico. You can turn the captions on and off by clicking the little speech bubble at the bottom left of the slideshow. Clicking a photo will take you to full sized version in our Picasa album. Let us know if you’ve been to any of these places or seen any of these things in person!

Huatulco First Destination in the World to Receive EarthCheck Gold Certification

Posted by & filed under Ecotourism, Nature, News.

Hautulco Mexico Receives Gold Certification

Huatulco Becomes The First Destination in the World to Receive EarthCheck Gold Certification

HUATULCO, Mexico, June 9, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The coastal paradise, Huatulco in southern Mexico [Oaxaca], became the first destination in the world to receive EarthCheck’s Gold certification, in yet another display of Mexico’s sustainable tourism credentials. Previously, EarthCheck awarded Gold certification only to facilities such as resorts, and not communities such as Huatulco. Huatulco received the prestigious certification for meeting the rigorous sustainable tourism requirements of EarthCheck across a range of aspects such as environmental legislation, energy usage, water conservation, wastewater management, biodiversity, and waste reduction.

Speaking at the EarthCheck Sustainable Tourism Forum, also held this year in Huatulco, Adriana Perez Quesnel, director of the Fondo Nacional del Fomento al Turismo (FONATUR), said, “We are immensely proud to receive this certification and even more so to be the first destination in the world to do so. This achievement is a clear demonstration of how government, the private sector and local communities can work together to deliver significant benefits to the world in which we live.”

“FONATUR has driven sustainable practice in the Mexican tourism industry and has forged a vision of respect for nature conservation in Integrally Planned Resorts, to promote tourism, help strengthen the local economy and promote local traditions and culture.”

Huatulco has gained EarthCheck certification for the previous five consecutive years. As a result of the certification, Huatulco will be one of 13 global destinations featured on a new program on the Discovery Channel in 2012. The documentary will be broadcast to over 200 million people over the next two years.

“In Mexico alone, EarthCheck member organizations have saved a combined total of 26,349,880 kg of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) since data started being collected in 2003,” explained EarthCheck Ambassador, Gustavo Ramos Fumagalli. “They have also reduced water consumption by 2,196,674,635L of water, dramatically reducing pressure on natural resources in a country that is familiar with the unforgiving effects of drought.”

To meet Earth Check’s strict requirements, Huatulco constructed new water management infrastructure including:

* 17 km of storm protection channels,

* 23 re-lift stations for sewage treatment and management and

* Harvesting structures which collect storm water runoff.

In May 2011, Mexico was also recognized by the Rainforest Alliance in New York for its achievements in sustainable tourism in the Mayakoba region and the forestry practices of the Mexican government.

SOURCE Mexico Tourism Board

Our Mexico: Culture

Posted by & filed under Media.

Dona Sophia making black pottery in Oaxaca

Click image to view the full ad

The second of our Our Mexico web-ad series focuses on Culture in Mexico (click here to view the full ad). The main image in the culture ad was taken on a recent Journey Mexico trip through Central & Southern Mexico and features a woman named Doña Sophia. For nearly a century, Doña Sophia has been hand-making pottery in Oaxaca that when fired in a certain fashion, turns jet black. She is one of the few ceramic makers in Mexico who still turn the clay by hand instead of using a wheel. As she’s aged, Doña Sophia has been teaching her family to make the famous black pottery so that they can carry on the tradition after she is gone.

Travel Weekly Interviews President Calderon in Las Vegas

Posted by & filed under Culture, Health and Safety, News.

This article, originally titled In Vegas, Calderon bets on tourism, has been re-posted from Travel Weekly and was written by Arnie Weissmann

In April the World Travel and Tourism Council Global Summit was held in Las Vegas and during the event, Travel Weekly sat down with Mexico’s President, Felipe Calderón, to talk about the current state of tourism and safety in Mexico. Below is the interview:

Travel Weekly: Safety and security concerns have kept some American visitors from Mexico, and the U.S. State Department recently expanded its warnings. Do you believe that the updated warnings accurately reflect areas that might be dangerous to travelers?

President Felipe Calderon: In some cases they are out of proportion and don’t accurately reflect the situation. It’s as if there was an incident in Tucson and a warning was issued for the entire state of Arizona. I understand that, yes, we have a problem. And we are dealing with it — with the support of the American authorities, by the way — and we are moving ahead. And I understand the objective and the obligation of the American authorities to protect their own citizens. But we need to find a way to inform your people without affecting destinations [that aren’t dangerous].

TW: Travel Weekly recently put together a map that shows exactly where State Department warnings apply. Are there specific places where the State Department indicated there are problems but where you think there is no problem?

Calderon: Travel Weekly did a great job in doing so, because you need to put the problem in perspective. If you can see the geography of Mexico, it’s a huge country! And even inside a very problematic city, not all the parts of the city are problematic.

And, importantly, violence and organized crime are not affecting international visitors. Seriously, we had 23 million international tourists last year, plus 6 million visiting from cruise ships, and you can count with your fingers the number of incidents with international visitors regarding violence or organized crime.

But of course, I understand that the problem we have is of perception. The state of Quintana Roo [where Cancun, Cozumel and Riviera Maya are located] on the Caribbean Sea and [neighboring state] Yucatan have two homicides per 100,000 people. That’s much less than Jamaica or Barbados or Aruba or even Puerto Rico, which has 20. So please, put that in perspective.

TW: Do countries other than the U.S. have security alerts for Mexico, and if so, are they accurate? And are they affecting travel to Mexico by their citizens?

Calderon: Spain has one. But Spanish tourists are still coming. Tourism from Spain grew 33% last year. In Texas, authorities issued a warning about going to Mexico for spring break, and we had more spring-breakers coming from Texas.

TW: Were there any incidents involving college students and drug cartel violence during spring break?

Calderon: Absolutely not. Not one. Not for any U.S. citizen.

TW: In January, you declared 2011 to be the Year of Tourism for Mexico, and your presence here in Las Vegas at WTTC is certainly an indication you’re personally involved. But as a result, do you face criticism within Mexico from people who feel there are more important things you could be doing? If so, how do you respond?

Calderon: It was a very tough decision to decide to come here. You can imagine the cartoons related to the president of Mexico in Las Vegas. A lot of politicians either don’t understand the importance of tourism, or perhaps they understand but enjoy attacking the president.

But I don’t care about that. Tourism is a priority for the Mexican government, and we need to explain how important tourism is. I was absolutely sure that I needed to be here to talk to some of the most important people in tourism about the real situation in Mexico and the amazing opportunities we have.

Arnie Weissmann and Felipe CalderonTW: Yet, two years ago you were ready to remove tourism from its cabinet-level status. What changed your mind about tourism?

Calderon: Two years ago was a very difficult time for Mexico and for the world. Our economy went down by 10% in the first and second quarter of 2009 due to the economic crisis in the U.S. We suffered reductions in oil production. So we needed to make drastic adjustments on both income and expenditures.

I was not proposing we eliminate government support of tourism, but to put it under the Secretary of the Economy. In the discussion with Congress that followed, I decided to preserve the Secretary [of Tourism] and reinforce its resources and capability. We are absolutely committed to tourism, with my strong support.

TW: With all the difficulties facing Mexico tourism, airfares to Mexico from the U.S. are nonetheless relatively high. Will there be more seats added into Mexico soon?

Calderon: I asked a person recently to tell me two things Mexico could do to improve tourism. And he said, “Visas and planes.” We are increasing our visitors year after year, but the connections by plane are complex. I’d like to improve the situation, to increase competition and the number of flights. The prices are high because demand is high, and that means more opportunities. I know a lot of companies, not only Mexican companies but foreign companies, that are trying to bring more seats to Mexico. We need more competition.

TW: You have, at this point, a little more than a year left in office. What progress regarding tourism would you like to see occur between now and the end of your term?

Calderon: First, to change the perception about Mexico, and we are working hard on that. Second, I want to move forward to resolve any regulatory obstacles for tourism as regards visas or preclearance or things like that. Third, I’d like to see more competition among airlines that bring visitors to Mexico. Fourth, we have a lot of infrastructure projects that I hope to finish. Fifth, we need better campaigns of promotion for Mexico. Sixth, we need to train people better, our young students, through more schools of tourism.

The last year-and-a-half I have left in office is, for me, like the last quarter in American football. It’s the most important quarter, and most important of all is the final two minutes.

I’m going to play the best of my government in this year-and-a-half, for tourism and for anything.

Email Arnie Weissmann at aweissmann@travelweekly.com and follow him on Twitter.

Safety of Mexico Interview

Posted by & filed under Health and Safety, Journey Mexico TV, Media.

safety of mexico interviewIn May of 2011, Journey Mexico lead a group of 13 travel experts from around the world on a 14 day excursion through Mexico City & Puebla, Oaxaca, Chiapas, and the Yucatan. On the final night of the trip, we sat down with member of the group and asked them: “At any point during your time in Mexico did you feel unsafe?” It’s not surprise to those of us who live here that their answer was overwhelmingly NO.

 

Mexico Puts a Lock on Gossip

Posted by & filed under Culture, Media, News, On the Road.

On a recent trip through Central & Southern Mexico, I had the opportunity to visit the gorgeous cathedral on the zócalo (the main square) in Mexico City, where I came across an interesting tradition of which I’d never heard.

I was actually on my way out of the cathedral when I passed a little table that seemed to be overflowing with red ribbons. As I was passing, a woman approached the table with another red ribbon in one hand but with a small metal lock in the other. Intrigued, I stopped and watched as she parted some of the ribbons revealing a metallic grid around which she clenched the lock she was carrying. She then took the ribbon, tied it to the lock, said a little prayer, and then left.

Now I was really intrigued. Stepping forward, I realized the the ribbon she had tied to the lock had someone’s name written on it. Confused, I turned to our Journey Mexico guide, Juan Carlos, who was already laughing at my bewilderment. “The ribbons tied to the locks,” he explained to me, “are placed here to stop people from gossiping against us. If you feel that someone is gossiping or speaking ill about you, you write their name on a red ribbon then tie it to a lock you’ve secured to this table.”

Apparently, once you’ve tied a ribbon to your lock, Saint Ramon Nonato, the patron saint of pregnant women and gossip and whose statue sits behind the table, sees to it that your slanderer is quieted. Needless to say, many in our group approved of this tradition and went looking for ribbon.

Table Talk: Calabacitas Tiernas Guisadas

Posted by & filed under Journey Mexico TV, Media.

table talk imageIn this newest webisode of Table Talk, Journey Mexico and El Arrayán show you how to make Calabacitas Tiernas Guisadas, a fairly simple but extremely tasty dish. There are only four simple steps to this one, so we hope you give the recipe a try yourself and let us know how it turns out in the comments below!

Travel Safety in Perspective: USA vs. Mexico

Posted by & filed under Health and Safety.

This article was written by Tim Leffel and has been re-posted from his blog Tim Leffel’s Cheapest Destinations

There’s been a lot of news coverage about violence in Mexico, very little of it bothering to note that Mexico is a huge country with thirty-some states and that a) almost all of that violence is narco-related and b) you can count the number of tourists affected on one hand.

Meanwhile, according to the FBI, “An estimated 15,241 persons were murdered nationwide in 2009″ in the United States of America.

Officially, 111 U.S. citizens were killed in Mexico last year, a third in just two cities. Almost all of them were involved in illicit vocations, usually the trafficking of guns, drugs, or people across the border. This is 111 out of close to 8 million visitors, with nearly 1 million of those being part- or full-time residents choosing Mexico over the U.S. or Canada.

You know who else had 111 murders in one year recently? Boston. And Las Vegas. And Orlando. Are any tourists scared of going to those places?

Meanwhile, almost 1,000 U.S. citizens died in Puerto Rico. Nobody running the news desks cares about Puerto Rico or has an incentive to make people scared of Puerto Ricans (by nature, they can’t be “illegal immigrants”), so this isn’t widely reported.

Then there’s the U.S. proper, which can’t get a State Department travel alert because it’s, well, not a foreign country. How’s your city doing in comparison to Mexico when it comes to the annual numbers?

Atlanta  – city, 80 murders. Atlanta MSA (metropolitan statistical area), 325 murders
Baltimore – 238 city, 298 MSA
Boston – 50 city, 111 MSA
Dallas/Ft. Worth – 210 city, 310 MSA
Detroit – 365 city, 447 MSA
Houston – 287 city, 462 MSA
Indianapolis – 100 city, 111 MSA
Jacksonville, FL – 99 city, 120 MSA
Kansas City – 100 city, 163 MSA
Las Vegas – 111 city, 133 MSA
Los Angeles – 312 city, 768 MSA
Miami  – 59 city, 377 Miami to Boca Raton corridor
New Orleans – 174 city, 252 MSA
New York City – 471 city, 778 MSA
Orlando – 28 city, 111 MSA
Philadelphia – 302 city, 436 MSA
Phoenix – 122 city, 302 MSA
San Francisco – 45 city, 292 MSA
St. Louis – 143 city, 210 MSA
Washington, DC – 143 city, 325 MSA

To put things in perspective, the murder rate in the Yucatan state of Mexico is 2 per 100,000. That’s about the same as Fond du Lac, Wisconsin or Evansville, Indiana. Mexico City’s is 8 per 100,000. Despite being one of the most populated cities on the planet, that’s on par with Albuquerque, NM. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never felt scared in Albuquerque…

Another Wold in Merida: Hacienda Xcanatun

Posted by & filed under Media, News, On the Road.

During recent travels throughout Central & Southern Mexico, I had the chance to visit the capital city of Yucatan, Merida, with which I was very impressed. Located just off the coast of the Gulf of Mexico and home to almost a million people, Merida makes the perfect launching point for excursions to many of the ancient Mayan archeological sites in the area. As impressed as I was with Merida, however, I was even more impressed with the level of privacy, tranquility, and luxury offered at a local hacienda located just minutes from the hustle and bustle of the capital.

Hacienda Xcanatun

Hacienda Xcanatun in Ruins

Hacienda Xcanatun was originally constructed in the 18th century to cultivate corn and raise livestock but eventually began growing and processing sisal, which is strong fiber from a type of agave plant that was used to make the twine and rope that brought the Yucatan unprecedented amounts of wealth towards the end of the 18th century. Unfortunately, the introduction of synthetic replacements for sisal left Hacienda Xcanatun and most other haciendas in the Yucatan in a decline to ruins. In 1995, however, experts in Colonial and Mayan architecture worked together to rebuild Hacienda Xcanatun into the remarkable property it is today.

Suite Patio

Entering the hacienda is like entering another world altogether. I had a hard time comprehending how we could be just minutes from downtown Merida yet hear nothing but the birds and fountains of the property. The staff of Hacienda Xcanatun gave us a wonderful tour of their many levels of suits and rooms, which were all truly impressive. It is obvious that the owners took great care and paid great attention to even the most minute of details in each room. One suite has a wrought iron spiral staircase inside leading to a second bedroom and others have jacuzzis made of stone in the bathrooms!

Suite Bathroom

After our tour of the property, we were treated to a special five-course lunch at Casa de Piedra, Xcanatun’s restaurant, as guests of owners Jorge Ruz and Cristina Baker who, in turn, requested that chef José Vázquez (one of the most skilled chefs in Mexico) host them in their absence. Casa de Piedra was selected as one of the top 50 restaurants in Mexico by the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences based in New York City, and has been the recipient of the Academy’s Star-Diamond award for excellence over the past eight years. After looking at the photos below, it’s needless to say that the meal was spectacular! In addition to the savory food, the ambiance of the room was both elegant and comfortable, and we were treated to live music as a local pianist who played wonderfully as we dined.

Gourmet Tostada

Seafood Ceviche

Chocolate & Caramel Cake

JM President Zachary Rabinor with chef Jose Vazquez

On behalf of Journey Mexico and our group of international travel experts who were on the trip, many thanks to the Hacienda Xcanatun for such a wonderful day! For more information about the Hacienda Xcanatun, please contact us at info@journeymexico.com.

The San Marcos National Fair – A True Mexican Experience

Posted by & filed under Holidays, Fairs & Festivals, Media, On the Road.

This is a guest submission written by Joel Duncan of Adventure Jo during his travels to the San Marcos Fair in Aguascalientes, Mexico, which is held from the second week in April until the first week in May

AGUASCALIENTES, MEXICO – “Hey bro where are you from? I’m from Chicago and I’m here with my wife and my buddy from college”. “I’m from Canada”, I replied to the sunburnt man dressed in a baseball cap, shorts, sneakers and an oversized t-shirt. His eyes gleamed with excitement as he confessed that I was only the second English speaker he had met in his three days at the San Marcos National Fair in the Colonial Heartland.  He furthered to say that the only reason he knew about the fair was because his wife was born in Aguascalientes. As I scanned the faces of the lively sea of people drinking, dancing and parading through the busy streets, I felt selfishly satisfied, that I had stumbled upon something truly Mexican.

Two days earlier, I checked into La Katharina Hostel, a relatively new hostel only steps away from the iconic Jardin de San Marcos (San Marcos Garden), the gateway to the heart of the fair.  I was the only foreigner in my 6-bed dorm room – no Aussies, Canadians, Israelis or Americans; as a matter of fact, I was the only foreigner in the entire hostel. When I pictured going off the beaten path, I envisioned traveling to an undiscovered village in the foothills of the Sierra Madre Mountains, not to Mexico’s biggest and most important fair.

More than 100 years ago, The San Marcos National Fair (dubbed Dreamland by its organizers) started off as an event to promote livestock and other products from Aguascalientes.  Today, the fair is said to attract an estimated 7 million tourists over a 3-4 week period. Although livestock is still an important part of the fair, it isn’t what continues to lure millions of predominantly Mexican tourists to the small industrial state. The fair’s organizing committee has created a culturally rich program that is aimed at the entire family and showcases the music, theatre, art, dance, and literature of hundreds of Mexico’s artists. Most of the organized events are free and are hosted in museums, galleries, and stages set up around the city, so a good pair of walking shoes and camera is all that’s needed.

Bullfight at San Marcos FairSome of the more popular attractions include the bullfights, cockfights, a casino, and of course – the parties. I skipped the cockfights and casino but decided to go to my first bullfight, in hopes of having a real cultural experience.  With a seating capacity of 15,000 people and an incredible construction time of only 48 days, the arena was nothing short of impressive. Passionate screams of ‘Ole’ and continuous whistling could be heard as the animated matadors teased and evaded the infuriated bulls. Although I enjoyed the energetic atmosphere of the arena, I only stayed for a half-hour, as my stomach and conscience could no longer handle the very one-sided and bloody battles.

When the sun went down, the party turned up, and although there are numerous posh nightclubs and bars, the biggest bash happened right in the streets. The sounds of tamboras (drums) and trumpets filled the air as Mariachis and Norteñas competed for the attention of those eager to dance the popular polka-infused banda. A cold cerveza was always in reach since during the festival, drinking in the streets is permitted (or should I say encouraged). Countless small stands lined the streets, serving up 1-litre cups of just about any alcoholic beverage the heart desired.  Second to the popular micelada (spiced up beer), my personal favorite was the appropriately named “Bomba” (bomb) – a tasty but undoubtedly potent concoction of several types of alcohol.

The organized events were spectacular but what I enjoyed more was the abundance of talented artists and performers, who brought the city streets to life. I never had to stray far from my hostel door to find someone preforming magic tricks, dancing, playing a musical instrument or entertaining crowds of onlookers with their own artistic talent. The owner of a small restaurant and 25-year resident of Aguascalientes explained why he loves the fair: “The fair brings families together. People who usually only come into town once a month come in several times – and they get all dressed up. The fair gives children more opportunity to spend quality time to with their fathers. I usually visit my family in other parts of Mexico, but when the fair comes, they make their way to little Aguascalientes.”

Traveling as a foreigner in Aguascalientes was very easy and enjoyable since everyone seemed to be curious about where I was from and how I had heard about Aguascalientes. Although it wasn’t necessary, knowing some Spanish certainly helped me to meet more people and get the inside scoop on what events were taking place. If you’re planning a trip to Mexico with your family, friends or like me – solo, and you want a crash course in the country’s culture, art, food, music and fiestas (parties), consider visiting Aguascalientes for next year’s San Marcos National Fair – you won’t be disappointed.

Southern Mexico: The Final Day

Posted by & filed under Media, On the Road.

After a quick breakfast at Maroma, we set off for the coastal archeological site of Tulum. Going into the visit, I had the idea that Tulum consisted of only one structure on a seaside cliff, but I was pleasantly surprised when we arrived as there are many ancient homes and pyramids at the site. Our expert guide illuminated the site for us and taught us how to distinguish between what was a home and what was a temple by looking at the structure of the ruins. Of course, the brilliantly turquoise waves lapping the beach below (where you’re welcome to go for a swim) made Tulum especially nice to visit.

On the coast at Tulum

After Tulum, we had an emotional goodbye with our beloved driver, Pedro, who over the course of the past fifteen days, has become both a good friend and bodyguard to our group (not to mention that he’s got to be the best/coolest bus driver in Mexico!).

What a great group!

The rest of the day was spent inspecting some incredible private villas and boutique hotels on the Riviera Maya, ending at our final location, the fabulous Esencia, where we shared one last, delicious group dinner. As we reflected over our final meal together, we realized just how special it has been to travel with such an international cast of characters. In total, our group represented nine countries: Mexico, the US, England, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Belgium, France, and Italy! I’m confident I speak for the group when I say it was an incredible pleasure to spend 14 days getting to know the customs and traditions not only of Mexico but of each other’s countries as well. I’m not even out of the airport and I’m missing everyone already! Hopefully some of the group members will send us a personal review of the trip so that you can get to know them as well. Until then, stay tuned for more photos and video from the trip!

Southern Mexico: Day 12

Posted by & filed under Media, On the Road.

Today began with a very special morning as we awoke at 5:30am for private visit and guided tour of the archeological site Chichen Itza. With it’s massive ball court and one of the most impressive pyramids in all of Mexico, Chichen Itza is one of the most visited archeological sites in the country. Having the opportunity to visit the site with no one but a small group of your friends as we have become on this excursion through southern Mexico was a privilege indeed.

Chichen Itza in the morning

The name Chichen Itza means “the mouth of the well of Itza,” referring to the cenote of Itza. The Yucatan peninsula is a very porous land mass covered in natural sink holes called cenotes, which were essential to the ancient Maya for both their physical and spiritual needs. After our visit to the archeological site, we were able to cool off in a local cenote before heading off to the Riviera Maya.

Cooling off in a cenote

After several site inspections in the Riviera Maya, we met for dinner at one of the restaurants at the luxurious Rosewood resort, where we stayed for the night. At dinner, we celebrated the birthday of one of our group members, Steve from Singapore. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a special birthday cake ceremony as Steve was sung “Happy Birthday” in seven different languages by our international group!

Happy Birthday Steve!

Tomorrow is a day of nothing but site-inspections, but stay tuned for the final day of our trip when we’ll visit the picturesque archeological site of Tulum!

Go to The Final Day >>

Southern Mexico: Days 10 & 11

Posted by & filed under Media, On the Road.

Hacienda Uayamon

Day ten was a day of luxury. Waking up at the gorgeous Hacienda Uayamon, we had breakfast and then relaxed by the pool, which was surrounded by the ruins of one of the buildings on the property. In the height of its prosperity, the Yucatan Peninsula made a fortune in the creation and sales of a certain type of rope. When synthetic replacements came along, the area fell into ruin, leaving many of the haciendas (basically plantations) abandoned. Today, Starwood has restored several of these haciendas into the most fabulous, private, and luxurious hotels you could imagine. After leaving Uayamon, we were fortunate enough to stay in another hacienda property, Hacienda Santa Rosa, the following night!

The pool at Uayamon

After breakfast at Santa Rosa, we set out for an expertly guided exploration of the archeological site Uxmal, which many consider to be one of the finest examples of classic Mayan architecture. We were lucky to have a perfectly sunny afternoon at Uxmal, allowing us to get some surreal photos from the site.

Piramid at Uxmal

From Uxmal, we traveled to Merida, the capital city of the Yucatan. Upon arrival, we visited the Governor’s Palace, where our Journey Mexico guide Alex explained the significance of the giant and moving murals that line its halls. Each mural plays a part in the history of Mexico, and several of the depictions of what the Spanish did to the natives were tough to view.

Spanish torture mural

From the palace, we visited Merida’s most extravagant street, which is lined with massive mansions built in the style of the French. On this street, we visited the super-chic boutique hotel Rosas y Xocolate. If you have a girlfriend or wife who likes pink and chocolate, trust me, she would die to stay here.

Rosas & Xocolate

Moving on from Merida, we journeyed to the magical town of Izamal, the “Yellow City,” where we visited the convent where the Spanish Bishop Diego de Landa Calderon burned many of the Mayan codices and images, effectively erasing much of Mayan history.

The Monastery at Izamal

From Izamal, we traveled to our final destination of the day, the Lodge at Chichen Itza, which is a hotel literally a stone’s throw away from the archeological site. It was originally built to house the first archeologists from Harvard University to excavate the site. Stay tuned for a report on what we saw tomorrow!

Go to Day 12 >>

Southern Mexico: Days 7-9

Posted by & filed under Media, On the Road.

When we left San Cristobal de las Casas, we entered some pretty deep jungle where internet was non-existent. Here is a brief recap of what we encountered as we set out to find the ancient Maya.

Day 7 – After a hike through the highlands of Chiapas, we reached Toniná, featuring one of the most well developed central temple complexes in Mayan civilization. The base of the temple has a real labyrinth that we were able to wander through in the dark.

Climbing Toniná

From Toniná, we continued on to a natural wonder, the Misol Ha waterfall. Falling more than 130 feet from top to bottom, Misol Ha was impressive even now at the end of the dry season. Our guide Roberto informed us that during the rainy season, the cascade of Misol Ha more than doubles in width and the force of the water is so great, visitors get sprayed with water even when standing high on the banks. Because the rainy season has not yet started, we were able to actually walk behind the waterfall and explore caves containing smaller rivers.

Walking behind the falls at Misol-Ha

Walking behind the falls at Misol-Ha

Day 8 – Today, we visited two of the most difficult to access and the most impressive sites in the Mayan world: Yaxchilán and Bonampak. Traveling through the jungle by boat, we arrived at Yaxchilán, which was home to a powerful group of Mayans that dominated the Usumacinta River area.

Hiking down from Yaxchilán

Bonampak was a smaller community of Mayans who were actually ruled by Yaxchilán. Their significance, however, is great because they left behind astonishingly vivid frescos inside their temples, accurately depicting battles, bizarre rituals of torture, and bloodletting. The frescoes found at Bonampak are unmatched throughout the Mayan world as we currently know it.

Paintings at Bonampak

Day 9 – Today we set out for the costal city of Campeche but not before an early morning visit to the magnificent archeological site of Palenque. Nestled deep in the jungle at the foot of the Sierra Madre del Sur, Palenque was an important and powerful group of ancient Mayans. Their city was created around 100 BC and although the site is massive and sheds a lot of light on the traditions, rituals, ceremonies, and spirituality of the ancient Maya, only a very small fraction of the actual site has been excavated.

Looking at the Temple of Inscriptions at Palenque

From Palenque, we traveled into the waterfront city of Campeche, a famous port city on the Gulf of Mexico. When the Spaniards overtook the city of Campeche, it became a booming port constantly bustling with trade. The sudden increase in trade traffic quickly attracted pirates who would often attack merchant ships heading back to Spain after loading up with gold and silver from Mexico. Here in Campeche, our groups splits up to stay at two of the Hacienda properties, Puerta Campeche and Uayamon, where we will no doubt redefine our definitions of luxury.

Town square in Campeche

Stay tuned for more!

Go to Days 10 & 11 >>

Southern Mexico: Days 5 and 6

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Our private fleet

Day 5 was a bit of a travel day as we boarded two small, private planes and flew from Oaxaca to Tuxtla Gutierrez in the southern most state of Chiapas. From Tuxtla, we transferred to Chiapa de Corso for a boat ride through the Sumidero Canyon.

Cruising through the Sumidero Canyon

The canyon itself was impressive with its walls climbing thousands of feet towards the sky, but I was more impressed with the history of the canyon. Our Journey Mexico Chiapas guide, Roberto, explained to us that when the Spanish conquistadors arrived in Chiapas with ally Mexican Indians, they met resistance from a specific group of natives in the area. Out numbered but refusing to give in to the Spanish, this group ultimately retreated into the canyon using its steep walls and narrow entry as natural protection. Hernan Cortez and his troops eventually caught up with the rebellious natives and destroyed them.

San Cristobal de las Casas

After the canyon, we had lunch in Chiapa de Corso then continued on the highland city of San Cristobal de las Casas, where the climate is drastically cooler than that of the lowlands from where we came. Our group was immediately impressed by the beauty of San Cristobal. It has a very European feel with its narrow streets and abundance of cafes, restaurants, bars, and shops. The city has a very bohemian vibe going on and I was surprised to see the amount of European travelers who looked like they’d been camped out in San Cristobal for some time. Before settling into our hotel, we did site inspections of Villa Mercedes, Casa Felipe Flores, and Casa Mexicana (where we have been staying).

Day 6 began with breakfast in the hotel as usual, which was followed by a trip into the outskirts of town to a village called San Juan Chamula. Roberto gave us some nice insight into the history of the local people on our way out, explaining how the Chamula peoples’ ancestors were one of the few groups to never be fully conquered or captured by the Spanish. Their ancient traditions still carry on today, and we were lucky enough to be permitted into their church to witness their most unique customs.

Roberto teaching us about San Juan Chamulan Customs

The Chamula are still considered “pagan” by the catholic church, even though the religion they practice is sort of a mash-up of catholic and ancient native beliefs. Roberto told us several of the parables they hold to be true including one in which Jesus had a younger brother who was basically murdered by Jesus for being too greedy. Inside the church (whose floor was covered with pine needles, burning incense, and lit candles), we witnessed many local shamans performing healing rituals on the sick. Some of the rituals involved rubbing the back of the sick person with chicken eggs, steady chanting, and the drinking of a locally brewed rum (called Posh), which they would also pour out between the candles for the Saints to drink.

The church of San Juan Chamula

The most striking ritual actually involved a sacrifice. Roberto explained that the Chamula people believe that certain illnesses are caused because a piece of the sick person’s soul has been taken by dark spirits. To retrieve the piece or pieces of missing soul, a shaman will offer the spirits a chicken in exchange for the soul. To do this, the chicken must be killed right there in the church. In the fifteen or so minutes we were in the church, we probably witnessed four or five chickens being strangled in sacrifice. Roberto noted that Priest of the church (who had been thrown out by the people many years before) is occasionally called back to the church to baptize the children. After he performs the baptism, however, he is then asked to leave again as he does not approve of the sacrifices, rituals, and the drinking of posh within the church. (See reactions of our visit into the church from three members of our group below).

From San Juan Chamula, we drove to another local village called Zinacantán, where we again had the pleasure of being welcomed into the home of a local family to learn about their customs. This particular family produced brightly colored rugs which are woven on what they call a back-strap loom. One of the women ties the one end of the loom to a post and attaches to the other end to a belt that is worn around her back. Leaning backwards to create tension in the loom, she weaves intricate patterns into the rug. Many of our group purchased rugs and table runners from the family as they were too beautiful to pass up.

Zinacantán woman weaving

Before leaving the home for an incredible open-air buffet lunch, we were treated to some homemade quesadillas with beans on blue tortillas as well as a few bottles of homemade posh. It was tough not to spoil our appetites with more than one quesadilla as they were so delicious. The posh was tasty as well – and potent! In fact, two of our group members enjoyed it so much they “got married” in traditional Zinacantán wardrobe. Although the wedding only lasted a few minutes, it was a beautiful ceremony.

Our newlyweds

After lunch, we visited the enchanting estate of the Parador San Juan for a site-inspection then returned to the hotel to relax before a lovely Italian dinner on a terrace overlooking one of the many lively streets of San Cristobal. Tomorrow, we travel to for Palenque, stopping at several ancient archeological sites on the way. Stay tuned for more to come!

Go to Days 7-9 >>