Palenque: Home of the Mayans

As published by JPlus by The Jakarta Post, 17 September 2016

the ruins inside the forest

In the middle of the Lacandon Rainforest rests the ruins of one of the most important Mayan cities, Palenque, which is currently the most visited tourist destination in Chiapas.

Time and nature consumed the site with greenery and soil until it was rediscovered in 1746. Since then, historians and archaeologists have come to Palenque to learn more about the political, commercial and cultural history of the city and to unearth the estimated 98 percent of Palanque that
remains buried.

People climbing Script Temple

The city, inhabited from 100 BCE to 900 CE, more or less, was estimated to have more than 1,400 building at its peak.

The two percent of it currently unearthed spans 7.81 square kilometers. It took me two hours to wander up and down its hills, climbing the only three edifices open at this UNESCO World Heritage
Site.

Due to its international fame, Palenque has a host of English-speaking tour guides, as well as those facile in French, German, Italian and Japanese.

Palenque’s long-standing king, Pakal the Great, ruled for 68 years and built much of the city.

One of its most conspicuous edifices is the Script Temple, so-called because of its inscriptions, written in a script devised by Pakal, which helped contemporary researchers understand Mayan history.

The temple is also home to Pakal’s tomb, closed when I visited, which is said to be decorated by
reliefs of skulls.

The tower in the palace

The next pyramid, the Tomb of the Red Queen, takes its name from the woman whose red-shrouded body is interred inside.

Passing a field where the Mayans once played one of the precursor sports to baseball, I reached palace comprising a tower, an underground gallery, latrines, steam baths, an open-air meeting place and four courtyards.

One of the yards, the Captive Courtyard, depicted the martial exploits of Palenque with sculptures of the defeated warriors of other cities.

I continued my journey walking along an aqueduct and then climbing up a hill to get to the Complex of the Cross. For the Mayans, this was a sacred place for worshipping their deities and ancestors.

I climbed the highest pyramid, the Temple of the Cross, and viewed the entire excavated site of Palanque amid the foliage of the jungle.

In the late afternoon sun and cold breeze, I came down from the pyramid. It was time to say goodbye to the home of the Mayans.

Chiapas: The True Beauty of Mexico

As published by JPlus by The Jakarta Post, 17 September 2016

Once of the fall in Chiflon

“You have to go to Chiapas!” A friend said, trying to convince me when I was still in Indonesia before my first visit to Mexico. At that time, I was was attracted to more popular destinations, such as Acapulco or Cancun. 

Once I was living in Mexico, however, I befriended an old doctor, long familiar with the country, who changed my mind. “There are two true beauties in Mexico,” he said. “Chiapas is one of them.” 

Convinced, I packed my rucksack and departed for this south-east state in Mexico.

While Mexico welcomed around 31 million foreign tourists in 2015, only 585,000 visited Chiapas.

To shine a light on this most beautiful of regions, J+ is publishing this trip report the day after Mexico celebrates its independence on Sep. 16.

ON THE WATER

Intense sunlight bathed me as sunbeams reflected off the gleaming green water of the Grijalva River, which flows all the way to Guatemala. While it was a boiling day to commence an adventure, what my eyes saw compensated for how my skin felt.

This part of the river is home to one of the principal tourist destinations of Chiapas, the Sumidero Canyon.

I boarded a boat in Unidad Deportiva in Chiapa de Corzo, about 15 minutes from the local capital, Tuxtla Gutierrez, where I arrived after a 14-hour bus ride from Mexico City.

Together with about 20 other tourists and a Spanish-speaking boatman, I went on a 35-kilometre voyage that lasted two-and-a-half hours.

While the passengers varied in age, we all spoke Spanish. I think I got why Chiapas lacked the fame

of other tourists spots in Mexico: Not enough facilities for non-Spanish speakers.

Sumidero Canyon accommodated many diverse creatures, including huge catfish, trout and tilapia,

all of who were prime food sources for the black vultures and crocodiles lazing on the riverbanks.

(Traveler pro tip: Keep your hands inside.)

Sumidero Canyon´s boat trip

You have to use a bit of imagination on this excursion: The boat made its first stop to observe a

rock face full of stone pillars, one of which had the form of a sea horse.

We then halted to view the three cliffs depicted on the coat of arms of Chiapas.

Our cruiser paused again so we could admire the tallest cliff–one kilometre high–and a pink, grey and black cove designated the Chapel of the Virgin of Guadalupe.

Cove of Guadalupe

We also stopped at a Christmas tree-like rock face, covered by moss, which according to our guide would form a waterfall during the rainy season.

Christmas tree-like rock face

Our return point was Chicoasén Dam, one of four supplying electricity to Chiapas, which gets

almost half its energy from hydro-power.

Blessed with breath-taking natural splendour and resources; Chiapas, however, remains the poorest

state in Mexico.

The high temperature absorbed my energies. I could not help falling asleep during the one-hour journey from Sumidero Canyon to San Cristobal de las Casas, the only city I visited during this trip.

Street in San Cristobal de las Casas

IN LOVE WITH WATERFALLS

At five in the morning the next day, a tour transport picked me up at my hostel. We were going to have a very long ride as we moved northeast from San Cristobal. Along with 16 others, I started the five-hour journey while sleeping in my seat.

An hour’s travel brought us to Agua Azul Cascades, where my ear caught the sound of falling

water as I got out of the car. Passing an informal gate that was likely crafted by street vendors, I saw water that was the colour of light green flowing calmly through the spaces made between tree branches and twigs.

natural swimming pool in Agua Azul

Walking on the bumpy trail while following the noise of the crashing water, I saw people soaking and splashing in the shallows–kids and parents, young adults and golden-agers.

Not far away, a wooden viewing point was swarmed by tourists taking pictures with the wide cascades and the turquoise pool as a background.

Agua Azul Cascades lowest viewing point

A different view was offered as I reached the high point. It was like a downhill limestone hiking track, coursed by water that ran past the vegetation. Behind were the green hills of Chiapas.

View from the highest viewpoint of Agua Azul

We proceeded to Misol-Ha, another waterfall in the middle of a jungle fronted by a big pond where people could swim.

You could even explore a cave behind the falls via a 20-meter track complete with steps and a safety fence.

Trail behind Misol-Ha

While only wide enough for one person at some points, the track was large enough to accommodate the crowds comfortably.

Snippets of adventure films crossed my mind as I walked behind the falls, from Di Caprio´s The Beach to Hutcherson´s Journey to the Center of the Earth.

In fact, however, this charming place was a location for Arnold Schwarzenegger in Predator.

Misol-Ha Cascade

Agua Azul and Misol-Ha charmed me, so I wondered how different would be Chiflon, the waterfall I visited the next day.

Velo de Novia Fall

While it was not a difficult track, the sun again absorbed my energy. Thankfully, there were places to rest near some small and medium waterfalls along the way, so I could catch my breath.

While I was sweating when I reached the lookout point for the Velo de Novia, or Bride’s Veil, waterfall, the winds that blew in the high and open area quickly cooled me down. 

From the platform, I could see white water dropping in the shape of the veil, hence giving the place its name, from around 120 meters into a turquoise pool.

The local government has identified 28 natural tourism spots in Chiapas, ranging from waterfalls, lakes, caves, beaches and volcanoes. 

The state is also home to several endangered species, such as the water opossum, armadillo, anteater, harpy eagle, howler monkey, spider monkey, ocelot, jaguar, quetzal bird, olive ridley sea turtle, manatee and tapir.

For its natural beauties and biodiversity, Chiapas is indeed one of the true beauties of Mexico.

Zinacantan  

Located 30 minutes away from San Cristobal de las Casas, the town was pretty neat and clean although most of the families still lived humbly.

Zinacantan textile

Zinacantan kids asking for money to tourist

LA GUELAGUETZA

As published by JPlus by The Jakarta Post, December 2015

La Guelaguetza, one of the biggest festivals in Mexico

It’s worth visiting Oaxaca in July, when the city stages La Guelaguetza, one of the biggest festivals in Mexico.

La Guelaguetza takes its name from the Zapotec word for “the present”, which in a broad sense represents an attitude of sharing with neighbours, nature and life.

The pinnacle of the festival is the Lunes de Cerro, or Monday of the Hill, when there’s folk dancing, chanting and other rituals performed by people from throughout the state.

I watched the festivities at the modern Guelaguetza Auditorium, located above Fortin Hill close to the city centre.

While the most expensive tickets cost 1050 Mexican pesos (US$65), it’s also possible to enjoy Lunes de Cerro in the free seats, if you don’t mind sitting a little far from the action and are willing to arrive at least two hours in advance.

Most of the performances I saw were accompanied by chilena music, an Afro-Mexican fusion genre from coastal Oaxaca.

Men and women danced in pairs. Following each act, performers and organizers threw presents into the crowd, such as handicrafts, tortilla crackers, sweets and coffee.

Women dancers from the Tuxtepec region emerged carrying pineapples on their shoulders and dancing in line – and pitched bananas, oranges and pineapples into the crowd after the show.

Tuxtepec Women

I was blown away by an Aztec-Mixtec’s feather dance act, where eight men, each with about 25 kilograms of plumes tied to their heads, jumped and danced.

Feather Dance

There was also magic, as a blindfolded woman danced across the stage in search of a needle given to one member of the 11,000-or-so people in the audience. Of course, she succeeded in finding it and danced her way back to the stage with her eyes still eyes covered.

Women from Oaxaca city then emerged, dancing with huge flower baskets on their heads that held giant puppets inside, only to be joined by all the performers before the festivities ended with a fireworks party.

The Guelaguetza also involves various activities throughout the month. In 2015, the local government
invited native vendors to participate in street bazaars while museums conducted cultural workshops and exhibitions.

On the Road in Oaxaca

As published by JPlus by The Jakarta Post, December 2015 

The Aztecs called this land Huaxyacac, which means over the tip of the gourd, while the Spanish friar Francisco de Ajofrín wrote that it was where God put all the remaining hills and mountains after creating the world.

In the Free and Sovereign State of Oaxaca in Mexico, you can find pre-Hispanic architectural magnificence and Spanish baroque architecture, as well as picturesque, rugged terrain and 533 kilometers of beaches along the Pacific. It’s also one of the culinary heavens of Mexico and an off-the-beat track destination for travelers.

Hierve el Agua, petrified waterfall in Oaxaca

IN THE CAPITAL

I had a tiring trip from Mexico City to Oaxaca de Juárez, the capital of the state, taking the night bus and catching up on some sleep.

Once in a while, I was awakened when the bus traversed a bumpy road. However, in general, the uphill-and downhill ride did not bother my slumber.

The bus itself was much more comfortable than those in Indonesia, especially given its larger leg room and cleanliness.

I arrived at the bus terminal in the north of the city, close to the historic centre – a well-preserved 16th-century Spanish colonial town that was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

I forgot that I was in Mexico as I walked down the Alcala Street tourist corridor: The cantera-paved streets, small alleys and baroque buildings reminded me of Spain.

My first stop was Santo Domingo Church, which had plentiful gold-coated adornments inside and a cactus garden outside.

Santo Domingo, which took more than 100 years to build, was commandeered by the army during the Mexican Reform War in the mid-19th century, although it was eventually returned to the Catholic Dominican clerics who ran the church.

Convent of Santo Domingo

It took me around 15 minutes to walk to the main square, or zocalo in Spanish, at the end of the tourist corridor.

Local traders lined the street, offering traditional Oaxacan clothes, second-hand goods, Mexican handicrafts and local snacks. I was surprised when one hawker offered me rambutan – a surprising taste of home.

At night, the zocalo heats up, with even more food hawkers and street vendors appearing. There are also fancy restaurants with live music and patios , where it's more common to hear English spoken by tourists than Spanish.

I passed by went to the food bazaar, where most of the locals were.

ON THE ROAD

The next day, I went on a guided tour, heading to destinations in the city’s southeast.

We started by climbing the hill that’s home to the Mitla archaeological site. Before entering the complex, our bilingual Spanish-English Mexican guide showed me a Catholic convent made of the stones taken from the pre-Hispanic constructions.

“Mitla” means resting place, and the local residents believe that the spirits of the dead come here to rest after their passage.

The archaeological site was occupied by the Mixtecs, who took it over from the Zapotecs, the designers of the complex’s huge stone supports and intricate mosaics. Similar to Borobudur Temple in Central Java, Mitla was built by arranging stones without any adhesive material.

It’s dominated by white cantera stones, with touches of carmine made from the bodies of the cochineal bug, a cactus parasite.

I had to climb 50-cm-high steps to reach the top of the one ruin that was previously a palace – something that must have been a challenge for the original residents, given that the average height of a pre-Columbian Mesoamerican was only 1.5 meters.

Our guide said that was intentional: The tall steps ensured that only community and religious leaders could enter the palace, which was a sacred place.

Ruin of Mitla Palace

Not far from the ruins was an astonishing site, the Hierve el Agua petrified waterfall. The name, which means “boiling water” refers to the temperature of the nearby streams.

Boiling, though, is a misnomer: The water actually bubbles, due to mineral gases below ground that force the liquid to the surface.

I was amazed by the waterfalls: One was 30 meters high; the other, 12. Both were formed several thousand years ago, when frozen running water with a high mineral content came into contact with air and instantly solidified.

There are only two petrified waterfalls in the world, in Mexico and Turkey, according to our guide.

On the way to the bottom of the smaller waterfall, we stopped several times to get a look at its bigger sibling. At the base, we were showered by mineral-laden water that could wet you, but not precisely bathe you.

Thankfully, there are plenty of small caves and nooks where you can shield yourself to take pictures.

View from the bottom of the small petrified waterfall

THE PACIFIC SHORE

Leaving the highlands, I next explored the Pacific shores of Oaxaca, stopping in Puerto Escondido, about 10 hours from Oaxaca by bus. There are also direct flights from Mexico City to Puerto Escondido that are less expensive than traveling by ground.

Simple Map of Puerto Escondido

The reason behind my stopover was simple: I was pining to ride some waves. I rented a board at Punta Zicatela Beach, a bohemian part of the coast crowded with surf and food shacks.

The surf at Punta Zicatela was perfect for a beginner like me, who does not expect big barrels.

If you long for larger swells, though, go to nearby Zicatela Beach, where hardcore surfers ride waves topping six meters along the Mexican Pipeline.

Zicatela also hosts swanky hotels, restaurants, bars and the best nightlife in the region.

Meanwhile, for those who are only interested in swimming and lying on the sand, I vouch for the calm waters of Carrizalillo Beach. If Zicatela channels the spirit of Kuta for its long shoreline, Carrizalillo Beach could be Padang Padang.

Carrizalillo is characterized by hills that surround the sea. I had to make an effort to walk down stone steps to reach the hidden beach.

Food shacks in the dunes were ready to satisfy my hunger as I sat under a palapa, or thatched palm-leaf roof.

Cove of Carrizalillo Beach

The real reason I was keen to visit Puerto Escondido was to witness the bioluminescence glow of Manialtepec Lagoon, located about 20 minutes from Puerto Escondido.

We continued to the darkest part of the lagoon by boat on a night without any moon, since any light would hide the effect.

Our boatman steered in circles so that the phytoplankton would reveal themselves, as they glow in response to movement as a defence mechanism.

We dived into the water to say hello. As I started to move, my hands were glazed by small twinkling white stars. It was a dreamlike experience.

“Three days ago I brought a group to that side. The plankton glowed green,” the boatman said. “We cannot really tell what the color of these sparks will be.”

36 BEACHES LATER

The next day, I took a two-hour bus ride to the touristy, laid-back city of Huatulco – a place famous for its nine bays of crystal water and 36 beaches.

I reached the site late and had to let go of plans to visit all the bays by ship. Instead, I followed a
suggestion from the local tourist office and took a tranvia (tourist bus) tour.

The double-decker bus went around the town square on the way to Santa Cruz Bay, where we stopped at a nearby hill to admire the view.

Santa Cruz Bay

I decided to dine by the sea with fresh seafood that night. It was around 10 pm., and the restaurants were barely serving clients, although there was a clamour from a soccer game featuring the Mexican national team on television.

I chose the nearest restaurant, since I was starving, and was not disappointed by scrumptious seafood skewers and shrimp with cream sauce served inside a pineapple shell.

Walking to Huatulco Café at Santa Cruz Square, I paused to listen to the coffee shop’s singer as he
sang standards in English and Spanish.

I savoured the experience of drinking a cold cappuccino on a warm night listening to that singer’s beautiful voice.

Grinding Machine in Mezcal (tequila of oaxaca) Distillery 

Tortilla chip with Chapulin (grasshopper) Sauce 

Wowrale!

Life has been different lately as new experiences dropped by. I moved from Jakarta to Mexico City. I have a new job, new boyfriend, new places visited, new language learned, and new friends that express "orale!" for many different reasons.

It is a magic word in Mexican Spanish language. Let me give some examples to explain the idea.

At San Marcos Festival, State of Aguascalientes

"Let's play football," I say. "Orale!" they say.
This means let's go.

"I bought a new dress for one dollar," I say. "Orale!" they say.
This means Oh my God!

"The traffic is unbearable," I say. "Orale!" they say.
This means I agree

There are many more Mexican slang I have learned since my arrival to this Northern American country. "Que padre!" is the Mexican expression of "Cool!", yet "padre" literally means father. Another expression of the same significance is "Que chido!".

"Mande!" is used when you do not hear clearly what someone is telling you. Not even other Spanish speakers would understand it. "Pardon me" is its English match.

Instead of the common Spanish word "trabajar", which means to work, Mexican love the word "chambear" more. Then it makes the noun addressed as "chamba" instead of "trabajo".

One of my sources to learn the slang is my Mexican roomie. When he is on the phone, he may repeat twenty "güey" in one minute call. This word means "dude". Then when he craves for beer, he would ask a glass of "chela" instead of widely-known Spanish "cerveza".

My favourite Mexican slang is "Aguas!", because it has the same message as in Indonesian "awas!", or "watch out" in English. The word "agua" in Spanish means water. This alerting expression rose in the Colonial era when the water drainage system was not well established. Therefore people used to throw dirty water from the balcony to the street, and to warn people who passed by, they shouted "aguas".

In my humble opinion, those slang words are what make Spanish language interesting, yet difficult to master. They reflects the culture, at some points education of one.

People with higher level of education in Mexico refuse to use such words, thus I would use standard Spanish to converse with important persons. Although I still sound like foreigner for lacking Mexican accent, I try to put some slang into my street conversation. I am glad that they do not judge me for trying too hard to blend in, contrarily they appreciate me of doing it and it often makes them laugh. Well, I don´t mind people laughing at me this way. After all it is always better to laugh than to frown.