Our first stop was at Santamaria del Tule where we saw the Arbor del Tule, a Montezuma cypress (Sabino) called Ahuehete in the local tongue. It has the largest girth of any tree in the world measuring over 50 metres.
The tree was set in a charming churchyard adjacent to an equally well kept garden, alive with colour, especially the flamboya tree with it`s vibrant orange flowers and with roses still in bloom.
From here we moved to Mitla, which was a centre for Zapotec culture in the area and is an important architectural site. I thought that Mexico was basically Aztecs in the north and Mayas further south but apparently it is far more complicated than that. The Aztecs were a wartlike group who arrived in the area comparatively late and took over vast swathes of Mexico. So, when we read about the exploits of Cortez conquering the country with 500 men the truth is that he had a lot of help from the many (62) disaffected indigenous groups. The ruins here were a palace and a tomb decorated with designs that consisted of tiny stone shapes, cut separately and assembled on the walls like a jig-saw, without cement.
The benefit of this system is that it proved earthquake proof as the stone blocks and the relief designs could move during such an event. So here we have evidence of earthquake-proof design from 2000 years ago!
The place was taken over by the Aztecs in the C15 century so their influence didn’t last long and today Mitla remains a centre of Zapotec culture with a population only a little larger than it was in 200 AD. As is the case in many such sites a Christian church, San Pablo, has been built over the top of the Zapotec buildings. There was a service in the church, well attended which started with a procession bringing in fresh flowers accompanied by guitar music and singing. The service was conducted in Spanish.
The benefit of this system is that it proved earthquake proof as the stone blocks and the relief designs could move during such an event. So here we have evidence of earthquake-proof design from 2000 years ago!
The place was taken over by the Aztecs in the C15 century so their influence didn’t last long and today Mitla remains a centre of Zapotec culture with a population only a little larger than it was in 200 AD. As is the case in many such sites a Christian church, San Pablo, has been built over the top of the Zapotec buildings. There was a service in the church, well attended which started with a procession bringing in fresh flowers accompanied by guitar music and singing. The service was conducted in Spanish.
Next stop was a local artisan weaver, who showed us how the local rugs and various textile products are produced. Here the art of using natural fibres and dyes has been preserved and we got a sense of how skilful and time-consuming the whole process must be. By now we were ready for lunch and stopped at a roadside restaurant where a massive buffet was available for a ridiculously low price. I showed great discipline and restricted myself to a salad.
Despite the quantity of food eaten our next destination was the Petrified Waterfalls at Hierve El Agua, high in the mountains and accessible only by a tortuous road and finally an even more bendy and bone-shaking final section. Somewhat queasy, it was a relief to dismount into the now bright sunshine.
Having explored the top of the area I set out with Tara and Isabell to walk down to the bottom of the falls, an expedition that consumed the rest of the available time. Still, we got some good photos and I enjoyed a chance to stretch my legs properly on a rugged path. The falls themselves are formed when calcium rich spring water flows out of the ground and evaporates, thus leaving a calcium rich deposit behind.
Having explored the top of the area I set out with Tara and Isabell to walk down to the bottom of the falls, an expedition that consumed the rest of the available time. Still, we got some good photos and I enjoyed a chance to stretch my legs properly on a rugged path. The falls themselves are formed when calcium rich spring water flows out of the ground and evaporates, thus leaving a calcium rich deposit behind.
The final stop of the day was at a Mescal factory where the entire process of producing the spirit in the traditional way was demonstrated. Then of course, we had to sample the produce and found out that as it is aged for longer, the more drinkable it becomes! Tequila is actually a form of Mescal, the main difference being in the species of Algarve plant used in its manufacture. Most tequila available today is made by an industrial process. What we had here was the real thing.
After all this we arrived back rather late and plans for a group meal were scrapped. Many of us settled for a baguette or sandwich at the place next to the hotel. Everything was excellent but we had to wait nearly an hour, so an early night was taken by most.
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