Mexico - Facts and Factoids

• Estados Unidos Mexicanos (United Mexican States), is the official name of Mexico.
• Mexico is often known as El Tricolore, because of its three coloured (red, green and white) flag.
• Mexico is one of the world's 17 megadiverse countries, ranking fifth in natural biodiversity.
• Mexico has 32 UNESCO world heritage sites (first in the Americas and seventh in the world).
• This is the northernmost country in Latin America.
• There are more Spanish speakers here, than in any other country.
• Mexico is a federal republic, with a presidential system of government' The federal legislature consists of the Congress of the Union, comprising the democratically elected Chamber of Deputies, which represents the population, and the Senate, which provides equal representation for each state. Mexico's federal structure grants autonomy to its 32 states, and its political system is influenced by both indigenous traditions and European ideals.

• Mexico has coasts on both the Atlantic/Caribbean and Pacific oceans. The longest river is the Rio Grande, forming a natural eastern border with the United States.
• Mexico is volcanic and most of the Mexican central and northern territories are high altitude. Two mountain ranges, the Sierra Madre Oriental and Sierra Madre Occidental, are extensions of the Rocky Mountains, from North America.
• Every year, millions of monarch butterflies migrate from the U.S.A. and Canada to Mexico. (I would love to see this - it's described in Barbara Kingsolver's novel Flight Behaviour).

Mexico - A Very Brief History

• Mesoamerica was one of six cradles of civilization worldwide, with the first inhabitants settling over 13,000 years ago
• The Mesoamerican area gave rise to a series of cultural developments which included complex societies, agriculture, cities, monumental architecture, writing, and calendrical systems. Agriculture was developing here by 6,000 B.C.
• The development of civilisations in Mexico was complicated:
  • Pre Classic Period: The earliest complex civilization in Mexico was the Olmec culture, which flourished on the Gulf Coast, from around 1500 BC. The Maya and Zapotec civilizations developed further complex centres at Calakmul and Monte Albán, respectively. The Mixtec culture began to develop farming settlements in the mountainous region between the current Mexican states of Puebla, Oaxaca, and Guerrero.

• Classic period (roughly 200–900 AD): saw the further development of the Mayans and the ascendancy of Teotihuacán, a military and commercial empire, in Central Mexico. Teotihuacán, with a population of more than 150,000 people, built some of the largest pyramidal structures in the pre-Columbian Americas. The Teotihuacán Empire collapsed, around 600 AD
• Early Post-classic Era (1000–1519 AD) saw the Toltecs migrate into the central valley of Mexico and establish their capital at Tula around the 10th century. A revitalized Maya developed in the northern Yucatan, with major cities like Chichén Itzá and Uxmal. This was the height of the Mixtec civilization. And the Aztecs (Mexica) arrived in the Valley of Mexico and founded the city of Tenochtitlán in 1325. They become the dominant force in central Mexico by the 1420s, establishing a political and economic empire based in the city of Tenochtitlan (modern Mexico City), which extended from central Mexico to the border with Guatemala. Mēxihco is the Nahuatl term for the heartland of the Aztec Empire, namely the Valley of Mexico and surrounding territories, with its people being known as the Mexica. was dominated, by the Mixtec in Oaxaca, and the Mayans area at Chichén Itzá and Mayapán. Toward the end of the post-Classic period, the Aztecs (or Mexica) established dominance,
• The Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire began in February 1519, when Hernán Cortés founded the Spanish city of Veracruz. In 1521 the Spanish captured Tenochtitlan and founded their capital, Mexico City, on its ruins. This was the beginning of a 300-year-long colonial era, during which Mexico was known as Nueva España (New Spain).
• New Spain became a major centre of the transoceanic economy, during the Age of Discovery, fuelled by silver mining (there were vast deposits) and its position, as a hub between Europe and Asia. This gave rise to one of the largest multiracial populations in the world.

• Chocolate, chillies and corn were introduced to the world from Mexico.
• Napoleon's'' invasion of Spain, in The Peninsular War, led to the 1810–1821 Mexican War of Independence, as the Mexicans took advantage of European unrest
• The First Mexican Empire quickly collapsed into the short-lived First Mexican Republic. In 1848, Mexico lost nearly half its territory to an American invasion.
• Civil war, followed by French intervention, culminated in the establishment of the Second Mexican Empire under Emperor Maximilian I of Austria, but he was overthrown by Republican forces, led by Benito Juárez.
• The late nineteenth century saw the long dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz, whose modernization policies came at the cost of severe social unrest. the 1910–1920 Mexican Revolution led to him being overthrown Díaz.
• Rapid industrialization and economic growth have sat alongside ongoing political unrest. Despite high levels of poverty (30%) Mexico's economy continues to grow rapidly and is projected to become one of the largest in the world.

Is Mexico Safe to Visit?

Most visitors to Mexico have no problem. Travellers report that most of the violence (and there undoubtedly is some) is between cartels. But poverty levels remain high and the FCO list a daunting list of possible issues. It's essential to exercise caution, take advice from the locals and stay alert.

Issues include:

• Terrorism and kidnapping - avoid crowded places and public gatherings in large Mexican cities.
• Gang violence.
• Protests and civil unrest - ditto. It's illegal to participate in political activities as as a foreigner.
• Road blocks set up by cartels and areas controlled by cartels. Take local advice and stay away. Acapulco is sadly, no longer a good idea.
• Street crime is common in cities and tourist areas. Hide your phone and camera. Don't wear valuables. Watch your luggage and belongings, even in hotels and on public transport.

• Take care withdrawing money from ATMs or using exchange offices (bureau de change). Criminals have targeted people using these services. It’s generally safer to use ATMs during daylight hours inside shops or malls. Avoid withdrawing large amounts and watch who is around you while you are at an ATM.
• Be wary of criminals posing as police officers and trying to fine or arrest you for no reason. They have targeted travellers driving rental cars. Also, be wary of genuine police officers extorting money from tourists for alleged minor offences or traffic violations. Uber and Didi services are deemed safe. But Uber is banned in many cities and I couldn't get Didi to download on my British registered phone, even with a Mexican e-sim.
• Unlicensed taxi drivers have robbed and assaulted passengers, including in Mexico City. Use the better regulated ‘sitio’ taxis from authorised taxi ranks or ask your hotel to order you a taxi. At airports, only use authorised pre-paid airport taxi services.

Remember, most travellers encounter no problems and have a great time!

What Can I See and Do in Mexico?

Mexico is a diverse and absorbing country. Read about what I did here:

• The Yucatan
• The Southern States
• Mexico City
• The Day of the Dead Festival

32 UNESCO Heritage Sites in Mexico

Mexico is a major tourist destination, currently the seventh most-visited country in the world. I was really looking forward to visiting. I'm travelling with friend Pat and we're visiting the Yucatán Peninsula and Mexico City.

The Yucatán Peninsula

The Yucatán Peninsula is a huge chunk of land, in the southeast of Mexico, which also encompasses parts of Guatemala and Belize. So, some would argue that this part of Mexico lies in Central America. As far as the politicians are concerned all of Mexico is staying firmly in North America. There are three Mexican states on the peninsula: the State of Yucatán, Quintana Roo (named after a Mexican liberal politician, lawyer, and author and pronounced Kintana Row, to rhyme with bough) and Campeche.

Cancun

The tour starts in Cancún, in Quintan Roo. It's a horror - an utterly gorgeous beach, with the bluest of Caribbean waters, ruined by strings of high rise hotels and souvenir shops. This was a tourist project, financed by the Mexican government and very successful in terms of income, exceeding expectations (over 20 million visitors a year). In 1970, when they began work, the island/sandbar had three inhabitants running a coconut plantation. It was separated from the mainland by a lagoon system, so they built two causeways, to attach it to the mainland. This became the Cancún Hotel Zone. It stretches a long way.

In addition, whilst most of the Yucatán Peninsula has remained relatively safe, compared to other parts of Mexico, avoiding the violence associated with the trade of illegal drugs, Cancun has developed a drug culture in its many bars and night clubs. It's a centre for money laundering. and the number of homicides is increasing, mostly related to drug trafficking.

Chichén Itzá, Yucatán State

Yucatán, the Mexican state, is famous for its Gulf of Mexico beaches and Mayan ruins and I'm happy to drive here, over the border, to the Mayan site of Chichén Itzá. Famed Chichén Itzá, one of the largest Mayan cities (750- tenth century AD) is huge and includes three main complexes.

The Great North Platform encompasses the monuments of the Temple of Kukulcán, also known as El Castillo (picture uptop), The Temple of Warriors and the Great Ball Court. El Castillo is suggested as one of the Seven Wonders of the World, on some lists.

The Osario Group includes the pyramid of the same name, as well as the Temple of Xtoloc. The Central Group, includes the Caracol (domed observatory, named for its snail like staircase), Las Monjas, and Akab Dzib (The House of Mysterious Writing). The Thousand Columns are a vast quadrangle, linking the Temple of Warriors to the market and are what's left of a group of halls. There are actually only 200, but it's thought that there seem to be more....There's also the sacred cenote (open well).

The Mayan Civilisation

• The Mundo Maya is the Mayan World or civilisation, which included Guatemala, Belize, Honduras and El Salvador, as well as southern Mexico.
• The Mayan civilisation is divided into several periods, but the earliest, the Archaic period, dates back to before 2000 BC, and saw the first developments in agriculture and the earliest villages.
• The first Mayan cities developed around 750 BC; by 500 BC these cities possessed monumental architecture, including large temples with elaborate stucco façades.
• Beginning around 250 AD, the Classic Period saw the Maya civilization develop many city-states, linked by a complex trade network and the two great rivals, the cities of Tikal (in Guatemala) and Calakmul, became powerful.
• The Classic Period also saw the 'intrusive' intervention of Teotihuacan in Maya dynastic politics, followed by the ninth century political collapse of the central Maya region, resulting in civil wars, the abandonment of cities, and a northward shift of population.
• The Terminal Classic (c. AD 800–900) saw the rise of Chichen Itza, in the north.
• The sixteenth century brought the Spanish and the destruction of all the Maya cities.

Uxmal

There are plenty of Mayan sites around this area, but the other main site of significance, the second most popular, is Uxmal. It's known for its vast terraces and plazas, columns, and archways, smooth walls and intricately carved facades. Uxmal is roughly contemporary with Chichén Itzá, built over several centuries, with its greatest period of construction taking place between 700 and 1000 AD. Its name means 'thrice-built' - it was continually being remodelled and embellished.

The buildings which attract the most attention are The Governor's Palace, (the longest façades in Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica) and the tallest (and probably steepest) monument - The Adivino. Otherwise known as the Pyramid of the Magician, this is a stepped pyramid structure, with five levels. Legend says that the pyramid was magically built, overnight, during a series of challenges issued to a dwarf by the gobernadora (ruler or king) of Uxmal.

The Governor's Palace is oriented to the main pyramid of Cehtzuc, (a small site located nearby). Observing from there, Venus as evening star, when reaching its maximum northerly extremes, (every eight years) would have set behind the northern edge of the Governor's Palace. This heralded the onset of the rainy season, in late April or early May. The palace's facade contains almost 400 Venus glyphs, placed in the masks of the rain god (called Chac here), demonstrating fascinating knowledge of astronomy.

There's also The Nunnery Quadrangle (thought to resemble a convent, but actually four palaces placed on different levels which surround a courtyard). And, of course, a large ballcourt.

The Mayan Ball Game

• Nearly all the Mesoamerican archaeological sites feature a ball court. As with most of the archaeology of this era, there is still much to find out about the game known as pitz, but it's fascinating stuff.
• The game was a ceremonial ritual, rather than a sport, possibly representing the symbolic recreation of the mythical combat between night and day.
• It was played on an L shaped court with steep sides. There may have been spectators.
• The ball was made from liquid latex, extracted from rubber trees, but seems to vary in size and weight. Some are larger than a football. The ball could only be touched with the hips, knees, upper arms and thighs (no hands or feet) and had to be propelled through a high stone hoop.
• After that, hypotheses and accounts vary. Teams had 2-5 players. The game may have been used to decide conflicts, maybe even wars. Sometimes, a head was used instead of a ball. Maybe, either the winning team captain (or all of them) or the losing team were sacrificed. (The PR must have been very good.) The game could last up to two weeks.

Mérida

The roads between Mayan site viewings are long. The tedium of the jungle, monotonously uniform here, is relieved by a stop at Yucatán capital Mérida. Mérida is the capital of the Mexican state of Yucatán, the largest city in southern Mexico and the cultural capital of the Yucatán Peninsula. This is where the Maya and Spanish cultures met, during the colonial era. Although the phrase is a trifle ironic. The Cathedral of Mérida was built, in the late sixteenth century, with stones from dismantled Mayan pyramids. San Ildefonso Cathedral, built between 1561 and 1598, was the first cathedral to be completed in the mainland Americas.

Mérida has colonial charm, narrow streets, and romantic horse-drawn carriages. Colourful shops crammed full of hammocks. (Many Mexicans don’t use beds.) Mérida is also is among the safest cities of Mexico.

Sotuta de Peón

Sotuta de Peón is surrounded by expansive henequen (Agave fourcroydes) plantations, a legacy of the powerful barons, of the nineteenth century, when the Yucatán became a global centre for henequen fibre production (it was sometimes called 'green gold'). Henequen is similar to sisal: both fibres are derived from agave plants. Both are well suited to making ropes, mats, and sacks, but sisal fibres are generally coarser and stiffer than henequen. And, henequen thrives particularly well in the semi-arid conditions of the Yucatán.

There's a a tour of the plantations, the processing plant (where the leaves are boiled and beaten and the fibres extracted), and the magnificent colonial-era mansion. Eek, a tarantula...

Coba and Tulum

The tour finishes with a return to Quintana Roo, for Coba and the Mayan rock fortress of Tulum, located directly on the Caribbean Sea. The coastal area round here is now promoted as The Mayan Riviera.

Coba is located around two lagoons, Lake Coba and Lake Macanxoc. It boasts a Mayan ball game pitch with a stone hoop. But the highlight of the tour is definitely Tulum - an indescribably beautiful setting on the cliffs above an azure sea. This was one of the last Mayan cities to be constructed (actually a port), on 12 metre high cliffs. It survived Spanish rule for some time and is one of the best preserved Mayan sites. Its a walled city, with the most lauded buildings being (another) El Castillo, the Temple of the Frescoes, and the Temple of the Descending God. The Temple of the Frescoes was used as an observatory for tracking the movements of the sun and has more Venus type figurines. The Temple of the Descending God is just a single room with a door to the west and a narrow staircase, that was built on top of another temple.

The Castillo is a central pyramid, also constructed on a previous building, which was colonnaded and had a beam and mortar roof. There's even a small shrine, which appears to have been used as a beacon for incoming canoes, as it marks a break in the barrier reef, opposite the site.

A peaceful last few days on the island of Cozumel. Plastic bracelets to be endured in the all-inclusive resort, but more powdery white sand and great snorkelling, surrounded by scores of inquisitive barracuda, drifting on the second longest barrier reef in the world.

What Do You Think of it So Far?

Frankly, I am underwhelmed. The Aztec and Mayan sites are interesting, although the guides at the Mayan sites seem very unsure of their facts and, at times, seem to make up explanations of some of the archaeological features we saw. Heads of sacrificed victims used to play with in the ball court? Maybe, but a little evidence please.…

The food was also disappointing. Nothing like the ‘Mexican’ offerings in the restaurants at home – on the whole bland and poorly prepared. Maybe we just ate in the wrong places.

Endless traffic and the scenery in the Yucatan is relentlessly dull - mile upon mile of low uninspiring rainforest, all the same hue. Perhaps we just went to the wrong bit?

Mexico City

Next stop, Mexico City.