Mexican Three Week Odyssey 2009

Mérida, the White City, was founded in 1542. Its architecture still shows an exquisite union of pre-Hispanic and European elements. During its Colonial era, this state capital was the most important city in the region, leaving such living monuments as the House of Montejo, Government Palace, and the main building of the University of Yucatan. Museums, theatres, handcrafts, nightclubs and beautiful parks have created a beautiful and vibrant city. Once you are settled into the hotel, we will meet and go out to experience Méridas delicious culinary tradition at one of Mérida's numerous restaurants.

We'll pass through many small Mayan villages and ex-haciendas. There are also some cenotes to be discovered along the way.

Today we will ride the Puuc route along a winding road through rolling terrain, stopping along the way to visit a number of different Mayan ruins, possibly including Labna, Sayil and X-Lapak. We will then visit the beautiful restored ex-hacienda Tabi. Continuing along the backroads through ever more hilly terrain we will eventually get to Tekax, a colonial Mayan town with 16th and 17th century churches.

We have a longer day today. Travelling on almost traffic free roads we will go through several Mayan towns and visiting a unique cenote in Sotuta. At the end of the day we find ourselves in the splendid colonial yellow town of Izamal.

Known as the Yellow Town because of the colour of the colonial buildings that line the zocalo, Izamal is famous for having the largest church plaza in Mexico. It includes an enormous Franciscan convent (built with Mayan stones) and the remnants of the most voluminous Mayan pyramids in the Yucatan. You can also visit the colourful market, or just stroll around the beautiful zocalo observing the daily routines of the local inhabitants.

We'll be passing through several small towns on very quiet backroads. There are interesting Mayan villages, small colonial towns and many cenotes. Tekit is a small Mayan-colonial town with a 16th century church, pleasant square and small market.

The adventure continues. We will stay on our quiet backroads and start the day with a visit to the very important Mayan site of Mayapan. Mayapan was the most important center of Mayan civilization leading up to the arrival of the Spanish. It was the capital of a Maya Confederation, which included Chichen Itza and Uxmal. After Mayapan, we continue on past more ex-haciendas and visiting more cenotes on our way to Ticul. Ticul is another charming little Mayan-colonial town with several old churches and an interesting market. Finally we make our way into the Puuc hills and down to little Santa Elena village. If time permits, you can visit the major Mayan ruins of Uxmal and be back in Santa Elena to enjoy the sunset from atop the huge fort-like church built on the hill of a ruined Mayan structure.

We will pass through several small colonial but predominantly Mayan villages. We may also explore Xtacumbilxunaan cave... but you have to be able to pronounce the name first! Hopelchen; the place of 5 wells (in Mayan), is a charming and friendly little town. The Mennonites that occupy much of the surrounding regions buy and sell their produce in the market here.

We will visit the Mayan ruins of Edzná and pass through more small towns along quiet roads on the way to Campeche. This ends the first phase of our odyssey as Campeche has a very different character from Yucatan state and we are now on the gulf coast.

Campeche was once a Mayan trading village called Ah Kim Pech (Lord Sun Sheep-Tick). After 25 years of fierce Mayan resistance, the Spanish founded colonial Campeche in 1531, but later abandoned it due to Mayan hostility. Finally in 1540 Fransisco de Montejo the Younger gained sufficient control and founded a settlement that survived. It became a major port exporting timber, chicle, dyewoods, gold and silver to Europe. For nearly two centuries pirates terrorized Campeche, until finally in 1668, 3.5 metre thick ramparts were built. After 18 years of construction, a 2.5km hexagon incorporating eight strategically placed baluartes surrounded the city. Parts of the wall and the baluartes as well as a couple of forts north and south of the city still exist and make for an interesting tour. Also make sure to take in the excellent market early while it is in full swing. Besides a plethora of exotic fruits and vegetables, there is the friendly fish area of the market and some unique sweet treats that should not be missed.

Welcome to the gulf coast, the second phase of our odyssey. We'll enjoy many great views of the sea as the road meanders and rolls alongside it, with some wonderfully isolated sea and rainforst stretches. A shrimp omelete in Champoton might be considered a highlight of the day, though there are many other breakfast options too. Before arriving in Sabancuy we'll stop for a little beach time and a nice dip to cool off. In Sabancuy we'll yet again be overwhelmed by the local people's friendliness and hospitality. In the evening you may choose to wonder around town or take in a movie at the very unlikely 350 seat movie theatre - it's a little large for the size of the town.

Today will be our last opportunity to swim in the sea, and we'll find a nice quiet beach to stop at - heck we'll be riding along the beach for most of the day! Ciudad del Carmen is a busy, bustling, exciting city used by Pemex, Mexico's national petrolium company, as a jumping off point to the many oil platforms in the gulf. To get to the city, we have to cross the long 3.2km bridge over a channel to the massive Laguna de Términos and onto Isla del Carmen.

We start the morning by crossing an even longer, 4km bridge back to the mainland. Be on the look-out out for dolfins and manatees! Once again the landscape changes and now we are surrounded by wetlands as we pass through small quiet towns. We officially leave the Yucatan peninsula and cross over into the state of Tabasco for the last stretch of road to Frontera, an interesting lively town on a large river which is the confluence of three major rivers; the Grijalva, the Usumacinta and the San Pedro. Fishing is an industry here, and it's very much a port town. The market and the square will keep you entertained and very well fed.

Crossing over the confluence of the Usumacinta (which forms much of the border with Guatemala) and the Grijalva rivers, we now head more inland only to once again meet up with the Grijalva in Villahermosa. This is a hot, crowded, untidy and exciting city.

Villahermosa is an interesting if exhausting city to explore, for a break from the city you might want to head for Parque-Museo La Venta. The ancient (before 600 BC) Olmec city of La Venta was actually on an island in a river some 130km west of Villahermosa. Several enormous basalt Olmec heads (the largest weighs 24 tonnes and stands over 2m tall) and other artifacts were discovered between 1925 and 1940. When oil excavation threatened the site, the most significant finds were moved to thier current home in Villahermosa in Parque-Museo La Venta. There is also a zoo here with everything from crocodiles to jaguars to spider monkeys. It's truly worth a visit. Besides La Venta park, an often overlooked attraction is the incredible market. Well stocked with all varieties of cacao, pejelagarto (lizard fish), pozol (a corn and cacao drink), all manner of tamales, exotic produce and excellent eateries, you won't know where to turn first.

Today's your chance to try pejelagarto (lizard fish) as well as a host of other regional typical food if you haven't already. Today we ride along a designated gastronomic, cultural and artisan route. We'll visit a turtle sanctuary outside of Nacajuca and finish by visiting ancient Comalcalco just outside of the modern day city. This ancient Mayan site is unique for being constructed of clay bricks and seashell mortar. The small modern city of Comalcalco itself is a bustling center with many excellent eating options including great tacos.

Did I mention cacao? What? You don't know the difference between cacao, cocoa and chocolate? Well today you'll learn all about it using all your senses. It is truly fascinating... and quite tasty too. Before leaving Comalcalco to embark on this chocolate adventure however, we will have some time to check out the market. It has a great diversity of the local goods and is full of things you'll have never seen before.

We cross into Chiapas state and Pichucalco is our first stop in the mountains, still at fairly low elevation. The mountains will be the final phase of our odyssey and today is a pleasant introduction.

Our last rest day before the final stretch. Pichucalco is known for the worlds ugliest church, or so says Discovery channel. Well, it is pretty ugly, but the town is otherwise very pretty, the architecture having transformed to suite the mountainous geography. There is an interesting market to visit and a little rest will help to prepare you for the final push into the mountains.

You'd better have a triple chainring on your bike for today and tomorrow. We're in for some very challenging steep climbs, with spectacular, rewarding views. Suddenly we find ourselves cycling in a canyon following the Puyacatengo river upstream. In Tapilula the children act as our ambassadors to this charming, friendly little colonial town. For a treat, try deepfried cheese stuffed in banana with cream on it! You deserve it.

Resume climbing. It always seems to be foggy here, but perhaps it'll clear up and we can see what we've climbed over the last day and a half when we reach the lookout at the highest point of the day, 1800m. If the fog causes us to forfeit our distant views then we can instead marvel at how the fog oozes over the mountain pass from one series of valleys into another - it's a magical sight. Descending from the pass we meander our way along the sides of mountains to Jitotol, another unassuming quiet little highland town.

Even though the last ride of our tour is only 73km long, it is probably the most challenging and awe-inspiring stage of our journey. From sea level in Mérida the tour ends today at 2100m altitude in San Cristóbal de la Casas. On the way today we'll follow the winding road up and down and around mountain passes and valleys, pine forests and indigenous villages. This is Tzotzil-Maya country.

You may explore San Cristóbal or ride to one or more nearby6 Maya villages and mountains.

In San Cristóbal, the zocalo, or main square in the center of town, is a good starting point for exploring. From there you can visit the many churches and other historical buildings in the town's historic core. The mercado, San Cristóbal's daily food market is also well worth a visit. Around Santo Domingo church you will be able to buy authentic handcrafts at the artisan market.

At night, cafes and restaurants host live music into the night. There is also cinema with foreign and spanish language films, and it's rare for a week to go by without some kind of fiesta taking place.

You will leave San Cristóbal on an overnight 1st class or deluxe bus for the trip back to Mérida. That is of course, unless you've fallen under the spell of this town like so many others and decide to stay a little longer.

Arrive in Mérida in the morning and box your bike up for your flight home, or stay and enjoy the culture for a few more days.