Mexico: States of Oaxaca and Chiapas
(2013-2018)
(This banner shows a
collection of small colorful painted wood carvings, a typical Mexican folk art
that originated in the Oaxaca valley.)
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The states of
Oaxaca and Chiapas are two of the most interesting states in Mexico, with major archeological sites,
thriving folk art and culture, famous food, and gorgeous coastline. Both states
are rugged and mountainous, somewhat isolated from central Mexico. Traveling
through them takes time, even for short distances. Their people are perhaps
more independent-minded than in other parts of Mexico, as illustrated by the
numerous demonstrations occurring in Oaxaca city and the Zapatista movement in
Chiapas.
(2013) Oaxaca and its
valley (State of Oaxaca):
Oaxaca is the capital of the state of
Oaxaca.
Church of Santo Domingo in Oaxaca.
Natural colorful dyes.
Monte Alban, a major archeological site
above the town of Oaxaca.
Mineral springs of Hierve
El Agua in the Oaxaca valley.
Geometric
patterns on the walls of the Zapotec palace
of Mitla, 44 km east of the city of Oaxaca.
(2015) Pluma Hidalgo (State of Oaxaca):
Pluma Hidalgo is a small village at 1300m in
the lush Sierra Madre del Sur north of Pochutla, best
known for its coffee and chocolate production.
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Main plaza.
One of the numerous shops selling
coffee.
(2013-2018) Zipolite
(State of Oaxaca):
Zipolite is a laidback village on the Costa Oaxaquena. The whole coast is a gorgeous succession of
beaches, coves, rocky capes, tiny islets, and tropical lagoons. The 1km-long
beach of Zipolite is beautiful, but for good reasons
(treacherous currents) Zipolite means Playa de Muertos in Zapotec language.
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Most of the time Zipolite
is very easygoing and not too crowded.
In the evening, as the daily heat
abates, both local people and tourists like to swim, play, or troll along the
beach.
Because of the east-west orientation of
the beach, the sun rises at one end of the beach...
...and sets in at the other end.
Bungalows colored red by sunset.
(2017) Costa Oaxaquena
around Puerto Angels (State of Oaxaca):
Rock formations.
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Pretty and quiet sandy coves.
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Pelican.
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Sea turtle.
(2016) Mazunte (State of Oaxaca):
Coastline in Mazunte,
another nice village on the Costa Oaxaquena, about
6km west of Zipolite.
(2014) Playa Ventanilla (State of Oaxaca):
This beach located a few kilometers west
of Mazunte is interesting for its lagoon inhabited by
many birds and crocodiles.
The hole-in-the-rock formation for which
the beach is named (″ventanilla″ means ″window″).
Crocodile in the lagoon (estuary of the Tonameca river).
(2015)
Parque National Lagunas de Chacahua
(State of Oaxaca):
This interesting park located about
100km west of Puerto Escondido gets relatively few visitors. However, its
lagoon is much larger than the one in Playa Ventanilla.
The small village of Chacahua is very quiet, except
for a loud-speaker that every inhabitant may use to send messages to other
people.
Annotated aerial view from Google Map.
In Zapolalito
village, the main entry point into the park.
View of the mountains from Laguna Pastoria.
Between Lagunas Pastoria
and Chicahua during the lancha
(small motorboat) trip.
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Mangrove.
Birds.
View over Laguna Chacahua
from the lighthouse.
In the crocodile sanctuary.
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Chacahua beach.
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(2014) San Cristobal
de Las Casas (State of Chiapas):
San Cristobal de Las Casas is a rather large
town (over 150,000 inhabitants) located in the highlands of the state of
Chiapas at an elevation of 2200m. Most of the population, especially in the
surrounding villages, is indigenous Maya.
View over the town from Cerro de
Guadalupe (a small hill on the eastern side of the town).
Real de Guadalupe (one of the main
streets) with Cerro de Guadalupe in the background.
Women with their children in from of the
side entrance door of the cathedral on Plaza 31 de Marzo.
Street vendor.
In the market.
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Colorful hamacs.
Church of Santa Lucia.
Mural illustrating La Rebelion de los Colgados (The Rebellion of the Hanged), a novel by Bruno
Traven about the struggle for freedom in tropical Mexico.
Decoration of the portal of the Templo de San Juan in San Juan Chamula,
a few kilometers from San Cristobal de Las Casas.
(2014) Tonina (State of Chiapas):
Tonina is a major Maya ceremonial center from
the 6th to 9th centuries AD. It is located about 100km east of San Cristobal de
Las Casas, near the small town of Ocosingo. Less
famous than Palenque or Tikal (Guatemala), but nevertheless quite spectacular,
it attracts relatively few visitors.
Views of the main step pyramid structure
rising 71m above its base. It is believed that only a fraction of the site has
been explored and that many structures still remain to be excavated.
Views during the ascent of the pyramid.
View from the top.
Opening in the Palace of the Underworld
(constructed in the 6th century) in the first level of the pyramid.
Stucco carvings on the 5th terrace of
the pyramid, believed to have been created between 790AD and 840AD:
- Frieze of the Bird Dancers.
- Two portions of the frieze of the
Dream Lords, also called frieze of the Four Eras, discovered in 1990 (4m high
and 16m long). The photo on the left shows the central part of the frieze. It
represents a head that is ringed by feathers and positioned upside-down in the
frieze. Four lines of feathers radiating from this head divide the frieze into
4 triangular areas representing 4 distinct scenes. Large parts of the frieze
are missing.
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Temple of the Earth Monster located on the
6th level of the pyramid. The photo shows the sculpted altar that represents
the gaping mouth of the Earth Monster. It is not known what the sphere inside
the mouth may represent.
Relief sculpture with Maya glyphs
(copy). It shows two players (the kings
of Tonina and Calakmul?)
playing ball. The original sculpture found on the site of Tonina
has been moved to the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City.
Statues in the local museum.
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(2014) Sumidero Canyon (State of Chiapas):
This is a
beautiful canyon, but it is impossible to ignore the disgusting trash that
floats on some sections of the river.
View from a boat on the Grijalva river that runs through
the canyon.
Crocodile sunbathing on a small beach.
Garbage on the Grijalva
river. This is only the most visible part of the
actual garbage. Most of the solid waste is hidden underneath the surface.
(2014) Chiapa de Corzo (State of
Chiapas):
Parachicos (boys and men impersonating
conquistadors by wearing blond wigs and masks with light skin and facial hair)
during the Fiesta de Enero on January 4-21. For more
information on this tradition see here.
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Young women in traditional chiapaneca dress during the Fiesta de Enero.
Street vendor of raspados
(shaved ice with fruit syrup).
Decorated street.
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