Belize is very expensive on a shoestring budget like ours. Gas is over $5.25 a gallon and food is almost double American prices so we tried to hurry up and get out of there. We headed back to Mexico and decided we’d continue our trip North. Campache Mexico was calling me from the Lonely Planet guide book so we took a 2 hour detour and headed off our route to visit this historical town which is located within ancient fortress walls.
On the way to Campeche we found a fishing village called Chopotan which we enjoyed quite a bit. We arrived mid evening and parked at the town docks, not quite realizing the morning would be bustling with fishing activity. Watching them clean the stingray and baracuda dressing them for market was quite interesting. These were caught with a net but we also so a fair number of casual fishermen using a minnow on a piece of fish-line - sans rod. We walked through the market and went on our way to Campeche.
We loved Campeche with it’s old time Mexican houses, architecture within the fortress walls. We found a hostel to land on and they must have known I was coming because there were Dragonfly tiles on the floor of our room. It’s been a very long time since I’ve slept on the top in a bunkbed but it was closer to the ceiling fan.
We spent the two days there and left feeling like we could have spent even more time there. Campeche dates back to the early 1530‘s when pirates, the Spanish and English were all vying for this plat of land. This was a military camp and the cannons are still there just in case I guess.
In 1999, Campeche was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Village. I didn’t really understand the connection with UNESCO but it is a branch of the United Nations which preserves archeological and geographical sites of importance around the world. The Barrier Reef we went diving on, the second largest in the world, is also a UNESCO site. Basically thy ncourages international peace and universal respect by promoting collaboration among nations. http://www.unesco.org/new/en/ Most of the places in the US are our grand National Parks
The churches are plentiful, huge and interesting. One has a black Jesus carved from ebony in the 1500‘s. The black Jesus was sent to Mexico from Africa via boat. The boat who refused to carry the Jesus sunk on the voyage. There was another church which celebrated the first Catholic mass in all of the America’s in 1534. There was yet another which was over the top gilt decorated. Most had very old, beautiful paintings albeit all religous. Comedian, Bill Maher would have loved the church with larve in the Holy Water.
We visited the plaza, many churches and museums and at the end of the second day when I could walk no more, we took a trolly tour ($7pp) around the greater city which consists of more then 215,000 inhabitants. Caught between progress and tradition, this town was bulging with modern day stores. There is a 3 mile long walkway which runs along the ocean where you see all sorts of people exercising. It’s also where you’ll find WalMart, KFC and other American chain-stores unfortunately. There was a very nice crafts store (supposedly the best in Mexico) we visited as we were leaving town and I bought a few gifts for my girlfriends and a beautiful hat for myself.
UNESCO provides millions of dollars every year so Campeche can keep up the painstaking preservation which is just magnificent. Every year, the 3,200 buildings within the walled city are painted lovely pastel colors. The cobblestone streets are narrow and it’s interesting to watch the people gravitate to the shady side of the street and cars get to park on the opposite side or the sunny side. With all this history you’d think there would be lots of antique shops but not so - I can’t seem to find any, any place. I wonder if there’s a reason they are not allowed.
After we left Campeche we went back to long travel days filled with brightly colored concrete houses with storefront signs and graffeti painted right on the walls anywhere and everywhere. We’ve enjoyed the flora and fauna, the birds, the mountains, the statues, monuments and churches.
We’ve been stopped 4 or 5 times each day by the Military or Policia Federali who want to know what we’re doing. They ask if I speak Spanish, tell me they don’t speak English and when we acknowledge neither of us know what the other is doing or talking about they let us pass. Before I left home, I had a postcard printed which I hand out profusely which has confused and pleased them. I flash a PEACE sign and off I go.
The last several nights, we’ve had the pleasure of finding a spot on a beach with an internet shop nearby. Tonite we’re in another Pemex which we haven’t visited in 5 or 6 weeks now, but they are clean and well lite and we feel safe. Late today I made a wrong turn and realized the sun was setting on my right side which meant I was heading south again instead of the North I should be. Oh well, what’s 206 km and a tank of wasted gas, when you’ve driven over 12,000 miles. We’re getting weary and our enthusiasm is starting to wane, especially for each other. Just a few more days and we’ll be back in the United States....I hope.
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