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Gulf and Southern Mexico
Gulf and Southern Mexico - A special feature of this coastal strip of the
gulf comprising Tabasco, Veracruz and Chiapas is the fertility of its land,
which still bears traces of what were once complex forests and green landscapes.
No less interesting is the fact that it was the site of great civilizations,
such as the Olmecs in the coastal region and the Mayans in the uneven territory
of Chiapas, together with other major cultures such as the Huastecs and the
Totonacs in Veracruz.
An important site in the history of Mexico and the gateway for the conquistador
Hernán Cortés, the Gulf Coast has survived several battles, and is now being
extensively developed due to the existence of a large industrial center as well
as the fact that it is Mexico’s major oil producer. The colorful landscape,
ethnic groups, fiestas, traditions and food, form an intricate mosaic. Visitors
are astonished to find that a single territory contains both great mountains,
such as the Pico de Orizaba, at 5,747 m above sea level the highest peak in
Mexico, and the lowlands of Veracruz, Tabasco and Chiapas, where the
temperatures require one to wear light clothing.
Chiapas, a state in the southeast of Mexico, is full of contrasts. Its
geographical and cultural diversity, complex history, natural richness and
variety of ethnic groups make it one of the country’s most attractive tourist
destinations. Chiapas is virtually synonymous with nature. This green strip of
Mexico contains one of the most complex biotic diversities in the country. It
has mountain ranges, rivers, volcanoes, plains, canyons, waterfalls, lakes,
cloud forests, coast and savannah. Much of its territory is considered a nature
reserve, and supports an astonishing range of flora and fauna. Its attractions
include archaeological sites, colonial cities, nature reserves, Indian
communities, beaches and places for engaging in open-air sports and ecotourism.
It has two of the largest, most spectacular rivers in the country, the Grijalva
and the Usumacinta.
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Palenque - In the midst of an extraordinary
setting of exuberant, endlessly green tropical jungle stands one of the most
important and spectacular Mayan cities of ancient Mexico: Palenque. Palenque
is one of the most frequently visited archaeological zones in the country.
Apart from exploring its buildings, visitors can also take photographs,
carry out research or purchase local handicrafts. For many years, Palenque
was covered by dense jungle, until the 19th century when it was discovered
by adventurers and artists, such as Guillermo Dupaix, Count Waldeck, John L.
Stephens, Frederick Catherwood, Désiré Charnay and Alfred P. Maudslay, whose
reports made the world aware of the greatness of this city.
This imposing ceremonial center reached its peak during the Classic period
(600-700 AD), when its major buildings were constructed. During this time,
it was the capital of a province that comprised the lowlands bordering on
the Usumacinta and Grijalva rivers. The set of buildings that can be seen
today are only a fraction of what the city once was. Palenque’s collapse is
still a mystery. It is thought to have been due to the rebellion of an
oppressed people, since there are signs that it was intentionally destroyed.
The archaeological zone lies within Palenque National Park. Its climate is
warm and humid, with altitudes of less than 350 m. The vegetation is mainly
tropical forest which supports a wide range of fauna; camping facilities are
also available. The site can be reached via the Villahermosa-Chetumal
Highway, taking the turn-off in Catazajá to Palenque. Eight kilometers
outside the archaeological zone stands the city of Santo Domingo de
Palenque, which provides access to the site. Hotels, restaurants and other
tourist services are available. This city is within easy reach of places of
great natural beauty, as well as other archaeological zones. The city is
located 299 km outside Tuxtla Gutiérrez, the state capital, and 220 km
outside San Cristobal de las Casas.
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San Cristobal de las Casas, one of the most
beautiful colonial cities in Mexico, is an enchanting town in the state of
Chiapas. It owes its magic to its viceregal atmosphere that coexists
harmoniously with its powerful, deeply-rooted indigenous traditions, in
which the dense Mayan past still makes its presence felt. Lying in the
Valley of Jovel, in the heart of the Chiapas Highlands, San Cristóbal de las
Casas is one of the most interesting urban complexes in the country, since
it still preserves its traditional churches, squares, cobbled streets,
red-tiled roofs, houses with patios overflowing with flowers and magnificent
buildings constructed between the 16th and 19th centuries.
Formerly known as the Royal City, it was founded in 1528 by Diego Mazariego.
Its current name honors Fr. Bartolomé de las Casas, the tireless defender of
the Indians. Throughout the viceroyalty until 1829 it was the capital of the
region. From the 16th to the 18th centuries its name was changed several
times and it formed part of several territories including Yucatán and
Guatemala. San Cristóbal is also synonymous with colorful handicrafts,
exquisite gastronomy, popular fiestas, ceremonies imbued with mysticism,
refined legends and a brilliant history. Its many facets can be discovered
by venturing into the highlands to explore its traditional markets, touring
Indian villages on the outskirts of the city to buy textiles, ceramics and
other handicrafts or visiting natural sites of unusual beauty that will
delight ecotourists.
San Cristóbal de las Casas has hotels, travel agencies, restaurants,
discotheques, tourist information and other services that will ensure you
have an unforgettable stay. It is 83 km from Tuxtla Gutiérrez, the state
capital, and 1,231 km from Mexico City via Tuxtepec, can be reached by
several land routes and is equipped with a heliport.
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Tuxtla Gutierrez, a modern city where the
stories, languages and traditions of the Mexican tableland blend with those
of Central America, is an excellent starting point for discovering the
complex, magical diversity of the southern border. Its enormous pre-Hispanic
and colonial wealth blend with its natural exuberance to create a
fascinating spectacle. Legends, rituals, popular fiestas, gastronomy and
architecture coexist with modernity, creating an infinite range of
possibilities for visitors to enjoy.
In Tuxtla, voices come together and separate, creating a harmonious melody
that blends with the sound of the marimba. The smells and flavors of its
cuisine will astonish even the most sophisticated palates. Its streets
contain a combination of past and present, where jeans mingle with
traditional costumes with their colorful embroidery. These include dark blue
skirts with ribbons encircling the hips, brightly-colored silk blouses
accentuated by the blue lacework of Mame women; the long, broad tunics of
the Lacandones; striking woven palm hats with colored ribbons and
embroidered huipiles, sleeveless tunics worn by the Tzotzil and Tzeltal; and
the coarse cotton shirts with pink adornments at the neck, and on the shirt
front and cuffs of the Tojolobal. Combining the activities offered by Tuxtla
Gutiérrez with those available in its surroundings increases visitors’
possibilities of enjoyment. These range from walking round the city to
explore its stunning urban architecture, touring the botanical garden which
contains an excellent collection of local flora; sampling traditional dishes
that take one back to the pre-Hispanic world.
The Zoque Indians, the city’s founders, called Tuxtla Gutiérrez Coyatoc,
meaning place, house or land of rabbits. Between 1486 and 1505, the Aztecs
invaded the region and called it Tochtlán, a Nahuatl word meaning the same
as Coyatoc. Later on, the Spaniards hispanicized the word to Tuxtla and in
1848, Gutiérrez was added in honor of the military man and politician who
supported independence, Joaquín Miguel Gutiérrez. When the Spanish colonies
proclaimed their independence, Tuxtla played an important role in Chiapas’
incorporation into Mexico. In 1892, Tuxtla Gutiérrez was declared the
capital of the state of Chiapas. The city of Tuxtla Gutiérrez, the capital
of the state of Chiapas, is located in the central part of the state in the
southeast of Mexico in a warm, fertile valley. The natural richness of its
surroundings, expressed in imposing central valleys, low forest that still
retains abundant animal and plant species, savannas, natural canyons and
enormous rivers that crisscross and delimit the city, such as the Sabinal,
the Grijalva and its tributary Suchiapa, make it one of the areas with the
greatest biodiversity in the world.
Tabasco - Lying in the southeast of the country, Tabasco lives up
to its Nahuatl name: "place where the ground is damp." This is the land of the
Ulmecs, "the rubber people." Tabasco borders on Veracruz, Chiapas and Campeche
and is washed by the Gulf of Mexico. Its landscape consists of forest, jungle,
savannah, mangrove swamp, swamp and coast that support a wide range of land and
sea fauna. This territory of water and exuberant vegetation produced one of the
most important cultures in ancient Mexico: the Olmec, the mother of all
Mesoamerican cultures. The inhospitable terrain prevented the Spaniards from
founding cities. Nevertheless, in 1519, Cortés established Santa María de la
Victoria. Another difficulty the Spaniards encountered were the constant pirate
attacks the territory suffered from the 16th to the 18th centuries.
Tabasco has a wealth of attractions, such as the archaeological sites at La
Venta, Comalcalco and Pomoná, natural features such as waterfalls, grottoes,
swamps, beaches, rivers and marshes, and the traditional villages of Tapijulapa,
Villa Luz and Jalpa. One place definitely worth visiting is the La Venta
Museum-Park, where some of the distinctive colossal heads of the Olmec are on
display.
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Villahermosa always wakes up to the scent of
blossom and the murmur of rivers. This modern city, where holywood flowers
provide splashes of color, and the skyline is punctuated by slender palm
trees, reflects the liveliness of its inhabitants and the unforgettable
atmosphere of the tropics in the midst of a comfortable, hospitable urban
nucleus.
Villahermosa is both a destination and a starting point and the city
provides a wide range of opportunities for visitors to enjoy themselves. You
can stroll through the Zona Luz and its pedestrian zone with open-air cafés
or sail down the Río Grijalva on an old-fashioned boat. Alternatively, you
can visit the CICOM’s remarkable museums. whose structures are based on
Mayan building techniques, and which obtained first prize in the World
Biennial Architectural Competition. Another place worth visiting is Tabasco
2000, the state’s administrative center whose state-of-the-art facilities
are surrounded by hotels, banks, department stores, convention centers and
offices. Tabasco’s natural richness can be enjoyed in its parks and lagoons,
such as the Parque Tomás Garrido, La Pólvora and the Parque de la Luz.
The La Venta Museum-Park and the Yumka´ Nature Interpretive Center offer a
pleasing combination of archaeological ruins, exuberant vegetation and open
spaces. The city’s origins can be traced to the first Spanish settlement on
the mainland, founded on the left bank of the Río Grijalva on March 31 1519:
Santa María de la Victoria. The belligerence of the pirate Francis Drake,
who was living on Isla del Carmen, forced the Spaniards upstream until they
founded Villa Hermosa de San Juan Bautista, and although the hostilities
continued, the city managed to escape damage. During the 19th century and
early 20th century, trade flourished between the city and the Caribbean
islands, particularly Cuba, while the city itself thrived as a result of the
natural richness of its environment.
The city of Villahermosa is located 80 km away from the coast of the Gulf of
Mexico at the junction of the Carrizal and Grijalva rivers. Its urban grid
is determined by the ubiquitous presence of water: water from the rivers,
and waters from the Lagunas de las Ilusiones, Pólvora, del Espejo and del
Negro. Over half the territory of the state of Tabasco is covered by water
and the capital, Villahermosa, is no exception.
Veracruz, the state with the longest coastline on the Gulf of Mexico, is
virtually synonymous with enjoyment, music, dancing, magic and witchcraft. It is
set in the east of the country, and borders on Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí,
Hidalgo, Puebla, Oaxaca, Chiapas and Tabasco. Its climate varies according to
the region and ranges from hot and humid on the coast to extremely cold in the
mountainous areas.
From the earliest times, the state’s favorable conditions encouraged the
development of major cultures such as the Olmec, Huastec and Totanac, which
created sites such as El Tajín, San Lorenzo and Tres Zapotes. The conquest of
the region culminated with the founding of Villa Rica de la Veracruz by Hernán
Cortés in 1519. During the period of Independence, the port of Veracruz was the
scene of the Mexicans’ spirited resistance to the invading forces.
Veracuz is a land of elegant colonial cities such as Córdoba, villages with rich
traditions such as Papantla and Tlacotalpan, magical places such as Catemaco and
its Isla de los Monos and others with a wealth of cultural activity, such as
Xalapa. However, it is also the site of coffee plantations in exuberant
surroundings, natural wonders such as waterfalls, lagoons, rivers and the lush
coastal strip of the Costa Esmeralda. The colorful fiestas held throughout the
year culminate in the world-famous carnival, which, combined with the superb
local cuisine, make this an exceptional state.
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Veracruz City was the country’s first port
and is still its most important and liveliest one. It has literally seen it
all and infected everything with its ebullient warmth that makes every day
of the year a Carnival. Veracruz welcomes the world to Mexico from the heart
of the Gulf of Mexico that shares both the waters and the atmosphere of
Havana, Miami and the Caribbean. Although its historical center is reduced
to a few blocks, any visit to Veracruz should take in the municipality of
Boca del Río, just south of the port. This stretch contains the sun-drenched
beaches and palm trees over which Agustín Lara waxed lyrical. Winter does
not exist here and the north is a wind that comes from that direction,
rather than a compass point.
The only thing Veracruz doesn’t provide is boredom. There are traditions
that start at breakfast time, such as a delicious cup of milky coffee at La
Parroquia, continue with a trip to the City Museum or the Photographic
Archives and end after well after midnight, such as the danzón performed in
the Main Square or an evening spent listening to Agustín Lara’s songs in
what was once his house. There are also discotheques, if you prefer,
together with an aquarium (the largest in Latin America), the legendary
fortress of San Juan de Ulloa and places for diving, kayaking or sport
fishing.
Veracruz offers the warmth of its people, its delicious cuisine and its
music. This warmth is the result of its unique blend of Indian, Spanish,
Negro and Arab legacies, as well as others brought in by trade and
adventure. Founded by Hernán Cortés in 1519, Veracruz was the first Spanish
city on the continent, and the starting point of the quest for treasure,
land and souls, which made it rich and powerful but not enough so to prevent
the recurrent pirate raids. "The four times heroic" Veracruz flaunts her
history by calling herself this in memory of other outstanding moments in
the life of the now-independent nation.
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Xalapa has been called the Athens of Veracruz.. It
is a city where culture, like the evening fog, flows out of the schools,
libraries and museums, takes over the gardens, fills the plazas and is the
favorite subject of conversation in cafés and bars. Xalapa has a historic
center that rises and falls among hill slopes and gullies. It is covered by
straw roofs and is generously decorated with gardens that stretch towards
the new neighborhoods, like the one where the university is located. Not far
from the city, one can visit the waterfalls at Xico, the traditional coffee
town of Coatepec, the Cofre de Perote or the town of Jalcomulco, where you
can practice adventurous sports. A little further on are the archeological
sites of Quiahuitztlán and Filalobos.
In prehispanic times, the region was inhabited by different groups, among
which the Olmecs stood out. When Cortez, who had already allied himself with
the peoples from Cempoala, arrived there in 1519, the local inhabitants also
formed an alliance with him against the domination of the Aztecs. As of that
moment, Xalapa became an important point on the journey from Veracruz to the
center of the country. In 1720, King Philip V ordered that the fairs that
had up to that date taken place in the capital, be moved here. This was a
great help to the city that became known as Xalapa de la Feria (Fair).
During the wars of Independence and Intervention, the city was occupied by
military reinforcements that arrived from France and Spain until 1867 when
the Republic of Mexico was restored back to normal.
Xalapa had a reputation as a cultural center since the middle of the 19th
century: in 1843, a Preparatory College named El Colegio Nacional de Xalapa
(The National College of Xalapa was established, and the Escuela Normal
Veracruzana was established in December 1886. Today the city is the
headquarters of the University of Veracruz and of the prestigious Veracruz
Cultural Institute. It also has one of the best Symphony Orchestras in the
country. Xalapa is located in the southern part of the Cerro Macuiltépetl (Macuiltépetl
Hill) on the northern slopes of the Cofre del Perote, 100 km from Veracruz
and 300 km from Mexico City. (This is where the Easter Sierra Madre
Mountains start their descent to the Gulf of Mexico). Xalapa is 1,427 meters
above sea level, it is often foggy though it has a temperate climate and it
is surrounded by rich vegetation. It has a population of 500,000 people.
Gulf and Southern Mexico
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