Edzna * La Grande Acropole
Chetumal
Capital city of the Quintana Roo, Chetumal (named « Payo Obispo »), was founded in 1898 to take control over the maya natives who rebeled during the « caste war » which started 50 years earlier.
Today, it’s a quiet town with no charm ; a typical caribbean one.
People from Belize and Guatemala cross the border to do their shopping here.
We settle in a large camping site by the caribbean sea. A real paradise that we share with just one camper.
During these two weeks, we rest, update our website, do some repairs on the camper and catch up with our reading.
We also enjoy some nice little fish restaurants.
The only museum wasn’t interesting and incredibly expensive.
We’re now in the Yucatan Peninsula, the most visited place in Mexico.
So the authorities have doubled or trippled the ticket prices for the foreigners eventhough most of the museums are partly opened or closed…
Rio Bec Road
La « Ruta Bec » is famous for its archeological sites and its specific achitecture.
More than 10 sites ( ancient Maya style) are spread along the road 186 from Escarcega to Chetumal. It’s a long straight road of more than 300 km along the Guatemala border.
Very well restored by the mexican government, these sites are off the beaten tracks and we are often the only tourists there.
These sites have kept original decorations, paintings and sculptures ornating their facades.
Balakmul
It’s name means « the jaguar temple » due to the numerous ones represented on a big stuc fresco.
We wont be able to appreciate it as scaffoldings are hiding it. ( But we paid full price for the visit !)
Calakmul
To reach this site, one has to drive 65 km on a very bad road and it’s forbidden to Campers.
So we hire a taxi for half a day ( 7 am to 2 pm )
Glad we did it . The road is a hell ! Huge holes, very low branches etc… It takes two hours to the driver to take us there.
Calakmul is in the middle of the jungle , a protected natural area. This biosphere sanctuary covers more than 600 000 hectars and is the largest one in Mexico. It’s a world heritage site since 2002. It hostes a great variety of animals.
A marked trail takes us underwood to the different buildings. Fortunately it’s quite shady.
Calakmul was one of the most important Mayan city of the classical period and the great rival of Tikal (Guatemala).
Numerous royal tombs and bas-reliefs are found throughout the site.
On top of the high pyramids, we have a fantastic view over the site and the forest.
The only tourists we meet are … french…
Becan
This is the most important Maya city in the Rio Bec region. Certainly it’s capital city, during the late classical period and a very active trade center.
The heart of this huge city is surrounded by a ditch, the only exemple in mayan cities.
It houses squares, palaces and covered corridors. The only pyramid reaches 32 meters in height.
Chicanna
It’s name means « the house of the snake’s mouth » refering to the main building, showing a mosaic facade ornated with a snake’s head.
This head is the entrance of the building and depicts, God « Itzamma » ( God of the sky, day and night)
The scientists think this was a place where the high dignitaries of Beca lived and where ceremonies took place.
Kohunlich
The city of Kohunlich (6th to 13th century) is famous for it’s’Templo de los Mascares »
Six masks depict the faces of dignitaries, compared to the « Sun God » Kinich Ahuau
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Ojo de Agua
As the brakes still make a funny noise, we decide to go back to the car workshop to have them checked again.
We’re beeing told that they are fine, that it’s just a question of braking so many times on the « topes » that make them reach a high temperature and create this noise.
For instance, the « collectivos » which take this road to Yaxchiclan everyday, have to change their brake every five days.
So we now are more confident… Are we ?
That’s here that we leave the Chiapas, a really beautiful state that we loved.
The roads are now in better condition and the landscape change completely.
Goodbye to the tropical jungle, hello to the oil palm trees. Less romantic…
We stop over in a camping-restaurant along the road during two days.
It’s in a nice surrounding planted with palm trees on a beautiful lawn . We nearly could play golf !
The heavy storms and the daily watering system makes the lawn marshy and the camper got stuck in the mud.
We need the help of a 4 wheel drive SUV to get us out of there.
ROAD BOOK 058
MAVROS ODYSSEE