Tag: SOLO WOMAN TRAVEL

SOLO TRAVEL FOR WOMEN by oldbirdtravelsFeb 11, 20251:39 pm

HAPPINESS IN HOMUN!

OR DAZED AND AMAZED AS I FIND A NEW FAMILY!

My collectivo van from Merida was finally simple to get and oh what heaven to escape from the sad remnants of that fine city of Merida. I squeezed on the very busy little bus with my bags half on my lap and half under my legs and basically in the way wherever I squidged them, but at least I was on my way. The tourists aboard seemed terribly excited to escape also, it seems that I wasn’t the only person crushed with disappointment with Merida’s recent unpleasant and frenetic transformation. We bumped along merrily for an hour on boring roads and motorways until suddenly we turned off and the scenery completely changed. We were on the extensive reserve of Homun. An oasis of cenotes and ranches and a place to escape to. Instantly I felt calmed and we tourists were hushed. The locals gradually got off in their various villettes for a normal days work and we waited to also be disgorged from the bus for more glamorous escapades.

Palms and unmade roads on the way to my tucked away heaven

My stop was on the main road before the centre and involved a short walk dragging my case up a small road away from civilisation. I finally felt at peace and knew in my heart that I was coming home. This dusty track was leading me to happiness and would soothe my soul.

Upon arrival just ‘Hostal’ sufficed and the mummy dog seeking shade

The hand painted signs periodically nailed to trees announcing ‘Hostal Oro Verde’ kept my spirits up as I left the tarmac and was on a single path leading into the countryside. Cows mooed, dogs barked and birdies sang, but above all my path was strewn with butterflies that would be disturbed by my footfall and fly up in clouds of glorious colours. Mostly orange but also yellow and some mauve. It was then I noticed the heady aroma of grass and wild herbs and it was then that I knew I would finally be able to rest my weary head, for this indeed was paradise.

AT LAST, HOME SWEET HOME.

My table outside so I could monitor all who went by like a good nosy neighbour

SOLO TRAVEL FOR WOMEN by oldbirdtravelsJan 24, 20252:08 pm

CHICCANA, ANOTHER MAYAN GEM. OH AND HORMIGUERO!

OR,CHICANNA IN SPITTING DISTANCE OF BECAN, AND HORMIGUERO A RIGHT OLD TREK

The much lauded serpent portal but on the top of a high turret

HORMIGUERO A FORGOTTEN SITE IN MANY WAYS.

Whilst halfway through writing this I suddenly remembered that in fact my adventure started first thing in the morning with a booked cab that I had organised the day before to go to Horminguro dammit! You see what happens when you’re a bad, tired and grumpy old bird and don’t write your journal? I had totally forgotten poor old Hormiguero (Anthill) and possibly if you have a busy agenda so should you.

A few stacked Chaacs (rain gods) as well as many other motifs

I had in fact got very excited and planned this trip with a cabbie. I had heard it was a very unusual and nearly never visited set of ruins only partially excavated. What they mean to say is only the big interesting intact bits were bothered with and the place is a very shady quite sad place.

My impression was that the three misaligned very similar imposing structures, unimaginatively called South, Central and North Structures were almost like a bunch of bureaucratic beasts of the jungle. They are very sturdy and practical looking but they do surprisingly contain a lot of elaborately embellished doorways and panels. One also has the largest serpent doorway but that was up on high and the ground was slick with dew. I didn’t fancy a tumble so just took my images from below. If you were to come her I again would come for the atmosphere and maybe a walk in the jungle where there’s a lot of wildlife, I think you can even camp there which would be splendid!

I take it all back this was an amazing site

I just couldn’t shake my unfair immediate reaction to it being municipal and less Gormanghast and more Croydon, but then again I am very instantly judgemental about these things.

I have researched a bit but can’t get any straight answers except about what a lovely example of Chenes blah blah blah. I felt cheated although it was imposing in its own way but a bit boring and that was the reason I left early moaning to myself. On the way out I just had a nice chat to the two chaps who are its guardians but were very young and not a bit interested in its history or their ancestors work. This was annoying as I thought they might at least shed some light on its history. It was all rather sad and damp and dark and unloved.

SOLO TRAVEL FOR WOMEN by oldbirdtravelsJan 22, 20252:59 pm

BEST RUINS EASILY ACCESSIBLE FROM XPUJIL.Becán.

OR, A BIT OF JUNGLE AND ATMOSPHERE AFTER THE NEWLY RUINED YUCATAN.

I’m not going to bang on today about the shit stuff that I experienced wandering around Mexico at the end of last year, oh I’m not a whiner, you know me better than that. Yesterday is yesterday, fair does.

Becán

While researching this I came across Román Piña Chan, a very famous archaeologist, a tragic afterthought in Mexican research history, specifically that of Becan where he had the accident on that ill fated day. I wanted to include him as he sounded a dear, meek man who suffered hugely for his passion. Bedbound for seventeen years after the spirits of Becan let him fall to his fate.

A unique quiet moment to enjoy the classical arched corridor

Below is his small obituary, as modest it would seem as he was, and although translated quirkily I feel fitting for the man who it seems also discovered the Olmec figures and contributed hugely to the field

✔ Posthumous tribute to the archaeologist in the National Museum of Anthropology

Piña Chan was a generous being and always needed know yourself loved and accepted, says Beatriz Barba

ത Locate the recent find in Becán, Campeche, as part of his legacy

JIMENEZ ARTURE

In 1984, Román Piña Chan fell from a pyramid from the archaeological zone of Becán, an accident that although not managed to remove him from the investigation, the reflection and teaching did limit their ability to move.

SOLO TRAVEL FOR WOMEN by oldbirdtravelsJan 20, 20255:28 pm

MEXICOS TRAIN WRECK,TREN MAYA AND XPUJIL.

OR TRAVELLING TO A TOWN THAT’S LOST ITS IDENTITY AND HEART. POOR XPUHIL.

Me praying to the Mayan gods at Calakmul that no more damage would be done to their sacred land

Alert: Latest article about Tren Maya that proves what I say in the below account has turned out right! It’s white elephant era has begun surprisingly quickly! Don’t want to say I told you so but, I told you so he he!!! Apparently it’s being operated by the military? I don’t know about you but a military run tourist route never has left me with a warm and snuggly feeling in my belly as a traveller. Do read the article it’s accidently extremely funny. It also says

“Today, the Maya Train is not a tourist product that can be offered. There are no clear routes, there are no defined prices, not even the schedules are well established,” he commented noting that travel agencies have not yet had any contact regarding train promotion.

“If they had a developed product, they would be here at tourist events, explaining what time it leaves, how much it costs, in what languages it is available. But we don’t know anything, everything remains a mystery,”

In other words it’s a huge cock up!

Good old Trans Siberian Express an iconic train if ever there was one

Alert: Here I mostly ramble on about getting to the prime archaeological sites area and the place I used as a base, Xpujil or Xpuhil. The inner fury I felt upon having seen first hand, Tren Mayas long hard line of destruction and devastation of the area rather overtook my original intention of just writing about the sites that I went to. Mexico generally had been a shocker since my last visit and sadly you can clearly hear my disappointment in a place that just three years ago I had worshipped. If you don’t care then I will publish a post tomorrow about the actual sites I went to while there!

And so back to the post:

The Journey to Xpuhil

Riding on the bus away from beastly Bacalar and started on my real road trip! Hooray I’m leaving and going to revisit Xpuhil to use as a base to visit surrounding archaeological sites that I missed last time. I celebrated on that bus to Chetumal after dragging my case miles from my little pension in the midday sun, and was ready to wait there for a couple of hours to get my connection. So in theory I should arrive at my cabin before it’s too late to feel safe, although it will be dark. Upon my joyous arrival (I had so hated Bacalar that any shit hole was now paradise!) I also found that I could buy an earlier ticket upon arrival the bus station, which was a huge relief, rather than the later one which would have involved me waiting five hours and much sighing and whining. However, I still had over an hour to kill and I was suddenly famished.

SOLO TRAVEL FOR WOMEN by oldbirdtravelsDec 16, 202411:56 am

BACALAR, LAKES AND SUNRISE IN MEXICO.

OR, HOSTELS LIKE HOME!

I have had to backtrack to revisit my horrible experience in Bacalar, and am still digesting the no go areas advice that I would give for present day Mexico and the things still worthwhile and to be explored. Just thinking about it makes me have a panic attack as do a few places this time, so before that, I’ll finish the hateful Bacalar moan then can go onto the lovely parts of my trip which really was the archaeology and my lovely new family in Homun of course!

After the trials and tribulations of my journey down from Tulum (coconut oil leaking in my rucksack, late bus, rip off taxi from ADO bus station in Bacalar and not being able to find my hostel!) I finally settled into my modest but lovely accommodation and breathed a sigh of relief. I’d forgotten that however experienced, we all can cock up sometimes when travelling solo.

AT LAST, HOME SWEET HOME.

Share this:

HORMIGUERO A FORGOTTEN SITE IN MANY WAYS.

Share this:

Becán

Share this:

The Journey to Xpuhil

Share this:

Share this: