in the United States of Mexico 2008 |
Site No. 554bis
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A lot of people visit the Baja California for one reason: whale watching. If you are in the lagoon of Ojo Libre between December and March, you can get very close to grey-whale-mothers giving birth to their young. You should be able to see also different kinds of seals, sea lions and blue whales. It really is an opportunity of a lifetime - if you get a chance, go there. And please watch ecotourism rules. |
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Site No. 714
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This site is on the World Heritage List, because the people living in the Sierra San Francisco from ca. 100 BC to ca. 1300 AD left their huge rock paintings for us to admire. The dry weather on the Baja California preserved them very well . The bad point: You can only see the real impressive ones on a guided tour with horses, that will cost you around US$ 400,- The museum in San Ignacio shows photos and replicas that are easier accesible. You can go by car to San Francisco and see some paintings there, but they are not so outstanding. |
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Site No. 1182bis
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The speciality of the Sea of Cortez is the richness in sea life: Nearly 40% of all the marine mammals in the world can be found here, nearly 90% of fish species are endemic. So when you are into snorkeling, diving or fishing this is a place to go. Almost all oceanographic processes on our earth can be found here, so the area is fantastic for studying, what makes our sea living. Still the beaches, fishing villages and towns, especially on the Baja California are worth a visit. To reach the islands is a little more difficult... |
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Site No. 676
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Zacatecas was our first colonial town, therefore we were quiet impressed of all the different buildings. It was founded in 1546 and its prosperity based on a rich silver mine. The cathedral with its mixture of baroque and indigenious decorative elements was very interesting. It is a clean city with very nice views from above, but we missed a little bit the charme that it could have. Very atmospheric was only the Convento de San Francisco |
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Site No. 482
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When you come to Guanajuato, you enter from one of the panoramic points around the town. Then you dive into the city, especially the underground tunnel system. When walking through the narrow streets you pass by the "Kissers Street", where two people on oppossite balcony´s can kiss. We really enjoyed our time in this charming city, although we were not so much impressed by the colonial buildings, although they influenced others in central Mexico. The historical events, that took place here added some interesting aspects. |
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Site No. 1274
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It was on the 8th of July 2008, when we visited both places, only on personal interest. But then we heard the news, that just in these days they were declared a world heritage site. From the colonial cities we visited, we liked San Miguel best. It is very quiet and offers so many details, that come up with stile. Here you can really feel the colonial time of the past. The santuario is very pitoresque with all the painted walls, whereas the little city is very rural. |
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Site No.792
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Queretaro is on the World Heritage List, because of the mixture between the geometric spanish town layout and the alley´s of the Indian habitants. The baroque buildings and churches add to the value. As visitors we did like the city, and especially the patio´s int he buildings were nice places to stay. The city in general has a lot of traffic and pedestrian zones are not really available. |
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Site No. 585
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Morelia was the town, we did not like. Right through the historic center runs the main street, so the traffic is disturbing everything. To get a feeling for the beauty it has to offer, is very hard. It is a big city, with a lot of industrial components that not really makes it special. |
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Site No. 815
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When we were in Guadalajara, we did not like the city at all. A lot of traffic, the city itself spread out far, and many rumours, that the police is corrupt and likes to fine tourists. The centre is pretty small and has no flair. The Hospicio Cabanas was quite nice, but not worth all the hassle you have in this city. Not really worth a visit. |
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Site No. 1209
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Tequila! the national drink, that is famous all over the world. When we left Guadalajara we were really fascinated by the landscape. The Agave plant itself is a natural beauty, combined with the dark brown (nearly red) earth, it makes a symphony. Go off the main highway and visit little villages, like Santa Rosa - on the way you can enjoy wonderful views. Don´t miss to visit a distillery, preferable one of the smaller ones! |
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Site No. 939
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This archaeological site impressed in three main points: A very modern museum at the begining, only a few people on the grounds and very well preserved pyramids and buildings. The sun beam in the observatory can only be seen on certain times of the year, and we were very lucky to visit on the 1st of August - just after the summer solstice. If you want to escape the crowd, visit Xochicalco. |
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Site No. 414
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Close to Mexico City you naturally have a lot of people visiting every day. When you get inearly in the morning, you ar strolling through a really huge areal with impressive buildings Between the 1st and the 7th century it was one of the most powerful centres in Mesoamerica and beyond. The size of the pyramids and the long distances to walk made clear, how well developed and rich this culture was. Go there. |
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Site No. 702
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First of all you have to find them. Then you have to drive long distancies to get close to them. And finally you will wonder, why nobody seems to be preserving them better. It is a different experience, where the landscapes around the Popocatepetl and the people in their villages seem to be more fascinating than the monasteries themselves. |
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Site No. 416
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| Well, for us Puebla is another colonial town - quite nice and interesting, but nothing very special. The blue tiles on the walls, the huge churches and the view of the Popocatepetl give it a little speciality, but not as much, as to recommend this site. |
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Site No. 415
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The setting of Monte Alban in a mountainous area is very pleasant. The emptiness in the morning lets you feel the superiority that the higher class in the Mayan culture must have felt when ruling their people.It was inhabited over a period of more than 1,500 years by Olmecs, Zapotecs and Mixtecs. Next to it you can find Oaxaca, which is a nice example of an old spanish colonial town. The both together make the area really worth a visit! |
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Site No. 411
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Palenque was one of the pre-hispanic settlements we licked most. Hearing howler monkeys, walking through the dense forest and enjoying the past. Here it was the first time to walk in the dark alleys of a building - beeing inside this fascinating complex. The mystical discovery of Pascal´s tomb not so long ago tells a lot about history and the past. The prosporous days were between 500 and 700 A.D. - so it makes a good example for Mayan civilizations of the classical period. |
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Site No. 895
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Campeche is really beautiful. Although the fortress does not really exist anymore, you still can see some parts of the old walls and some little bastilles. They all protected the town in the 17th and 18th century from pirates in the Caribbean sea. The colourful houses in pastel, the nice strand promenade (malecon), the fishing boats, the modern buildings and the international flair make it a very nice place to stay for a few days. |
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Site No. 791
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Uxmal is one of the lesser visited Mayan sites and gives a wonderful overview of the diversity and ingeniousity of this culture. The buildings are fascinating in style and direction, the ornaments at the peak of the Maya history. First settlements were founded here in 700 A.D. and went up to 25,000 people that lived here in 1.200 A.D. The light show in the evening gave another point of view on the pre-hispanic time. When walking through the ruins, you can enjoy really many Iguanas - better than in a zoo! |
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Site No. 483
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For us it was the most touristic and therefore crowded Maya sites in Mexico. Most of the buildings are reconstructed and not original. There is no pyramid or temple you are allowed to climb on. Still it is impressive in size and number of monuments. Learning something about the Maya culture and the Toltec-Mayan civilization seems to be a must. The art work on the buildings was very impressive. |
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Site No. 410
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IWith Sian Kaán it is the same as in a lot of other parks and bioreserves in Mexico: There is no information about the area, there are nearly no paths to explore, and private or commercial buildings destroy the landscape, It is a pitty, that nature is so neglected even in a biosphere, Other than then that - if you pay a lot of money to make a tour, you might get a wonderful impression of the rich fauna and flora, with mangroves, tropical forest and a large marine section. We were so happy to see a turtle lying its eggs on a public beach. |
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Site No. 862
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If you are looking for a real quiet little town, where the time was halted a century ago, visit Tlacotalpan. In the 16th century it was a important Spanish port. The colonial buildings are so well preserved, that you really can imagine the life in the days, when Tlacotalpan was in its high days, Enjoy the colours and the tranquility of a beautiful village alongside the river, |
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