¡Que viva Yucatan! – Part 3

From the hustle and bustle of the village, to a volleyball match

In such a charming village, one blends in very quickly with the surroundings and soon we and the locals went around the village together, where there was a real hustle and bustle by the stalls in the evening. In Miguel Colorado, we also watched a game live for the first time in a long time. It’s true that it wasn’t a league competition, but only a local volleyball match, but sitting with a beer instead of a mask and watching the match live was a real adventure at a time when Slovenia and elsewhere in Europe were completely locked down. Of course, the outcome of the match was quite insignificant, but we still cheered the players in harmony with the others.

After getting to know the society, we got to know the nature and so the next morning we went with a local guide to explore the rainforest, much of which is owned by his relative. COVID-19 is the least of the worries in the rainforest, as there are many animal and plant species that can be very dangerous; from reptiles and insects to poisonous plants. That’s why closed footwear and long trousers were required, and when we got out of the vehicle, we were additionally sprayed with an effective repellent.

The “chewing” tree

Protected and eager for new knowledge, we set out on a circular path through the jungle, where we met many birds, reptiles and very unusual trees, the most memorable of which was the sapodilla or chicozapote tree, or Manilkara zapota in Latin, which grows in the central part of the Yucatan Peninsula. Its resin has always been used for the production of chewing gum, and the hardened resin itself is suitable for chewing, although it doesn’t have a strong taste. Just as the production of chewing gum is old, so is the etiquette associated with it. Most people have been told by their parents or teachers at one time or another not to “smack your gum” or to “spit it out” and probably thought that this was a rule that a modern polite society developed. It’s actually a social norm that has existed for gum chewers for centuries in the Americas. Among the Aztec, only unmarried women and young children were allowed to chew gum in public, while older women could only chew in private for sanitary reasons, such as to expel rheumatism, or to get rid of bad mouth odor.

After returning from the jungle and having lunch, they kindly introduced us to how chocolate is made in the yard, but it was quite bitter without the additives, and in the evening, they took us back to the jungle, where we watched thousands of bats flying from the cave and setting out on a night hunt for food after sunset. Unforgettable.

Calakmul, one of the largest Mayan cities in the heart of the rainforest

The next morning, a new shift followed, east of the Yucatan to the coastal city of Chetumal, but again the route was more interesting than the destination, as some 60 km from the route and in the heart of the nature reserve is one of the largest Mayan cities, Calakmul. The fact that this area was quite densely populated is evidenced by the interesting archaeological site of Balakmú, located almost directly along the road 186, which connects the east and west coasts of the Yucatan.

Calakmul was the center of a vast region, and the city alone had as many as 50,000 inhabitants, and to date, archaeologists have discovered nearly 7,000 different structures, the most impressive of which is the 45-meter pyramid. The archaeological site is located just under one hundred kilometers from the once rival city of Tikal in neighboring Guatemala. At this point, I don’t want to justify any Spanish crime against the natives here, but in this case the destruction wasn’t the fault of the Spaniards, but of the Maya themselves, as the cities fought in three great wars, most recently in 744. Calakmul also collapsed due to the overcrowding and related diseases, as the city was last mentioned at the end of the ninth or beginning of the tenth century.

But just like the archaeological finds, the 60-kilometer path through the jungle was also interesting, as you can encounter various birds and monkeys along the road and, with a little luck, a cougar that reigns in this part of the jungle.

From the primeval forest to the Place of the Red Wood

Due to the unspoiled nature and the imposing Mayan city, I warmly recommend a visit to Calakmul, for which you need at least half a day. Calakmul, however, was also the last serious stop in the jungle, as the continuation of the travelogue will be connected to the east coast of the peninsula, which is very touristy and the cities significantly less authentic than the ones we met in the first three parts of the travelogue. Among the less authentic cities, ironically, the most authentic is the capital of the state of Quintana Roo – Chetumal, whose name is derived from the Mayan word “Chactemàal”, which means “Place of the Red Wood” and is located at the very border of the neighboring country of Belize. But you’ll learn more about Chetumal, a short jump to Belize, Lake Bacalar and more in the next part of the travelogue.