Campeche
They tell an interesting tale in the old pirate town of Campeche. Perhaps it is true.
Campeche's always been a strategic port and a wealthy one. Everybody wanted the goodies inside. First came the Spaniards, then assorted pirates from France, Holland, and England. Those who didn't come to steal wanted to trade. Ships arrived from all parts of the world and bars sprang up along the pier to accommodate sailors. The hastily improvised establishments could afford only copper spoons, but these, when used to stir a drink, left an unpleasant taste. Finally, an enterprising bartender took to stirring his libations with a twig from a nearby tree. One day an English sailor, particularly pleased with his drink, asked its name. The Spanish bar tender, thinking he meant the tree's name, replied "cola de gallo". Translated into English, this meant "cocktail". Only to think where it all began!
Campeche itself got its name from the Maya chief of the city, Ah-kin-pech. A charming town with narrow streets and baroque architecture, the city's landmark is its great seawall, part of the original fortress that bordered the entire town protecting its inhabitants from pirates.
All of the Gulf or Caribbean cities have a familiar litany of woes... invasions, occupations, rebellions. But in any contest, Campeche would take the prize in the "Hard Times" category. Conquered in 1540 by Francisco de Montejo (remember this name? his father, conquered Mérida) it quickly became a flourishing port. The city's wealth and isolation made it a prime target for pirates. Campeche was pillaged and burned, its inhabitants massacred not once but many times. If this essential port was to exist, something had to be done to protect it. Finally, in January 1663, the cornerstone of a new walled city was laid. The stout stone barricade had four gates strategically placed around the city, while also extending out into the water where other gates permitted ships to sail into the fort. Only after the complex system of walls and barricades was finally completed in the latter part of the 17th century was the city safe from pirates.
It took two centuries to complete the Cathedral del al Inmaculada Conception (from 1650 to 1850). On the simple exterior, there are sculptures of saints in niches and the church has neoclassical and Renaissance elements. The interior is somewhat plain and spare, but has a beautiful altar.
Campeche, located on the Bay of Campeche, is the capital city of the state of Campeche. The town's historic center has been carefully restored and Campeche was classed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.. Campeche, though well off the tourist track, hosts visitors from around the world. When we visited, most of the hotels in the city were full, as Europeans from Germany, France, and Holland were on holiday for the summer. We found a little $45/night hotel outside the square and spent our first night on our trip, went to dinner in a restaurant overlooking the town square and cathedral, and got up the next day and strolled along the streets admiring the architecture.
Block after block are lovely buildings, all painted in bright colors that look like they have been dreamed up by an artist, and come to life right before your eyes. Tiny balconies overlook the clean paved streets and old street lamps. Narrow streets can make driving a bit frustrating... but Campeche is a walker's paradise.
We visited a botanical garden located in the partly ruined Baluarte de Santiago.
Departing Campeche at noon, traveling along the coastline, we visited the fishing village of Champoton and the oil town of Ciudad del Carmen, the capital of the gulf's petroleum industry. We stopped alongside the road to take a look at the fishing pangas.
Under the palapa (hut) in the right side of the photo below, there was some sort of fish auction going on. Fishermen were crowded in the shade and you could hear animated voices in Spanish, a frenzy similar to what you hear on the floor of the NY stock exchange. Every now and then, there would be a break in the action, and silence... then the word "OK" signaling the beginning of the next auction. Then, pandemonium would resume.
We traveled on to Villahermosa to spend the night and arrived 6 1/2 hours after we left Campeche.
Go to next story (Villahermosa)