Ready to discover to Mexico's best kept secret archaeological site? I'll give you a hint, it's not Chichen Itza or Monte Albán. In fact, this site is closer to the California border and even older than many other pyramids in Mexico.
This is Cañada de la Virgen, an Otomi archaeological site that has been recently excavated, giving it an undiscovered feel. In fact, the site was first discovered in 1998 and the official excavation began in 2002, with public access starting in 2011. During our tour, we were one of a handful of groups visiting this site. Located in the state of Guanajuato, this archaeological site is considered to be some of the northernmost pyramids which helped to redefine the Mesoamerica border. It is a short half hour ride, or 25 KM from the city of San Miguel de Allende. Behind the scenes video: Unlike other pyramids in Mexico, Cañada de la Virgen is located on private property, so you must book a tour in order to visit. We took a tour of this site with Coyote Canyon Adventures, which provided us with transportation and our local guide, Alberto, gave an excellent in-depth English guided explanation of the site. Cañada de la Virgen was named after a geode found in the canyon resembled the image of the virgin Mary. The site historically served as a ceremonial space where the indigenous Otomi people created sophisticated time keeping instruments aligned to the movements of celestial bodies. As we found out during our tour, there are many theories about this site and much of the information still to be discovered. The site was occupied beginning in 530 AD. To give context on just how old that is - the capital of the Aztecs, Tenochtitlan, was built in 1325 - almost 800 years later. The site is still in great condition, despite being over a thousand years old. The best photos are taken from the patio in the front of the pyramid. We were able to get up-close-and-personal and climbed to the top of the pyramid for a panoramic view of the entire complex. If you are able to time your visit to one of the celestial dates such as March 4th, you will get a the famous shot of the sun setting to the alignment of the pyramid. Lastly, we were lucky enough to meet local archaeologist, Rosanna Quiroz, who studied the lunar calendar of the Otomi people. Much of what we know about this site is due to her research. We visited the Museum of Prehispanic Astronomy, which exhibited the images of the cycles of the moon and sun in relation to the pyramid. While at the museum, we ended our tour with a traditional Mexican lunch at the community restaurant. Top instagramable shots of the pyramid: What are your favorite "undiscovered" or best kept secret sites in Mexico?
Over New Year's Eve weekend, I decided to venture to a new city. But where to go when you only have three days?
I thought about spending the holiday in the USA, but decided it was time to try New Year's Eve in a different country. I only have spent New Year's in one other country - Barbados in 2003. I found the cultural differences of this holiday between the USA and other places to be very interesting. This time, I wanted to go somewhere close, fun but not rowdy, culturally rich but inexpensive. So, I went to Mexico! Mexico's Best Kept Secret The first step was to decide where in Mexico to go. Cancun and Cabo are obvious choices, but they are also overloaded with...well... Americans. And I wanted to go somewhere with more Mexican culture. The past year I had heard of Guanajuato from many other like-minded travelers. You may be wondering, where is Guanajuato? It is located north of Mexico City in the colonial heartland of Mexico. I finally added it to my bucket list after I saw Vicente Fox, former president of Mexico, talk about his childhood town with a gleaming testimonial of the city. He described the European streets, amazing architecture, and colorful buildings. It's also the childhood hometown of 20th Century muralist Diego Rivera. When I saw a cheap flight from TIJ, I was there. New Years in Mexico Mexico has different traditions during New Years than the US. In the US, it's usually a party night spent with friends and counting down the year's events, and trying to make it home without any strikes on your driving record. In Mexico, it is more family oriented, usually consisting of a dinner, 12 grapes, and celebrations spilling out onto the streets afterwards. At least that is what we experienced. The city was lit up with Christmas lights, there were people enjoying the local street food and free musical performances in the zocalo. Many restaurants offered gourmet al-fresco dining served with traditional food, such as bacalao and of course champagne. The night ended with a fireworks celebration that went off right above the buildings - so close that some of the sparks landed on the tables. Top Sights to See in Guanajuato: 1. Pipila - A monument on the top of a hill overlooking the city of Guanajuato. It is a nickname of a local hero during the first victory of the Mexican independence. This is the best spot for panoramic photos of the city. 2. Basilica of Our Lady of Guanajuato - This is the iconic yellow cathedral with the red dome in the city center which is all lit up at night. Outside the church, there are usually performances and street food. 3. El Teatro Juárez - One of the most significant architectural buildings in Guanajuato built in the 19th C. 4. Centro Histórico - The colonial historic district includes colorful buildings, cobblestone streets, churches, shops, and pedestrian zones. 5. Mina la Valenciana - This silver mine is a popular attraction where you can walk into the historic mine with a plastic hard hat and submerge yourself (literally) into the history of this industrial side of this city. 6. Diego Rivera Museum - Diego Rivera's museum and childhood home is located in the city. You can see where one of the greatest artists of the 20th century grew up. 7. Templo La Valenciana - Located on the hills of Guanajuato is this magnificent church with a beautiful facade and three alters made of gold. 8. Funicular - Ride to the top of the mountains for an excellent view. What are your favorite sites in Guanajuato?
Welcome to Cusco! This is the historic capital of the Inca Empire that lasted from the 13th until the 16th century Spanish conquest when the capital was moved to Lima. In 1983, Cusco was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site and has become a major tourist destination, attracting over 2 million visitors per year. Cusco is also the epicenter of many Incan archeological sights as well as the gateway city to Machu Picchu.
Watch the behind the scenes vlog:
Music Credit: Chris Felix | All videos shot with iPhone 6 | Editing: iMovie
Arriving in Cusco: Cusco has a high altitude of about 11,000 feet, so it is recommended to rest for about a day or two before embarking on any hikes or adventure tours. As soon as I landed at the airport, I felt out of breath as if I had just finished running. The altitude is so high that our hotel provided oxygen and free coca tea. After resting, we hit the town to photograph this extraordinary city. Here are the most instagramable sites:
1. Plaza de Armas The city tour of the Inca Royal City of Cusco starts in the very impressionable Central Square, known as the Plaza de Armas, which is surrounded by a beautiful stone arcade. Plaza de Armas is also the city's center point for activity, including performances, music, and fútbol parades. In the Plaza is the Cathedral, which is exceptional because of its contrasts of styles. The outside façade is in Renaissance style, in contrast to its Baroque and plateresque style of its interiors. The first cathedral built in Cusco is the Iglesia del Triunfo, built in 1539 and the basilica was constructed using the stone extracted from the blocks of Incan fortress Saksaywaman.
2. The Church of the Society of Jesus
The Church of the Society of Jesus, (commonly known as the Jesuits), is highlighted by its carved stone façade and its large altar carved in cedar, plated in gold. It was constructed in 1576.
3. The Covent of Santo Domingo
This church is built above the most important Inca Temple, the Temple of the Sun, or Koricancha, as it is known in the Inca language Quechua. Gold laminas or sheets covered the original Inca Temple walls.
4. Sacsayhuaman
Near the City of Cusco, I visited the extraordinary Inca Fortress/temple Sacsayhuaman. This site is made up of three gigantic terraces, superimposed in a zigzag form, and surrounded by enormous walls of rock, some of which are up to 300 meters in length. The stone walls of Sacsayhuman remarkably have no mortar, and were constructed to fit together like puzzle pieces using pressure to secure them in place.
5. Qenqo
Qenqo, was a religious center formed by a singular flowering of calcareous rock. It has underground galleries and a semicircular amphitheater with a series of stone seats.
6. Puca Pucará
Puca Pucará or the Red Fort was military base made up of stone stairways, terraces, and walls. Nearby is Tambomachay, well known as Baths of the Incas, a place dedicated to the cult of the water, formed by aqueducts, channels and small cascades worked in the rock.
7. Museo de Arte Precolombino
We visited Museo de Arte Precolombino which has an impressive collection of indigenous crafts, jewelry, and ceramics drawn from all regions of pre-Columbian Peru. 8. Qorikancha Inca ruins of a prominent 15th-century temple that once had walls & floors covered in pure gold. The site also includes gardens and a beautiful view of Cusco city. 9. Tambomachay This Inca site with canals, waterfalls & aqueducts is thought to have been built to worship water.
10. Baby Alpacas
Around the city, you will see women wearing traditional dress holding lambs and baby alpacas (or were they llamas?). For a fee, you can take photos with them and even hold the baby alpaca/llama too. What are your favorite sites to see in Cusco? |
Published Travel ArticlesWelcome to Run The Atlas!
We are two adventurous young professionals who turned our passion for travel into a blog to help others travel more.
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