"On the Trail"

The Journals from the Road

April 28:   Exploring Campeche - Pirates, canons, and helpful folk! - Campeche, Campeche

Video:   Protecting Campeche from Pirates - Bastion of San Carlos, Campeche
Video:   Tad the Pirate Hunter (Wacky Warning)

This moring, having just arrived in the city of Campeche, I decided to become the full-fledged tourist and that I was. There are very few international tourists in the the city, actually. Campeche is a mixed bag as far as tourist attractions. Half of the major sites seemed to be closed, under restoration, or difficult to get to. There are many interesting things here, however. Campeche has a rich history of commerce and many pirates were reading their history books and took note. They pillaged and pillaged and did other very bad things here and finally the crown of Spain agreed to help the locals of Villa de San Francisco (Campeche´s former name)(It is amazing what crowns can do when they put their heads to work!). In 1668, they started building a network of forts and walls around the city. Eighteen years later the work was done and the city was fortified from all sides. Pirates had to do their marauding out at sea. Pirates, although often romaticized (Arvy, scarvy Pirates of the Carribean) were the same type of fellows I hope to avoid, those that threaten, steal, and kill without mercy or reason.

Since these pirate days the city has, sadly, torn down much of the wall but the Baluartes (forts) still stand. I toured many of them and actually got trapped on top of one of them for a while! It was a real tourist trap with only one exit!

After tramping around all day I was ready to come back to the hotel for a while, do some wash, cool off, and then head out again. I really wanted to find a Chinese restaurant. I have been doing the continuous cook-out for a while and was looking for something different. Many good people (Alex and others) helped me find the one in town! It was very elegant and I was a bit nervous about spending 5 dollars on one meal because I haven´t spent that much on any one meal yet. By the time I sat down in the air-conditioned room I was there to stay. I ordered the Buddha Vegi Plate and enjoyed the food and appreciated the kind and attentive service. After I paid for the meal I was telling the waiter what I was doing on this PeaceBike trip. The owner of the restaurant came over and was so impressed that I was going around the world on a bike to connect people that he said that my meal was free! Wow! I walked out and thought that this 50 pesos had to go to someone else who was hungry, to pass on the blessing! Thank-you!

I caught a bus to the Light and Sound Show at the Door of the Land (one of the fortresses surrounding the city). It wasn´t Disneyland but they put on an impressive show with a night tour of the site, lights casting hues on the old canons and walled fortresses, and real actors playing the parts of pirates, captives, and colonial folk protecting their city. The show had subtitles in English and French as well. A fun, educational experience for all.

Back to Hotel Reforma (Only for the Brave and Budget!),

Peace(Bike),