Posts tagged History Mexico
Journey To The Past In Historic Oaxaca, Mexico!
Nov 2nd
Travelers who visit Mexico will find it a truly remarkable country with stunning natural resources, diverse tourist attractions, and a rich and storied history. Mexico’s beaches are internationally renowned for their hot sun and striking sights; ancient cities stand silent, eerily quiet testimonies to the cultures of once-powerful peoples gone by, including the Maya, Azteca, and Olmeca. In Mexico, one gets a tastes of verdant forests, majestic mountains, and parched deserts all in one fell swoop; in Mexico, one sways to the rhythm of life, albeit beating ever-so-slightly to the beat of a different drum.
One visiting Mexico should never leave it, though, without visiting at least one ancient Mexican city, and in Mexico, there are regions with several ancient cities. A tourist favorite (and with good reason!) is Oaxaca, the fifth-largest state in Mexico, located in the south-east portion of Mexico, renowned for the beauty and harmony of its ancient and modern architecture, the variety and flavors of its regional cuisine, the richness and diversity of its cultural traditions, and its soft, spring-like temperate climate.
Oaxaca, which takes its name from the Nahuatl word Huayacac, meaning ‘top of the acacias,’ features peaks reaching almost 10,000 feet high, mysterious caverns among the deepest in the world, virgin beaches, and hidden jungles. A fairly big city with over half a million inhabitants, Oaxaca is nevertheless laid-back, unpretentious, relaxed, and friendly, characteristics exhibited in many of the hotels in Oaxaca.
Oaxaca’s inner city boasts of several buildings that speak of baroque colonial architecture from the 16th century. Mexico’s most splendid churches, some of its finest museums, and dozens of well preserved municipal and religious buildings and Oaxaca hotels from the colonial era are all found in Oaxaca.
Most interesting about Oaxaca are its archeological sites. The area around Oaxaca is rich with these ancient sites, of which about 800 have been surveyed. The area’s main attractions are the majestic Mexican archaeological sites of Monte Alban, Mitla, and Yagul. Each lies within a 25 mile radius of Oaxaca City.
Lodging and dining in Oaxaca are extremely affordable, and whatever Oaxaca lacks in resort swankiness, it more than makes up for with its quaint inns and comfortable Oaxacan hotels. Native cuisine is outstanding, and the region is home to mezcal, a fiery native liquor similar to tequila.
Before even visiting Oaxaca, make sure you have a ready home away from home waiting for you. Most Oaxaca hotels are like the city in which it is found: rich and full of history.
The Hostal de la Noria Hotel in Oaxaca is one of the most sought-after hotels in Oaxaca. Located at the historical center of Oaxaca City, the Hostal de la Noria Hotel in Oaxaca was a beautiful colonial mansion before its transformation into a grand Oaxaca hotel, and even today, this hotel in Oaxaca has a unique provincial atmosphere with its Mexican décor and distinct, personalized service. Even more conveniently for tourists seeking a hotel in Oaxaca, the Hostal de la Noria Hotel in Oaxaca has optimized its website to give Guests guaranteed reservations directly from the website at the best rates on the Internet, ensuring the lowest rates possible. Visiting rustic Oaxaca is like going on a journey to the quaint yet not-so-distant past. Take a trip back to a simpler time, a magical and mystical time, and rediscover that wonder in Oaxaca today!
Mexico’s Culture and History
Oct 14th
Mexico’s Culture and History is filled with romance and drama and it has many historical attractions. There are the ancient ruins of the Olmecs, Maya and Aztec. Also there are the train routes used by the legendary Pancho Villa. These are the main reasons, second only to the beaches of Cancun and Acapulco that people come to Mexico. You may ask “why,” and the reason is because of the tale of Mexico’s past, and also by an overwhelming amount of physical remains, is as romantic, dramatic, blood-curling and complex as it gets.
Sometime around 1000 BC, Mexico’s fist ancient civilizations, the Olmecs, recognized themselves in what now are the states of Veracruz and Tabasco. They built citys and constructed massive stone head carvings of their jaguar God, which they worshiped. They spread throughout southern and central Mexico until they mysteriously disappeared around 400 B.C. The Olmecs left behind moderately few artifacts yet their influence on later cultures deep. After the Olmecs came the Zapotecs, the Teotihuacan and mixtures of Monte Alban, The Toltecs, Maya of Yucatan, and several other smaller groups. To stabilize the spiritual and earthly dominion and pacify their pantheons of gods, many of these civilizations practiced human sacrifice, which is something that often overshadows their great achievements in astronomy, mathematics, architecture, textile weaving, art and pottery. The latter being a very big part in the reproduction and exporting of Mexican Goods. As you can see, Mexico’s Culture and History still captivates the minds of many
None of Mexico’s pre-Columbian civilizations is more told than that of the Aztecs. There were other civilizations in Mexico that achieved greater artistic teats but non advanced as quickly or ruled as much territory. They were a trivial tribe living on the edge of Lake Texcoco, which is modern day Mexico City. By 1473 they had conquered neighboring tribes. The Aztecs had a highly codified government with an all-powerful emperor.
The Spanish adventurer Hernan Cortez arrived in 1519 landing in the state of Vera Cruz, about 200 miles from the Aztec capital. The only mission for Cortez was to defeat the Aztecs and take their gold. This was a great and tragic time of the history of Mexico. The then emperor of the Aztecs died in a prison in his own palace.
This is a very small part of Mexico’s Culture and History. The beauty of their skills, attractions, romance, beaches and much more are just a part of what Mexico offers visitors and tourists.
