Casa de Cortés, La Antigua, Veracruz

[bixaorellana]

I was very enthusiastic when a friend proposed a road trip, something I have not done in quite a while. It didn't take us long to decide to see one of the many post-Columbian ruins dotted around this state. K graciously agreed to drive the hour and a half to La Antigua, which is about 18 miles/29 kilometers northwest of the port of Veracruz.

La Antigua, established by Hernán Cortés in the early 1520s, is considered to be the first official town in the mainland New World.

Today it is small and very quiet, although a resident told us it gets waves of tourists, particularly around Holy Week. There are open air restaurants, bars, and tourist stands ready to serve visitors. We certainly enjoyed our generous seafood lunch there. But the big draw is the house of Cortés, although he may not have lived there, as it was built as a customs house and armory. Let's go look around ~

It is very tropical here, with much vegetation I don't recognize ~


The ruin site has no fee and no guides, but no information boards on the buildings either.
This is the only information to greet the visitor ~


At first it looks rather tidy and boring -- some old foundations, ho hum ~




Different varieties of mango trees, all heavily laden with fruit, are all over the place ~


The construction used a mix of stones, hunks of coral, and bricks brought as ballast on Spanish ships.
The ballast on the way back was the gold the Spaniards stole from the conquered land ~


These bees and their odd hives were here and there on the interior walls of the ruins.
K said they resembled native bees from the Yucatán, which are supposed to be stingless.

[bixaorellana]

Words fail ~












A well ~


The site is open with no barriers except an iron railing fence on one end.
The wall just beyond the fence has this appropriate painting ~


It also sports this panel, which is probably not cryptic to the people of the town ~


At another edge of the site we met people selling this fruit. The trees bearing it are all over the site.
They told us it is called sapote domingo and gave us tastes. We got some to take home ~

[bixaorellana]

Another pass through the ruins. Some rooms are quite long ~


Some natural art nouveau ~


A gumbo-limbo tree, aka the tourist tree, growing from the top of a wall ~








A sneak peek at a family compound just over the border of the ruin site ~

[bixaorellana]

No pictures, but we visited the town's cultural center. The docent, a local carpenter, told us its history. It was built (or possibly reconstructed) by a foundation created by the actress Ana de la Reguera after the town was flooded by Hurricane Karl in 2010. Various artists are housed in the town for two-month periods. In exchange, they give workshops to the townspeople. The artwork in the center was quite impressive.

A huge ceiba tree where supposedly Cortés tied his ships.
The river has change course through the centuries, so would be too far away now ~




Just past the tree is a small square with ruined hotels on one side and a large ruined house on the other.
It's shocking to see these abandoned enterprises. The swimming pool ~


We go through a small arcade of gift stands to arrive at the banks of the Huitzilapan river ~






Maybe next time we'll take a ride up the lazy river ~


~~ What a great day! ~~

[mickthecactus]

Those trees in the ruins are phenomenal! Strangler figs?

[bjd]

I too am most impressed by those trees that seem to be growing out of stone and bricks rather than earth.

Bixa, have you read Malinche by Laura Esquivel? The story of a young woman, Malinche, who became Cortes's interpreter and lover.

[kerouac2]

Fabulous pictures. I didn't know that the rooted temple of Ta Prohm in Cambodia had a cousin! It has always been my favourite.

[whatagain]

Lovely.
I love it when nature is reclaiming her territory.
Beautiful.

[htmb]

The trees, along with their roots, are fascinating! The bees, as well.

[bixaorellana]

Thanks, all!

I don't know what type of trees those are -- maybe a particular one that makes the aerial roots, plus others that have wiggled in over the years. The picture-that-got-away was of a tree we saw on the way into town, but there was no way to get off the road to snap it. The trunk was supported by a vast shelf of aerial roots off to one side, but those roots were supported by nothing but thin air. I wish I could have investigated to see if there were remnants of a wall or something against which they'd once grown.

The atmosphere felt much more tropical than where I live in Coatepec, which itself is rather jungle-y. But La Antigua was full of fruit-bearing trees and the air was softly humid and not too hot, probably because of being right on the river.

Bjd, I did read that book. Interesting that you should ask me, as Malinche came up yesterday in conversation. My friend had not heard of her, so I was able to tell her what I knew about this player in history who has been unfairly vilified. I believe I've mentioned before that Malinche is represented in many processions by two little girls -- one in traditional indigenous dress and one in 16th century court costume. Just looked & found pictures of that in this thread from 2019 in reply #6. And further down the page, starting at #12, you & I discussed that book.

Htmb, you undoubtedly recognized the camera I was using. Its minimal zoom was not up to capturing a good closeup of the bees. However, a little googling got me this information ~ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaptotrigona_mexicana

[lugg]

Oh yes ! A feast for the eyes, plus all the info is so welcomed too....how I have missed your posts about Mexico Bixa . I do forgive you as this is just outstanding.

They told us it is called sapote domingo and gave us tastes. - I thought at first it was a type of mango but can see from the link it is not. How did it taste?

Like K2 Cambodia came to my mind as I first viewed the ruins and the tree trunks and roots; wow your images are fantastic.

[bixaorellana]

Oh goodness, Lugg! Thank you so much. I really lost my oomph for a long time, so deeply appreciate your kind words and encouragement. The friend who suggested the excursion is a force for good as well, as she is a lively, curious person who also has car and will travel.

I forgot the fruit in her car, so can't taste it again yet. The taste was reminiscent of mango, but less sweet and the flesh was dryer.

I knew about this ruin because of having seen pictures somewhere, but the reality was even more dazzling. And yes, jungle temples or whatever! You realize you have to come to Mexico, right?

[bjd]

Mar 18, 2024 0:00:11 GMT bixaorellana said:

has car and will travel.

[fumobici]

Fascinating! So, so unlike anywhere I've ever been to.

[lugg]

So glad you have found your oomph again Bixa and the friend who has car and will travel is an added bonus