Idyllic Time Warp… Campeche, Campeche, Mexico

Idyllic Time Warp… Campeche, Campeche, Mexico

By Bill Milligan

What most people think of as the Yucatan in Mexico is actually several contiguous territories (states) that form the Yucatan peninsula. Campeche is one of those, just west of the state of Yucatan. It sits on the southern most part of the Gulf of Mexico and has approximately 270,000 inhabitants. Little is heard of it from the tourist perspective, it remains hidden, both geographically and in time by its semi-remoteness. Looking northward, if one could see over the Gulf of Mexico lies Texas as a reference point.

San Francisco de Campeche was originally a villa called Can Pech (in Mayan), founded in 1540. In 1777 King Carlos III designated it as a city. Its strategic location made it an important area for the conquest of the Yucatan (pirates) and later the door for exporting its natural resources to Europe. The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries saw repeated assaults by pirates, eventually leading to the construction of massive thick walls with corner turrets encompassing the town central and canons aimed seaward.

Its architecture and churches (Colonial Baroque) reflects its austere and conservative history brought over by the Franciscans. In its historic center and surrounding neighbor hoods (barrios) more than a thousand structures reflect the stages of Mexico’s rich history from the XVI century. Due to its architectural preservation it was named as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on December 1999.

Getting there is easy, whether by air or ground. Highways are well maintained, busses are large, comfortable, inexpensive and come with televisions providing one a chance to practice their Spanish watching American movies. A two-three hour ride from Merida costs about 14 dollars for first class. The bus station is very clean, comfortable, open aired and has an impressive Italian espresso machine. Mexico’s bus system is tiered, first, second and third class, consistent with its pricing and amenities, truly a bargain.

Campeche like most Mexican towns has its large church, plaza with governmental buildings, local restaurants, an old 15th century colonial house and an Italian Coffee House. On Friday and weekend nights the gazebo in the middle of the plaza comes alive with local and regional entertainment, kiosks sell everything from ice-cream and tacos to roasted corn on a stick (elotes). Your olfactory senses are in for a delight with the unusual aromas found only in Mexico. Young lovers stroll around the plaza, tourists (mainly Europeans) linger outside in the café’s enjoying the cool breezes sipping Jamaica (hibiscus water), coconut water or one of Mexico’s fine beers and watching the entertainment . Mexican and Mayan families with their kids chat and play while petit Indian girls from Chiapas sell their ornately hand woven textiles to tourists. It’s a scene from the past and repeated every weekend and it’s free.

Campeche is a walking town, extraordinary clean, well kept, civilized and safe at any hour of the night. Large arched gates served as entrances in the past while the one facing seaward remains as the main entrance. Strolling through town the Spanish colonial architecture is rich with different colors, facades and ornate iron work, unchanged from the 1500’s. Behind many of the facades lie open courtyards with fountains, spiraling bougainvilleas, mandavillas, ferns, palms and the feeling of reliving an era rich in Spanish history.

The waterfront (malecon )stretches as far as the eye can see, dotted with colorful fishing boats, small monuments ,respectful kids hanging out, walkers, joggers and a vast ocean. Mornings find the fishermen and locals haggling over prices of the catch of the day while joggers doggedly push their sneakers to their limits.

Practically every town in Mexico has its open air market but few have the combination of beautiful produce and kind smiling faces. Campeche has it in spades and what a delight to experience, even the fish mongers looked happy. Don’t miss this one as the people are genuine and respectful, truly a jewel.

At this point the main attraction of this city for tourists is its proximity to magnificent ruins and a vast underground water system used by the Mayans hundreds of years ago for ceremonial purposes (cenotes). Most of their tourists are Europeans who stay overnight and are off to the ruins the following day. This is where promotion of their city is critical, as this warrants at least two or three days to see and appreciate the quaintness and beauty of this special town.

Church and ex-convent lovers will be delighted as Campeche has an abundance considering its size, including one that has a black Christ imported from Italy dating back to slavery times. Plenty of old forts, museums and an armory will keep both adults and kids interested and intrigued with pirate lore. Guided tours by foot or bus can be had at nominal cost and are well worth it.

When one tires of sightseeing a host of restaurants provide local and Mayan cuisine but our favorite hands down was Marganzos, just off the plaza. Here we had excellent seafood, cooked to perfection, including my favorite dish, fish Veracruz style, a delicately prepared filet overlaid with a sauce of onions, green peppers, capers and green olives. Senor Marganzo has a special touch and an innovative streak, as seen in his appetizer of thinly sliced beets with goat cheese and reduced balsamic vinegar. This one is a must for anyone visiting the city of Campeche.

Accommodations range from small boutique hotels to the impressive Casa del Mar Hotel, Best Western owned and operated, with all of the amenities including Wi-Fi and a beautiful view of the Gulf of Mexico.

Campeche is in a state of transition from a once sleepy fishing village to one peeking its head out towards the tourism corridor. Speaking with locals, restaurateurs and tourism officials, there is a bit of reluctance in opening this door. While they know it is good for business they also sense the potential loss of a way of life, one not recoverable. This is a unique city lost in time, simple, honest and sincere, many ways similar to the 50’s in the United States. It’s in a time warp, conjuring up nostalgic memories of kinder times, when kids played in the streets, people were respectful of each other and life was significantly less complicated. This city has the potential for popping open to a select tourism market and sits on the cusp of entering a new era, one if properly balanced will benefit all.