Blog - Page 4 of 7 - Going Where Tourists Don't Go

Yucatan, Mexico: Dziblchaltun Ruins — Johnny Monsarrat Mexico Trip

After spending some time at the university with the scientists, we decided to do another touristy thing. We went to the ruins at Dzibilchaltun, where we spent the rest of the day in a beautiful setting that was not overrun with people, since archaeologists have only recently begun clearing the land and restoring the ruins.…

Oaxaca, Mexico: Walking around Oaxaca City — Johnny Monsarrat Mexico Trip

Tuesday, Amy and I left the Merida area and flew to Oaxaca City, the capital of the Mexican State of Oaxaca, one of the poorest states in Mexico, for the next stage of our vacation/research trip. I had a lot of trouble saying the city’s name at first. It's pronounced "wah-HAH-kuh". Oaxaca is located in…

On Wednesday, we hired a guide named Nicolas to show us more of the Oaxaca area. He decided to take us to visit the Mitla Ruins, one of the less-visited archaeological sites in the area. Despite the beauty of the area and the ruins in particular, we were getting a little tired of always having…

Oaxaca, Mexico: Traveling to the Mountain Spring — Johnny Monsarrat Mexico Trip

After spending some time at Mitla, our guide took us farther into the mountains to give us a glimpse into the lives of villagers in the area. Some of the poorest residents of Mexico live here, in small huts or adobe houses. Despite the poverty, the villagers are friendly and welcoming to tourists. This is…