From Uxmal we headed 100 km southwest to the coastal city of Campeche, or la Villa de San Francisco de Campeche to give the city its full 1540 name! Founded by Spanish Conquistadors and built atop the pre-existing Mayan town Ah Kim Pech which they razed to the ground!!
After 150 years of attacks by Pirates, including our very own Sir Francis Drake, the Spanish fortified the city with a 2,560 metre long 8 metre high wall built in a hexagon with eight defensive bastions on the corners. Seven of the bastions remain, each with its original bell, rung to warn of attack. We managed to ring five of the bells, although no soldiers rushed to our defence!
Hostal Boutique Casa Balche in the walled city centre has four six bed dorms, and one lovely double room on the corner with french windows and a balcony overlooking the Plaza Principal. Guess which we opted for? That's the place in photo two, with views from the balcony in the following few pics!
Loved Campeche! Loved the perfectly restored pastel coloured buildings, the narrow cobblestone streets, the fortified ramparts, the Bulwark based Pirate themed museums, the 2,000 renovated historic buildings and especially loved the Cafe La Parroquia which is open 24 hours a day! Ate there with the locals every day. Even tried the local speciality 'Pan de Cazon' (a tortilla sandwich filled with minced shark meat and beans, smothered in spicy tomato salsa) which David loved and Amanda didn't!
Accommodation switch half way through saw us check in at Hotel Socaire which had a fab collection of local art featuring Campeche fashions amid family life. David so impressed he searched out Casa Wilma, an old fashioned clothes shop, where he bought himself tres Guayaberas Finas, y dos Blusas Tipicas for his lovely wife!
(Ed's Note: that's not Casa Wilma with the Dog Head Mannequins - that's the shop where David bought himself some new trainer socks!!)
