Vamos a Valladolid
Iglesia de San Servacio, Valladolid
September 19th, 2020
Today we’re in Valladolid, Mexico for a quick photo collage from around town. Valladolid was formally established by the Spanish in the 1540s, built on the former Mayan town called Zaci centered between Ek Balam, Cobá and Chichen Itzá. Until that time, Maya civilization had developed on the Yucatán Peninsula from as early as 2,000-1,000 B.C.
Today, Valladolid is a sleepy old town with lots of charm. Women wear traditional huipil garments embroidered with colorful flowers, painted tiles decorate the shops and restaurants, and cochinita pibil is the local specialty, made of pork marinated with achiote seeds and bitter oranges, wrapped in banana leaves and slow-roasted on hot stones “under the ground” (pibil).
Valladolid’s main plaza, Parque Principal Francisco Canton Rosado, is a tranquil place to watch the world go by. Iglesia de San Servacio, the cathedral, was constructed in 1545 and stands on the south side. The cathedral has endured several modifications since then including the relocation of its front entry after an event called the “Crime of the Mayors” in 1703. It is the only church in the region with a north-facing entry (others face west).
More tomorrow,
Kelly
P.S. Click on any photo in the gallery to view it at a larger size.
Post of the Day: Adding a bit of light to the darkness as we get through the pandemic together. This series features travel photos from my archives, shared with you while staying close to home.
compassandcamera.wordpress.com 
Strangely enough, when I roamed the Yucatan in a rental beetle, I was so focused on the Mayan sites that I paid no attention to the cities in the region. Good thing you had a more balanced interest.
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Roamed the Yucatan in a rental beetle? I want to hear that story! Valladolid wasn’t even on our list of places to see and we didn’t book anything until the afternoon we arrived. We were pleasantly surprised that it was such an artistic town. Had we known, we would have spent more time.
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It looks beautiful. Where’s my magic carpet when I need it? 🙂 🙂
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Wish I could send you one! 🙂
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We loved Valladolid! Great images!
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Thank you!! 🙂
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We loved Valladolid. Beautiful photos!
Alison
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Thanks, Alison! Consensus seems to be thumbs up on Valladolid. 🙂
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Your description of cochinita pibil has my mother watering, Kelly. –Curt
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I wish we could have tried it! They had sold out by the time we found the best local spot for it. Hopefully next time!
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One more reason to return, right!
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Mmm. Earth roasted pig. Kinda distracted me from all the towny shots. 😉
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Ha! Curt said the same thing. 🙂
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Oh, the colors — from walls to doors to tiles. All awash with gorgeous colors. And I like the fact that this is a sleepy town. My kind of strolling place!
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Yes, we felt safe and slow here. Slow travel is so nice!
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