Malinalco: Season of the Witch

Malinalco: Season of the Witch

By the map Malinalco seemed to be just a stone’s throw from Tepoztlan, but once you crossed the freeway to Mexico City is was fairly mountainous. Roads weren’t marked so well either. (surprise, surprise) ;-)

I missed the turn off from the main freeway and it looked like I was going to have to pay the toll to Mexico City just to get to the turn around, then pay the toll again to go the other way just to get to the turn-off I just missed. A Mexican trucker just pointed over to the break in the concrete-walled median and said I should cross there instead. Seemed reasonable… until the first truck nearly grazed my front wheel that was poking out on the opposite side while I tried to see if someone was coming. That was such a bad idea and I don’t recommend trying it. I came inches away from getting nailed by that truck. Note to self, pay the toll to turn around even though it’s a Mexican rip-off. Better getting ripped off than getting squashed by a truck!

Shook up a bit, I made the correct turn-off but was still unsure which way to go. I’d gone about 15km in the direction that seemed correct by the map, but the road was winding around a mountain pass and hadn’t seen a sign to anywhere yet. The first little town I came up to, I saw several Mexican gentlemen by the roadside chatting. I pulled up to ask directions to Malinalco and they all started giving me directions at once. They all were directing me to go back to where I’d come from and take a different highway. When I asked which way to Chalma… they all started giving me directions that meant I would continue the way I was going. Chalma is only 15mins from Malinalco so I was confused. So, I asked if this road would take me to Chalma and the men all agreed it would. I crossed my fingers and forged ahead.

Such a beautiful ride it was! Tall pine trees and cool temperature like you’re riding in air-conditioning. I stopped in a small town for some tacos and to confirm I was still on course. Overall a very pleasant ride, but looking back I think I took the long way that actually took an extra hour to get there, but it also took me through Chalma where there’s a tree with a spring bubbling up from beneath it that Catholics make pilgrimages to. So, it all worked out to my benefit to scope out Chalma as well on the way.

I’d read that Malinalco had some history of sorcery and witches, etc. but I never saw any evidence of anything like that other than these grass crosses the locals make to put over their doors intended to keep the devil away. Now that I think about it, if there were such sorcery practiced there, there likely wouldn’t be a billboard advertising it. ;-)

The strange thing is… that persistent deja-vu I was experiencing in Tepoztlan went away just as soon as I left that place. Something very odd about that place for sure. Might just have to return sometime for further investigation.

Malinalco is a very quiet town… almost too quiet, and much of the architecture seems designed for maximum privacy and sort of intimidating… in a gothic dungeon sort of way. Like perhaps there’s some sort of practice going on there that folks don’t want regular folks knowing about. Still, no concrete evidence of witchcraft or sorcery at all.

There is a great mountainous backdrop there, similar to Tepoztlan but not as dramatic. At the top of one of the mountains is a Mexica ruin site. MUCH easier to hike up to than the one in Tepoztlan, and a bit more interesting with more detail. I didn’t even know about the Mexicas until I went there. Seems I vaguely remember seeing something about them at the Anthropology museum in Mexico City.

Sadly, the quiet went away the second day I was there when the entire town was transformed into a covered market. It was interesting for about an hour, and then the noise and crowds got a bit much so I decided to take a ride up to check out that miracle tree in Chalma.

The Ahuehuete tree has a gushing spring coming from beneath it and Catholics make regular pilgrimages there to dance and carry Christ figurines there. Most Christ figures were all busted up with arms and legs missing, and I never quite got a solid explanation to the significance of all the beat up Jesus’ strapped to the fence around the tree. One fellow told me that they just get busted on the way there, but it almost looked like they were showing off just how beat up Jesus had got on the way there.

They were also selling various sized plastic jugs so that you could carry a little miracle water home with you if you wanted some miracle juice for later.

All in all, I’d have to say I liked Malinalco. They also have GREAT ice cream there! Exotic flavors and all that I tried tasted superb. Some of the tastiest ice cream I’ve had in Mexico!

I got a tip on a so-called “short cut” to Puerto Escondido that allows me to avoid Acapulco traffic altogether. By the map it really doesn’t look like it’ll be a shortcut, but I’m going to go with it and see if I get a bit lucky this time. I’m hoping the ride isn’t too rough because I’m starting to feel a bit ragged. Not sure if it’s the “gripa” or some mystery flu. I just know my joints are getting a bit stiff, I feel a little feverish, and have a bit of a sore throat. That could all be due to sleeping with the window open and the chilly mountain air at night after sweating up a storm climbing up to see the ruins, etc. Quien sabe? I think I’ll just ride through it and hope I sweat it out on the long ride to Puerto Escondido!

Hasta,

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