The town sits just twenty minutes drive south of Chetumal; and the residents of the state's capital have found it well enough. Bacalar is where they come to kick back and relax. A tranquil outpost, where the pace of life winds down to a snail's crawl; where fun is informal and the food is rich, authentic Mexican fare. This is the Mexico that the tourists think that they are getting, up in sanitized, Americanized Cancun. This is real.
Yet external influences have made their mark here too. Bacalar lies right on the River Hondo, the deep river, which provides a natural, national border with Belize to the south. The best of Belize makes it into the town, in dishes, dances and music.
This is especially true during the first fifteen days of August, when the annual Fair of San Joaquin de Bacalar is in full swing. In those heady days of concerts, races, staged fighting, demonstrations, ballets, mercados and fiesta fuelled celebrations, there is as much Belizean as Mexican. Their neighbour is an ally and the fun is shared.
But parties can be had all over Mexico. What most people are here for is the scenery. Hemmed around with lush, jungle foliage, Bacalar boasts a wide and shallow lagoon, that changes color as it moves towards the shore.
Out in the bay, the mirror calm ocean reflects back the rays of the sun, in a twinkling array of glistening gold. This is the Caribbean, so the waters are crystal clear, allowing the underwater world to throw up its colors, in softening hues of green and blue. The white sands are seen long before it sheds the blanketing sea and envelopes the beaches.
It is not unusual to find a tourist here, losing hours in misty-eyed contemplation, at the quiet wonder of it all; nor to overhear the delighted shrieks of the newly arrived, "I feel like I've died and gone to Heaven!!" The artists know. They've been painting it for years.
The lagoon, of course, isn't merely pretty. The waters, stretching out as far as the eye can see, are never deeper than 20ft (6 meters). That makes it perfect for adventure sports, like kayaking. There are places throughout the town, where sail-boats can be hired or trips arranged on a speed-boat. Scuba diving, snorkelling, swimming and every water activity under the sun can be indulged in Bacalar.
This includes cenote diving, swimming and exploring. Cenote Azul, a vast sinkhole, lies right at the entrance to the town. It is the gateway to a sprawling network of underground rivers, caverns and passageways, some of which are yet to be fully discovered. That is the preserve of the experts, but many are mapped for tourist treks. Meanwhile, the cenote itself is one of the most popular attractions in the area, drawing people from miles around to enjoy its refreshing waters and cool, beautiful rockface.
Competitive races are held here too. The biggest is the Rio Hondo-Bacalar Nautical Marathon, which draws crowds in early August. They naturally stick around for the town's large fair.
There is history to explore in the town too. The Fort of San Felipe Bacalar was originally built, in 1725, to protect the town from pirates and illegal loggers. But its importance grew towards the end of that century, when hostilities erupted between the British, in Belize, and the Spanish, in Mexico. With soldiers lined up on either side of the Rio Hondo, the nearby fort became a base of operations and supplies.
Again, in the 19th century, the fort held a pivotal role in the Caste War, when the local Maya rose up against those of European descent. The fort changed hands several times in that conflict; and the history is still there for visitors to see.
Today, it is difficult to imagine battles ever touching Bacalar. The less energetic lie draped on hammocks or sun-loungers; or amble around Bacalar's streets and shops. There are beach-side bars and quiet cafes, or higher class restaurants for those meaningful moments. The beautiful town goes on, in peace and relaxation, and the ever changing colors of its tranquil lagoon.
Fermin Anonio Mundaca y Marecheaga was born, on October 11th, 1825, in Santa Maria, Spain. He was well educated, but as soon as his studies were completed, he crossed the oceans to make his fortune in the slave trade. He raided Mexico, in search of Mayan people to abduct and sell. He also undertook voyages to Africa, where he bought people to ship to the Americas. Both Mayan and African slaves were destined for the sugarcane plantations and mines of Cuba and the Antillas. There were rumours that he was also a traditional pirate too, but no actual anecdotes to back this up. He certainly called himself a pirate and none of the other pirates around at the time challenged him on the nom-de-plume.
Mundaca fell in love. He called her La Trigueña (The Brunette) and had a great archway built, as the northern entrance to his estate, in her honor. El Paso de La Trigueña! The Gateway of the Brunette! He built a two-storey, palatial home overlooking a shallow valley. He created stone terraces with carved stone benches, each bearing a hand-carved plaque. He made a massive sundial for her called 'La Rosa de los Vientos' ('The Rose of the Wind'). You could tell the time by seeing upon which flowers the shadow of the dial fell, during any hour of the day. He dug a well and constructed eight walled gardens around it in an octagon shape. He extended his gardens and added a menagerie of livestock and exotic birds. He had ploughed and sown a huge vegetable garden. A second archway, as the south-eastern entrance to his estate, had the words etched into it, 'Entrada de La Trigueña' (Entrance of the Brunette). He plundered the local Mayan ruins and brought back ornately decorated stones to be used in his own hacienda. He created a warren of small pathways, lined with sea grapes and icaco, lit with torches and leading down to the bay. Coconut palms and chitale were planted for their milk. All for her.
Mundaca also went to the cemetery, in the north part of Isla Town, on the island and created a tomb for himself. The granite tombstone is peculiar. It was carved by Mundaca in 1877, the date which he added to the stone. It is intriguing to ponder upon the date. Did he intend to do away with himself in order to render the date correct? Or did he consider this the moment when his life was over, despite himself still moving and breathing in it? The tombstone shows a skull and crossbones as its icon. There is also a message for his disinterested love:
