As previously mentioned (as an aside, so don`t feel too badly if you don`t remember), Mexico City is home to some wetlands in the middle of the (extended) city- the Xochimilco World Heritage Site was once an all-natural wetland, but for necessities` sake (21 million people is a lot of people, after all) it now uses reclaimed water to continue having a wetlands area. It my be a far cry from the once-mighty Lake Texcoco- but alas, the Spanish…
We were out in the canals, kayaking around, attempting to avoid the trajineras (“blinged out” gondolas meant for partying around the waterways, more on that later). My family and I were not only doing this for fun, but also to learn about the chinampas- the “floating gardens”- a brilliant ancient Mesoamerican system of creating layered islands of various substrates by weaving together reeds and sticks below the water`s surface, which allows the marshlands to “soak up” into the topsoil, nourishing and hydrating the plants being cultivated. In 2018, the UN designated the Xochimilco chinampas as a “Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System” (Xochimilco is a mash-up of two Nahuatl words- “xochitl” and “milli”- meaning “where the flowers grow”). In this magical place, we were able to witness some breathtaking natural and biological sights.
We had the pleasure of having both a native guide (Paco) and a biologist (Alex) give us a tour of the wetlands, as part of the “Chinampas en Movimiento” organization, and we were able to learn from them about the wetlands, the animals within, the chinampa system, Mesoamerican myths and traditions, and the work being done on an indigenous farm- where we received a great first-hand look at working indigenous crop cultivation and had an amazing locally sourced and prepared meal, as well.
The chinampas, explained to us by Paco and Alex, though not created by the Aztecs, were codified and made large-scale by them to ensure that there were enough crops for their expanding empire. Now, few chinampas remain- but they are a beacon of sustainability in an area in dire need of ecologically sound growing processes to pave the way for a future urban agricultural revolution. On the farm, my family and I saw how they used the clay-heavy soil to create little “seed bombs”- sprouting the seedlings in little clay cubes in mini-hoop houses before transporting them to the main fields. It was heartening to see such ancient technologies and practices being put to effective use in such a sprawling, large city. The system of floating gardens allows greater crop density and ingenious water conservation- it truly can’t be overstated what an amazing invention it was and is.
One of the most special parts of our trip with “Chinampas en Movimiento” organization was the ability to see their burgeoning Axolotl breeding program- they only have a handful of these critically endangered and unique relatives of the salamander, but we were fortunate enough to see two of them (not to handle, because of course) but the experience was a formative and oh-so-joyous one for my children. Axolotls are victims of water pollution, illegal animal trafficking, and an overabundance of predatory birds and fish, so my family and I wish Godspeed to the axolotl breeding program and hope for immense success. What a fascinatingly cool creature.
Now, not every aspect of the Xochimilco Chinampas is work, work, work- the trajineras add a festive and wonderfully colorful element to the waterways- these wooden party boats may be ecologically problematic, blaring dimestore EDM while its patrons chug their 14th Tecate, but hey- fun is fun, I suppose (and who am I to judge, as the Chao Praya and Mekong party boats in Thailand were among my most favorite of outings in the city). These boats roll up and down the canals, stopping for Mariachi music, mezcal, and tacos- not a bad life, I suppose, but I preferred the quiet, simple contemplativeness of the kayak, a welcome respite from the bustle of one of the world’s largest cities. The trip to the Xochimilco chinampas was among my most favorite and memorable excursions in a holiday filled with memorable outings. It is a not-to-be-missed experience.
I read this beautiful piece of writing while stroking my pet axolotl
Amazing write-up of your experience at Xochimilco. I'm always amazed at what there is to do, see and learn in Mexico City. I spent two years there and maybe scratched the surface of what's available. A magical city, if there ever was one.