Phase 2: Southeastern Mexico
Not long after driving through the southern foothills of Pico de Orizaba, we dropped down to the expansive sea-level marshlands in the state of Tabasco. The majority of the autopista through these parts was a raised roadbed. We were now hoping to slow down our pace in order to visit some Mayan sites. But before that, we made a quick stop off at Parque Museo La Venta in the town of Villahermosa, Tabasco. This is one of the premier collections of Olmec artifacts, in a lakeside-jungle setting in the heart of the urban city center. From what I learned the Olmecs pre-dated the Mayans, did not construct many large temples/pyramids, but did carve huge stone statues (notably, giant heads).
A modern statue in a fountain at Parque Museo La Venta.
Many of these statues were moved to this museum from surrounding areas, and displayed outdoors along paths through a dense jungle crawling with coati. When deep back on these paths, one would think they were in a remote jungle – were it not for the occasional honking of horns & engine noises coming from the cars on the crowded city streets a few hundred meters away.
Several examples of the huge Olmec stone statues.
I was in some of these places about 20 years ago, so it's neat to see how things change over time.
More:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/adventures/featured-adventures/551-arizona-to-guatemala-driving-a-defender-110-out-of-the-us-part-2.html
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