The “Green Gold” at Hacienda Sotuta de Peón
Less than an hour south of Mérida you can travel back in time, to the 19th century when large plantations, called haciendas, were economic powerhouses in the Yucatán. The agave cactus, known as Agave fourcroydes was the source of henequen, or sisal, fibers from which twine was spun. At a time before petroleum-based plastics had been invented, twine was used in all manner of products, and the henequen industry was so lucrative that Mérida was one of the wealthiest cities in the world during the Edwardian Age. Indeed, Mérida was the first city in Mexico to have electricity!
At the height of production in 1915, more than 1.2 million bales of twine were exported to International Harvester in Chicago, enough to make about 45 million miles of twine. The henequen cactus was the “Green Gold” of the Yucatán. With the introduction of petroleum-based synthetics, however, the henequen industry collapsed within a decade. Abandoned, the haciendas fell into disrepair. It has only been since the late 1980s that they have been restored, often transformed into exclusive boutique hotels and spas.
Hacienda Sotuta de Peón, remarkably, has been resorted to a working hacienda, one that gives visitors an idea of the era when these large plantations were the source of tremendous wealth. The restored hacienda is an exciting day trip. Visitors are invited to take the mule-drawn ride along wooden rails on the 382 acre plantation, and to see how the henequen was planted, harvested and transformed by workers into sisal fiber, ready to be shipped. The equipment is the original, meticulously restored, and each machine is capable of processing 100,000 cactus leaves in an eight-hour shift. The tour beings in the main house, where the Victorian and Edwardian furniture showcase the conspicuous consumption and opulence of the hacienda owners, who imported much of their furnishings from France, England and the United States. The high-ceilinged rooms and exquisite tiles are breathtaking. After touring the house, the production facilities are next, where every step in the process of turning henequen cactus into twine rope is explained.
For Americans, this day trip is particularly poignant: Substitute henequen for cotton and the Maya workers for slaves, and you have an arresting idea of what how the plantations in the American South looked like on the eve of the Civil War!
For the modern visitor, Hacienda Sotuta de Peón has a remarkable cenote, or natural sink hole, where you can swim, before enjoying a lavish traditional Yucatecan lunch. The sopa de lima (a citrusy lime soup with chicken), guacamole and poc chuc (a traditional Maya pork dish), are excellent. The Neapolitan flan is famous throughout the region, and there the tour concludes with a cool taste of Mexican tequila.
This is a cultural day trip that is appropriate for visitors of all ages, focuses on a greater historical understanding of the plantation system when the world had not yet industrialized, and includes the opportunity of a recreational swim in a stunning natural pool.
Arrangements can be made by your B&B.
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