My Other House Is A Jungle Hut Or Maya Palapa Basics 101
Topics: hut, palapa, Quintana Roo, jungle, thatched, scorpion, rat, snake, Hurricane Dean, hurricane, limestone, hole
In Quintana Roo and the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico huts are commonly known as palapas and there are even hotels that advertise beach palapas to Gringos and Germans. Go figure. Some turistas prefer going native. So do many of the natives.
The whole concept of the palapa developed because the Maya of old would farm one area of the jungle for several years and then move to another area. Everything was renewable. The trees they cut for palapas would over a 20-30 year period grow back and the Maya would not go back into an area for that period of time so the jungle could actually rejuvenate.
It all worked well since a palapa could be built in a week or two. And jungle men like my friend Poot could build one using just one tool; his machete. But things changed. With population increases land was privatized or more commonly turned into ‘ejidos’ or communal farms. We live on one and so do many Maya.
In one of our huts there is no roof. Hurricane Dean took care of that. It wasn’t thatched but we are converting. We’ll have to go out to the ranch and cut some guano or palm fronds for the thatches; fortunately the wooden frame is intact so we don’t have to replace that. On the ranch we have an older palapa and amazingly nothing happened to it; one hundred mile per hour winds could not knock it down.
A hurricane will blow the roof off a well constructed house since the hurricane winds form a vacuum inside the house and the roof is literally lifted off. Not so with palapas. In a bad hurricane the roof will lift up until the outside and inside pressures equalize, something more modern style constructions cannot do. Because of its natural construction the palapa will bend but not break.
The palapa roof is also cooler than conventional roofs. What is strange is to see a modern hotel with a thatched roof; it’s not just the ‘look and feel’ for tourists. It’s cooler and air conditioning costs in Mexico can be very expensive. Obviously a palapa cannot be air conditioned because it has no insulation.
The downside to the thatched roof is critters like rats and scorpions love to make their nests in the thatches. Last night we heard a rat and sure enough in the morning it had raided our food.
Another downside to a thatched roof is that it burns easily so smart palapa builders put their kitchen outside and away from the hut. Since most rural Maya still burn wood, the sparks can easily ignite a dry, thatched roof.
The palapa walls can be made of sticks or planks of wood. Our main palapa has walls made of caoba wood; a precious wood like teak or mahogany. It may be a hut but it’s got some very upscale walls. Many of the poorest Maya simply put up stick walls with gaps in between meaning that one can actually see inside the hut. Great for letting breeze in during the steamy summers as well as allowing hurricane winds to pass through. Not so great for nosey neighbors.
Snakes like palapas too. Our lot in the Maya village has a large venomous four- nosed snake and hopefully one day he doesn’t get tired of his limestone hole in our back yard and decide to join us in our palapa. Sometimes snakes do that when rain floods them out. Such are the risks of palapa life.
The roof and frame sit on top of posts dug in the ground. But these aren’t ordinary posts. We use zapote tree hearts for this. A zapote tree can fall down in the jungle and the heart of the tree not rot for 10 years. Sturdy and durable is an understatement; just don’t figure you can easily put a nail in it because it simply is too hard. Palapa doors and windows can be made of an assortment of wooden planks; some more modern Maya put screens up to keep out the bugs.
Today’s modern palapas have simple cement floors. In the old days the Maya would build a floor out of limestone rock and then crush more limestone and put it on top to form a smooth surface. After several months of walking on it the floor would become smooth and as hard as rock.
In our Maya village almost everyone has a palapa although the more successful farmers are now building their cinderblock and cement houses. Not me. Those cinderblock houses get too hot. How hot is hot? How about a hundred degrees Fahrenheit with one hundred per cent humidity. A veritable rainforest sauna; sweating like a pig in the pouring rain. Unrelenting.
The brutal sun, wind and pounding rain cause cement and plaster walls to crack even with steel rebar reinforcement. I prefer a genuine real palapa. True, when we build our new ranch palapa in the jungle we will use nails and wire and bolts to hold the roof down. During a hurricane nails and wire hold the palapa together better.
But for all the modern day improvements such as wire and nails the palapa design remains the same has it has for centuries. My neighbors wonder why we don’t build a cinderblock house and I can’t really explain it other than to say I feel more at home in my jungle palapa. Crazy Gringo.
When in Rome do as the Romans and when in the Zona Maya do as the Maya. Good advice that makes sense. Besides, no one can every accuse us of being arrogant or presumptuous as long as we live in a Maya palapa, even if the walls are made of some very chic caoba wood.
Jack Deal is the owner of Deal Business Consulting and a part time resident of Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Mexico. He can be contacted at jddeal@jddeal.com Hundreds of Maya palapa photos may be found at www.freeandinquiringmind.typepad.com
Previous Articles Highlighter:
Plan A Romantic Escape To Tahiti (1)
Six exclusive luxury Sofitel and Novotel resorts in French Polynesia - www.accorhotels.pf -, offering outstanding natural beauty, sparkling turquoise waters, and all the romance of the South Seas to travelers and honeymooners in search of the ultimate paradise island experience.
The Benefits Of Travel Offers (2)
Topics: hotels, best hotel offers, best discount offer hotels, best cheap hotels, best Thinking of going to a vacation with your entire family but don't have much time for the planning, then the Travel packages widely available are of great help in such a situation where your are thinking of going on the last minute.
Barcelona Spain's Second Largest City (3)
It is therefore recommended to book tickets in advance in order to avoid disappointment. Tickets for this tour may be reserved online. In addition, booking a place to stay while in Barcelona can also be arranged via the Internet.
Dollywood: Entertainment For The Whole Family (4)
The most popular local destination is Dollywood, Dolly Parton's family-oriented amusement park. A Source Of Endless Adventure After a night in one of the many Pigeon Forge cabin rentals, head to Dollywood early so you have time to enjoy all the entertainment.
Research, Research, Research - The Key To Finding A Great Cheap Hotel (5)
Don't forget, when visiting a new place, the last thing you will often want to do is stay in your hotel room, so if you can find a cheap hotel then it ensures more money to spend on eating out, sightseeing and shopping.
Prices For Disney World Vacations - Economical Budget Travel To Disney (6)
Want to learn more tips, tricks and secrets of analyzing the prices of Disney World vacations in order to fit a memorable Disney World vacation into your budget? Be sure to check out www.discountfamilyvacation4u.com for more information.
Popular Choices In Shopping For Luggage (7)
The luggage that is fashioned with these features is very popular among the people who work for Homeland Security and are tasked with inspecting carry-on luggage before it reaches the aircraft.
Family Fun Australia Tours (8)
Tour highlights include a private elephant feeding, a green screen family photo op, the opportunity to get up close and personal with cuddly wombats, giant pythons, playful possums, and other animals, and the truly unique opportunity to feed a Galapagos tortoise.
Holiday Rep Jobs; More Than Just Free Travel (9)
This can be viewed as one of the most rewarding aspects of being a rep; being thanked for your services as a guest leaves is infinitely satisfying. Overall the good outweighs the bad; many who become reps purely to gain a free holiday find themselves in the holiday industry for life, as they begin to enjoy their jobs.
How Not To Walk Amalfi Coast Trails: An Unexpected Adventure (10)
He directed me up a path ahead and pointed high up the hillside to a deserted farm house. The path for Positano. "Take this path ahead of us for 20-30 minutes to a junction.
Newer Articles Highlighter:
Take A Luxury Honeymoon Trip To Tahiti (1)
In deed, Tahiti has everything that is required to make your honeymoon memorable as well as enjoyable. In short, Tahiti is a honeymooners' paradise. Many consider a trip to Tahiti and her islands as an expensive option.
Hong Kong International Airport Security Measures (2)
Launched in Hong Kong on 26 October 2006, Oasis Hong Kong Airlines pioneers a fresh approach to flying. We are now flying daily between Hong Kong, London and Vancouver.For more information visit www.oasishongkong.com
How To Find The Best Cheap Hotels (3)
Often the more budget the hotel, the less favourable the area and when visiting a new city for the first time it is important to ensure that it is a safe and pleasant area.
A Different Types Of Accommodation Choices In Phuket (4)
Mostly, they are complete with luxuriously appointed rooms, Thai style gardens, lush gardens, swimming pools, most modern spa facilities, and golf courses. Al though hotels and resorts make available all that is required to make your vacation enjoyable, it may sometimes does not appeal a vacationer seeking more space, privacy, and freedom.
Best Hotel Offers Around The World (5)
Topics: hotel offers, best hotel offers, review hotel offers, cheap hotel offers Whatever may be destination you are planning to go, the best hotel deal can make your stay more comfortable and enjoyable.
Luxe City Guide Featuring The British Virgin Islands (6)
The exclusive Guana Island resort is seven beaches spread over 850 acres with cottages and villages for only 32 guests. There are numerous water related sporting activities as well as biking and hiking trails.
Quick Tips For Disney Vacation Deals (7)
This will not only save you money on lodging and dining, but it will also add excitement and joy to your vacation. Planning in advance for Disney vacation is important if you want to secure an affordable and yet enjoyable vacation.
Visiting Disney World? How To Ditch The Hotels (8)
You might also want to consider a large living room, multiple TV's, a swimming pool, on site staff to handle cleaning or even cooking, a gaming room with available games (ping pong tables, billiards table, foosball table, etc.) and so forth.
London Is The Capital Of England (9)
Diana, Princess of Wales' Memorial Fountain in Hyde Park was unveiled in July, 2004 with both the late Dianas family and the royal family including Queen Elizabeth II present, the $6.5 million memorial to the late Princess of Wales is designed by American architect Karen Gustafson.
Holidays In Tuscany Villas Is All About Finding That Perfect Package (10)
When Katia Lorenzen stayed at a holiday villa in Tuscany, she thought she was in heaven. Now she tells friends about this great resource to plan holidays in Tuscany villas: www.TuscanyVillaSecrets.com.
Permalink to My Other House Is A Jungle Hut Or Maya Palapa Basics 101