In Xochimilco, at least 25 colorful trajinera boats were stacked next to each other at the dock, and I needed to get to the one at the end. So, I jumped from boat to boat and tried not to fall into the water as I leapfrogged.
Floating through the canals of Xochimilco on a trajinera is a cultural pastime, popular with tourists and Sunday favorite activity for locals. The once pristine canals and waterways were beloved by the likes of Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and many others throughout the region. The area was once home to the main source of agriculture for the area and produced the vast majority of flowers, including the popular Poinsettia, for much of the country.
I wanted to come to Xochimilco because I’d once seen a picture of Frida Kahlo dipping her hand over the side of a trajinera in the crystal-clear water. It looked so peaceful and beautiful, plus everyone says it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Xochimilco is a borough of Mexico City that was a lake town long ago before the lake diminished. It’s best known for its canals, leftover from an extensive hydroponic agriculture and transportation system.
Trajinera Boats in Xochimilco
If floating down a canal on a boat sounds like a tranquil afternoon, think again. As soon as you see the boats you know you’re not in for a regular boat ride. They’re manically colored in every neon shade of paint you’ve ever seen and decorated with all sorts of fake flowers (once upon a time, they used to be real, but that was a lot of work and money) and each has a name. They’re boats; they need to have names. These names are emblazoned across arches bordering the top of the boat. Maria, Margarita, Esperanza, Guadalupe, no two boats are the same. That’s saying a lot since there are 150 of them operating on the canal.
You can rent a boat and spend anywhere from one hour to the entire day on the canals, but one hour should be more than enough. You could spend another hour in the market alongside the river.
Xochimilco, on the weekends, is a busy place. Still, you’ll want snacks for your boat ride. As my group walked through the market to get to the boats, we stopped at several stands that lined the causeway. We bought coconut juice and candy. We also sampled dried baby fish, crickets, and small dried worms. Snacks in Mexico are different.
Floating Through the Canals
After we hopped from boat to boat to “Juanita,” the captain pushed off. The boats are about 20 feet long with a flat bottom. Each has a long table and wood chairs that can hold 20 people.
You rent the boat by the hour, and off you go. Prices vary depending on your Spanish negotiating skills. Once everyone is on the boat, the captain (gondolier?) pushes into the canal with a long bamboo stick, and you’re immediately in the thick of it.
The canal is lined by “floating gardens” called chinampas. Once upon a time, the chinampas along these canals produced 90% of the flowers in the region, including poinsettias, geraniums, and roses. They also used to be known for their spinach figs, pears and plums.
My guide, Erendira, bless her, knew her history. She peppered us with facts and figures about what we saw all day.
Floating Islands Called Chinampas
The floating islands were created from juniper branches with soil on top. Farmers grew all sorts of flowers and produce on them. Eventually, the organic raft would sink, and they’d build a new one. In time, the sunken rafts stacked up and formed islands.
Once we got out onto the waterway, we met with the other boats in a melee of madness. The canal was so crowded that I wondered how we would go anywhere, but we just forced our way through, ramming the others as needed.
Because it was Sunday, many boats were filled with locals. You could tell because they brought food, music, alcohol and party favors. The boats with the locals were floating parties. They danced and sang and jumped from boat to boat as they floated down the canal. We tourists only brought our pocketbooks. But we didn’t need to worry; the vendors were ready for us.
Parties on the Water
Mixed in with the trajineras were smaller boats selling food, drinks, and souvenirs. No matter where you go in Mexico, even the bathroom, somebody is there to sell you something. Sometimes this is annoying, but it’s also convenient!
Within minutes, these small boats approached us to see what we wanted to buy. We bought a few beers but passed on the hats, dolls, margaritas, jewelry, tequila shots, elote (corn) , blankets, tacos, balloons, paper flowers, natural flowers, t-shirts, Lucha Libra masks and other items. Several mariachi bands floated past, selling their services too.
We floated down, holding tight to our beers and enjoying the parties going on around us. But it’s not what I expected it to be. I thought it would still be islands filled with flowers, but if there were any, it was hard to see.
The Decline of Xochimilco Waterways
Xochimilco is a UNESCO World Heritage site, but the deterioration and pollution are happening so fast that UNESCO has threatened to pull Xochimilco’s status. The water is so polluted; we were advised not to touch it.
Ecologists and protective organizations have spent millions of dollars on preserving and protecting the land and canals, but it’s a losing battle. The water is diminishing so quickly, and pollution kills the natural resources and wildlife just as fast. Experts believe that in 50 years, there won’t be any more water in the canals. There are a few reasons for it, but mostly it’s overpopulation.
Each year the area loses massive amounts of protected land to illegal settlements – currently, there are estimated to be about 100,000 makeshift dwellings in the area illegally filling the canals to create more land and polluting the water with fecal matter – that’s right, poop.
Over the last forty years, the number of people in the borough working in agriculture has dropped from 40% to just 3%, and most of the native crops have disappeared. I’m not sure how these people will feed themselves soon unless they start eating the tourists.
Of course, I didn’t know any of this until after our boat ride.
Visiting Xochimilco
People ask if it’s worth visiting Xochimilco and I’m torn on the topic. It’s so fragile and deteriorating so rapidly the last thing it needs is more people. From a cultural perspective, it’s still a unique experience, but the best thing we can do to honor that is to stay away.
On my boat, while we were heading back to the docks, another man, who had been riding with us the whole time but never spoke, finally stood up and opened his case I hadn’t noticed previously. He was a vendor selling jewelry.
I bought a small clean resin charm with a tiny preserved yellow flower inside in memory of the floating gardens of Xochimilco. I wish I could have seen them.
Find other things to see and do on my Mexico content page.
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