VallaMapa

  The Mayan House The Mayan house is one of the most important aspects of Mayan culture, and fortunately, it is a tradition that remains alive throughout the Yucatan Peninsula. When you visit Yucatán and see these houses, you may notice that they have a specific orientation; some are square, and others are round. You can also notice that they have two symmetrical doors, one on each side of the house. Discover in this blog the beautiful theories of the construction of the Mayan house. After knowing them, you will want to live in one of them! The Mayan House: Characteristics Mayan houses have interesting characteristics, such as their square or round construction and orientation at specific cardinal points. The houses' doors are oriented from east to north, taking advantage of the sunlight that illuminates the interiors in the morning. Square and round shapes The pre-Hispanic Mayans believed that the world was square and that it was supported by four porters. These chargers were know...

  Destination Charging Tesla in Valladolid, Yucatán  Good news, there’s a new Destination Charging Tesla in Valladolid, Yucatán! Electric or hybrid cars are becoming increasingly common, and charging points have become an advantage for many travelers. We know how essential they can be for those with these cars, so… Traveling through Yucatan is very pleasant, and even more so if you have all the comforts. The Vallamapa team noticed something new in the Hotel & Suites Country facilities. This hotel is located on one of the main streets of this town, just a few blocks from the historic center. Until recently, there was no charging center for Tesla cars within the city. The closest were in Mérida, Cancun, or Playa del Carmen. But now they are available here! Tesla charging center arrived in Valladolid, Yucatán. Entering the city through the main street (Calle 42) and a few blocks before reaching the city center, you will find the Hotel & Suites Country, which has installe...

  Aloe Vera and its use in Yucatan Is aloe essential in Yucatán? There is much to say about aloe vera and its use in Yucatán. First, you should know that there are many aloe plantations in Yucatan. The state is among the top three producers of aloe in the entire country. Although it is not native to Mexico but rather to the Mediterranean, Yucatán is still an ideal place for this plant's growth. The climatic conditions of the Yucatan Peninsula are particular. Humidity abounds in all seasons of the year, especially in the rainy season. You probably think that the amount of water that rains during the year is a lot, and it is that, yes, it rains too much; the not-so-secret secret is the type of soil we have here. The soil permeability is very high. The rocks found here are limestone; therefore, even if it rains for days, the plantations are never flooded. Consequently, the businesses that produce, use, and export aloe are very important to the state economy. These companies create jo...

  Soil-construction in Valladolid Yucatan: Superadobe The weather is changing in the Yucatan Peninsula; the last summer was particularly hot, dry and long. Valladolid reached really high temperatures, and the thermal sensation reached 46-47 Celsius degrees. In recent years, eco-technologies have become increasingly popular and are adapting to the different regions of the country. In Valladolid, we have direct experience with solar panels and solar water heaters. We have been thinking about building a house with soil for some time due to its great thermal properties and low cost compared to traditional concrete and block. I even went as far as taking a class in Guanajuato with these amazing people, but between the business, the family, and so many other things, I was not sure we could commit to self-building. One of the earth-building techniques I learned was super-adobe, and I loved it: loved the straightforward DYI approach, the fact that is very easy to build, and even the look! ...

  Using Green Technologies in the Yucatan “What’s the use of a fine house if you have not got a tolerable planet to put it on.” -Henry David Thoreau Living in Yucatan has been a wonderful experience for us for many reasons, including Quality of life, safety, and low living costs. We have also seized the opportunity to try eco-technologies in our house. We are not complete hippies, we are used to paying bills. But over time, we realized these bills were eating up a lot of our cash! Investing money in eco-technologies has freed some of the money we were paying every month, and we are happy to think that we won’t have bills for many years to come. Do you want to know how we did it?  Solar panels in Valladolid Yucatan Our experience with eco-technologies began when we found the hottest house for rent in Valladolid... and maybe in the whole of Yucatan. We like the house a lot, but it has a large floor-to-ceiling window facing south, so it gets the sun all day, and, of course, the t...