Paddling Through Mexico City’s Floating Gardens
A Photo Journal
Trajineras on the canals of Xochimilco
Balancing myself while stepping into a colorful canoe, I along with a few friends set off to explore the surreal floating gardens of Xochimilco – a totally unique experience blending history and nature.
“Careful, I’m the clumsy one,” I said to the tour guide who helped us, one at a time into the canoe. I was determined that my shame wouldn’t be part of our story; not on that day.
Chinampa at Xochimilco
We couldn’t wrap our heads around the fact that these green, tranquil wetlands that are just a few miles south of a huge metropolis.
The chinampas, often called the "Floating Gardens of Mexico City," are a UNESCO World Heritage site and a testament to the ingenuity of the Aztec people.
Trajineras or Canal Boats
Dating back to the pre-Hispanic era, these man-made islands were created by interweaving reeds and branches, leaves with mud and sediment dredged from the lake bed.
This created fertile plots of land for agriculture, which were then used to grow crops while the trees anchored and held it all together.
Our canoe
We floated through the intricate, watery labyrinth. The canals were like a network of liquid ribbons, and we were there for it. The serenity of Xochimilco lulled us.
Still, somehow the chinampas are teeming with life; we heard songs of many species of birds, the cheering of sporting activities, the whirring of small boats and saw the vibrant colors of the trajineras (the canal boats of Xochimilco). We even for a moment heard drumming in the distance…it was a whole vibe.
Insect hotels on a chinampa
The rich, fertile soil of these "floating gardens" has nourished Mexico City for centuries, and today, they continue to yield a bounty of crops – from squash, lettuce, tomatoes, chili peppers and beans to aromatic herbs and vibrant blooms.
We kept our eyes peeled for the diverse wildlife. Herons and egrets gracefully posed along the banks, and cows basked in the sun while songbirds skipped among the foliage.
We stopped at the tour guides’ chinampa and had a fresh, organic breakfast made by his wife with ingredients from their garden and had to be peeled away; we didn’t want to leave.
Cows are technically not allowed on the chinampas, yet here they are…there were many of them.
Here’s the tour by Humedalia:
https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/371004
