Yucatan Sisal Haciendas |
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| Haciendas consist of four elements: 1) the big house, 2) sisal factory, 3) houses for the workers, and 4) the surrounding fields of cactus connected by narrow-gauge railroads. Except for the big house, can you identify these elements on this air photo? | |
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| This abandon maguey cactus field (hence, the trees are growing in the field) is surrounded by limestone wall. The Yucatan is a limestone plateau with all the features on karst topography. | Narrow-gauge railroads (where are they on the air photo?) are used to bring the cut maguey cactus leaves to the "stripping" factory, where the outer layers are stripped away to get at the sisal fiber. The waste vegetation is hauled away by narrow-gauge railroad. Can you identify the spot on the air photo? |
The sisal fibers are hung out to dry in the tropical sun on steel wire racks next to the factory. Can you identify the drying area on the air photo?
Now visit an historic sisal hacienda: tour the patron's house, factory, Mayan village, and Merida's historic wealthy district. |
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