SISTEMA IPAZOLTIC

In search of limestone in the Guadalajara area, one fine day we found ourselves south of the town of Ameca, where we ran into a fellow who told us of an enormous network of tunnels stuffed with hidden treasure and located beneath a range of mountains, which, to hear him talk, must greatly resemble Swiss Cheese.

“Jist on the other side o’ the bean field ... Ye can’t miss it!” he exclaimed.

BEANS

However, on reaching the top of the hill, we saw spread before us acres upon acres of beanfields. Which one was the beanfield? After a half an hour of crisscrossing fields and more fields, we ended up on a rockstrewn, rut-ridden “road” that nearly tore the Jeep apart. But finally, we came to Ipazoltic where indeed we found limestone ... and a local type eager to be our guide...

THE WORLD’S GREATEST CAVE VENDOR

“I’ll show you the way - it’s my cave - lived here all my life - been all through the cave - a miner I am!” And, before we could even get out a flashlight, down he took us into this partially caved-in mine.

He pointed towards an inviting patch of inky blackness. “There’s the connection between the old mine and the cave - it’s a natural tunnel - goes back deep inside the mountain and never stops - nobody’s seen the end of it - whatcha interested in? - Minerals? - I sell ‘em - Exploring? - I’ll guide you for a small fee.”

“We’re not after anything valuable,” I said. Just like to look at bats.”

“Bats? I can sell you some!”

Once our local Og Mandino discovered there was nothing we were going to buy, he departed, but only after talking us into giving him a ride back to his pueblo.

HUAUTLA FINALLY OVERSHADOWED

And at last, we began the first steps of our exploration... which has resulted in the following preliminary Map of Sistema Ipazoltic based upon exhaustive and detailed studies of the declarations of people who “spent their entire lives exploring” what is said to be the most complicated and far-reaching system in Mexico.