Today is my 2 month anniversary since arriving in Mexico. I celebrated with Burger King for lunch (I was quite embarassed, but noone will ever see me again here anyway) and will have pizza tonight, can't wait!! And tomorrow at around 10am I will be crossing the border into Guatemala to the lake-island town of Flores.
But catching up to things...from the Oaxaca coast I took a night bus to the indigineous mountain town of San Cristobal de las Casas. This is where the whole Zapatistas movement started in the 1990's when they took over the city. After visiting some nearby indigineous villages and watching a movie about the Zapatistas, they are now my official heroes, and this without doubt was my favorite place on my trip to Mexico. (brainwashed? perhaps) Each village has its own culture and even its own outfit. Imagine having to wear the "Mandan" outfit since you are from Mandan, North Dakota (I would imagine something with cowboy boots), and if you are a woman and married a man from Bismarck (like my sister), you would have to change to the Bismarck outfit (maybe something with feathered hair and your sweater tucked into your jeans). Most villages believe in an adapted form of christianity, but one village ousted the official priest and practices their own religion using colored candles, pine needles and the sacrifice of chickens (and roosters, hurrah!) in the church in front of altars for each saint.
Today I visited the ancient ruins of Palenque. Imagine 1,500 year-old pyramids in the jungle, it was soo cool. I rented a cabaña in a hippie jungle enclave near the ruins. My cabaña looks more like a permanent picnic tent with only screens and with a bed in it, and a "porch" that overlooks a nearby stream. I can see lizards while lying in bed, I love it.
This was going to be a short entry to let you all know that today is my last day in Mexico. Hope you aren't going to miss it too much (you could always go for yourselves...hee hee). I'll put pics up as soon as I can!
P.S. Most people voted for money for Christmas instead of lovely Chihuahua boots, so money it is (and not much of it, I'll assure you now). Though I was very impressed that the purple ostrich with silver buckled boots were quite popular, as well as the two kinds of snake boots. The latest poll is about eating worm, get your vote in now!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
8 comments:
Oooooh...the first comment...I feel so honored!! I read about those pyramids in the jungle and heard that they are hard to see with all the vegetation/soil built up around them. That's if they are the same ones that I read about in a title sort of like Three Week's With My Brother by Nicholas Sparks.
I think the Bismarck/Mandan dress would be something like Columbia jackets. Everyone looks similar...except me...I stick to the former big city girl wool coat.
Stay safe...Madre
*Madre*
Congrats, and thanks for being my first comment! There are tons of different pyramids down here, wherever there used to be an old city. Only 25% of the ruins at Palenque have been uncovered, the rest are completely buried by jungle.
Columbia jackets, yeah, that's right! That would be a more modern uniform, ha ha. Good thing you can stick to your wool!
Howdy from the Mandan/Bismarck villages. Since Sam and I (Lura) have just realized we switched cities we are just going to trade outfits. However, we feel the Bismarck outfit should include insulated sweatpants in your high schools colors. Gas masks have been added for Mandan's oil spills and refinery smells. We're at work looking at your website instead of saving lives and Sam is my boss tonight. She is mean! Haha, she is looking over my shoulder. Have fun, be safe, and don't get malaria. Love, Sam and Lura
P.S. I have heard malaria drugs can cause massive nightmares so sleep with Cindy!
*Sam and Lura*
I'll let you pick out your own uniforms, if that's what you desire. (insulated sweatpants?? Gas masks??? Ha ha you guys are hilarious!) Good to hear you have time to contemplate and that people in Bismarck-Mandan are not in trouble tonight! hee hee Lura, don't let that mean boss of yours boss you around!
Cindy?! I don't think I even have her anymore, boo hoo. But I've had no side effects yet, yippee!
You're leaving Mexico? Adios Mio! (I am 99% sure I'm not saying\spelling that correctly by the way). I hope you enjoyed your trip.
Where are you off to now? Going to come up to CA to see your favorite cousin I hope? If you see Sean, make sure to mention that I am your favorite cousin. ;-)
*Cousin Moe*
I'm heading south, south, south (to my parents dissatisfaction). I'm in beautiful Belize right now! Would love to visit my favorite cousin, but for now you're going to have to come join me! Let's say, we meet up in Nicaragua? Honduras?
Mexico Lindo!!! Now I can to know more about this beautiful country since another angle, nice pictures! (Is Burger King a vegetarian food???)he he he...I put my vote today in your poll...
*Ravioli*
Thanks for voting in the poll! I think you voted "might try a little", very brave! I picked the meat off my Whopper Jr., BAD vegetarian, BAD vegetarian!
Post a Comment