The days are full of learning experiences. Each day we get back to the hotel, I remark to Kris how much I am taking in, and how I can't believe the amount of new information I have after each day. I have been formally studying Mexico for the past 15 years, without ever having been to the cultural parts of the country, and I am so excited to finally have the opportunity to actually experience all of the things I’ve read about for so long. Being of Mexican descent, this has been a very emotionally-charged trip for me as I am really discovering who I am, where I come from, and where I see myself going in the future. All of my emotions and reflections are being poured into a journal, which I am hoping, will lead to a book someday.
Today we spent the day in San Cristobal de las Casas and visiting some Maya villages nearby. We went shopping in the Maya market here in San Cristobal this morning, and then set out for the village of Zincantán. In Zincantán, we visited a Maya family who makes a living by weaving beautiful tapestries and opening their doors to visitors to enjoy tacos made with hand made corn tortillas over an open fire. As if the tacos weren’t tasty enough, the coffee we drank with them was absolutely AMAZING!!! Forget standard Mexican coffee, forget American coffee, the coffee grown and produced in the highlands of Chiapas is simply the best.
From Zincantán, we went to San Juan Chamula, another Maya village. This village is different because the people here have not adapted as much to modern culture as those in Zincantán. As a result, they are still very poor—even by indigenous standards. I found this village to have the most character and spirit. The highlight of our visit was our entrance into the local church.
The Maya had an interesting way of adapting to the arrival of the Catholic Spanish Conquistadors. Instead of rejecting their traditional beliefs altogether and adopting Catholic traditions, they found ways to blend their beliefs with Christianity. The church in San Juan Chamula was the perfect example of that hybrid. Inside the church are no pews. Along the sides are glass cases surrounding shrines to Catholic patron saints. The floor is covered in some type of soft grass that gives off a peaceful, almost pine, aroma. Jars of lit candles are everywhere, and people are kneeling on the ground in front of their own lit candles praying to their god/s. If they are hoping for a diagnosis or healing, they bring with them an egg, cola, and special wine. Each of these things is used in a spiritual way to help cure or drive evil spirits out of a person. At the head of the church are large shrines dedicated to Jesus and Mary filled with hundreds of lit votives. I, personally, found this experience inexplicably moving, and cannot find the words with which to describe it other than to say that the church felt alive with energy and emotion.
Upon returning to San Cristobal, I took a much-needed nap, after which Kris and I hit the sidewalks to check out different stores in the city. We visited a museum dedicated to the cacao plant, which is this area’s major resource. By the way, the Maya introduced the world to cacao, so thank a Maya the next time you enjoy your hot chocolate or candy bar. :) Then, we shopped ‘til we dropped at local co-op stores and had an inspiring dinner at TierrAdentro, a fair trade restaurant run by a group of indigenous rights activists. The enchiladas de mole were fabulous and the lemonade mineral water was superb! I don’t think I’ll be able to eat American Mexican food when I get back because it doesn’t come close to how good the real thing is.
And here I am. The time is 12:01 a.m. and we are scheduled to eat breakfast at 7:15 a.m. I’m off to get ready for bed and for the next big adventure we will have tomorrow in the rainforest ruins. We will be out of touch with the modern world for a few days, due to our location in the jungle. See you around Tuesday! :)
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