Happy Trails in Mexico City, Maya Heartland and Yucatan ~ Central America
A magnificent day exploring the forest and cenotes at Hidden Worlds, Yucatan
There are no above ground rivers in the Yucatan so the cenotes or
underground caves
with precious life giving water are sacred and revered.
We leave our lovely room overlooking the Carribean Sea on 19 April for Chichen Itza.
A bar on a beach in Yucatan
- the colours are true!
At her second Ramtha retreat, Anna briefly practised her Spanish with Marco, a non- English speaking man from Mexico City, who, on learning that we were travelling to his city, kindly invited us both to stay in his home with his wife Luz and their three
daughters.
After ascertaining our interests, Marco and Luz devised and gifted us with
an extraordinary program of culture and discovery, including a day at school with Luz, speaking to her students and being guests at four of her English classes. The highlight for me in Mexico City was having conversations and sharing experiences with these positive and generous people, along with their family and friends.
Luz with some of her students.
Some Other Highlights
Having an itinerary devised by our extraordinary local hosts based on our interests and having professional people acting as our tour guides driving us through and around the traffic in this city of 20 million people.
Marco's sister Patricia treated us to many cultural delights of the inner city.
Anna and Ana on one of many fantastic journeys in Mexico City
The Mexican traffic is not for faint-hearted drivers, as traffic rules seem to be there to stretch and test resourcefulness and bravery. Countless cars miraculously manoeuvre within a chaotic confluence that bewilders outsiders, and skill, patience and presence by drivers is an absolute necessity.
City square - Ancient Aztec, modern and Spanish architecture - all intertwined.
Here we see on the left the bamboo structure housing Canadian-born Gregory Colbert's Ashes and Snow photographic exhibition. Colbert collaborated with Colombian architect Simon Valez to create a 6000 square-metre demountable building containing
two galleries and three theatres. This exceptional work may be viewed at ashesandsnow.com.
Ashes and Snow - Reading
The awe-inspiring Photographic Exhibition Ashes and Snow in the main square which combines a powerful display of architecture, photography, film, sound and poetry within a bamboo temple where the visitors walk through rooms which create a sacred environment that can be experienced with all the senses.
The nearby Museum of the Arts is an architectural masterpiece in marble and wood.
Exceptional exhibitions of authentic sculptures and artefacts of ancient and modern Mexican cultures at the Anthropological Museum
Visiting Egyptian exhibition showing the similarities between ancient Egyptian and Ancient Mexican Civilizations.
Stone of the Sun
Bowl for offerings - perhaps some food or even a human heart!
This sculpture tickles my funny bone and replicas can be seen in many places.
Luz, the Ferryman and Orb - Boating down the river poled by a ferry man
with Luz singing the rather catchy traditional Mexican songs.
(The Orbs and constant companions travelling with me particularly loved it!)
Sampling a wide variety of great Mexican food!
Ancient Teotihuacan culture- Quetzalcoatl, Sun and Moon pyramids.
Lunch at the temple grounds in The Grotto near the Teotihuacan Pyramids -
restaurant is
in a huge cave
once used by the Ancients for storage of sacrificial offerings.
Sampling scrumptious tequila and liquors made from various cacti.
* Watching a program by Jaime Maussan showing recent photos and videos of ETs
and UFOs by locals and the journey continues with the inner adventures being as equally rich and rewarding. A quick visit to YouTube or your favourite search engine will reveal a huge number of UFO sightings and ET visitations - I now understand why ET has a penchant for Mexico. I believe it has to do with the character of the people and the history of the lands.
* I simply love these people and have come to have a profound respect for the Mexicans I've met with their finely
crafted intelligence; gentle approach to life, and love of family and community.
Anna converses in five languages and it's been fascinating to witness how - after 27 years
of not using Portuguese - a door has opened in her mind and she understands, speaks and translates enough of the language - albeit with a strong accent - to converse with the locals and get us around and fed.
Playa de Carmen is a seaside town south of Cancun and although touristy it is totally charming with a gentle and gracious vibe. The seafood and imaginative cooking styles are out of this world. Anyone seeking a fabulous tropical holiday steeped in Maya history may wish to consider this great location.
We sat in a sidewalk cafe - I had prawns coated in coconut smothered in a subtle coconut and pineapple sauce. Fruits such as tomato, avocado, pineapple and mangoes are ripened on the plant and the flavours reminded me of a time long past. This Maya 'Warrior' did a great trade having photos taken with tourists.
