A late October journey from the jungle ruins of the Maya to the highland festivals of the dead.
Please also visit www.TraditionsMexico.com for pottery and weaving workshops, and back-cactus tours in southern Mexico
Please also visit www.TraditionsMexico.com for pottery and weaving workshops, and back-cactus tours in southern Mexico
Journey begins in steamy Villahermosa
built on the banks of the (almost flooding) Grijalva river
where we see the legendary Olmec heads (protected from a river on the verge)
Then to our first Maya graveyard to see the enormous tombstone of king Pakal
and incense burners that fed the gods
who were worshipped in the great center of Palenque
The so called pyramid of the sun could not keep the clouds away. This is a rain forest after all!
and construction that lasts.
the self portraits became epidemic!
The sun receding over Tonina and our journey among the resting stones.
Mid-trip we leave the land of the dead Maya
San Cristobal de Las Casas, our base camp
San Cristobal is a colonial town
surrounded by Maya villages
A Day of the Dead cleaning is underway
the uplands prepare for a major fiesta
There is no one better than Chip Morris to take us into this fiesta
and behind the doors of the highland Maya
and enter the land of the living Maya
where we come to celebrate the dead Maya,
immersing ourselves in the great festivals for the departed souls
where the dead
are surrounded by life
our travels take us into small villages
to meet the people who are the highland Maya
and a bit about who they are.
And visa versa.
We visit the village of Tenejapa
where we see how borcade weaving is done.
And visit with a master sisal bag maker.
There will be fine goodies to buy,
and tortillas as good as they get!
We will feast on Day of the Dead food,
and have time to relax and explore colonial San Cristobal.
A hammock salesman.
The central church.
Our tour group deep in Chiapas.
Images by Tony and Eric Mindling