Yesterday we made a long, long bus trip from Palenque to the city of San Cristobal de las Casas. We left Palenque and traveled about an hour to Agua Azul waterfalls. These waterfalls are beautiful and are usually a gorgeous aquamarine color. Unfortunately, with all the rain that Mexico has had, the water was a yucky brown color…we called them Agua Café waterfalls instead!
After another five hours on the most winding road I’ve ever seen, we arrived in San Cristobal. It’s amazing that it took so long because we only had about 200km (only about 125 miles) to travel in total. I’m telling you…it’s the Mexican speed bumps…they’re everywhere! And being that we had the bus we had to practically stop at each one, which came up about every five minutes.
We spent the evening visiting a local citizen who has a burn clinic for the Mayan people in the area. He explained his work to us and told us that he travels out to the small villages to treat many women and children who are accidentally burned in their homes. This happens so often because most Mayans still cook over fires, instead of stoves. He also showed us his collection of local Mayan outfits/costumes. So many of them are beautifully designed with intricate hand-woven embroidery…they use vivid colors and take weeks to months to produce. The hard work that goes into these articles of clothing is amazing.
To end the evening, many of enjoyed some local cuisine - Italian! I enjoyed spaghetti with meatballs, but it was nothing like Granny or Mom's! I'm definitely looking forward to returning home and having dinner at Mom's! My first request: Baked Macaroni and Fried Tilapia!
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Friday, July 9, 2010
Day Twelve - Palenque
This trip has been absolutely amazing, but it’s also brought me a lot in the injury department… :-/ Yesterday I awoke to a black and blue/swollen ankle…I slipped (but caught myself) on a sidewalk in Campeche, and guess I sprained it. Then on the bus ride to Chiapas, a mosquito flew into my eye and I couldn’t find it for almost an hour. All this pales in comparison to my first sting ever. While climbing the temples in Palenque, I put my hand on a stone to guide myself while walking and caught my ring finger on some sort of a black insect that stung me and flew away. OUCH! Being that I’m allergic to so many things, I was nervous that I’d be allergic to the sting, but it turned out okay. My finger hurt for a few hours, but I’m better now! With all this great luck, I’m glad I got out of the pool when the rain storm started today…don’t want to be getting too close to lightning these days…
So, anyway…Chiapas! We arrived in the city of Palenque, Chiapas last night and are staying at an amazing resort village called Chan-Kah. The village is located at the start of the rainforest and is covered in beautiful flora (plants). We heard fell asleep to the wail of howler monkeys last night and woke up to the sound of exotic birds…HOW COOL!
This morning we had a LONG bus ride (5 minutes!) to the ruins of the ancient Mayan city called Palenque. Palenque was in existence from around 200 B.C. to A.D. 800. According to our guide, only 2% of the site has been excavated and there are likely thousands of other buildings yet to be discovered. Unlike Chichen Itza and Edzna, we were able to climb to the top of most of the temples. One of the temples we went into contained the sarcophagus of an ancient Mayan queen. The coolest fact I learned was that the Queen’s temple, along with the King’s temple, and another building were lined up to match with the three stars of Orion’s belt. In fact, it is the belief of archaeologists that the entire site of Palenque was built to represent the locations of the celestial objects [stars] the Mayans saw, almost like a map of the constellations. Another fun part thing to learn was that the Mayans in Palenque had sophisticated plumbing methods and built aqueducts to carry their water. They even had a toilet that was reminiscent of those I saw in Ephesus, Turkey last summer!
I was happy to relax by the pool this afternoon and then on the patio of my casita during the rain storm, but one thing I am not looking forward to is the six-hour journey to the city of San Cristobal, also in the state of Chiapas. Here we go again…
So, anyway…Chiapas! We arrived in the city of Palenque, Chiapas last night and are staying at an amazing resort village called Chan-Kah. The village is located at the start of the rainforest and is covered in beautiful flora (plants). We heard fell asleep to the wail of howler monkeys last night and woke up to the sound of exotic birds…HOW COOL!
This morning we had a LONG bus ride (5 minutes!) to the ruins of the ancient Mayan city called Palenque. Palenque was in existence from around 200 B.C. to A.D. 800. According to our guide, only 2% of the site has been excavated and there are likely thousands of other buildings yet to be discovered. Unlike Chichen Itza and Edzna, we were able to climb to the top of most of the temples. One of the temples we went into contained the sarcophagus of an ancient Mayan queen. The coolest fact I learned was that the Queen’s temple, along with the King’s temple, and another building were lined up to match with the three stars of Orion’s belt. In fact, it is the belief of archaeologists that the entire site of Palenque was built to represent the locations of the celestial objects [stars] the Mayans saw, almost like a map of the constellations. Another fun part thing to learn was that the Mayans in Palenque had sophisticated plumbing methods and built aqueducts to carry their water. They even had a toilet that was reminiscent of those I saw in Ephesus, Turkey last summer!
I was happy to relax by the pool this afternoon and then on the patio of my casita during the rain storm, but one thing I am not looking forward to is the six-hour journey to the city of San Cristobal, also in the state of Chiapas. Here we go again…
Day Eleven - Xpicob and Sabancuy
What an amazing experience our group had today. We made a half hour journey from the city of Campeche to a place known as Xpicob Turtle Conservatory. Here we met a biologist named Miguel who explained about the five different species of turtles native to this area of the Gulf of Mexico and what he does to help them survive. Miguel showed us a few different types of underwater animals, including two types of Blowfish, and various shapes and sizes of turtles! All of us had the opportunity to hold baby turtles that were only two days old! Here's a picture of me with one of the babies:
Miguel also showed us an area of his conservatory where he has buried hundreds of turtle eggs, having taken them from the beach, so as to ensure the survival of more turtles (otherwise some predators, like birds, might get to them before they reach the water).
All of this was very interesting, but the most exciting part by far was what happened next! We split into two groups and then traveled by small motor boat about a mile away from the shore. We hopped off the boat and refreshed ourselves in the cool, green water. Miguel explained that the part of the Gulf that is green has a sandy bottom, but the area that is dark blue has a seaweedy-bottom. It was fun to swim…but I didn’t enjoy being an afternoon snack for some small, hungry fish! Since we needed to eat too, we enjoyed some watermelon and cool beverages while floating in the open water!
Then came the best part….we released one of Miguel’s turtle into the wild! The turtle we let go was about six years old and had been born in the conservatory…so it was her first time going into the open ocean. We named the turtle Debbie Grace after one of our Fulbrighters whose birthday is today. What an awesome birthday present! Many of us held her before Jacques finally put her on top of the water and let her free. Here's me holding her:
It was so cool to watch the turtle take a few gulps of air, wave goodbye, and set off on an amazing journey! I took a video and felt like I was a videographer for Disney’s “Oceans” movie!
The second part of today’s trip was a ride to the local beach of Sabancuy for lunch and another swim in the ocean. I was all set and ready to dive in when the heavens opened and it started to pour. While I went inside, our fearless leader and his fellow Comexus staff members decided to swim during the rain storm. Although I’m not so brave, they were and appeared to have an awesome time. Before we ordered lunch, the waitress brought out two HUMONGOUS pieces of fish, which many of us decided to share. They were fried to perfection and devoured in quite a short period of time. Not surprisingly, the highlight of this trip has been the culinary immersion. :-) Here's the three step process of our fish-eating adventure:
As I write we are on our way to the city of Palenque in the state of Chiapas. As I mentioned once before, I am most excited about our stay in this state, as I’m interested to compare its current political situation with the one I wrote about six years ago during Professor Laremont’s PoliSci class.
Miguel also showed us an area of his conservatory where he has buried hundreds of turtle eggs, having taken them from the beach, so as to ensure the survival of more turtles (otherwise some predators, like birds, might get to them before they reach the water).
All of this was very interesting, but the most exciting part by far was what happened next! We split into two groups and then traveled by small motor boat about a mile away from the shore. We hopped off the boat and refreshed ourselves in the cool, green water. Miguel explained that the part of the Gulf that is green has a sandy bottom, but the area that is dark blue has a seaweedy-bottom. It was fun to swim…but I didn’t enjoy being an afternoon snack for some small, hungry fish! Since we needed to eat too, we enjoyed some watermelon and cool beverages while floating in the open water!
Then came the best part….we released one of Miguel’s turtle into the wild! The turtle we let go was about six years old and had been born in the conservatory…so it was her first time going into the open ocean. We named the turtle Debbie Grace after one of our Fulbrighters whose birthday is today. What an awesome birthday present! Many of us held her before Jacques finally put her on top of the water and let her free. Here's me holding her:
The second part of today’s trip was a ride to the local beach of Sabancuy for lunch and another swim in the ocean. I was all set and ready to dive in when the heavens opened and it started to pour. While I went inside, our fearless leader and his fellow Comexus staff members decided to swim during the rain storm. Although I’m not so brave, they were and appeared to have an awesome time. Before we ordered lunch, the waitress brought out two HUMONGOUS pieces of fish, which many of us decided to share. They were fried to perfection and devoured in quite a short period of time. Not surprisingly, the highlight of this trip has been the culinary immersion. :-) Here's the three step process of our fish-eating adventure:
As I write we are on our way to the city of Palenque in the state of Chiapas. As I mentioned once before, I am most excited about our stay in this state, as I’m interested to compare its current political situation with the one I wrote about six years ago during Professor Laremont’s PoliSci class.
Day Ten - Campeche
Yesterday was our second and final day in Campeche. Our two activities of the day took an historical approach. We started off with a visit to San Miguel’s fortress and museum. The fortress was built on a hill overlooking the Gulf of Mexico by the Spanish to keep a lookout for invading forces. The views of Campeche and the Gulf were breathtaking!
A cool part of the museum was that it contained items from the three periods in Mexican history – Formative, Classical, and Post-Classical. Heeding Jacques recommendation, I went off to seek out the ancient masks made of Jade…they are priceless, I’m sure.
I’ve noticed that Mexico is filled with small playgrounds, each having a few play items (i.e. swings, see-saw, slide, monkey bars, etc.). Next to the fortress was a playground with some swings, so of course I went for a ride on them, enjoying the magnificence of the edifice in front of me! Being the youngest participant on this trip, I have no problem getting in touch with my inner child! Here's me on the swing:
A trip to Edzna, some archaeological ruins from the Mayan era, was next. Although the mosquitoes came out in swarms, this site was much better than Chichen Itza. The consensus among us was that Chichen felt too much like the “Disneyworld” of Mexican pyramids. It was good to walk around the site without bumping into someone every two seconds. In fact, aside from three other visitors, we were the only ones there! Edzna has an amazing history. It was built around 600 B.C. and was occupied until the 1400s. The people of Edzna designed a complete system for capturing, storing, and distributing rain water. The entire city was once painted in bright colors, with all of the paints made from natural materials (Yes, 3-311…just like the project you just did at the Morgan Library!). We walked halfway up the big pyramid in the great Acropolis, but couldn’t go up the other half, as it was closed to visitors. Regardless, we went pretty high up and had some great views over the ancient city! Here's our group picture and a view from the top!
For lunch we ate in a restaurant in downtown Campeche, many of us enjoying Camarones al Coco (yes, Coconut shrimp again!) and pulpo (octopus). Many of us had the opportunity to see the sunset again and walk around downtown at nighttime. I even bought a little "pet dog" as a toy to show my kids...he's appropriately been named "Campy". :-) Campeche is definitely high on my list of favorite Mexican cities.
I’ve noticed that Mexico is filled with small playgrounds, each having a few play items (i.e. swings, see-saw, slide, monkey bars, etc.). Next to the fortress was a playground with some swings, so of course I went for a ride on them, enjoying the magnificence of the edifice in front of me! Being the youngest participant on this trip, I have no problem getting in touch with my inner child! Here's me on the swing:
A trip to Edzna, some archaeological ruins from the Mayan era, was next. Although the mosquitoes came out in swarms, this site was much better than Chichen Itza. The consensus among us was that Chichen felt too much like the “Disneyworld” of Mexican pyramids. It was good to walk around the site without bumping into someone every two seconds. In fact, aside from three other visitors, we were the only ones there! Edzna has an amazing history. It was built around 600 B.C. and was occupied until the 1400s. The people of Edzna designed a complete system for capturing, storing, and distributing rain water. The entire city was once painted in bright colors, with all of the paints made from natural materials (Yes, 3-311…just like the project you just did at the Morgan Library!). We walked halfway up the big pyramid in the great Acropolis, but couldn’t go up the other half, as it was closed to visitors. Regardless, we went pretty high up and had some great views over the ancient city! Here's our group picture and a view from the top!
For lunch we ate in a restaurant in downtown Campeche, many of us enjoying Camarones al Coco (yes, Coconut shrimp again!) and pulpo (octopus). Many of us had the opportunity to see the sunset again and walk around downtown at nighttime. I even bought a little "pet dog" as a toy to show my kids...he's appropriately been named "Campy". :-) Campeche is definitely high on my list of favorite Mexican cities.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Day Nine - Hacienda Peon, Becal, and Campeche
There’s something about this trip that reminds me a lot of Uncle Stash. Perhaps it’s the fact that he passed away only a couple of days after I received my acceptance letter to the program and I’m having the time of my life in his memory. It could also be that I was always excited to share stories of my world travels with him and I’m wishing that I could tell him all about everything I’m doing. But looking at it from a positive perspective, I can feel him with me when I need him most. It’s funny because over the last few days, just at the moments when I’ve thought about him, I’ve stumbled upon something “Ford” related! For those of you who don’t know, my Uncle Stash worked for Ford for a number of years and is the reason for my 2010 Ford Fusion. For example, I started to think of him after seeing the science murals at Escuela Secondaria Technologica No. 2, and then one of the teachers I spoke to was wearing a Ford hat! Then as we were on the bus today leaving Merida, the song “Cryin for Me” by Toby Keith came on my Ipod (which I quoted in his eulogy) and at that same moment, I looked out the bus window to see a Ford showroom. Glad I had my camera handy! :-) There’s nothing like having Uncle Stash here to encourage me to keep having a good time!
Some of the interesting things I’ve noticed in Mexico so far:
• There really are TONS of butterflies all around the Yucatan! I’ve found many yellow ones, but some other beauties as well! One thing I need to brush up on is my knowledge of butterfly species.
• The little towns in Mexico have frequent speed bumps. I’ll have to research more about why there are so many in such small areas.
• All of the cities and towns we have visited are populated with political murals. Every time I look out the window, I notice the name of a politician, the PRI or PAN initials (the two major political parties in Mexico), and the city or town’s name with “Como te quiero! (How I love you!)” painted in Mexican colors (green, red, and white).
The main part of today’s trip was a visit to Hacienda Peon, a sisal manufacturing site for many years in the mid-20th century. At the Hacienda, we learned how sisal fibers were stripped from the agave plant. We actually witnessed the separation of the agave leaves into fibers and pulp, then we saw the drying of the fibers, and finally we watched as the fibers were combined to make ropes, rugs, and more. I must admit…I quickly gave in and bought a few items made from sisal. Our lunch at the Hacienda was good, but without a doubt, the highlight of our trip was a dip in their cenote…part of an underwater river! I was pretty amazed at how refreshing the water was in this underground cave! It was a cool temperature with natural light coming through a small hole in the ceiling.
We then traveled about an hour until we reached the city of Becal. Becal appears to be a very poor city and we took a short "taxi ride" on a bicycle cart for 10 pesos (about $1 dollar) each way. But where were we going? Well, we went to a local house where the people in the family make panama hats. There were two men showing us exactly how the hats are made. One man actually pulled a leaf off a growing plant and started ripping it apart with the help of a small needle. Then we went inside their underground cave and watched as the other man sat on a small bench and weaved the fibers into the shape of a hat. According to them, the best weaving conditions are in the areas with the most humidity (hence, the underground cave). I was pretty impressed with their work and bought a few souvenirs! :-)
After leaving Becal, it took about one more hour until we reached the city of Campeche, in the state of Campeche. The outskirts of the city looked very poor, but as we got closer to the downtown area, it looked nicer and nicer. I even saw an Applebees, a McDonalds, Church’s Chicken, and KFC in the city center. We arrived just in time to see a beautiful sunset and then head off for a dinner of Camarones al Coco (Coconut Shrimp) at a local restaurant….fue muy delicioso! My biggest thought about the evening as that it felt like being in a European city…we ate dinner on a terrace, overlooking a beautifully manicured park, next to a brightly lit cathedral, surrounded by trolleys…it seriously felt like DisneyWorld. According to Jacques, Campeche is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so it receives money to maintain its beautiful downtown area. Needless to say, I was so impressed that I told my travel companions the service charge on the bill was 38 Euros (as opposed to 38 pesos)!
Some of the interesting things I’ve noticed in Mexico so far:
• There really are TONS of butterflies all around the Yucatan! I’ve found many yellow ones, but some other beauties as well! One thing I need to brush up on is my knowledge of butterfly species.
• The little towns in Mexico have frequent speed bumps. I’ll have to research more about why there are so many in such small areas.
• All of the cities and towns we have visited are populated with political murals. Every time I look out the window, I notice the name of a politician, the PRI or PAN initials (the two major political parties in Mexico), and the city or town’s name with “Como te quiero! (How I love you!)” painted in Mexican colors (green, red, and white).
The main part of today’s trip was a visit to Hacienda Peon, a sisal manufacturing site for many years in the mid-20th century. At the Hacienda, we learned how sisal fibers were stripped from the agave plant. We actually witnessed the separation of the agave leaves into fibers and pulp, then we saw the drying of the fibers, and finally we watched as the fibers were combined to make ropes, rugs, and more. I must admit…I quickly gave in and bought a few items made from sisal. Our lunch at the Hacienda was good, but without a doubt, the highlight of our trip was a dip in their cenote…part of an underwater river! I was pretty amazed at how refreshing the water was in this underground cave! It was a cool temperature with natural light coming through a small hole in the ceiling.
We then traveled about an hour until we reached the city of Becal. Becal appears to be a very poor city and we took a short "taxi ride" on a bicycle cart for 10 pesos (about $1 dollar) each way. But where were we going? Well, we went to a local house where the people in the family make panama hats. There were two men showing us exactly how the hats are made. One man actually pulled a leaf off a growing plant and started ripping it apart with the help of a small needle. Then we went inside their underground cave and watched as the other man sat on a small bench and weaved the fibers into the shape of a hat. According to them, the best weaving conditions are in the areas with the most humidity (hence, the underground cave). I was pretty impressed with their work and bought a few souvenirs! :-)
After leaving Becal, it took about one more hour until we reached the city of Campeche, in the state of Campeche. The outskirts of the city looked very poor, but as we got closer to the downtown area, it looked nicer and nicer. I even saw an Applebees, a McDonalds, Church’s Chicken, and KFC in the city center. We arrived just in time to see a beautiful sunset and then head off for a dinner of Camarones al Coco (Coconut Shrimp) at a local restaurant….fue muy delicioso! My biggest thought about the evening as that it felt like being in a European city…we ate dinner on a terrace, overlooking a beautifully manicured park, next to a brightly lit cathedral, surrounded by trolleys…it seriously felt like DisneyWorld. According to Jacques, Campeche is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so it receives money to maintain its beautiful downtown area. Needless to say, I was so impressed that I told my travel companions the service charge on the bill was 38 Euros (as opposed to 38 pesos)!
Monday, July 5, 2010
Day Eight - Celestún
To start the morning bus ride on our way to Celestún , Jacques appropriately played “America the Beautiful.” Today is the Fourth of July and we celebrated with an American festivity – going to la playa (the beach). The town of Celestún is located on the northwestern part of the Yucatan peninsula, directly on the Gulf of Mexico (but no, 3-311, the oil spill did not reach this part of the Gulf of Mexico…I checked for you!).
When we arrived at the beach, Jacques hired three boats to take our group out into the Gulf. We hopped in at the water’s edge and made our way along the coast, watching the world pass us by! Our goal was to see hundreds of flamingos in their local habitat, but as a result of Hurricane Alex, the pink beauties were nowhere to be found. :-/ However, one highlight of our boat ride was the chance to see (and for me to capture on film), a pelican grabbing its afternoon meal! Hehe....Fish gotta swim, birds gotta eat! ("Finding Nemo" reference). While our boat ride away from the beach was calm, we weren’t met with such tolerable seas on the way back. My stomach started to churn, so I traded my seat in the back for Jacques’ in the front…but unlucky for him (sorrrryy!!), as the boat hit the waves, those in the back got drenched from head to toe. I came off the boat a tad damp, but a few of my sea-mates were water-logged. We tried to dry off in the sun and then sat down for a yummy meal of fried crab-cakes…not like the Maryland crab cakes I’m used to back in the states, but delicious nonetheless! To go with my meal, I enjoyed the juice of a freshly picked coconut! They made a hole in the side, stuck a straw in, and I devoured it within minutes! Yum yum!
On our bus ride home, Jacques stopped the bus for a photo opportunity, and came back with pitahaya, the fruit of a cactus. It has a pink exterior and is white with black seeds inside. It tasted like a kiwi, only a bit more solid. It was juicy and sweet! According to Jacques, the particular cactus that produces the pitahaya takes two years to start giving fruit and the pitahaya takes about a month to ripen. I’d definitely look for those again!
Once we got back, Alex (Jacques’ assistant) and I made our way to a mini-mall only a few blocks away from the hotel that had a store that was a cross between Macy’s, Target, and Wal-mart, called Sanborn’s. It was exciting to see the many things this store had, like magazines, DVDs, CDs, toiletries, children’s games, perfumes, candy, etc., etc., etc.! I bought a copy of National Geographic Kids in Spanish for my students to compare to the same edition in English, and I also tried a Chocolate-Coconut candy bar that tasted 10 times better than Mounds! Fue muy delicioso! Tomorrow we head to Campeche and I might swim in a sinkhole. I’m not too sure because it seems that I’ve got the sweetest blood of us all…I currently have about 15 mosquito bites (thank goodness for Cortisone cream and Malaria pills!). Well, until next time that I have steady Internet…adios!
When we arrived at the beach, Jacques hired three boats to take our group out into the Gulf. We hopped in at the water’s edge and made our way along the coast, watching the world pass us by! Our goal was to see hundreds of flamingos in their local habitat, but as a result of Hurricane Alex, the pink beauties were nowhere to be found. :-/ However, one highlight of our boat ride was the chance to see (and for me to capture on film), a pelican grabbing its afternoon meal! Hehe....Fish gotta swim, birds gotta eat! ("Finding Nemo" reference). While our boat ride away from the beach was calm, we weren’t met with such tolerable seas on the way back. My stomach started to churn, so I traded my seat in the back for Jacques’ in the front…but unlucky for him (sorrrryy!!), as the boat hit the waves, those in the back got drenched from head to toe. I came off the boat a tad damp, but a few of my sea-mates were water-logged. We tried to dry off in the sun and then sat down for a yummy meal of fried crab-cakes…not like the Maryland crab cakes I’m used to back in the states, but delicious nonetheless! To go with my meal, I enjoyed the juice of a freshly picked coconut! They made a hole in the side, stuck a straw in, and I devoured it within minutes! Yum yum!
On our bus ride home, Jacques stopped the bus for a photo opportunity, and came back with pitahaya, the fruit of a cactus. It has a pink exterior and is white with black seeds inside. It tasted like a kiwi, only a bit more solid. It was juicy and sweet! According to Jacques, the particular cactus that produces the pitahaya takes two years to start giving fruit and the pitahaya takes about a month to ripen. I’d definitely look for those again!
Once we got back, Alex (Jacques’ assistant) and I made our way to a mini-mall only a few blocks away from the hotel that had a store that was a cross between Macy’s, Target, and Wal-mart, called Sanborn’s. It was exciting to see the many things this store had, like magazines, DVDs, CDs, toiletries, children’s games, perfumes, candy, etc., etc., etc.! I bought a copy of National Geographic Kids in Spanish for my students to compare to the same edition in English, and I also tried a Chocolate-Coconut candy bar that tasted 10 times better than Mounds! Fue muy delicioso! Tomorrow we head to Campeche and I might swim in a sinkhole. I’m not too sure because it seems that I’ve got the sweetest blood of us all…I currently have about 15 mosquito bites (thank goodness for Cortisone cream and Malaria pills!). Well, until next time that I have steady Internet…adios!
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Day Seven - Merida
So we arrived in Merida last night at Hotel El Conquistador and had a nice evening stroll along El Pasejo de Montejo. First we stopped at Sorbeteria de Colon and I enjoyed some helado de coco (coconut ice cream). Then we continued on to a local University in Merida to watch a Folkloric Dance show, with performances from the states of Puebla, Tamaulipas, and Colima. It was a cultural paradise – the music was rhythmic, the dancing graceful, and the costumes intricately designed. I’ll try to post a video soon showing one of the performances.
Today was almost as busy as yesterday! We left the hotel around 10am to head to la Escuela Secondaria Technologica No. 2. Here we took a small tour of the campus and then spoke with a few English teachers from various Merida schools. There were two things from the school that left a big impression on me. The first was that some Mexican schools have public sponsors to provide resources for their students. For example, at Escuela No. 2, it appears that Pepsi made an arrangement to provide basketball hoops and a playing field (as evident from the huge Pepsi logos painted all around the athletic area), and in return there was a huge Pepsi vending machine on one of the patios. The second thing that left a huge impression was the paintings within some of the classrooms. As one of the teachers explained to me, the school would have a drawing contest and the winning design would be painted as a mural on one of the classroom walls. I think that’s a great incentive to get students to school – since students can help paint the murals, it helps encourage students to come to school to paint with their teachers, to come to the classroom and see their artwork, and to take care of their educational surroundings. Here’s a picture from one of the History classrooms:
After touring the school, we sat down in the [air conditioned] computer room to chat with local teachers about various topics. A few of us spoke with a teacher named Emma who was very open and honest about issues in Mexico, like teenage pregnancy, reasons why some Mexicans do not get a good education, private vs. public school, and the change in attitudes towards education over time. We had some really good conversations and made connections that should prove to be helpful in time.
When we were finished at the school, we made our way to Hacienda Teya. A hacienda is a place where some type of manufacturing or production is done, and there are also buildings for residences, dining purposes, etc. This particular hacienda was designed to handle sisal, a type of plant that is used to produce industrial ropes and sacks. According to Jacques, I’ll learn more about the sisal manufacturing process on Monday, so I’ll update more on sisal then! Anyway, we were at the hacienda to enjoy a fabulous meal with the U.S. Consul in Merida, Gregory Segas, as this particular place was turned into a hotel/restaurant (which has hosted many popular Americans, including Hillary Rodham Clinton). The food was DELICIOUS! I enjoyed appetizers of empanadas with baby shark, queso relleno (stuffed cheese), and a meal of chiles stuffed with baby shark. For dessert we shared the hacienda’s award-winning flan. We also spoke with Gregory about his job and the current political situation in the country, which gave me a lot of insight into a system I once learned much about in college.
After a long day, we headed back to the hotel and a new friend, Veronica, and I took a walk into the main part of Merida. We stopped in a local handicraft shop and I purchased a colorful Mayan tablecloth for the round table in my classroom (Oh, I can't wait to see it in room 311!). We kept walking and eventually got ourselves lost in the downtown section of the city. We walked through an indoor market, which felt a lot like a Caribbean market or the side streets of Kusadasi, Turkey. The vendors in the market were a little too persistent which turned me off, so I didn’t buy anything. Eventually we made our way back through the main part of the city and headed back towards our hotel (about a mile away). We stopped at a local park that was hosting a free folkdance concert and enjoyed one of their performances. Finally, before bedtime we decided to go back to Sorbeteria de Colon and tried a flavor of ice cream called Mamey, which is an ice cream flavor that comes from the chiclet tree. Fue muy rico!!!
Today was almost as busy as yesterday! We left the hotel around 10am to head to la Escuela Secondaria Technologica No. 2. Here we took a small tour of the campus and then spoke with a few English teachers from various Merida schools. There were two things from the school that left a big impression on me. The first was that some Mexican schools have public sponsors to provide resources for their students. For example, at Escuela No. 2, it appears that Pepsi made an arrangement to provide basketball hoops and a playing field (as evident from the huge Pepsi logos painted all around the athletic area), and in return there was a huge Pepsi vending machine on one of the patios. The second thing that left a huge impression was the paintings within some of the classrooms. As one of the teachers explained to me, the school would have a drawing contest and the winning design would be painted as a mural on one of the classroom walls. I think that’s a great incentive to get students to school – since students can help paint the murals, it helps encourage students to come to school to paint with their teachers, to come to the classroom and see their artwork, and to take care of their educational surroundings. Here’s a picture from one of the History classrooms:
After touring the school, we sat down in the [air conditioned] computer room to chat with local teachers about various topics. A few of us spoke with a teacher named Emma who was very open and honest about issues in Mexico, like teenage pregnancy, reasons why some Mexicans do not get a good education, private vs. public school, and the change in attitudes towards education over time. We had some really good conversations and made connections that should prove to be helpful in time.
When we were finished at the school, we made our way to Hacienda Teya. A hacienda is a place where some type of manufacturing or production is done, and there are also buildings for residences, dining purposes, etc. This particular hacienda was designed to handle sisal, a type of plant that is used to produce industrial ropes and sacks. According to Jacques, I’ll learn more about the sisal manufacturing process on Monday, so I’ll update more on sisal then! Anyway, we were at the hacienda to enjoy a fabulous meal with the U.S. Consul in Merida, Gregory Segas, as this particular place was turned into a hotel/restaurant (which has hosted many popular Americans, including Hillary Rodham Clinton). The food was DELICIOUS! I enjoyed appetizers of empanadas with baby shark, queso relleno (stuffed cheese), and a meal of chiles stuffed with baby shark. For dessert we shared the hacienda’s award-winning flan. We also spoke with Gregory about his job and the current political situation in the country, which gave me a lot of insight into a system I once learned much about in college.
After a long day, we headed back to the hotel and a new friend, Veronica, and I took a walk into the main part of Merida. We stopped in a local handicraft shop and I purchased a colorful Mayan tablecloth for the round table in my classroom (Oh, I can't wait to see it in room 311!). We kept walking and eventually got ourselves lost in the downtown section of the city. We walked through an indoor market, which felt a lot like a Caribbean market or the side streets of Kusadasi, Turkey. The vendors in the market were a little too persistent which turned me off, so I didn’t buy anything. Eventually we made our way back through the main part of the city and headed back towards our hotel (about a mile away). We stopped at a local park that was hosting a free folkdance concert and enjoyed one of their performances. Finally, before bedtime we decided to go back to Sorbeteria de Colon and tried a flavor of ice cream called Mamey, which is an ice cream flavor that comes from the chiclet tree. Fue muy rico!!!
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Day Six - Valladolid, Chichen Itza, Izamal, and Merida!
Today was a busy day and involved much traveling and a lot of humidity. I woke up around 7 o’clock and took a few pictures out on my private balcony overlooking the hotel’s interior garden. Then I walked around the Plaza Principal (Town Square) and enjoyed the nice weather.
We got on the bus at 9am to drive a few blocks to Cenote Zaci. In Mexico, a cenote is a sinkhole. From what I have learned, the Yucatan is not known for having rivers that run through the land, as we see much of in the United States. Instead, most rivers in this part of Mexico run underneath the land. A sinkhole is a place where the land has collapsed and has led to a small cave filled with water from one of these underground rivers. Although it was empty today, many people come to Cenote Zaci for a refreshing dip in the water, which is home to various fish (and other underwater creatures, I’m sure).
After walking around the cenote for about a half hour, we took an hour bus ride to the ancient Maya city of Chichen Itza. We had a very knowledgeable tour guide who explained the details of the city for about two hours. First he explained the meaning of the name Chichen Itza. The part “Chi” means “mouth” and chen means “well”, so “Chichen” means “Mouth of the Well” (apparently, there are various cenotes in and near the site). Then for Itza, “Itz” means sorcerer or magician and “a” means “water”, so “Itza” means “Water Sorcerer”. So all in all, the name “Chichen Itza” means “Water Sorcerer at the mouth of the well.”
It was really cool to walk around the site. When you first come through the gate, you walk along a dirt path and then, there it is….a great Mayan pyramid! I took a lot of photos of the great pyramid, along with many others around the site. The cool part about the great pyramid is that there are four stairways that lead to the top (unfortunately, visitors are not allowed to walk them anymore). But, there are 91 steps making up each of the four stairways, and there is a one step base…making a total of 365 steps. What else has the number 365??? (Hmm….our calendar! Wow, the Mayans were smart!) As we walked around some more, I found out that there was an older part of the city, now called Old Chichen, and the buildings there were used to plan the newer ones (the new ones, by the way, are still about 1,000 years old!).
After leaving the 104 degree weather of Chichen Itza, we headed back to the bus for an hour ride to the city of Izamal. Izamal became famous almost two decades ago when it was visited by Pope John Paul II in 1993. A cool fact about Izamal is that all of the buildings, which had been painted a variety of colors, were re-painted for the Pope’s visit…and they were all painted yellow! Por que? No se…pero, es muy interesante!
Now we are in the city of Merida. Merida is the capital city of the state of Yucatan. To start off our visit to this city, our group went to a performance of Folkloric Ballet, where we listened to some fantastic music and enjoyed a beautiful dance show! I was told by Jacques to be on the lookout for some famous Merida specialties: Traditional shirts – Guayaberas (linen shirts), Mestizo dresses (white with embroidered collars), and products made of sisal (tablecloths, sponges, hammocks). I might try to get a shirt and a tablecloth for my classroom next year…we’ll see! Hasta luego!
We got on the bus at 9am to drive a few blocks to Cenote Zaci. In Mexico, a cenote is a sinkhole. From what I have learned, the Yucatan is not known for having rivers that run through the land, as we see much of in the United States. Instead, most rivers in this part of Mexico run underneath the land. A sinkhole is a place where the land has collapsed and has led to a small cave filled with water from one of these underground rivers. Although it was empty today, many people come to Cenote Zaci for a refreshing dip in the water, which is home to various fish (and other underwater creatures, I’m sure).
After walking around the cenote for about a half hour, we took an hour bus ride to the ancient Maya city of Chichen Itza. We had a very knowledgeable tour guide who explained the details of the city for about two hours. First he explained the meaning of the name Chichen Itza. The part “Chi” means “mouth” and chen means “well”, so “Chichen” means “Mouth of the Well” (apparently, there are various cenotes in and near the site). Then for Itza, “Itz” means sorcerer or magician and “a” means “water”, so “Itza” means “Water Sorcerer”. So all in all, the name “Chichen Itza” means “Water Sorcerer at the mouth of the well.”
It was really cool to walk around the site. When you first come through the gate, you walk along a dirt path and then, there it is….a great Mayan pyramid! I took a lot of photos of the great pyramid, along with many others around the site. The cool part about the great pyramid is that there are four stairways that lead to the top (unfortunately, visitors are not allowed to walk them anymore). But, there are 91 steps making up each of the four stairways, and there is a one step base…making a total of 365 steps. What else has the number 365??? (Hmm….our calendar! Wow, the Mayans were smart!) As we walked around some more, I found out that there was an older part of the city, now called Old Chichen, and the buildings there were used to plan the newer ones (the new ones, by the way, are still about 1,000 years old!).
After leaving the 104 degree weather of Chichen Itza, we headed back to the bus for an hour ride to the city of Izamal. Izamal became famous almost two decades ago when it was visited by Pope John Paul II in 1993. A cool fact about Izamal is that all of the buildings, which had been painted a variety of colors, were re-painted for the Pope’s visit…and they were all painted yellow! Por que? No se…pero, es muy interesante!
Now we are in the city of Merida. Merida is the capital city of the state of Yucatan. To start off our visit to this city, our group went to a performance of Folkloric Ballet, where we listened to some fantastic music and enjoyed a beautiful dance show! I was told by Jacques to be on the lookout for some famous Merida specialties: Traditional shirts – Guayaberas (linen shirts), Mestizo dresses (white with embroidered collars), and products made of sisal (tablecloths, sponges, hammocks). I might try to get a shirt and a tablecloth for my classroom next year…we’ll see! Hasta luego!
Friday, July 2, 2010
Day Five - Cancun and Valladolid
Day Five – Cancun and Valladolid
I woke up this morning a minute before my alarm went off at 6:45am. About eight of us decided last night that we would take a morning stroll along the white sandy beaches of Cancun. So after meeting up, we walked out the back terrace of our hotel and met the ocean! We walked for about an hour – a half hour to walk away from the hotel, and a half hour back. I took my shoes off for a bit and enjoyed the cool water.
A big thing to stress here is that the part of Mexico I have seen so far is the “touristy” part, and what so many Americans see. Cancun, Cozumel, Puerto Vallarta…these are resort towns with chain hotels and American restaurants (including Outback, KFC, and Starbucks). The Fulbright trip is designed with the opportunity in mind for American teachers to experience the “other” side of Mexico…the one that most people from the United States don’t get to see.
So after walking along the beach for an hour, I returned to the hotel to enjoy a breakfast that included a tortilla dish and some refried beans. Then I went on a walk across the street to see the lagoon. Cancun is lucky in that it was built (only 40 years ago) so that there is beach on one side and a lagoon on the other. Here's a picture of the lagoon:
Then it was time to check out of the hotel and head to our first school visit. The school we visited is called CEYCTE – Quintana Roo, which stands for Colegio de Estudios Cientificos y Tecnologicos, and is located in downtown Cancun.
On the bus ride to CEYCTE, here are some things I learned from Jacques:
*40 years ago there was nothing in Cancun, now it extends about 100 miles! What we know as the “Mayan Riviera” stretches from Cancun to Belize.
*CEYCTE is a public technical school. Their programs are for kids who do not go to high school or a formal career. CEYCTE has about 1,500 students and is focused towards the tourist industry, like plumbing, cooking, catering, air conditioning, English courses, etc. The school has a good contact (Christina), a former Fulbrighter, who has helped in making the school so accommodating to our group!
*The Yucatan peninsula consists of the states of Quintana Roo, Yucatan, and Campeche.
Overall, our trip to CEYCTE was very nice. The staff and students were extremely welcoming and excited to meet us. They gave us a tour of their school, cooked and served us some delicious Mexican specialties, and put on a performance of local and global music styles. I took a video of the students during some of their performances and I'll try to post it when I get home. Once the time at CEYCTE was over, we boarded the bus and began a 2-hour bus drive to the city of Valladolid, in the nearby state of Yucatan. Here's an updated map:
We arrived at a beautiful hotel – El Mesón del Marqués, with an indoor garden. My private room has a balcony that overlooks the garden too…how wonderful! The group went for a walk to an old cathedral, walking towards a 16th century cathedral. We took a tour of the inside, taking pictures of the interior, the garden, and the priests’ quarters (while up there, I’m pretty sure I found a ghost…). When we got back to the hotel, I tasted some fresh guacamole, sopa de lima, and a pork dish. So far, Mexican food has been delicious, and the sites have not been disappointing!
I woke up this morning a minute before my alarm went off at 6:45am. About eight of us decided last night that we would take a morning stroll along the white sandy beaches of Cancun. So after meeting up, we walked out the back terrace of our hotel and met the ocean! We walked for about an hour – a half hour to walk away from the hotel, and a half hour back. I took my shoes off for a bit and enjoyed the cool water.
So after walking along the beach for an hour, I returned to the hotel to enjoy a breakfast that included a tortilla dish and some refried beans. Then I went on a walk across the street to see the lagoon. Cancun is lucky in that it was built (only 40 years ago) so that there is beach on one side and a lagoon on the other. Here's a picture of the lagoon:
On the bus ride to CEYCTE, here are some things I learned from Jacques:
*40 years ago there was nothing in Cancun, now it extends about 100 miles! What we know as the “Mayan Riviera” stretches from Cancun to Belize.
*CEYCTE is a public technical school. Their programs are for kids who do not go to high school or a formal career. CEYCTE has about 1,500 students and is focused towards the tourist industry, like plumbing, cooking, catering, air conditioning, English courses, etc. The school has a good contact (Christina), a former Fulbrighter, who has helped in making the school so accommodating to our group!
*The Yucatan peninsula consists of the states of Quintana Roo, Yucatan, and Campeche.
Overall, our trip to CEYCTE was very nice. The staff and students were extremely welcoming and excited to meet us. They gave us a tour of their school, cooked and served us some delicious Mexican specialties, and put on a performance of local and global music styles. I took a video of the students during some of their performances and I'll try to post it when I get home. Once the time at CEYCTE was over, we boarded the bus and began a 2-hour bus drive to the city of Valladolid, in the nearby state of Yucatan. Here's an updated map:
We arrived at a beautiful hotel – El Mesón del Marqués, with an indoor garden. My private room has a balcony that overlooks the garden too…how wonderful! The group went for a walk to an old cathedral, walking towards a 16th century cathedral. We took a tour of the inside, taking pictures of the interior, the garden, and the priests’ quarters (while up there, I’m pretty sure I found a ghost…). When we got back to the hotel, I tasted some fresh guacamole, sopa de lima, and a pork dish. So far, Mexican food has been delicious, and the sites have not been disappointing!
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Days Three and Four: Austin, TX and Cancun, Quintana Roo
Our last day in Austin, Texas was pretty uneventful, except for the soaking downpour that a few of us got caught in! We had a few lectures until noon – one on how to take good photographs, one about the curriculum project that we’re required to complete as a result of our trip experiences, and another on what to expect when we get to Mexico. What I learned most was that if our trip director Jacques says to eat at a Mexican restaurant, you’ll enjoy a great meal. But if Jacques says not to eat somewhere, you should run fast in the opposite direction! Here's a picture of the group before our last PDO (Pre-Departure Orientation) session:
After our lectures, many of us headed back to the Radisson in downtown Austin to spend our last few hours exploring. Five of us decided to go for a walk down Congress Avenue, towards the Capitol building. After exploring the Hotel Driskill, the oldest hotel in Austin, we emerged to a gentle drizzle. We walked in and out of a few stores hoping for the rain to quickly subside. I didn’t think it would take too long, especially after hearing someone say, “If you don’t like the weather in Texas, wait a few minutes”. We waited a while and then tried to make a run for it, but got drenched in the process. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that much rain in such a short period of time. Rumor is, is that the storm was the beginning of Hurricane Alex. Needless to say, I hope my sneakers dry by the time I return home….
We were up early on Wednesday to head to the airport in Austin for our journey to Mexico! We got to the airport a little after 7am, and after checking our bags (which this time, I didn’t have to pay for…and apparently, shouldn’t have the first time), headed to the gate. But, as fate would have it, our plane to Dallas was delayed by an hour and a half because of the storm. We arrived in Dallas at 11:20, for our 11:23 flight. Since we were traveling in such a huge group, American Airlines really accommodated us – they sent a bus to meet us at our plane and drove us to the next plane. We made our plane! …and as soon as we were settled, we were off!
It was only a two and a half hour plane ride, but they were an unhappy two and a half hours. There was horrible turbulence and it felt like I was stuck on a bad roller coaster. I was happy when we finally landed safely. After claiming our bags, we went through an interesting customs process (after you hand in your declaration slip, you have to push a button…if the light turns green, you can go on your merry way. But if the light turns red, you have to open your bag for a customs officer. Two of our travelers got a red light. :-/ It wasn’t long before our bus arrived, and life was good. The program arranged for a huge tour bus that seats 42 people (we’re 18…16 Fulbrighters and two guides), with a bathroom, snack/cooler area, and a “Traveling Library”.
It took about 30 minutes to get from the airport to our hotel – the Intercontinental Presidente Hotel, located right on the beach. Right away, we went to the beach café to enjoy a snack and a beautiful view of the water. Cancun lives up to its reputation with gorgeous white sandy beaches and blue water.
I’m bringing back a small container of white sand to share with my students, and some pretty cool pictures too. Some of us went for a dip in the pool and then for a walk to the local mall to get some Haagen-Dazs ice cream (sigh...typical Americans!). First day in Mexico = good day!
Here's a map to show our current location:
We were up early on Wednesday to head to the airport in Austin for our journey to Mexico! We got to the airport a little after 7am, and after checking our bags (which this time, I didn’t have to pay for…and apparently, shouldn’t have the first time), headed to the gate. But, as fate would have it, our plane to Dallas was delayed by an hour and a half because of the storm. We arrived in Dallas at 11:20, for our 11:23 flight. Since we were traveling in such a huge group, American Airlines really accommodated us – they sent a bus to meet us at our plane and drove us to the next plane. We made our plane! …and as soon as we were settled, we were off!
It was only a two and a half hour plane ride, but they were an unhappy two and a half hours. There was horrible turbulence and it felt like I was stuck on a bad roller coaster. I was happy when we finally landed safely. After claiming our bags, we went through an interesting customs process (after you hand in your declaration slip, you have to push a button…if the light turns green, you can go on your merry way. But if the light turns red, you have to open your bag for a customs officer. Two of our travelers got a red light. :-/ It wasn’t long before our bus arrived, and life was good. The program arranged for a huge tour bus that seats 42 people (we’re 18…16 Fulbrighters and two guides), with a bathroom, snack/cooler area, and a “Traveling Library”.
It took about 30 minutes to get from the airport to our hotel – the Intercontinental Presidente Hotel, located right on the beach. Right away, we went to the beach café to enjoy a snack and a beautiful view of the water. Cancun lives up to its reputation with gorgeous white sandy beaches and blue water.
I’m bringing back a small container of white sand to share with my students, and some pretty cool pictures too. Some of us went for a dip in the pool and then for a walk to the local mall to get some Haagen-Dazs ice cream (sigh...typical Americans!). First day in Mexico = good day!
Here's a map to show our current location:
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