In the Footsteps of the Maya Indians

We both woke up with hangovers. Not the smartest move, especially since we had booked a tour (120 pesos per person) for today. We were set to visit Maya Indian villages and learn more about their culture. By 9:30, we had both managed to get out of bed and were waiting for the minibus to take us to the villages. We had barely settled into the bus when I realized I wouldn’t be able to handle the ride. We shouted for the driver to stop, and I jumped out with a bag over my mouth. :( Honny had to go on the tour alone while I headed back to bed. He had quite the adventure that day. They visited two villages where they tasted the food that the locals live on and learned about their religion. The Maya cemeteries have crosses painted in specific colors, each symbolizing how old the person was when they died. Not many lived past 50 or 60 years. The Maya villages have their own language, police, and school system. In the first village they visited, 80% of the kids went to school, while the rest worked. In the second village, only 20% attended school. Many families prefer their children to help with work since it puts food on the table right away. They also visited a church where taking photos was strictly forbidden. There was a German tourist who had done it anyway ten years ago, despite warnings… he was killed. Another tourist who took a photo was beaten up, and it only stopped when the police showed up. The Maya still make offerings inside the church to their gods. They sacrifice chickens. Honny saw how they broke the necks of the chickens up by the altar. If the chicken is black, they can’t eat it afterward, only if it’s a different color. There are many different gods represented by dolls inside the church. The locals come to talk or cry with them, speaking to the dolls just like we would to a good friend about all our problems. They also got to see the traditional clothing that the locals wear for weddings… some even got dressed up in the outfits as if they were getting married! :) By late afternoon, Honny was back. I was still feeling pretty groggy from yesterday’s tequila shots, so we laid out in the hammocks and took a nap together. He had bought an indigenous wooden mask for our collection. In the evening, we headed into town to grab a bite to eat. We found an all-you-can-eat meat restaurant for just 90 pesos per person.