Mayan Holiday

I’m preparing for a tour to southern Mexico where the temperature is already close to 100 degrees… and it is only mid-March!

We will be visiting the state of Chiapas, home of the historic municipality and Mayan ruins of Palenque, a place high on my list of interesting sites to visit. The town has a large Ch’ol indigious population, and as of 2005, there were 37,032 people who spoke an indigenous language, out of a total population of 85,464.

Statically 40.60% of the population is indigenous compared to just under 25% for the state. The predominant ethnicity is Ch’ol, and some 20% of indigenous residents do not speak Spanish.[ 4] We will miss the municipality’s annual Festival Mundo Maya (Mayan World Festival) inApril focusing on the culture, folklore, crafts, food and clothing of the indigenous people descended from the Mayas.

Nearby to Palenque is the Misol-Ha waterfall that has a 100foot drop into a pool of clear blue water, perfect for swimming. That means I’m packing my bathing suit in anticipation of testing out the falling water.

Of course, there are other museums, cathedrals, and cities we will be touring, including the colonial city of San Cristobal de las Casas housing a baroque church and museum displaying regional artifacts in the Templo y Ex-Convento Santo Domingo complex.

The state of Chiapas borders on the country of Guatemala, and is in the mountainous highlands surrounded by dense rainforest. Mayan archaeological ruins are scattered throughout the area, and the Spanish left their mark with colonial structures and cities.

I’m hoping to take pictures along the way and find a few handicrafts and colorful weavings to bring home as reminders of this trip.

A full report on the trip will follow after my return.