Mini Adventure

Two posts in one week! Hoot!

I just had to share my little adventure yesterday. I went to Izamal for the day, a beautiful colonial city built on top of a former Mayan city. Much of the main part of town is painted in a soft egg-yolk yellow with white trim which is very pretty, especially in the afternoon light. There are small Mayan ruins dotted about the city and it's also known for its artisans. Many of the local crafts people have their workshops open to the public. You just show up and have a chat with them and see how they work. I wasn't sure exactly what to expect but when I went to the first one (a guy who makes jewelry from henequin spines and coyocal seeds) I spent well over an hour there talking with them and getting a full rundown of the whole process.

It was a bit out of the way so after a 15 minute or so walk (in 105 degree heat) I arrived dripping with sweat and probably bright red. Javier welcomed me and had his helper bring the big fan into the room and point it directly at me. Yay! We chatted for a little while with the usual "where are you from" "do you speak spanish" and he showed me some of the jewelry which was really cool and reasonably priced. He asked if I wanted to see how it was made ("of course!") so we went in the back where his father was talking to some other tourists. We went in the back and walked around the garden, he showed me a henequin plant (a version of agave used for fiber instead of tequila. it used to be a huge industry here until plastics arrived then it went bust) and a coyocol tree (basically little tiny coconuts!) then how they were breaking up the coyocol shells so they can be refined into pieces for the jewelry. Then he asked me what I do for a living and we got into a long conversation about movies (this happens alot. Mexicans always ask "where are you from" "how old are you?" "are you married" and "what do you do?". Usually in that order and long before they ask your name. This is when they meet anyone, not just tourists. That's just the order in which they want to know things! And when they find out what I do it usually turns into a long conversation about movies and what parts are real and what parts are digital)

By that time the other tourists had left so we went back into the workshop, he showed me the tools and pieces of jewelry in progress then went up to the front to look at the jewelry again. Then his dad came out with a big smile and asked if I was the Shrek person. Yup! Then asked if I speak Mayan. Umm.. no. sorry. "Do you want to hear a Mayan song?" "of course!" So he sang me a song in Mayan, then in spanish. It was awesome! Then he taught me some words in Mayan: "ma'alob" means "esta bien" in spanish which is basically "it's all good!" "I'm content!" That's the only one I remember, but it's a good one!!

After that the sun was starting to set and I wanted pictures in the afternoon light so I didn't get a chance to visit any other workshops but I'd go back in a new york minute. Too bad I didn't make it out there earlier in my trip so I would've had time to plan a weekend there, but I've already booked a bus tickets onward. At least I know about it now and can come back someday!