We were in Mexico once about 15 years ago but it was at an Eco (ecological) resort meaning that there was no internet and you went to sleep when the sun went down. There were a minimum of modern conveniences, in other words, a total rest! But it could have been pretty much anywhere. There was, however, always delicious fresh fish which was brought in by the local fishermen.
Penelope studied Spanish, and still does, so she went to Mexico for two weeks for an intensive Spanish course a number of years ago. This time, however, she decided we would share in a tour offered by the Spanish Colonial Museum. We are only going on one of the two tours offered and that starts off in the Yucatan state in the city of Merida. One of her fellow trustees owns a house down there and arranged for a native guide who speaks English. Also, the museum's curator, Robin Farwell Gavin, who is an authority in the field and also speaks Spanish was there to fill in the gaps.
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| Robin Gavin Discussing the Mission Church in Mani, Yucatán |
The guide's concept was not just to show us sites but to explain the culture from the social, Mayan and historical points of view. Therefore, the first day we were taken to different districts in Merida including where the foreigners live and the commercial districts. The shops are very small and plentiful and in the tourist areas each shop has its hawkers and owners yelling for you to come into their shop. A man sitting in an outdoor cafe decided that I looked like a smoker and wanted me to buy the cigars he was selling. When he started to follow me I had to yell, "I DON'T SMOKE" so that he would go back to the table with his buddies.
There are a great many abandoned houses and we learned that if you want to buy one of them, they are not expensive but cheaper if the "For Sale" sign is in Spanish and it is best if you send in a local to negotiate with the owner.
Because of the poverty it is difficult to keep the economy going in the smaller villages and they have found artificial ways to continue and in some towns it is through fashion. Though the pattern may remain the same, each year the women are expected to wear a new dress in a different color. These dresses can cost as much as U.S. $250 which can represent 6 months salary for someone if they do not have a seamstress in the family. Those who cannot afford it and wear last year's color are marked as of a lower class. The plus side, though I am sure the impoverished don't feel so, is that the ones who could afford the new dresses are also expected to pay more to the Church. Someone in our group asked if one moved to a new village would you be accepted, the reply was, only through marriage. It is the same everywhere, the keys to success and social acceptance are marriage and money.
In the villages the Mayans live in thatch roofed houses which allow the air to go through them giving cross ventilation since they cannot afford air conditioning. Only sleeping is done indoors as cooking and most activities remain outside. Many of the gift shops sell beautiful hammocks and they also hawk them at the outdoor restaurants in the tourist area. But it surprised me to learn that 80% of the local population still sleeps in them.
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| Hammock on wall hook in a wealthy persons home |
We visited a number of churches one dating from 1549 in Mani, Yucatán, most of the paintings and sculptures were replaced in more modern times, but here we saw 17th and 18th century carved painted and gilded altarpieces. Many were built on top of what had been Mayan pyramids, reusing the same stones. As these were Missions, impressing the Indians with the vast vaulted spaces was part of the effort to convert them. Mexico today is still mostly Catholic but I had not heard before that there has been a large Evangelical movement in recent years.
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| Mission Church in Tecoh, Yucatan |
The trip will continue and I will report more as time goes on.
