¡Hola desde la Granja de Perlas! In other words, hello from Cozumel’s pearl farm! As mentioned in the previous post, this weekend we camp on Isabelle, Laura and Pancho’s pearl farm. The views here are unparalleled, and the water is a pure cerulean. We took a tour of the lab, and then snorkeled through the oyster farm. Did you know: this is the only pearl farm in the Caribbean? Since hurricanes strike so frequently, it’s risky business. After hurricane Wilma, four entire years of investment and research on the farm were lost. Thankfully, Pancho and family developed a highly effective anchoring system to keep their oyster towers, manmade coral reefs, and boats in their places should another hurricane wreak havoc. Curiously enough, there haven’t been any hurricanes ever since Pancho’s father placed a statue of the Virgin de Guadalupe in the ocean to overlook the farm. We’re looking forward to a relaxing weekend here on the beach!
Signing off #Desparato,
Maya and The Ruins
FLASHBACK POST
¡Buenos días! Back to Mexico City, we spent some time exploring el Museo de Antropología–the Anthropology Museum. In fact, we split into four groups and completed scavenger hunts. The museum houses a large collection of ancient artifacts and relics from indigenous populations, like the Aztecs and the Mayans, and also replicas of ancient Mesoamerican settlements like Oaxaca, Teotihuacán, and Tenochtitlán. Fun fact: México City was built on top of a lake! Actually, it’s built on the Aztec city of Tenochtitlán, which the Spanish buried after Columbus discovered the Americas. A city of canals and pyramids, Tenochtitlán was often described as the most beautiful city to bless man’s eyes. The artist Diego Rivera painted murals of Tenochtitlán, the Aztecs, and other civilizations on the walls of the federal building.
Speaking of Diego Rivera, we visited his house–Casa Azul–which he shared with wife Frida Kahlo; it is now home to the famous Frida Kahlo museum. We toured the house, saw some of their works, and even got to see a limited edition exhibit of Frida Kahlo’s wardrobe. Researchers discovered that Kahlo suffered multiple health issues, most spawning from a childhood automobile accident. Her wardrobe was a method to disguise her imperfections; she often wore long skirts, high neck shirts, and modest dresses.
Daniel and our leaders sent us on a second scavenger hunt after the Frida Kahlo museum; this was a real test of our Spanish conversational skills, since we had to ask locals where to find the answers to our questions. In the end, everyone answered all the questions and gained a sense of confidence from speaking to strangers.
That’s it for this episode of “Blog Catch-Up”. Check back in regularly for the most recent updates!
Signing off #Desparato,
Maya and The Ruins
