A Curandera, a Slaughter and Some Jaguars!

We are wrapping it up here in San Andres, spending some time with our families and preparing some thankyou gifts. We have been emmersed into some of the historical Myan beliefs of San Andres, including a visit to a Curandera(a shamanistic herbal healer.)At the Curandera we learned about some of the common sicknesses amongest children and ways of healing them. One of the illnesses is caused from the transfer of heat, from someone who has recently been working or is drunk, to a baby, causing fever. Curing it involves an egg, a lemon, a duck, a local grown herb, some other goodies and some ancient orations. Karen has visited the Curandera since then and has had a facinating experience. Aside from this, these last couple of days have been mello and relaxing, as far as activities go. We have managed to fit in allot of swimming and time with group.
Last night Dan, Celia, Robert, Max and Alex had an experience that will forever change there outlook on what it is to eat meat. Dan´s family are butchers and the group mentioned before, had the opportunity to watch them kill a pig. This raw experience has brought more appreciation for the meats eaten here as well as respect for the locals interactions with the animals. The animals here live a life untainted from inhuman treatment. We are thankful for the culture we have been exposed to and are pumped to continue on our journy.
The excitment continues to bubble up in us as we prepare to head our for our first visit to a Myan ruin site, in Tikal. We will be camping out over night at the Jaguar Inn near the Tikal jungle. Hopefully none of us will wake up to find ourselves in a jaguar cuddle puddle, for there are Jaguars in the area, thus the name. Dan, Alex and Kaise arranged our stay in Tikal as well as the transportation there. Thanks Boys!
All of us here send our love and are thinking of ya (you know who you are)!
The Cam Crew
- Heidi