2016 Outbound – Xalapa and Mundo Maya de Tuxtla Gutierrez, Mexico
Journey #12738
Journey Coordinator Jackie Herriman
Pre-home stay touring – 10/27 to 11/1 to Mexico City, Teotihuacan and Puebla Home Stay Week #1 – 11/1 to 11/8 with FF Xalapa
Home Stay Week #2 – 11/8 to 11/14 with FF Mundo Maya de Tuxtla Gutierrez
This exchange was full with twenty ambassadors taking this wonderful experience – 16 from FFNEO, 1 from FF San Francisco Bay Area, 1 from FF of Wisconsin/Madison and 2 from FF Dayton OH.
On behalf of us all, our very warmest and sincerest thanks to the Exchange Directors, home and day hosts and members of FF of Xalapa and FF of Mundo Maya de Tuxtla Gutierrez for organizing and giving us truly memorable exchanges!! Our hosts were welcoming, warm, fun and eager to show us the very best of their region, culture, history, food and hospitality. In true Friendship Force fashion, I know that we all made new friends and learned things to admire and appreciate about each other as neighbors in countries who share a boarder.
Here are just a FEW of the highlights of things that we saw and did…
10/27 – Geovanni Duran of Temple Travel Mexico and Adolfo Cortes, independent tour guide. Both met our flights in Mexico City after which Adolfo lead us on five days of pre-exchange touring.
10/28 – Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan. Mayan from ~200 C.E.
10/29 – Stone of the Sun at the Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City, carved from basalt ~1500 C.E. It is 11.75 ft. in diameter, 3.22 ft. thick and weighs about 24 tons. It was rediscovered in 1790.
10/29 – The group having dinner aboard The Floating Boats of Xochimilco
10/30 – With Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead) approaching, locals in Cholula were dressed for the celebration.
10/31 – We visited the ‘Pueblos Magicos’ town of Zacatlan de las Manzanas where we saw many crafts, Dia de Muertos observances, a winery and an amazing clock factory and museum.
11/1 – First HELLOs as our Xalapa hosts meet our bus
11/2 – A visit to Naolinco where we saw beautiful leather goods and crafts. Also, we visited a cemetery for Dia de Muertos observances.
11/3 – On this day, we visited a 16th century ex-hacienda that was the former home of General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna (1794-1876). At Xalapa’s Welcome Dinner, we were entertained by local Ballet Folklorico.
11/4 – After visiting Xalapa’s Museum of Anthropology, we went to an evening performance of the Xalapa Symphony.
11/5 – A full day of seeing numerous sights on our day trip to the port city of Veracruz including a unique local breakfast, Cempoala (above), the home of Hernan Cortes and the oldest Catholic church in the Americas.
11/6 – A ‘free’ day with just our hosts that ended with our taking them to dinner. L to R – Maggi, Lalo Segura, ambassadors Jackie and Mary, Rosy and Eduardo Segura, ED.
11/7 – On this day, we visited the El-Cafe-tal Coffee Museum. Mexico has EXCELLENT coffee!!
11/9 – After a memorable Farewell Dinner and saying goodbye to our Xalapa friends on 11/8, we took an overnight bus to Tuxtla Gutierrez where our new hosts were awaiting our arrival at the bus station. We had a WONDERFUL Welcome Dinner followed by a visit to City Hall to meet the mayor.
11/10 – We visited local sites, including El Chorreadero Waterfall and a walk and shopping along Casa de las Artesanias. Amber and hand-embroidered items were particularly beautiful.
11/10 – Our evening started with a visit to Marimba Park to dance with locals in this fun and nightly activity. Afterward, we went to dinner at Las Pichanchas restaurant where we were entertained by marimba and dance.
11/11 – The group took a boat trip through Sumidero Canyon, followed by a view of it from above at Sumidero Lookout.
11/12 – A very interesting day of visiting the strongly Tzotzil (Mayan descendents) region of San Juan Chamula, San Lorenzo Zinacantan (above) and San Christobal de Las Casas.
11/13 – For our Farewell Dinner, FF Mundo Maya de Tuxtla Gutierrez ladies wore their finest embroidered blouses and dresses.
11/13 – What a party crowd with more live music, good food and dancing, dancing, dancing!!
11/13 – Many of the host members sang for us – a beautiful goodbye until we meet again.
