National Geographic : Lasers reveal Maya war ruins in northern Guatemala sounds like things are about to get more interesting!
Exotic dish of Chiapas: Zats, a very nutritious caterpillar 🐛 🐛🐛 Zats, un platillo exótico de Chiapas y con alto grado nutricional | nvinoticias.com
Zats- considered an exotic food, are only available during the months of June, July, and August. Zats are caterpillars living in the cork tree on the hottest days and that presents its larval stage between the aforementioned months.
The municipalities where this rich delicacy is mainly eaten are Chilón, Ocosingo, Huitiupan, Simojovel, and Yajalón. Prepared with the clean, boiling with salt and ending with frying in oil. Seasoned with ground chile and lime to taste.
In the municipality of Simojovel, many families are dedicated to collect, cook and market a worm that the locals consider a delicacy: zats that in the Tzotzil language means worm.
Its collection can be dangerous because the person must climb more than four meters on very thin branches, work that falls on children or very thin people because they must climb the tree and detach the caterpillar.
In an interview with the seller of the Ocosingo market, Mrs. Mari Trejo, who is originally from Tzotzil-Maya and has dedicated herself for years to the preparation of this worm, offers her recipe.
“First I wash it, then I put it in the pot with water, prepare the fire and for an hour’s cooking I add salt, wait an hour to remove it from the heat, drain it in a colander and cook it again with lemon and chili until that broth is consumed,” she said.
Zats preparation is thorough. First, the bowels are removed, then cooked in water with salt and lemon for about two hours. Later they drain to brown them in oil or lard and finally eat it in a very Mexican way, with a tortilla in a taco.
The zats are not alive when eaten, as with other insects, such as jumiles and maguey worms, which are very popular in all the indigenous peoples of Chiapas.
The tradition of eating insects is part of the diet of the indigenous communities of Mexico since prehispanic times since, according to specialists, insects contain a high nutritional level, with between 15% and 75% of proteins.
Throughout Mexico, indigenous groups such as the Zapotec, Tzetzales, Huicholes, Nahuas, Tzotzils, Tarascans, Mayas, consume more than 200 edible species of insects.
Source: Zats, un platillo exótico de Chiapas y con alto grado nutricional | nvinoticias.com
quick translation by me with the aide of el señor google
Chiapas itinerary
15 days of eating & drinking, swimming & exploring
When my friend Gabi invited me to her wedding in La Concordia, Chiapas, I immediately & enthusiastically accepted. I imagined crossing the Yucatan peninsula & the Isthmus of Tehuantepec by bus, stopping in the cool mountain town of San Cristobal de las Casas, and finally paying a visit to the island of Boca del Cielo, on the Pacific Coast.
A few days later my friend Carmen said she could come for a visit that same week. She was easily convinced to embark on a Chiapas adventure and furious & obsessive planning commenced. I believe that I spent a solid 3 days researching & planning. I’ve had the good luck of visiting Chiapas, but the last time was over 10 years ago.
My careful planning yielded this itinerary (all prices are in pesos chiapanecos):
WEDNESDAY : meet at Villahermosa airport & take an ado van to palenque $95 (2hrs)
FRIDAY:
COMBI TO Misol Ha $30…cabanas $290 52 (916) 121 3764
Also from Palenque:
- visita cascada roberto barrios.. $50, 1 hr away
- visita agua azul $40…agua azul has cabanas
SATURDAY straight to JUNGLE: visit Bonampak & Yaxchilan, swim in the river
3 hours by bus from Palenque- hopefully, we can take combis from Misol Ha to one of the camps, about 3 hrs in. I think we can book when we get there. The best options seem to be in the Crucero Bonampak community, where there’s at least 10 little camps scattered around.
Places to stay in Frontera Corozal
Costs of visiting Bonampak & Yaxchilán :
- Autotransporte Chamoán Palenque to Frontera Corozal ($145, 2½ -3hrs, every 40 min from 4 am to 5 pm) boat to Yaxchilán for 2 people costs $1000, for 6 people $2000. Takes 40 minutes to get there. Rates are non-negotiable. You have 2 hours in the archeological zone. The last boat leaves at 15h but as the site closes at 17h.
- Taxi from Frontera Corozal to Yaxchilán $300 pesos.
- Linea de Pasajeros Comitan Lagos de Montebello runs from Palenque to Comitan and will stop at the cruceros (intersections)
- Autotransporte Chamoán Palenque to Crucero Bonampak ($95, two hours), instead of the San Javier stop on the highway.
- Getting to Bonampak: highway 199 t from Palenque – Chancalá – Corozal Border, as far as the San Javier exit at km 97; continue on the road towards Lacanhá and the archeological zone is 4 km further on.
- It’s mandatory to use a local guide & their transportation for $500 pesos
- Bonampak community fee $75 pesos
- Entrance tickets to the Bonampak site are $75 pesos
It’s also possible to visit more waterfalls from this area using Linea de Pasajeros Comitan Lagos de Montebello &/or Autotransporte Chamoán Palenque :
- Cascada Golondrina $25
- Cascada Welib-Já and Nueva Palestina, take any Carretera Fronteriza bound combi from Palenque.
MONDAY : TRAVEL DAY OR STAY AN EXTRA DAY IN THE JUNGLE
Return to Palenque, and catch a combi to visit Tonina has the tallest pyramid on Mexico. Read more about the Tonina pyramids. Ocosingo has a couple places to stay, an interesting market, and breaks up the 5.5 hour trip to San Cristóbal.
TUESDAY: WEDNESDAY: THURSDAY: 3 nights San Cristóbal de las Casas
- Rent a little casita ($500)
- Casa Na-Bolom, the former home of Franz & Trudy Blom. Superstar anthropologist team working in Chiapas. Last time I was there, I saw an incredible display of Frida Kalho’s jewelry
- The main reason I am going to San Cristobal is to visit the central market
- There’s also an organic market on Wednesday mornings
- EL TZITZ cooking class for $870
- interesting walking tour for $1200
Organic - day trip to cascada chiflon & lago montebello $400
- cool eco trips good prices & socially responsible
FRIDAY: Stay in Tuxtla to visit the zoo, or head to the cuter Chiapa de Corzo.
La Palapa de Mi Mamá…fun bar/restaurant in Tuxtla
bus from san cris-tuxtla $75 (1.5hrs)
coffee tasting experience in TuxtlaCanon de Sumidero boat trip $250
Posada $300
SATURDAY: Visit & sleep in an ecoturismo, waterfalls El Chiflon
SUNDAY TRAVEL DAY to Boca de Cielo
Jose’s Camping Cabanas rustic cabanas in Puerto Arrista
recommended eco-resort on the Pacific called El Madresal
MONDAY: TUESDAY: WEDNESDAY: beach bumming on the black sand beach of Boca del Cielo
THURSDAY: Return to Tuxtla for flight to Merida ($1200)
My CHIAPAS TRIP reading list
- INAH (National Institute of Anthropology & History) list of Zonas Arquelogicas Available in English/Spanish, these pages have stunning photos, maps & historical overview of the archeological zones, including Palenque, Bonampak, Yaxchilan, and Tonina , as well as Chiapa de Corzo and every other of the 10 known site in the state of Chiapas.
- Yaxchilán es una zona arqueológica ubicada a orilla del río Usumacinta, el cual fue de gran importancia para el desarrollo de esta majestuosa ciudad.Source: Yaxchilán zona arqueológica en Chiapas, cómo llegar | Guíasdeviaje.mx
- For thorough explanations of the history & legends of the Maya world, I adore Lydia Jones’s Hammocks & Ruins. She really digs deep into the subjects and collaborates with professional photographers to create content for travelers & wanders. Check out her itineraries to Bonampak & Yaxchilan, Chiapas. I plan to download her articles to read on my way to the pyramids. Lydia writes in English.
- The other joyous discovery of my Chiapas research marathon is Sinpostal.com Rubi & Jose Luis are photographers & videographers on a year-long road trip of Mexico. I found them on YouTube, devouring the videos they made in Chiapas this spring. I really appreciate their website with it’s clear breakdown of costs & logistics. All content is in Spanish, but they are super clear communicators & use helpful graphics, so I think non-Spanish speakers can find the content helpful.
- In San Cristobal, I found El Tzitz cooking classes that can be combined with a market tour. Also available at an airbnb experience.
- Gertrude Duby’s photo archive (1943-1990) at Na-Bolom
- Slow Food piece on the milpa system in Chiapas: A complex Mesoamerican intercropping method, the milpa is a sustainable agricultural system that can combat the loss of biodiversity in rural areas thanks to the rich variety it incorporates. The most common crops, and the most representative of the local diet in the Mexican region of Chiapas, are corn, beans and squash, which coexist and form symbiotic relationships with each other and other plants like tomatoes, chili peppers, quelites (wild herbs), fruit trees and dozens of other vegetables, as well as fungi and insects who find their ideal habitat in the milpa.
Lasers reveal Maya war ruins in northern Guatemala
Source: National Geographic Lasers reveal Maya war ruins in northern Guatemala
A Typical Coastal Yucatan Village Market
Where I’m living, the daily market borders the central plaza. With only 3 vendors selling food, the market offers a wonderful introduction to local, seasonal cooking in this part of the world. It is spacious & unhurried. There’s plenty of time to ask questions, and share recipes.
My haul this morning includes aromatic sour oranges, tiny plum tomatoes, fresh chaya greens, 2 kinds of chiles, juicy mangos, fresh cilantro, mint & chives, and a fat papaya. Today I didn’t wake up early enough for fresh pork.
After my shopping, I went across the street to the best loncheria of the 6 on the plaza for an empanada and a salbute, both garnished with cabbage salad, fried tomato sauce, & a pureed habanero chile salsa
Custom explorations of the Yucatan coast!
The coastal villages lining the Gulf of Mexico in Yucatan state possess a sleepy, timeless vibe. Arriving at the wrong time, it may seem everyone has deserted this dusty paradise. Other times will reveal a vibrant community of fisherman and families, bustling with activity between the pier & the plaza. Looks can be deceiving for any traveler, but especially here in the hot Yucatan.
Constant sea breezes take their toll on buildings, signs, and furniture. Locals are accepting of the slow deterioration. They know where & when to eat & shop. Where to find the most delicious ceviche when the octopus is abundant. Village residents know what time the wood-fired ovens cool & the bakers put out crusty pan frances. Home cooks know that the butcher rises before dawn to harvest only 2 pigs each day, and shoppers must make their purchase well before 9 am.
Send a whats app by clicking on the icon on the lower-left corner or a send me a message for pricing & availability!
Here’s what our tour looks like:
michelada beer cocktail 
how salt is harvested 
laguna rosada 
beachside eating 
handmade sorbets 
botanas at a cantina 
fishing village 
salbute y empanada 
BEACH TOWN FOOD TOUR (3 hours)
Our first stop will be Chicxulub Puerto, a small fishing village east of Progreso. We will visit the tiny Municipal Market, to learn about coastal Yucatan’s cuisine & ingredients. Then we will walk across the street to a tiny loncheria selling incredible empanadas, panuchos & salbutes. We will hit up a roadside coconut stand to fuel ourselves for the next leg of our journey.
Then we will travel 30 minutes by car to visit an active Mayan salt-making operation at the picturesque Laguna Rosada. We can see how salt is extracted manually, in a method virtually unchanged in 1300 years, & talk with a few of the 50 people who have the skills to extract it. A salty mudbath & the opportunity to take incredible photos are offered at no extra charge.
This stop will be followed by a quick tour of a nearby archeological zone, that a served as a local business center for traders who traveled to the region to purchase salt starting in the Late Preclassic period (100 BC-250 AD). The combination of the salt-making center side-by-side with the ruins really give you a perspective on Mayan life over the past millennium.
We will return to Chicxulub to take a short walk around town to enjoy some swimming, cold beers, a ceviche tasting & tropical fruit sorbet, before heading back to Progreso (15 min by car.)
BEACH TOWN FOOD TOUR (full day)
Our first stop will be the historic shipping port of Progreso. We will visit the 90-year-old Municipal Market, to learn about coastal Yucatan’s cuisine & ingredients. We will share a typical local breakfast, Lechon (roasted pork on french bread) from a restaurant opened in 1937. Lechon is traditionally paired with Coca-Cola, but we will try several tropical fruit juices and agua frescas instead.
Then we will travel 40 minutes by car to visit an active Mayan salt-making operation at the picturesque Laguna Rosada. We can see how salt is extracted manually, in a method virtually unchanged in 1300 years, & talk with a few of the 50 people who have the skills to extract it. A salty mudbath & the opportunity to take incredible photos are offered at no extra charge.
This stop will be followed by a quick tour of a nearby archeological zone, that a served as a local business center for traders who traveled to the region to purchase salt starting in the Late Preclassic period (100 BC-250 AD). The combination of the salt-making center side-by-side with the ruins really give you a perspective on Mayan life over the past millennium.
Then we will have lunch across the street from the beach at a family-owned seafood restaurant in Telchac Puerto. Cooling off, hydrating with ice-cold beers, and swimming in the sea will be on our agenda for the next couple of hours. We will sample ceviche & choose from a plethora of fresh seafood. Before we drive back west, we will visit a typical sweet shop that sells the most amazing cheesecake I have ever tasted!
Our last stop will be in Chicxulub Puerto, a fishing village located 30 minutes away. We will drink fresh coconuts & take a short walk around town to enjoy tropical fruit sorbet & sunset on the pier before heading back to Progreso (15 min by car.)
Send a whats app by clicking on the icon on the lower-left corner or a send me a message for pricing & availability!
Bolsas de Mandado: a Life Long Obession with Mexican Shopping Bags
I have loved these woven bags as long as I can remember. Indestructible, waterproof & colorful; great for carrying caguamas, laundry, many kilos of fruit…available in sizes from wallet toting to queen sized comforter hauling. I remember a snooty wine sales rep claiming that she would use one for her samples once she got on the street (jajajaja! nice thought!)
Merida Market Tours
Come with me on a personalized market tour of Merida. I love the buzzing energy of the market, witnessing the tapestry of relationships built over generations of merchant-vendor exchanges, and unearthing the best local & seasonal ingredients. My trips are comfortable, tailored to what you most want to experience. If you don’t care for the sights & smells of fresh meat or live animals, we can avoid those sections. If you want to eat the absolute best of the market food, we can chow down. If you are interested in seeing a bit of living history, that is guaranteed!
Here are a couple of ideas:
- stock up on colorful shopping bags
- visit indigenous fruit & flower vendors. Purchase homemade drinking chocolate, spice blends, melipona honey, hot sauces, specialty jams, recados, and natural candies
- get a basic overview of local handcrafts- embroidered clothing, woven hammocks & guayaberas
- explore the bustling fruit & vegetable market
- sample castacan- sliced, deep fried pork belly with the skin left attached
- taste small batch coconut sorbet
- eat indigenous foods that are relatively unchanged in hundreds of years
- assemble a picnic lunch or ingredients for a special meal
The Humble Brilliance of Italy’s Moka Coffee Pot – Gastro Obscura
TRUTH! Bialetti’s Moka Express is redeemed by coffee snobs!
Coffee people have softened their stance, and recognized the moka pot for what it is: an entirely different branch of the coffee machine tree, a very old, very clever, and very economical way to make coffee.
Source: The Humble Brilliance of Italy’s Moka Coffee Pot – Gastro Obscura
I travel with my brilliant espresso pot. Coffee culture has grown muchisimo in Mexico, but it’s still easier to find a stove than an espresso every morning!
A Cheap Lunch in Playa del Carmen
Playa del Carmen is one of the fastest-growing cities in Latin America. It’s absolutely bursting at the seams & it’s not pretty. Rampant over-tourism, unchecked development plus the latest round of violence & sargassum make it one of the last go-to places on any Mexico Lover’s list. However, you may end up there, waiting for the ferry to Cozumel, celebrating your cousin’s bachelorette or someone’s birthday. So I’ll share my cheap & decent lunch recommendation with you: Asadeo El Pollo
Onion, Tanned is an awkward translation for one of the most delicious condiments found on tables in Yucatan peninsula, Cebollas Curtidas. I make them all the time. chopping & slicing the onion as I like, then covering them with naranja agria, lime juice, or any fruit vinegar. Add salt & pepper, and some sliced habanero if you like it hot. These onions brighten up any dish, and help cut the fat in lechon, castacan or cochinita tacos & tortas.
Asadero el Pollo (gmaps)
20 Avenida Norte 652, Centro, 77710 Playa del Carmen, Q.R.
Open from 10am to 6pm 7 days a week