We started the week off with a group gathering at Mary Lucias house to eat tamales(a traditional Oaxacan cuisine) to work on our independant projects and to discuss plans for our upcoming field trip!
On Thursday afternoon we all gathered at Solexico after Comida, dispersed into the vans, and took a beautiful two and a half hour drive through the Sierra Norte (or Sierra Juarez) mountains to our destination in Capulalpam, which is also known as "Nuevo Pueblo Magico." Capulalman is an ancient Zapotec village.
On Thursday night we ate dinner in our home stay and relaxed for the night. On Friday morning we went to the community garden and learned about the garden project that the community has been creating with students in the school in the pueblo. We were able to sample various vegetables grown there as well as help plant lettuce.
After a delicious Comida on Friday we all went to a traditional healing center to learn about traditional healing practices as well as to take part in the various services there. Calpulalpan has a center that employs traditional healers who provide medicinal plant therapy, limpias (cleansing), massages, temazcal, among other services. The 'temazcal' is a type of sweat lodge that gives physical and spiritual purification using the four elements of fire, air, water and earth to give relief from the stresses of daily life.
On Saturday morning after breakfast we hiked through the forest for hours to a river in the mountain, while learning about various plants and information regarding the towns fresh water source, mining, and the dynamics surrounding maintaining independance and resistance of government and large company pressures to exploit the land, in turn sustaining a beautiful, clean environment in Capulalpan.
After our hike we ate fresh trout from the river at a restaurant near by. After lunch many of us ziplined in the air above the restaurant. Once we were done ziplining we started our journey home and arrived on Saturday evening.
Capulalpam is a magnificent city and we are very fortunate to have had the opportunity to go to such a beautiful place!
Brittany and Ariel
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