Mexico has surprised me on so many levels. The culture is vibrant, open, progressive yet ancient. The country is very strict about certain rules, while simultaneously it feels like there are no rules at all. To paint the picture, let me describe two different scenarios that made me smile.
Scenario one: Jamming with tha boys in Palenque
After an 8-hour bus ride I arrived in Palenque, Chiapas. A small town nestled near the Mexican border, wrapped in lush jungle and thick, tropical heat. I checked into a set of rustic cabañas right in the middle of the jungle, where the howler monkeys echo their roaring calls day and night.
Not long after arriving me and the activities manager, Romeo, started to chat. An energetic man with a wide smile and playful energy. Just before closing time, his friend Gabriel showed up. He had that rare kind of presence. A grounded calm mixed with a spark in his eyes that radiated vitality.
Both of them made me feel relaxed, respected, and totally at ease. So when they invited me to their friend’s house for the “best local tacos” and a jam session by the lake, I said yes. We grabbed a taxi, split the fare, and made our way over.
Their friend’s home was warm and welcoming. His family made the tacos and honestly, they were some of the best I’ve had so far. His daughter paraded around proudly in her princess dress, while his wife cooked up magic in the kitchen. As we waited for the food, the men cracked open a beer (their host already a few deep) and pulled out their instruments: a guitar and two different kinds of drums.
Now, to set the scene: the joy of playing definitely outweighed the quality of the music in the best way possible. Picture this: one guy tapping out a rhythm on the drums, another strumming the guitar and singing just slightly off-key, me trying to catch the beat with the second drum set, and (my personal favorite) their tipsy friend tapping a beer bottle with a fork like he was Bob Marley himself.
It was chaotic. It was imperfect. It was exactly what it should be.
A perfect way to start my visit in Palenque surrounded by locals, homemade tacos, jungle sounds, a sky full of stars, and a high quality jam session.
Continue reading Mexican Life II here for the next story
