Life's a Beach | Expat Life in Playa del Carmen

It was a beautiful day today and we wanted to make the most of it. We stopped in for a quick breakfast at BioMaya and then set off to visit the Mayan Museum, Na Bolom.  I had heard this was a must see but really had no idea what to expect. Located a good distance from our hotel, we chose to cab it, arriving before noon just as the city was starting to warm up.

Cole tries the fresh beet juice. Not a hit.

Na Bolom was founded by Danish archeologist Franz Blom and his wife, Gertrude. Gertrude was an avid painter and photographer and an environmental activist. In 1951, Franz and Gertrude purchased and rebuilt an abandoned seminary in San Cristobal, converting it into their private residence and a research library dedicated to Mayan studies. Here they invited other like minded explorers and scientists to come and stay to study and document the Mayan civilization, past and present. Franz and Gertrude had a particular interest in the Lacandon Maya, a small group located in the south west quadrant of Chiapas. They railed against the deforestation taking place in that region that threatened the traditional lifestyle and the very existence of this culture. To this day, Na Bolom remains one of the best sources for information about the Lacandon Maya. Gertrude's photography is so remarkable...I can only describe it as haunting. You simply cannot fathom that the Mayan people in her pictures were photographed, right here in Chiapas, just 50 years ago. I took no pictures of her work, so you are just going to have to see it for yourself.

Rob and the kids at the entrance of Na Bolom

A flower an herb garden maintained by Na Bolom. It was so strange to see all of our favorites from back home...geraniums, lilies, allium.

The sunny courtyard inside Na Bolom

The formal music room where a young man entertained the visitors with classical piano pieces.

Some of Franz and Gertrude's artifacts

Hundreds of Mayan relics preserved and on display

The kids were fascinated by Franz's typewriter. Birdie kept asking where the screen was!

This is referred to as "the Library Without Walls" and is dedicated to the conservation, development and disbursement of the over 5000 books, articles, maps and other documents collected and preserved by Franz and Gertrude during their studies. The Na Bolom Trustees plan to copy all of this information for the future use of researchers and anthropologists and also to then disburse it to the Mayan communities about whom it was written. In this way, they will be able to keep the stories and the traditions alive for generations of modern Maya to enjoy.

The grand dining room. I can only imagine the tales that have been told over this table. We were told that dinner at Na Bolom was a once in a lifetime experience, an evening to spend at the table with fellow travelers and share travel stories and information. Of course, we jumped at the chance to make a reservation for the nightly seating!

Gertrude's bedroom with all of her things on display. An avid horsewoman, her beautiful tack was all oiled up and ready for one last ride. Her palettes and oils were all set out as if she had just put them down and gone out for a stroll. The jewelry in her collection was so exotic, I could not for the life of me imagine where in the world it came from. Her clothes were all perfectly preserved and hanging in her closet, riding boots and embroidered slippers laid out carefully, side by side. I must have stood in that little room for half an hour taking it all in and imagining what kind of a life, what adventures she must have had. I seriously hope that I will have such a full life.

Behind the museum we found gardens and walking paths that lead to several small out buildings, some built in the traditional clay block manner with palapa roofs. The garden and tree nursery was established by Gertrude in 1973 in order to support reforestation of the lands of the Lacandon Maya and the surrounding rain forests. The Trustees of Na Bolom have continued Gertrude's efforts and hope to develop educational programs for the local children and visiting school groups. Directly behind the museum more land and building materials are being prepared to expand this project.

Birdie and a new friend.

A stunning clay piece from the nearby village of Amatenango del Valle.

When we headed back into the center of town we found the streets abuzz with activity, everyone gearing up for Easter Sunday. We were quite hungry so we stopped in for a quick bite at a lively expat type bar called "Revolucion". The place had a fun revolutionary theme, complete with the requisite pictures of Che Guevara, Pancho Villa and Emilio Zapata and filled with chain smoking backpackers. Fabulous! The food turned out to be surprisingly good and it wasn't long before we struck up a conversation with some fellow travelers.

Yup, it's a saxaphone made out of bamboo. Love it!

Long story short, several beers and tequila shots later, the kids and I left Rob with his new companions and headed back to make our reservation at Na Bolom. When we arrived, the fire was crackling in the hearth, a welcomed treat on this cold evening. I was somewhat surprised to see just four places set at this enormous table. After inquiring with one of the waiters, we learned that we would be the only guests this evening and they were delighted to have us. OK. Not what we were expecting but still quite an amazing experience. We warmed ourselves by the fire and looked at the portraits of our "hosts", both overlooking the room. We imagined all kinds of strange sounds...creaking floor boards...odd bumps and groans...and giggled when the waiter agreed that it was certainly the spirits of Franz and Gertrude coming to make sure we enjoyed our stay.

Birdie giving a very convincing "Blair Witch Project" audition.

Provecho!

Our dinner consisted of a simple braised chicken dish served with a green salad and herbed rice. Nothing fancy, but exactly what one might think the Blom's would enjoy after a long day in the jungle. If you are lucky to find yourself in San Cristobal, I highly recommend you plan a day to visit this amazing home. It is a museum and so much more. It is a testament to two lives well spent. To Gertrude and Franz Blom, we raise our glass.