Prepare your taste buds for REAL Mexican/Mayan food.

In my last blog, I talked about the first Mexican cruise line which should have onboard some traditional Mexican dishes.  On this blog, I will talk about traditional Yucatecan food which will be useful if you are taking a cruise that goes to the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.

Top of the list has to be cochinita pibil, my personal favourite and Yucatan’s number one dish.  Cochinita pibil is pork that has been marinated and slow cooked in achiote (annatto) together with a very bitter type of orange/grapefruit, all wrapped up and cooked in banana leaves.

Do you believe in Leprechauns’ or Goblins? What about an Alux?

Continuing on my Yucatan blogs, I decided to tell you a little about the Mayan Alux (pronounced Al oosh).  Which, once again, if you are visiting the Mayan Riviera and/or Cozumel, Mexico, you might want to keep the following information in mind.

The origin of the Alux myth has been debated for quite a while. Some scholars believe they have European origins form the 16^th Century, others debate that it has a pre-Columbian origin, let them battle it out themselves.

I on the other hand, have heard one origin story straight form the modern Mayan people that involved a witch, a king and the beautiful, striking Pyramid of the Magician, also known as the Pyramid of the Dwarf at the archaeological site of Uxmal, Yucatan, Mexico.

First though, I will tell you a little about the Alux. The Alux is a kind of goblin/leprechaun that is widely known among the Maya people in the Yucatan Peninsula.  Nearly every one I spoke to there believes in them and most locals have a story to tell about them.  An Alux is a small being about 2ft tall that has magical powers, they can be invisible to the eye, or they can also assume any animal that they wish, like a large snake, bees or even a jaguar.  The Alux mainly protect the crop fields of the locals, but also are know to protect all of the archaeological sites at night. But most of all, they like to play tricks on unsuspecting passerby’s, some can nice but sometimes they can be quite mean and even scary.

Some more useful Mayan to English Phrases

Some extra useful phrases if you are taking a cruise that has port visits in the Mayan Riviera and/or Cozumel, Mexico.  

You never know when the following might come in handy:

·         Tuxan há? ---- Which means:  Where is the beach? ---- Pronounced:  Too shan ha?  (ha is pronounced as in Harry)

·         Tuxan le sis ha? ---- Which means:  Where is the bar? ---- Pronounced:  Too shan le sis ha?

Would you like to learn some Mayan Phrases?



Typical Mayan Market

 Continuing with my Yucatan blogs, if you are planning a cruise that will visit the Mayan Riviera or to Cozumel, Mexico, I thought it would come in handy to know some Mayan phrases that might come in handy when dealing with the local Mayan people:

·         Ba’ax ka wa’alik? ---- Which means:  What’s up?

Pronounced:  Bash ka walee

OR

·         B'ix a bèel? ---- Which means:  How are you?

Pronounced:  Bee sh a bell

The usual answer is:

-Mix b’a’al ---- Which means:  Nothing, Don't mention it   Pronounced:  Mee’sh Ba (Ba is pronounced as in Baltic)

                OR

-Ma’alob ---- Which means:  Fine, okay

Pronounced:  Ma Alo?

Have you ever booked a cruise with a Mexican!?

I thought it would be polite if I was to introduce myself to all fellow cruisers.  

Mexico City on a clear day!

 As the section “ABOUT ME” mentions, I was born in Mexico City.  If you see my picture I do not look like a classic stereotypical Mexican, nor do I have a Mexican first name, but that would be my British background hard at work.