At the hostel, I met some really amazing people from Quebec that I travelled with- Matieu and Ghyslain. I learned more about Quebec in those 10 days then I had in all my life of Canadian history. Matieu and I ventured to Laguna Miramar, accessible only be airplane or by 7 hour ride on unpaved roads, standing, in the back of a tonnelada (a really big truck). We opted for the latter. All the women were wearing hats and I thought that's strange, and I quickly understood why. The sand from the roads gets tangled in your hair and whips it.

After the 7 hour ride, plus 2 hours in a colectivo (a minibus), we walked 1.5 hours through the Lacandona jungle to reach the Laguna carrying our gourmet goods (rice, beans, some salsa, pasta). Along the way I thought I would be a good citizen and pick up an empty chip bag that someone had carelessly strewn about but that was a bad idea because inside were some ferocious biting ants that made me pay for disrupting their living arrangements. The jungle was lush, serene. The howler monkeys were going full force which scared the crap out of me; they sound like dinosaurs screaming at the top of their lungs.

The closest town, Emiliano Zapata population 120, was 1.5 hours away. When we got to the Laguna just after sunset it was breathtaking. The water was warm, it wasn't swarmed with any tourists (we were the only ones actually) and the climate, perfect. I couldn't really see the vista until the next day. It was worth the wait.

I woke up for the sunrise and you can judge for yourself through the pictures just how stunning it was. I felt so thankful to be able to see this forgotten paradise of Mexico. The indigenous community that was there offered us food and we shared cheerful conversation. I really felt as though I saw Mexico profundo, for the way we travelled, what we did, how we interacted with the community…I saw a Mexico that most never see, through the remote villages, the Zapatista autonomous communities, with Mexico's original habitants.

We ended up staying 4 days and took a little canoe back instead of the truck ride. I mean it was interesting but I didn't really feel like standing for another 7 hours. The canoe trip was equally adventurous. What should have been a shortcut ended up taking much longer.

I don't have very many pictures but I think that's what made the experience more real because the images are still very vivid in my mind.

So that was my Semana Santa which inspired me to take on a new travelling turn. I was able to learn so much and reflect on the craziness of my life back at home and how to fully relax and absorb without thinking of anything else.