Gray Line Wanderings Travel Blog

Bucket lists are trendy these days, especially for travelers. And while I’ve never gotten around to making one (it’s on my to-do list), I know that seeing the Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico would definitely be on it. Every year, the day after North Americans trick o’ treat themselves into a tummy ache, Mexican families invite the spirits of their deceased relatives to venture back into our world, luring their ghosts with offerings of sugary skulls, sweet bread and the necessity for any séance, blankets of candles.

Why would this be on my bucket list? Well, maybe it’s for the chance to see an ancient Aztec celebration that accessorizes with folk art, eerie altars and colored smoke rising into the air like lost souls. Or it could be those creepy skeletons dressed as mariachi singers, trumpet players and lonely brides grinning with full sets of teeth as painted flowers protrude from their eyes. Or perhaps because there is nothing more appropriate for a “things-to-do-before-I-die” list than a celebration that invites death to a party to drink tequila with friends and family.

Whatever the reason, not all festivities are created equal and here are the top three destinations on my itinerary.

1. Mexico City, D.F.

Home to famous artists such as Diego Riviera and Frida Kahlo, art roars through this megacity like rush hour traffic. The Zocalo, or central plaza, hosts larger than life displays of papier-mache skeletons laughing at themselves and the eternal joke of death. Visitors should also visit displays at the Museo Diego Riviera, Museo de la Ciudad de México, Museo de las Culturas, and UNAM. If you are looking to pick up souvenirs or just take photos of markets (my personal favorite travel shots), don’t miss the flower market at Mercado de Jamaica or the witch’s market at Mercado de Sonora.

For more traditional experiences, Mexico City is an excellent jumping off point to Mixquic and the floating markets of Xochimilco. Both are within the city limits of D.F. and can be easily accessed in a day trip.

2. Oaxaca City, Oaxaca

Magical by its folkloric nature, on the Day of the Dead Oaxaca is a city full of song, art and sand painting. Encouraged by an annual competition and artistic perseverance, offerings are made to lost loved ones with boldly colored sand in patterns of skulls and patron saints. Orange marigold petals are then spread across graves to create pathways for the dead, ensuring that they find their way home.

No trip to Oaxaca would be complete without visiting the nearby pueblos of Xoxocotlan and Atzompa which provide excellent glimpses into small town celebrations. Warning: Locals can be very weary of photographs and make sure to ask permission before taking any photos.

3. Lago Pátzcuaro, Michoacán

With church bells ringing all night long, candle light vigils and small wooden boats illuminated by torch-light, La Noche de los Muertos in Lago Pátzcuardo is the best place to summon ghosts–locals believe that the lake is thinnest barrier between living and the dead. On the Isla Janitzio Pátzcuaro, a special altar is held for those who have lost their children years too soon. While this is a very personal moment for the families, the locals welcome foreigners to observe their ceremonies and do not mind being photographed. The uniqueness of this celebration draws droves of visitors ever year but this supposedly does not diminish the celebration’s character. For those travelers wishing to avoid crowds (i.e. me) it is advised to go late at night, around 3am.

Sunset in El Salvador

I am having visions of sunsets across the Pacific Ocean, brilliant colors reflecting off rolling waves as surfers shuffle their feet to the sounds of a distant reggaeton beat. This is El Salvador. Long tarnished by the images broadcasted during its civil war in the 1980s, this tiny country is a surfing mecca often overlooked by the average traveler.

Surfers are lured to this coastline by promises of solitude in secret surfing spots as well as the warm waters that make wetsuits unnecessary.Just south of San Salvador lie the best surf spots. The closest is La Libertad, home to the longest right point break in Central America, Punta Roca. But as you head westward along Highway 2, you’ll also come across Playa El Tunco, El Zonte and Zuncal.

Beginner´s Surfboards

Sounds like the perfect place for me to take my first surf lesson, right? I sign up for an early morning lesson and my instructor greets me with sleepy, bloodshot eyes, evidence from last night’s party.  We head down the rocky beach and I fumble with my beginner’s long board which isn’t heavy as much as awkwardly huge. On the beach, he shows me some tips about how to stand on the board, paddling techniques, yadda yadda. Instead of paying attention I am envisioning myself impressing everyone as I effortlessly pop up on my board, riding a huge break towards the shore. In my mind’s eye, I look cool.

“Ready?” My instructor inquires as motions me towards the sea.

I instantly realize just how delusional my day dream is as I struggle to paddle out. My giant board is impossible to maneuver through the incoming waves and my upper body strength has picked the perfect moment to abandon me. Luckily my instructor stays by my side, encouraging me to push through the crashing surf.

Not me.

Once out of the impact zone, I spend the next hour in the water, paddling and falling off my board in the most unflattering positions imaginable. My pride is impatiently waiting for me on the shore but I could care less. It is hard work, but it is awesome. I feel much more confident with the support of my instructor, as he tells me which waves to go for and even gives me a little push to help me with my timing.  My heart races every time a wave creeps up behind me and I giggle with absolute delight just at the fact that I am surfing in El Salvador. I do manage to catch a few waves, not the epiphany moments that everyone else describes but more the “Eeeek! Stay on the board, stay on the board” mantra. All that matters is that at the end of the day, I am exhausted but stoked that I decided to surf El Salvador.

Costa Rica is truly wild. It is a nature-lover’s paradise, and one of the world’s great destinations for travelers in search of an up-close-and-personal interaction with the outer, exotic end of nature’s spectrum. Its biological diversity is nothing short of stunning. Hundreds of species of birds, scores of the world’s most exotic and unusual mammals and reptiles, thousands of strange and extraordinary insects, and countless tree and plant species are spread across the country’s diverse ecosystems.

Dense and flourishing jungles, pristine sand beaches, explosive volcanic ranges, dry seaside landscapes dot the nation. Rainforests, mangroves, reefs, cloud forests are all easily accessible to tourists because of the country’s unique geography. Living elusively among all of these dynamic ecosystems are human beings’ closest evolutionary cousins, monkeys. They are often at the very top of tourists’ wish lists when it comes to spotting natural wonders in the Costa Rican wild. Here are some hypothetical sighting possibilities:

Possible simian encounter #1: You’re hiking a trail in a dry, tropical forest near one of the beautiful beach towns that dot the Guanacaste coast. In the trees above, you hear a rustle, a rumble, and then some of the strangest, most haunting bellows you can imagine. Calming your nerves, your eyes then follow your ears in the direction of the eerie calls, and you catch a glimpse of Costa Rica’s largest, and loudest, monkey species, the Howler Monkey. Scary as they sound, Howlers’ aggressive calls belie the fact that they are, for the most part, docile and strict vegetarians.

Possible simian encounter #2: From a seemingly suspended volcano observation deck, your gaze turns lower to the rustling tree tops below. Swinging tree to tree, the distinctive white-streaked fur of a colony of White-throated Capuchin Monkeys catches your eye, albeit briefly because they move so quickly from treetop to treetop. Alternately curious and aggressive, the cute but conniving Capuchins are often the face of Costa Rica’s wildlife. But try to retrieve a banana one has co-opted from your fruit basket, and you’re likely to see their sharp teeth and sometimes obnoxious behavior on full display.

Possible simian encounter #3: Along the edge of one of Tortuguero’s jungle canals, the fast-paced arm-over-arm swinging of a long, slender Spider Monkey is hard to miss. They’re especially eye-popping when they take to the air in spectacular fashion, crashing noisily through the canopy, or when they dangle delicately with their prehensile tails. Their intelligence is unmistakable, but their numbers are diminishing because of their value to poachers.

So where can you turn these possible encounters into the realm of the probable?

You’ve got a good shot at seeing any of these species at Manuel Antonio National Park, one of Costa Rica’s most popular destinations for wildlife travelers. White sands meet the Pacific Ocean just south of Quepos, and a lush rainforest backs right up against a series of spectacular beaches and bays, offering visitors lots of different things to do in Manuel Antonio. Another one of the more popular activities is sightseeing in Arenal due to the towering active volcano with sprawling rainforest surrounding its base. Monkeys can be found in abundance.

Other Costa Rican destinations with known monkey populations: Barra Honda National Park, the Cabo Blanco Absolute Reserve, Juan Castro Blanco National Park, Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge and Guanacaste National Park.